HISTORICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE DRAGON LANTEN AUSPICIOUS PHRASES FORMATION DANCE, 1731-PRESENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7i2.1151Keywords:
dragon lantern dance, intangible cultural heritage, cultural memory, heritage institutionalization, traditional performanceAbstract
The Dragon Lantern Chinese Auspicious Phrases Formation Dance (DLCAPFD) is a distinctive form of dragon dance originating from Zhongyi Village, Hebei Province, characterized by its ability to form auspicious Chinese characters through coordinated manipulation of a segmented dragon body. This article examines the historical transformation of DLCAPFD from its origins within the Qing Dynasty imperial mausoleum ritual system to its contemporary status as a nationally recognized and actively practiced intangible cultural heritage. Using historical analysis and a cultural heritage perspective, this study traces DLCAPFD across four major historical phases: its institutionalization as a ritual performance reinforcing imperial authority during the Qing Dynasty (1731–1912); its adaptation as a community-based folk tradition following the collapse of imperial institutions (1912–1949); its disruption and revival during the socialist and reform periods (1949–2008); and its institutionalization and continued practice within contemporary heritage preservation frameworks (2008–present). The findings demonstrate that DLCAPFD’s continuity was sustained through cultural adaptation, community transmission, and embodied cultural memory, rather than uninterrupted institutional support. In the contemporary period, institutional recognition and heritage policies have strengthened its preservation, while community participation has ensured its continued vitality. This study argues that DLCAPFD exemplifies the dynamic nature of intangible cultural heritage as a living cultural practice shaped by the interaction between cultural memory, community agency, and institutional recognition across changing historical contexts.
References
[1] Assmann, J. (2011): Cultural memory and early civilization: Writing, remembrance, and political imagination. – Cambridge University Press 319p.
[2] Dang, Q., Luo, Z., Ouyang, C., Wang, L., Xie, M. (2021): Intangible cultural heritage in China: A visual analysis of research hotspots, frontiers, and trends. – Sustainability 13(17): 21p.
[3] Helen, R. (2016): Intangible Cultural Heritage in China Today: Policy and Practice in the Early Twenty-First Century 1. – In Music as Intangible Cultural Heritage, Routledge 31p.
[4] Hobsbawm, E. (1983): Introduction: Inventing traditions. – In: Hobsbawm, E. and Ranger, T. (eds.), The Invention of Tradition, Cambridge University Press 14p.
[5] Li, Y., Xu, Q. (2016): The inheritance and development of the Dragon Lantern Dance in Zhongyi Village. – Journal of Hebei Folk Culture Studies 12(2): 45-53.
[6] Li, Y., Yin, H. (2018): Cultural inheritance and contemporary transformation of Dragon Lantern Dance in Hebei Province. – Chinese Folk Culture Forum 6: 183-192.
[7] Liu, B. (2011): Ritual, performance, and symbolic meaning of dragon lantern dances in North China. – Chinese Performing Arts Review 9(1): 22-35.
[8] Smith, L. (2006): Uses of heritage. – Routledge 368p.
[9] Tan, H.S. (2018): Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in China. In: Music as heritage: Historical and ethnographic perspectives. – Routledge 21p.
[10] United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2003): Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 14p.
[11] Xu, Y., Tao, Y., Smith, B. (2022): China’s emerging legislative and policy framework for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. – International Journal of Cultural Policy 28(5): 566-580.
[12] Xu, Z., Chai, L., Wang, Y., Chen, W., Gu, D. (2025): Spatial distribution and tourism potential of intangible cultural heritage and Cultural Cities-A Case Study of Anhui Province, China. – Land 14(12): 25p.
[13] Yan, H. (2010): Cultural change and survival of traditional dragon dances in modern China. – Journal of Chinese Cultural Studies 8(3): 65-78.
[14] Yan, W.J., Chiou, S.C. (2021): The safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage from the perspective of civic participation: The informal education of Chinese embroidery handicrafts. – Sustainability 13(9): 21p.
[15] Ye, P., Zhou, Y. (2013): The Development and Trends of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List. – In 2nd International Conference on Science and Social Research (ICSSR 2013), Atlantis Press 5p.
[16] Ye, W., Zheng, T., Qi, Y., Zhao, W., Wang, X., Zhao, X., He, J., Zheng, Y., Wang, D. (2025): ICH-Qwen: A large language model towards Chinese intangible cultural heritage. – ArXiv Cornell University 16p.
[17] Zhang, H. (1989): Dragon lantern dance and its formation system. – Chinese Dance Research Journal 4: 12-26.
[18] Zhang, H., Li, Q. (2020): Intangible cultural heritage protection and rural cultural revitalization: A case study of Zhongyi Village dragon lantern dance. – Journal of Cultural Heritage Studies 15(2): 88-101.
[19] Zou, X. (2020): Cultural heritage preservation and challenges in rural Hebei. – Hebei Cultural Heritage Review 7(1): 33-47.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 CHONG ZHAO, MAUREEN DE SILVA, KOK ON LOW
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
