Recently, 14 new projects in Maonan District of Maoming City, Guangdong Province, such as Maonan Lantern Dance, the traditional production technique of dried lychees, and the "General Parade" annual ritual of Shi'ao Tang Village, were officially included into its list of district-level representative intangible cultural heritage (ICH) items.
These 14 newly added ICH items cover multiple fields including traditional dance, traditional sports, traditional fine arts, traditional craftsmanship, and folk customs, fully demonstrating the cultural characteristics of western Guangdong. Among them, the Maonan Lantern Dance, with a history of over 200 years, is rooted in the agricultural civilization of western Guangdong.
Dancers wear bright Hanfu, hold lanterns painted with auspicious patterns, and perform flexible movements through various formation changes, accompanied by the music of traditional Chinese instruments like the guzheng (Chinese zither) and erhu (two-stringed fiddle).
The traditional craftsmanship items are also full of highlights. The traditional production technique of dried lychees, which originated in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, uses high-quality local lychee varieties such as Nuomici and Baitangying as raw materials. It adopts the ancient "red salt method" and segmented charcoal roasting technology, and goes through multiple processes including fruit selection, initial roasting, and re-roasting. The finished dried lychees have a smooth flesh and retain the natural fruit aroma.
Among the folk custom items, the "General Parade" annual ritual of Shi'ao Tang Village is particularly distinctive. This activity originated from agricultural prayer rituals in the Ming and Qing dynasties and integrates elements of Taoism, Nuo opera, and the culture of Lady Xian. Every 15th day of the first lunar month, performers dressed as "colorful-faced generals" conduct a 12-hour night parade to drive away evil spirits and pray for blessings for the villagers. The sound of gongs and drums unites the community.
These newly added ICH items are not only the crystallization of the wisdom of the people in Maonan but also showcase the unique cultural charm of western Guangdong, injecting new vitality into the promotion of local cultural inheritance and international exchanges.
Author: Yan Zhixiong
Photo: Maonan District Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports
Editor: Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
