Dragon Fish Dance

41.Dragon Fish Dance

Nominating Unit: Huaiji County, City of Zhaoqing

Huaiji Dragon Fish Dance is introduced into Longfeng Village, Fenggang Township of Huaiji County by the forefather of Shi’s family from the southeastern coastal area. It had already been circulated in many areas within the county as early as the reign of Emperor Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty, and has a history of over 160 years by now. Now it is mainly distributed among such villages and townships as Longfeng, Huaicheng, Lianmai, etc.

Huaiji Dragon Fish Dance is an animal prop dance. The props are all made of bamboo scepters and colored paper. The dragon prop has only a dragon head without a body. During the performance, one would hold a dragon pearl, one the dragon head, six a pair of gold fish, carp, and herring, one a shrimp, one a clam, with some others holding lanterns indicating the sun, the stars, and the moon, and color flags. The dancers all wear yellow Tang suits with red lining, a red silk girdle, and a yellow hood with red lining and a red tassel ball on their foreheads. The dance mainly uses bow stance, and there are six segments, namely dragon fish out of sea, fish mouth fighting, gold dragon crossing, weaving the wall, jumping over dragon gate, and dragon fish into the sea. With percussion music accompanied by gongs, drums, and cymbals, the dragon pearl would lead the dragon head to churn through fish schools, shrimps, and clams. The fish sometimes fight each other, sometimes cross and jump through a virtual dragon gate. The dance concludes in its climax with a style where all props circle around the dragon pearl and dragon head.(https://www.daowen.com)

“Dragon” in Huaiji Dragon Fish Dance symbolizes the vigor of a dragon, while“fish” symbolizes a well-off life. It is usually performed on Spring Festival, and is deeply loved by the locals. It has gone through generation after generation, and is still thriving, which proves its unique spiritual values of humanity. However, now it is faced with many difficulties in its transmission and a lack of transmitters in performing, prop making, and music. Urgent protective measures are called for.