A traditional fire dragon dance was held in Majing’ao Town of Jishou City in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture on the evening of Feb. 2, 2016, accompanying with a resounding cheer, powerful drumbeats and firecrackers.
The fire dragon dance is a traditional sacrificial activity held by Miao people in Xiangxi praying for good weather for the crops and bumper harvest, which enjoys a history of more than 300 years.
On that night, dancers tied a red cloth on the dragon’s head before performing in the hope of extending their wishes to the ancestor. Then they painted the eyes for the dragon to bring it to life. Later four dance teams consisting of 44 shirtless men imitate the supposed movements of the animal in a sinuous and undulating manner among the crowd.
These brave Miao people drunk wine and came through the baptism of fire “steel”. The fire “steel” is made from bamboo tubes stuffed with mixed materials in proportion like saltpeter, sulphur, charcoal and wine.
The fiery and sinuous dragon puppet brought an air of festivity and dynamic to the mountainous area.
Translator: Xiao Juan
Source: Hunan Official Web Portal