Dragon Dance

Ⅲ-4Traditional DanceRucheng, HunanBatch 2 (2008)Extension Item

01 · Historical Records

According to legend, the Rucheng incense dragon originated earliest in the folk activities of worshipping the dragon to stop rain and to stop floods, while its image draws mainly on murals and sculptures of dragons in local temples.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Classified by the form the dragon takes, dragon dance includes cloth dragon, gauze dragon, paper dragon, straw dragon, coin dragon, bamboo dragon, palm-fibre dragon, bench dragon, hundred-leaf dragon, lotus-flower dragon, fire dragon, chicken-feather dragon, flesh dragon and many other types; because the forms differ, their dance postures and dancing techniques also differ in their own ways. The traditional performance procedure of Chinese dragon dance generally consists of such segments as 'inviting the dragon', 'sending the dragon out', 'performing the dragon dance' and 'seeing the dragon off'. Dragon dance embodies cultural meanings of pioneering effort and of the unity of humanity and nature, and is an important part of the spirit and cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. Rucheng County lies in southeastern Hunan Province, at the junction of the provinces of Hunan, Guangdong and Jiangxi. The incense dragon is made chiefly from the straw, palm leaves, bamboo slats and bamboo poles produced in Rucheng and from specially made dragon incense, using traditional local binding techniques. The dragon-summoning ceremony of the incense dragon dance is usually held during the Lantern Festival, when people gather in an open space and dance the dragon lantern in the darkness of the night to pray for favourable weather and rain, bumper harvests and peace and prosperity in the new year. The ceremony includes movements such as tumbling, spraying water, sinking to the bottom of the sea, leaping, swallowing and sleeping, of which 'sinking to the bottom of the sea' and 'swallowing' are technically the most difficult. The two lions that lead the way and follow behind do their own tumbling and leaping, and also perform movements of leading the dragon and escorting the dragon as an honour guard. The head of the incense dragon is complex and exquisite, with the horns first, then the mouth, then the whiskers and so on, each part linked closely to the next to form a whole. Once the parts have been bound, dragon incense is inserted horizontally on both sides of the dragon body and linked with thin bamboo strips into lines, dense and orderly, magnificent to behold; with the carrying poles fitted it is truly splendid. The great gathering of Rucheng incense dragons is liveliest in more than 120 villages such as Yidao Village, Jinjiang Village and Houfang Village of Chengxiang Township and Guang'ansuo of Tuqiao Town; the incense dragons of these villages are finely modelled, imposing and resplendent with incense light, the dragon-summoning ceremonies are ardent and the scenes magnificent, revealing pronounced regional characteristics. The Rucheng incense dragon and its related dragon-summoning ceremony integrate traditional craft, music, dance and folk ritual into one, vividly displaying the cleverness of the local people and their earnest expectation of a good life.

The Lantern Festival dragon-summoning rite

The rite is held during the Lantern Festival, when villagers gather in the open ground to dance the incense dragon at night for timely weather and good harvests.

Sinking to the seabed and swallowing

The two most technically difficult movements of the Rucheng incense dragon, alongside rolling, spraying water, leaping and sleeping.

The escorting lions

Two lions lead and follow the dragon, performing their own tumbling and leaping as well as escorting the dragon along the route.

Incense sticks and bamboo thread

Made from local straw, palm leaf, bamboo and special incense, the head grows horn, then mouth, then whiskers; incense sticks set along both flanks are linked by fine bamboo threads.

The core villages

Representatives of the more than 120 villages where the rite is liveliest, their dragons finely modelled, imposing and bright with incense.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

Dragon dance, also called 'dragon performance', is known among the people as 'playing the dragon', 'playing the dragon lantern' or 'dragon lantern dance'; it is the most widely distributed and most far-reaching folk dance in China. This dance takes varied forms in its performance, and dragon dances among different ethnic groups and different regions differ markedly in style. In research into Rucheng's ethnic origins, ethnic character, traditional crafts and local folk music, dance and ritual, the Rucheng incense dragon has extremely important reference value.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

In recent years the Rucheng incense dragon has been difficult to transmit, has few successors and has entered a survival crisis; it urgently needs rescue and protection.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

Dragon Dance (Rucheng, Hunan) · China ICH Official Project Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗

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