Lift Lao Si Dance bounces back in Shandong province

Editor's Note:

The Yellow River runs through nine cities in East China's Shandong province and flows into the sea, bringing vitality and prosperity to the land. Along its banks, numerous intangible cultural heritage projects have been created and inherited, reflecting the colorful scenery, brilliant culture and rich diversity of Shandong. Shandong is a province with a long history and a splendid civilization. It boasts 186 national-level intangible cultural heritage projects, ranking it second in the country. Moreover, eight projects have been inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, according to the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Join me on a journey in Meeting the Sea Along the Yellow River in Shandong, to discover the treasures of intangible cultural heritage there and appreciate the charms of this ancient and modern land.

The Lift Lao Si Dance is a traditional folk art from Dongming county in Heze city, in East China's Shandong province.

Lao Si was a highly respected official known for his integrity and kindness towards the people during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

He often visited the countryside with his wife to gain an insight into people's lives, inquire about their hardships and share their joys. During these visits, Lao Si created a set of dances, now known as the Lift Lao Si Dance, which has been handed down through generations to the present day.

During the performance, two dancers carry a willow or bamboo pole, approximately 5 meters long – with the dancer who plays Lao Si seated in the middle. They then perform an exciting succession of movements.

Residents have a ball watching the Lift Lao Si Dance. [Photo by Yan Xianwu for chinadaily.com.cn]

For a number of historical reasons, the dance, like many other indigenous folk arts, at one stage almost disappeared. 

But fortunately, in 1924, Longshanji village in Dongming county reorganized a folk-art performance troupe to show the dance and other well-loved folk arts – such as stilt walking, lion dances and bamboo horse racing.

Since its reform and opening-up initiative, China has witnessed notable socio-economic progress that has improved the quality of people's lives. 

The Lift Lao Si Dance performance troupe in Dongming county has actively participated in many county and city-level art displays and even won first prize at the Heze International Peony Show in 2003.

In 2007, the Lift Lao Si Dance debuted at the Heze Intangible Cultural Heritage Conservation Achievements Exhibition, receiving lots of praise from officials, experts and the public. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)