[Explanation] In Taijiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, the traditional custom of "dancing dragons and booing flowers" to celebrate the Lantern Festival has been circulating for hundreds of years. It is a unique way to watch the weather and show the dragon lantern culture.
The Lantern Festival in 2023 is approaching. When traveling to Taijiang County, folk craftsmen in various villages and villages started the busiest mode. They made traditional dragon lanterns meticulously with their hearts and emotions. Their special craftsmanship also expressed their wishes for a better life.
[Explanation] Ji Dezhong, who lives in Wenshan Village, Taigong Street, Taijiang County, his father was once the inheritor of Qiandongnan state-level intangible cultural heritage handmade dragon lantern making skills. He learned handmade dragon lantern making skills from his father since he was a child.
Today, he has also become a well-known local dragon lantern craftsman.
[Concurrent] Ji Dezhong, a dragon lantern craftsman at Dongmen Street, Wenshan Village, Taigong Street, Taijiang County, Guizhou Province
In order to make fun this year (dancing dragons and booing flowers), I helped us weave 3 dragons on East Street.
One is 99 meters long, and the other two are about 30 meters long.
I also organized young people to make up various "stories" (stories about mascots and auspicious meanings), such as fish, shrimp, five-pointed star, toad, rabbit and so on.
In addition, I compiled more than ten faucets and sold them to nearby villages to increase family income at home.
[Explanation] Choose bamboo, broken bamboo, bamboo, fabric, paper-cut. The most difficult thing to make a dragon lantern is to tie the dragon head. It has no fixed shape, and it all depends on the craftsman's mind.
[Concurrent] Ji Dezhong, a dragon lantern craftsman at Dongmen Street, Wenshan Village, Taigong Street, Taijiang County, Guizhou Province
The dragon head should be braided from the eyes, first the eyes, then the mouth, then the gills, the gills on both sides, and then the horns.
Whether the mouth is fierce or not depends on the mouth you make up. If it is too forked (big) like a crocodile, it is unattractive, if it is too hooked and bows its head (lack of energy), you must master it to a certain extent.
To feel angry is to be invigorated.
[Explanation] In 2021, the custom of "Miao Dragon Dance and Booing Flowers" in Taijiang County was selected into the list of representative items of national intangible cultural heritage.
In the local area, making dragon lanterns and lanterns is a major event in every village. Except for some craftsmen, men, women and children in the whole village participate in it. During the production process, boys are responsible for making dragons, fish, turtles, etc., and girls are responsible for making lanterns.
[Concurrent] Xiong Kelan, a resident of Dongmen Street, Wenshan Village, Taigong Street, Taijiang County, Guizhou Province
All people, old and young, and ordinary people, everyone can contribute their strength, and some people can contribute to weave dragon lanterns.
Men weave dragons and women weave flowers.
During the Lantern Festival, the men go out to dance the dragon, and the women carry these "stories" out to parade in the streets to hold activities for good luck.
[Explanation] After the dragon lantern is made, the local residents will choose a good day and time to hold a consecration ceremony for the dragon lantern, worship the water well, and perform street tours to pray for good weather and peace of the country and the people.
[Live sound] The scene of the consecration ceremony.
[Explanation] A dragon dance to boo flowers lights up a city.
During the parade of dragon lanterns, drums and music are played together, fireworks are bright, and everywhere there is joy, there is a joyful and peaceful festive atmosphere everywhere.
Everyone danced dragon lanterns and sent auspiciousness from door to door in the village. It seemed to be a kind of inheritance, but behind it was the love of ordinary people for local cultural and sports activities.
[Concurrent] Ji Dezhong, a dragon lantern craftsman at Dongmen Street, Wenshan Village, Taigong Street, Taijiang County, Guizhou Province
I saw everyone working together, playing (Dragon Lantern), and being interested in doing it, everyone working together, the small family is united, the street is united, the whole county is united, the country is (more and more) prosperous and united stand up.
(Reported by Li Daidi, Zhang Jiajing, Zhang Xiuying, Yuan Chao, Qiandongnan, Guizhou)
Responsible editor: [Song Yusheng]