Thirteen “dragons” on behalf of Tongjun, Chengnan, Jiuxian, Fengchuan sub-district administrations and Jiangnan Town in Tonglu County staged a magnificent dragon dance show in two routes (River South and River North) on February 24. 

One of the 13 “dragons” is Stools Dragon from Jinjia Village, Fuchunjiang Town. Born in the Ming Dynasty, it features a portfolio of folk arts such as bamboo weaving, calligraphy and painting, paper cutting and flower making. This comeback show after 40 years presented a majestic and vivid dragon consisting of 108 stools, 200 meters in length. 

Straw Dragon of Baijiang, a city-level intangible heritage in Hangzhou, dates back to the 11th year of Guangxu Emperor’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1885 A.D.). Baijiang is a place neighboring Anhui Province. The dragon made of bundled straw was a sign of ritual sacrifice, praying for a bumper harvest, and safe and sound life for both the people and the livestock. Venerable seniors as the lead, dragon dancers, mainly male bread winners from villages, perform while pushing Straw Dragons on wheelbarrows. They are usually followed by a team of people carrying wicker baskets and another team playing gongs and drums.  

At the Lantern Festival, cultural and tourism authorities in Fuyang District prepared festive activities with “dragon” elements. 

The Lantern Festival falls on the fifth day of the first lunar month. On that afternoon, Fuyang Museum held a celebration featuring lantern performances, intangible cultural heritage DIY and traditional clothing exhibition during Ming and Qing dynasties. 

The subsidiary of Fuchunshanju Group in cultural and tourism sector created immersive live-action drama tour in Longmen ancient town, Huang Gongwang’s hermitage, “Fuchun Shanju” cruise ship and Guanshan mountains. More entertaining activities like dragon dances, lantern riddle party, rubbing making and paper cutting were carried on in the Longmen ancient town. 

Look at how Huyuan Township celebrated the Lantern Festival. In Yaokou Village, a 130-meter-long dragon made up of 58 wooden benches came alive in the hands of female performers to the music of gongs and drums. Molten “iron flower” fireworks and hanfu show staged romance of unique Chinese style on the Longlin Dam in Xinyi Village.