A PEARL of Shenzhen's ancient sea culture, the fish lantern dance was performed for the first time in 50 years at the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Yantian District this September.

Dancers held candle-lit lanterns in the shape of sea carp, shrimp, turtles and crabs as they danced traditional steps based on Chinese martial arts. Gongs, drums and other traditional Chinese instruments blared out their ancient music, underscoring the fishermen's courage overcoming natural dangers and pirates. In light touches, fish frolicked and fought with other sea animals.

"The dance used to be a favorite among local villagers, but it was last staged here in the 1950s," said a senior villager at Shalanxia Village in Shatoujiao Subdistrict in Shenzhen. He said that several eldly villagers, all over the age of 70, guided the lantern making and directed the dance.

"Traditional fish lanterns used paper over bamboo strips. Then each 'fish' was painted in different colors," the villager said. "This year, we used special cloth from Japan which is fire-resistant and better for storage." Each fish cost more than 1,000 yuan (US$123).

The dance, originating in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), was introduced to Shenzhen in the 18th century. It was usually staged at night during traditional Chinese festivals to celebrate the fishing catch and to pray for future good luck. With the unique revival of the dance in Shalanxia Village, the Central Government recently named the village "home of the fish lantern dance."

The dance goes back to aboriginal sea culture worship in the coastal regions of Guangdong and Fujian. Shenzhen's seafaring past can also be traced to sculptures and temples honoring Matsu, the Heavenly Empress who protects fishermen.

Even with the protection of Matsu, the fish lantern dance was close to extinction but now, according to a source at the Shenzhen culture bureau, "The city government has allocated funds for the dance, and many young people in Shalanxia Village have become dancers performing the fish lantern dance."

He added, "We have lots of historic buildings, which form the physical body of Shenzhen's history. The fish lantern dance, a non-physical carrier of culture, is part of the spiritual thread of our history and should be better protected so that future generations can also feel this 'breath of the history.'"

Editor: Wing