Yangko dance celebrates Lantern Festival in Shandong

Folk dancers energetically perform the yangko to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Yangxin county. [Photo by Li XInrui and Li Zhenyu for chinadaily.com.cn]

On Feb 24 more than 300 folk dancers performed the yangko, a traditional Chinese dance – in Yangxin county under the administration of Binzhou city in East China's Shandong province – to celebrate the Lantern Festival.

The event, co-organized by the county's publicity department and culture and tourism bureau, involved 15 yangko dance teams from 10 townships and sub-districts, showcasing all the various styles of yangko.

The lively and festive performances attracted many folks, who also participated in guessing lantern riddles and winning prizes at Liyuan Square.

Yangxin county has been promoting its folk culture and intangible cultural heritage, especially the yangko dance, in recent years.

The latest event aimed to boost the cultural lives of the residents during the Spring Festival and create a great vibe for the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)