The 31st performance of Maoming Intangible Cultural Heritage Half-Hour was held at Maoming Cultural Square on the evening of January 14, drawing hundreds of residents into a vibrant celebration. The event opened with thunderous gongs and drums as the Lion Dance (Xinyi Awakening Lion) made a powerful entrance, instantly igniting the atmosphere.
The Jiujie Dragon and Lion Troupe from Xinyi City kicked off the program with The Majestic Gongs and Drums, their dynamic rhythms and forceful movements prompting waves of applause and phone cameras throughout the crowd. Classic lion dance routines followed, with The Oath of the Peach Garden— a scenario from the 14th-century Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms— receiving the warmest response. Incorporating elements of Xinyi's local plum blossoms, the performance vividly conveyed the brotherhood of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei—three heroes of the Three Kingdoms period— through fluid movements and synchronized drumbeats.
An interactive session further energized the audience as eight children were invited on stage to learn basic lion dance moves under the guidance of Huang Hao, a representative inheritor of the Xinyi Awakening Lion, drawing cheers and laughter from the crowd.
Rooted in China's Southern Lion Dance tradition and influenced by Tang Dynasty court music and local martial arts, Xinyi Awakening Lion was listed as a Maoming municipal intangible cultural heritage project in 2021. The performance offered audiences an up-close experience of this traditional art form, bringing new vitality to Maoming's cultural life.
Reporter & Photo: Zhou Liang
Editor: Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
