Yingluohan
01 · Historical Records
The origins of Jinyun Ying Luohan (Welcoming the Arhats) are tied to the local tradition of martial valor and self-defense. The Kangxi-era Jinyun County Gazetteer records that during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Song, the people of Jinyun organized themselves to guard against foreign raiders and practiced martial arts for self-defense, each village forming its own company; the people called these martial arts organizations "Luohan troupes" (Arhat companies). Thereafter, at every festival and temple fair, the Luohan troupes of each village would assemble for procession and take turns displaying martial arts, gradually forming the custom of Ying Luohan. The Luohan troupes taking part in Ying Luohan number from several dozen to more than a hundred members each; the members are mostly young and middle-aged men of the village, who farm in ordinary times, gather for intensive training before festivals, and whose master-disciple transmission is usually maintained within the village.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Ying Luohan (Welcoming the Arhats) is a recreational activity in the countryside of Jinyun County, Zhejiang Province, that combines acrobatics, martial arts, and folk custom during traditional festivals. Since ancient times, the people of Jinyun have regarded the "Luohan" (Arhat) as the incarnation of a being of vast supernatural power; hence people respectfully call those of great strength and superb martial skill "Luohan," and call martial arts teams "Luohan troupes." The Kangxi-era Jinyun County Gazetteer records that during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Song, to guard against foreign raiders and practice martial arts for self-defense, each village formed its own company, and the people called them "Luohan troupes." Ying Luohan activities are held at every festival celebration and temple fair. Ying Luohan involves the participation of multiple Luohan troupes, each numbering from several dozen to more than a hundred members. Before setting out, each troupe holds a solemn flag-consecration ceremony in its own village, then assembles at a designated place and, following an agreed route, marches through the streets in a single-file "long snake" formation under the lead of the formation banner and sacred streamers, accompanied by the vanguard gongs and drums; at each village it reaches, the troupes select an open ground and take turns performing skills such as Luohan formations, martial display, and stacking Arhats (human pyramids). As a folk entertainment performance, Ying Luohan not only adds festivity to holidays but also serves as a way for villages to exchange martial skills; it has been passed down through generations and is deeply loved by rural people. The performance of Ying Luohan centers on three types of skill: Luohan formations, martial display, and human pyramids. Luohan formations emphasize the maneuvering of formations, with performers shifting positions under the guidance of the formation banner and sacred streamers; martial display showcases boxing, weapons, and paired sparring; human pyramids rely on human ladders and towers to display strength and coordination.
The flag sacrifice
The solemn village rite that must precede a troupe's departure, marking the formal start of the procession.
The single-file snake formation
The march in single file behind banner and drum, halting in each village at an open ground to perform in turn.
The arhat formation
The formation skill of the arhat parade, built on the shifting of ranks under the guidance of flag and banner.
Stacking the arhats
Human ladders and towers displaying strength and coordination, usually saved for the climax of the show.
The Jinyun arhat troupes
Villagers call the strong and skilled arhats and their teams arhat troupes; more than thirty now operate in over fifty villages.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
At present the county has more than thirty Luohan troupes, distributed across more than fifty villages in over a dozen townships, active in local traditional festivals and major temple fair events.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Ying Luohan is rich in simple, rustic local cultural character and possesses high artistic ornamental value and historical-cultural value. Ying Luohan is held mainly during traditional festivals and temple fairs. Its performers are primarily young and middle-aged villagers who farm in ordinary times and gather for intensive training before festivals; their masters are mostly veteran boxing masters from their own or neighboring villages. The Luohan troupes of different villages both observe one another and test skills against each other, while following long-standing precedent regarding assembly points, procession routes, and performance order. The activity thus serves both as holiday entertainment and as a means for villages to exchange martial arts and strengthen mutual bonds.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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