Bring on the rain! Straw dragon a godsend to farmers
By Wing Tan |
March 15, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Songjiang District has designated the straw dragon dance, or cao long wu, a traditional folk performance in Yexie Town, on its list of "intangible cultural heritage."
Village farmers have long revered the dragon as the god of water. Their dance to venerate the dragon and pray for spring rains and a bumper crop dates back to about AD 790.
The dragon is made of straw and features the head of a bull, the mouth of a tiger, the horns of a deer, the body of a snake, the paws of an eagle and the tail of a fish.
The traditional dance comprises seven sections that include praying for rain, gathering clouds, rain falling and the dragon god appearing.
Rural dancers jump, crouch, squat, twist and turn to control the straw dragon's movements. The dance often includes breathtaking acrobatic stunts.
Good timing and perfect coordination mark a dance masterfully executed.
As the dance reaches its peak, eight village girls appear and sprinkle water on the audience in a symbol of blessing the harvest.
Nowadays in Yexie, the dance is performed during town festivals and celebrations. The older generation passes the dance movements down to their children so the heritage will not be lost.
Village farmers have long revered the dragon as the god of water. Their dance to venerate the dragon and pray for spring rains and a bumper crop dates back to about AD 790.
The dragon is made of straw and features the head of a bull, the mouth of a tiger, the horns of a deer, the body of a snake, the paws of an eagle and the tail of a fish.
The traditional dance comprises seven sections that include praying for rain, gathering clouds, rain falling and the dragon god appearing.
Rural dancers jump, crouch, squat, twist and turn to control the straw dragon's movements. The dance often includes breathtaking acrobatic stunts.
Good timing and perfect coordination mark a dance masterfully executed.
As the dance reaches its peak, eight village girls appear and sprinkle water on the audience in a symbol of blessing the harvest.
Nowadays in Yexie, the dance is performed during town festivals and celebrations. The older generation passes the dance movements down to their children so the heritage will not be lost.
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