Turtle dance is a folk mask dance, which is popular in Shiji Township, Panyu County. It was said that during the early years of Ming dynasty, general Liao Yongzhong and Zhu Liangzhu led the army to Panyu by sea, bringing to Shayong village the turtle dance which was popular in Jinao village, Fenghua county, Zhejiang province. The turtle is made of bamboo frame pasted with paper in which pictures are painted. When dancing, the turtle moved like a Kylin (a Chinese unicorn) to express going out of cave, looking for food, playing in water, mating, laying eggs, jumping through a gate, etc. The music accompaniment features strong beating of drum and gong. When the turtle goes outing, a team of fishing lanterns will follow it, accompanied by a team of teenagers in white shirts and jeans with flower sticks in hand and lettuce in mouth to demonstrate the martial spirit.

Turtle dance used to hold for 3 days in succession in the third month of lunar year every 9 years. It was suspended during the anti-Japanese war. In 1954, local cultural center rearranged it and put it on stage. It has become a recreational activity held at unfixed intervals.

Editor: Weiwei