Pukou, Shexian County, Anhui Province, was praised by the world as a "thousand-year-old port" and "the source of Hui merchants", and on June 6, 2019, it was included in the fifth batch of traditional Chinese ancient villages.
Pukou is located in the south of Huizhou Prefecture, She County, Anhui Province, where the Yanjiang River, Fengle River, Fuzi River, Busha River and Shuishui River converge as Xin'an River. Historically, the ancient port of Pukou was full of sails, shops and prosperous for ten miles. For thousands of years, during the Spring Festival, there is the custom of dancing the grass dragon here, praying for the good weather in the New Year, the peace of the country and the people, and the abundant harvest of the five grains;
In the first month of 2023, the end of the three-year epidemic brought joy and happiness to the people of Pukou. In order to successfully hold the "Dragon Dance and Pray for Blessing" activity, they visited the ancestors of the clan in Pukou Village, searched for the inheritors of folk customs, recorded the historical stories and legends of Pukou, excavated the historical context, and made serious preparations for the Spring Festival Dragon Dance Blessing Event.
From the preparation of funds, to the rehearsal program, the purchase of costumes, gongs and drums, dragon boats, to the self-written, self-directed, and self-performed dragon dance and blessing program, the villagers resonated and praised the Cheng brothers' initiative, and enthusiastically signed up to participate. They gave up holidays and rest, gathered the villagers, and concentrated on teaching, rehearsals, and performances.
On the evening of February 12, 2024 (the third day of the first lunar month), the "Pukou Village Dragon Dance Blessing Activity" was grandly held, and the participants in the event, wearing traditional costumes, were full of energy, and lined up. A huge grass dragon, on the dragon boat on the Xin'an River, dances and jumps, vivid, and unprecedented. The huge grass dragon, from the dragon boat to the dock, thousands of people shouted, the voices were boiling, spitting fire, dragon dance, incense, making wishes, the whole dragon dance blessing process, in accordance with the traditional etiquette regulations.
Pukou dragon dance blessing activity, creative novel and simple, with a strong New Year's flavor, joyful, festive, peaceful, is one of the most successful activities in She County, Anhui Province to hold the Spring Festival celebration.
The Pukou Dragon Dance Team, due to its traditional professionalism and reputation, was invited by relevant departments and units to go to Huizhou Prefecture and relevant towns to perform dragon dances, and achieved great success.
The love and kindness of the Cheng brothers have brought happiness and joy to their hometown, which is worthy of praise and praise!