Straw Dragon Dance
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The tradition of dancing the straw dragon in Yexie has a deep cultural connection to the ancient ritual of dragon sacrifices for rain, serving to unite the village's collective strength and has been passed down for nearly a thousand years.
According to legend, Han Xiangzi, one of the Eight Immortals, summoned the "Green Dragon" from the East China Sea to bring rain and alleviate the drought in his hometown.
In this ritual, villagers craft a grass dragon using golden harvest straw, which is tied into four sections symbolizing various powerful elements: the ox head, tiger's mouth, antlers, snake's body, eagle's claw, and phoenix's tail. This is done to pray for favorable weather.
The custom of dancing the straw dragon in Yexie has retained its original form remarkably well. Over time, it has evolved from a folk religious activity into an essential part of traditional festivals and community celebrations.
The Dragon Dance, also known as "Playing Dragon", "Dragon Lantern Dance", or simply "Dancing the Dragon", is one of China's most widely distributed folk dances, with regional and ethnic variations in style.
In Yexie, the custom of the straw dragon dance is believed to have originated during a drought in the Tang Dynasty. According to the legend, Han Xiangzi, originally from Yexie, called upon the Green Dragon from the East China Sea to bring rain. The dragon's arrival ended the drought, bringing much-needed rainfall to the dry seedlings along the Salt and Iron Ponds. In gratitude, the locals renamed the pond "Longquan Harbor" in honor of Han Xiangzi's act. This tradition continues to this day, with the villagers annually crafting the straw dragon in four sections—representing ox head, tiger mouth, antlers, snake body, eagle claws, and phoenix tail—as a prayer for rain and good weather. Over time, the straw dragon dance evolved into a variety of dragon lantern dances, leading to further forms such as rolling lantern dances and water dances.
The performance itself is divided into several sections: "Prayer", "Travelling Clouds", "Seeking Rain", "Fetching Water", "Rainfall", "Waterfall", and "Return to the Palace". Throughout the dance, the performers use a combination of movements: hands (flinging, swinging, turning), eyes (looking, glancing, hoping), body (turning, twisting, bending), and steps (stepping, crouching, erratic movements). The entire performance is coordinated in a unified flow, culminating in a climax. In the "rain" section, eight performers dressed as village girls cheerfully dance a "harvest dance" while splashing water from pots and buckets onto the audience, symbolizing the "dragon's water." This is seen as a good omen, prompting the audience to eagerly scramble for the splash.
As rural life and social concepts evolve, the straw dragon dance in Yexie is transitioning into a performance for traditional festivals, celebrations, and folk fitness activities. However, its essential form still retains strong ties to its religious roots and original style.
Original Chinese text source:
https://www.ichshanghai.cn/