Qilin and lion dance embodies harmony for millennia

The Qilin and lion dance embodies traditional Chinese values of filial piety and harmony. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Qilin and lion dance is a unique folk dance performance style featuring all male performers. It integrates the Qilin and lion, martial arts, drums and gongs, and poetry recitations or antiphonal singing.

The dance is cherished for its flexible and challenging dance movements, which depict playful interactions between the Qilin and lion, presenting an endearing and amusing spectacle. This art form is beloved by the people and embodies the core Chinese cultural values of filial piety and harmony.

The dance is a traditional folk art unique to Anlu, Hubei province, with a history spanning more than 1,000 years.

Anlu was established as a county during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Han and belonged to the Jiangxia Commandery. The worship of the Qilin totem has a long tradition in the area, and the custom of performing Qilin dances for blessings and dispelling misfortunes gradually emerged during this period.

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-581), a retired general returned to Yandian town at the foot of Baizhao Mountain in Anlu. While there, he combined the Qilin and lion dances into a single dance, creating a new performance tradition.

As a crystallization of the wisdom of the working people of Anlu, the Qilin and lion dance, with its unique artistic form, is deeply rooted in the hearts of the local community and remains a popular cultural entertainment.