Dongguan Kylin Dance

Dongguan Kylin Dance

Nominating Unit: City of Dongguan

Dongguan Kylin Dance is mainly distributed among the mountainous areas and highlands of City of Dongguan and some villages in Putian. According to The Dongguan County Annals from the late Qing Dynasty, it has a history of more than 100 years.

Dongguan Kylin Dance mainly presents the theme of “good fortune with kylin”, and “luck bestowed by green”. Therefore, the locals are very peculiar with the looks of the kylin. The kylin head looks very much like a dragon head, so it conforms to the old legend of “a dragon has nine children, with kylin being the eldest”. A protruding five-colored horn sticks forward on the head, which symbolizes “to be on top” and “extraordinary look”. Tower-shaped and colored tacks, bronze round mirrors, and gold wires are installed all over its head, neck and mouth, which means “family fertility”, “warding off the evil”, and “mouth of gold, words of jade”. The five-colored cloak on its back symbolizes the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth. The four characters embroidered on the cloak, “Feng Tiao Yu Shun (Every thing Is Smooth All the Year Round.)”, means timely wind and rain. The theme is rolled out with the dancing of this elaborately made sacred beast which holds all the luck and auspice.

Dongguan Kylin Dance is carried out with one person playing the head and the other playing the tail. The routine of the dance is made up of a front part and a rear part. The front part can be further divided into four segments, namely the kylin getting prepared for its inspection of the heavenly palace, inspecting east, west, south and north, taking a rest, washing up and wakening up. Each segment has different moves. For example, inspecting can be represented with big jumps and small jumps. The former is jumping with two feet, showing the power of the kylin, and the latter is jumping with one foot lifted up, representing the vigilance and fl exibility of the kylin. The resting and washing up mimic cat’s moves, such as licking foot, washing body, drinking water, scratching ears, biting the fl ea, and dozing off. It is called “kylin showering its back in sunrays”. The rear part mainly shows how the kylin meets with great difficulties to inspect the whole city and finding the green, till at last it bestows its luck upon the world. “Green” is normally represented with a small green tree, a twig, or a bundle of grass. It symbolizes gathering the essence of everything on earth. Picking up the green includes such lively plots as looking for the green, startled by the green, smelling the green, testing the green, protecting the green, teasing the green, losing the green, finding the green, recovering the green, kicking the green, eating the green, spitting out the green, playing in the garden and bestowing the luck. The movements generally include writhing, rolling, rotating the head, biting the tail, teasing the tail, practicing, and kicking the green.(https://www.daowen.com)

The background music for Dongguan Kylin Dance is generally played with gongs, drums, and trumpets. Gongs and drums are generally played in accordance with the expressions and movements of the kylin, and the songs are normally from traditional Cantonese music, such as Er Liu, Er Wang Zhong Man Ban, Ku Xiang Si, Liu Bo Ling, Bai Hua Ting Nao Jiu, etc. The trumpets usually play Xia Ma Wei, Da Shou Ban, Wu Hua Chui, etc.

Dongguan Kylin Dance spans the longest period of time among all cultural activities in local customs for the Spring Festival, also symbolizing praying for fortune and good luck when people move houses, have weddings, or open businesses. It is not only very ceremonial, but also bears rich spiritual meanings. It possesses great historical value in many respects, such as dancing art, local customs, local believes, etc.

Because of the fast growth of market economy and the impact of imported cultures, Dongguan Kylin Dance is faced with great challenge in its inheritance. Before, there were kylin dancing teams in every village, but now few are left. Therefore, protection and more effective ways to guarantee its inheritance are needed.