The picture shows Shi Kebin dancing the "Ribbon Dragon". Photo by Li Yunhan
(New Year grassroots) Visit Jiangxi's 700-year-old "intangible cultural heritage" dragon lantern: let the Chinese dragon "dance" to the world
Nanchang, January 27(Xinhua) Title: Visiting Jiangxi's 700-Year-Old "Intangible Cultural Heritage" Dragon Lantern: Let Chinese Dragons "Dance" to the World
Reporter Li Yunhan
On the eve of the Chinese New Year, Shi Kebin, the inheritor of Jiangxi's provincial intangible cultural heritage "Chengnan Dragon Lantern", was leading his apprentices to make dragon lanterns, only to see his skillful hands flying, and soon the dragon head woven with bamboo strips was formed.
Dragon lantern dance is the traditional folk performance form of the Chinese nation, and during major festivals and events, many places will have the custom of dragon lantern dance. Chengnan Village, Qingyunpu District, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, where Shi Kebin is located, has a history of making dragon lanterns for more than 700 years, and in 2008, the "Chengnan Dragon Lantern" was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in Jiangxi.
The picture shows a dragon lamp equipped with AN LED lamp. Photo by Li Yunhan
On the 27th, the reporter of China News Network visited the production base of "Chengnan Dragon Lantern", and when he walked into the factory, he could see hundreds of golden dragon tails hanging above, and the workers were "catching orders" non-stop, some were cutting dragon clothes, some were sewing dragon tails, and they were hot and orderly.
"The production of traditional dragon lanterns requires more than 100 processes, and it takes half a month to make a dragon lamp more than ten meters long." "Zhalong Lantern" has been more than 30 years of Shi Kebin not only passed on the dragon lamp, but also made innovations on the basis of tradition.
The picture shows Shi Kebin making the skeleton of the dragon lamp. Photo by Li Yunhan
In the past, dragon lanterns were made by pasting paper on a set up dragon frame and then using candles or kerosene to make them shine. Nowadays, on the basis of retaining the traditional dragon head skeleton production technology, after the continuous improvement of Shi Kebin, the materials for making the dragon frame are lighter and more reliable, the color of the dragon clothes is more abundant, and the LED lights also replace the candles to eliminate safety hazards. Several people divide their work to make a dragon lamp, and it takes less than an hour to complete one.
"This year, overseas customers placed orders six months in advance, just to be able to feel the traditional Chinese culture during the Spring Festival." Shi Kebin said that it was the wish of the ancestors to let the "Dragon Lantern in the South of the City" cross the ocean, and it has now been realized. The "Seongnam Dragon Lantern" production base can sell tens of thousands of dragon lamps a year, and before the new crown pneumonia epidemic, 20% of the orders came from overseas, which were sold to Australia, the United States, Germany and other countries.
Dragon lantern dance is the traditional folk performance form of the Chinese nation, and during major festivals and events, many places will have the custom of dragon lantern dance. Photo by Li Yunhan
"In the traditional concept, we are all 'descendants of the dragon', and many overseas Chinese always remember this touch of the Spring Festival dragon dance." In the production base of Shi Kebin, there are many photos of international friends, overseas Chinese and dragon lanterns on display. He said that before the epidemic, many teachers from overseas Chinese schools came to visit with students.
In order to better sell overseas orders, Skkebin has also made many improvements. He changed the bamboo frames that were easy to be returned by customs into steel wire or plastic models, and modified the huge and difficult to pack and transport the entire dragon into a dragon lamp that could be disassembled and assembled.
The picture shows workers at the production base making dragon lanterns. Photo by Li Yunhan
In the post-epidemic era, the gathering of personnel is not conducive to the normalization of the prevention and control of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, so Shi Kebin researched and produced a "ribbon dragon" that can be danced by a single person. He said that after the epidemic, people have paid more attention to health, and the improved "ribbon dragon" has also been favored by the middle-aged and elderly people because it is more convenient for fitness.
"The dragon is one of the symbols of Chinese culture, and I want the Chinese dragon to 'dance' to the world, so that the people of the world can understand Chinese culture through the dragon lamp." Shi Kebin said that on the basis of tradition, he will continue to improve, continue to promote the "Dragon Lantern in the South of the City", and focus on cultivating the next generation of inheritors, so that China's Dragon Lantern culture will go farther and farther. (End)