Fire dragon dance celebrates Chinese New Year

New Year is the time when tourists to China get to witness one of the most impressive performances - the fire dragon dance.

According to traditional culture researchers, the fire dragon dance at the beginning of the new year represents the wish for good luck, warding off illness and is also an entertainment activity of the Chinese people.

Kwok Kam Chau, a professor at Hong Kong Baptist University who studies festivals and religions in Chinese society, said these dances served as celebrations to ward off epidemics. Professor Chung Po Yin, who has also spent years studying fire dragon dances, added that ancient Chinese worshiped dragons to pray for rain. The belief stems from folk beliefs, Buddhism and Taoism, which see dragons as river gods or rain gods.

Fire dragon dance in Guizhou province during the New Year. Photo: Alamy — Fire dragon dance in Guizhou province during the New Year. Photo: *Alamy*

Dragon dances have been recorded at events and ceremonies since the Han Dynasty (202-220) BC. Fire dragon dances first appear in records from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but some historians believe that this folk art form dates back even further, to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Today, fire dragon dances are performed across the country as part of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Performances vary from region to region. Places with famous dragon dance traditions that attract tourists include Guangdong, Hunan, Sichuan, and Chongqing.

Puzhai Village in Fengshun County, Guangdong Province regularly holds fire dragon dance performances during the Lantern Festival (15th day of the first lunar month). The tradition dates back to the Qing Dynasty and was recognized by the government as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008.

As the fireworks were lit, a group of shirtless village men ran into the village square, lifted a dragon over 30 meters long covered in fireworks, and carried it around. Before that, people started lighting various fireworks. The most important moment of the festival was when the village elder started lighting fireworks attached to the dragon's body, making the animal shine in the light.

Dragon dance under molten iron at Huanglongxi ancient town in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Photo: Alamy — Dragon dance under molten iron at Huanglongxi ancient town in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Photo: *Alamy*

The tradition of dancing with fire dragons made of steel has been practiced in towns in Xiangxi Autonomous County, Tujia Autonomous County and the Miao Autonomous Region of Hunan Province for centuries. The event also takes place during the Lantern Festival to pray for favorable weather and bountiful harvests.

The event usually begins with the sound of drums, gongs, and cheers from the audience. Then fireworks are shot from many bamboo tubes around the area where the dragon dancers are dancing. The dance ends with the dragon being released into the river, while in some places it is finished when the dragon is burned to ashes, leaving only its steel frame.

Once feared to be a dying tradition, the dragon dance has been revived by enthusiastic locals sharing photos and clips on social media to promote it. The Steel Fire Dragon Dance was added to China’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2018.

The Fire Dragon of Huanglongxi Ancient Town, Sichuan Province also attracts many tourists because it is one of the most spectacular fire dances in China.

With its ancient architecture from the Qing Dynasty, this ancient town in Chengdu is famous for its many temples, becoming a favorite destination during the Lunar New Year. Every year, the ancient town holds a New Year fair, including a fire dragon dance for the first 5 days of the new year. Instead of setting off fireworks, molten iron lava is thrown into the air. When the lava cools and emits sparkling rays of light into the air, the fire dragon is danced around by the people around the rays of light, creating a beautiful scene.

The Fire Dragon Dance of Tongliang County, Chongqing Province is one of the most spectacular fire dragon dance performances among the localities with dragon dance traditions. As drops of molten iron are shot into the sky and light up the darkness, the shadow of the dragon revolves around the light from the iron fire, creating a magnificent scene.

Known as the hometown of the fire dragon, visitors to Tongliang County can watch dragon dance performances right on the streets. One of the top places to visit is Qicaimeng Park. On the first seven days of the new year, the park hosts a 50-minute performance featuring the Tongliang fire dragon dance.

Anh Minh (According to CNN )

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