Kuitan Crane Dance

Kuitan Crane Dance

Nominating Unit: City of Jieyang

Kuitan Crane Dance is distributed within Huilai County of eastern Guangdong Province. It is told that the ancestor of Su’s family in Sucuoyuan Village, Kuitan Township of this county was inspired by the folklore that the heavenly emperor sent seven white cranes with flowers of auspice in their mouths to congratulate the everlasting safety and good luck of the villagers after the immortals had rescued them from demons, and created a crane dance, “auspicious crane presenting treasure”, during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, which was only circulated within the family. It only began to be circulated around Chaoshan area by local people after the year 1949. Later on it was even introduced to Hong Kong, Macao, and overseas Chinese communities in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia with Huilai origin.

Kuitan Crane Dance uses a crane lantern as its main prop, which is bound together by bamboo strips. The crane has a red cockscomb on its head, and a flower in its mouth. The crane is 1.45 meters long, and wrapped in silk paper, with pieces of white, green, and gray cloth glued on to the body to be the feathers. The wing span is nearly 1 meter, and its long feet are retracted toward the back, mimicking a fl Ying-Gesture. Candles are lit in the head and body for illumination. The crane body and both wings are operated and fixed by the left hand of the dancer, while the crane head and its neck are operated by his right hand. Its movements and gestures are graceful and vivid.(https://www.daowen.com)

Kuitan Crane Dance needs 6 to 8 people on the band, 20 to hold the lanterns, and 7 to operate the cranes. Lanterns are held by boys and girls, forming a giant circle holding different kinds of lanterns such as imperial lantern, carp lantern, etc. high up, with every kind in pairs. 7 dancers stand in the middle holding 7 crane props, and perform four dancing routines, “auspicious crane dancing”,“auspicious crane ushering in the spring”, “auspicious crane presenting treasure”, and “seven cranes returning home” in order. The crane flock dance under the rhythms of the drum beat, sometimes calling for friends, sometimes gliding in the sky, sometimes leisurely circling around, sometimes crying out holding their heads up, sometimes in elation and asking for praise. The smooth and natural movements reflect their elegant and jolly nature, creating a warm and auspicious atmosphere and expressing local people’s longing and pursuit for happiness. The dance is highly viewable, and possesses distinct symbolic meanings.

Kuitan Crane Dance is normally performed on Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, and other celebrations. It is not restricted by the venue of the performance and its requirement for the performing space is very flexible. Especially, when it is performed in the evening, the show will look resplendent and breath-taking, which partly explains its popularity among local people.

Due to the impact of market economy and imported cultures, the practitioners of Kuitan Crane Dance is few now. There is also a breakdown in its transmission, which adds to the worrying prospect of this dance. Urgent helping and protective measures are called for.