On the eve of the National Day Holiday, Maoming City, Guangdong Province, hosted an intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)-themed gala that wove millennia-old traditions into a heartwarming celetraton of family reunion.
At around 8 p.m. on September 30, the lights on the central stage of the square were turned on. The backdrop transformed into a vast starry sky, with a "full moon" hanging in the center. As soon as performers dressed as the Moon Goddess Chang'e and the Steward of the Moon Palace took the stage, they were greeted with cheers.
The gala kicked off with provincial-level ICH performances. The Lion Dance Troupe of Maonan Hongquan (a traditional martial art) played drums that resounded through the air, while the lions leaped and wagged their tails in time with the drumbeats. Dancers from the Maonan Lantern Dance Troupe, dressed in Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing), danced gracefully while holding lanterns. In the night, the colorful lanterns formed a sea of light, attracting citizens to stop and take photos.
Subsequently, multiple performance teams presented a series of wonderful shows, including lantern dances, traditional Chinese music pieces played on the guzheng, erhu, and bamboo flute, poetry recitation, and Cantonese opera.
Notably, four lantern dance programs, including 'Love Threads in Lantern Light,' presented by several towns and subdistricts in Maonan, are newly designated district-level ICH items with a history of over 200 years. According to an official from the Maonan District Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports, 17 teams from towns and subdistricts, totaling 340 people, participated in the parade this time. In the future, lantern dance competitions will also be held to showcase the charm of ICH.
The event also featured an ICH exhibition and experience area. In front of the booth for Maonan Single-Person Puppetry, the inheritor twisted the silk threads with his fingertips, making the puppet perform movements like "flying to the moon." In front of more than 30 ICH booths, inheritors patiently explained and demonstrated their crafts, while citizens participated in hands-on experiences, tasted featured products, and listened to introductions.
Author: Yan Zhixiong
Photo: Huang Chunhai, Zheng Weiye
Editor: Wei Shen, James Campion, Shen He
