China News Service, Fujian Liancheng, March 12 (Huang Shui Lin Jiang Yu Ting) The second dragon raises its head in February, starting a good omen for the year.
From March 10th to 11th, the sixth "February 2" Southern Song Dynasty Lantern Cultural Festival was held in Bizhou Village, Juxi Town, Liancheng County, Longyan City, Fujian Province, a traditional Chinese village and a national historical and cultural village.
The sixth "February 2" Southern Song Dynasty Lantern Cultural Festival was held lively.
Photo courtesy of Liancheng County Integrated Media Center
"The fish are here, catch them quickly"... Right now, it is a good time for spring plowing and planting. The spring rains come as scheduled, nourishing the earth, and everything is full of vitality.
On the afternoon of the 10th, in the farmland between Yonglong Bridge and Wenchang Pavilion in Bizhou Ancient Village, a unique folk activity of the Hakka people, "catching fish to make spring fields", was performed lively, awakening the sleeping earth in winter and welcoming the arrival of spring plowing and production.
"The New Year is over. Everyone should be busy making a living and start farming. I hope there will be a good harvest this year." said the villager.
At the same time, distinctive folk activities such as Western Fujian Han Opera, You Gongtai, and "Liancheng Boxing" performances took turns, setting off the first wave of craze in the village.
On the 11th, night fell in Bizhou Ancient Village and the lanterns were turned on. With the sound of gongs, drums and shouts, a dragon head more than 3 meters long and 2 meters high was lifted high. Hundreds of villagers carried Southern Song Dynasty lanterns of various shapes. Walking through the streets and alleys, winding in the fields.
Wherever the parade went, every household lit rosé and fired fireworks.
Photo courtesy of Liancheng County Integrated Media Center
Bizhou Southern Song Dynasty lanterns are unique, using handmade swastika lanterns, octagonal lanterns, two layers inside and outside, three layers up and down, a flower pot on each side, and more than 20 lanterns on one plate.
The candles make the lanterns crystal clear and colorful, and complement each other with the Wenchang Pavilion, Tianhou Palace, Yonglong Bridge and other ancient buildings illuminated by the lights. It is so beautiful as you look around.
The most exciting part of the parade is the "Coiling Dragon", a more than 300-meter-long parade consisting of cloth dragons, paper dragons and lanterns gathered in a circle on the village committee floor.
The dragon ball leads the dragon's head to swing, and the dragon's body and tail sway accordingly, sometimes leaping and sometimes swooping, with different expressions, showing the spirit of the dragon and the joy of the people.
Bizhou Southern Song Dynasty lanterns are unique. They are made of pure hand-made swan-shaped eyebrows and octagonal lanterns. They have two layers inside and outside, three layers up and down, a flower pot on each side, and more than 20 lights on one lantern.
Photo courtesy of Liancheng County Integrated Media Center
There were crowds of people around the square, cheering and cheering, echoing the sound of gongs, drums and firecrackers, pushing the excitement of the village to a climax.
"I came from Sichuan and came to Bizhou through a friend's recommendation. Seeing the fusion of lanterns and ancient buildings, it was like traveling back to ancient times." Li Xi, a tourist, said excitedly that this trip was worth it and was well worth it.
Bizhou has a long history of Southern Song Dynasty lanterns. It is a folk activity that has been passed down since the founding of Bizhou in the Southern Song Dynasty. It has a history of more than 800 years and completely retains the exquisite skills of making lanterns in the Southern Song Dynasty. It is known as the "living fossil of Southern Song lanterns and Hakka culture". Peach Blossom Spring".
In 2018, Bizhou's "February 2" Tour Lanterns were included in the sixth batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage representative projects in Longyan City.
Bizhou Southern Song Dynasty lantern.
Photo courtesy of Liancheng County Integrated Media Center
"There are more than 60 lanterns this year, and each household is responsible for making one. It takes 15 to 20 days for one person to complete each lantern independently." Lin Yingping, organizer of the Lantern Tour Folklore Event in Bizhou, said, "Everyone" is written on the lanterns. As a blessing to our country, the lantern tour activity is intended to pray for good weather, good harvests, and to keep the vitality of excellent traditional culture alive.
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