South China Sea Myth

As the name suggests, a bamboo pole dance is a dance in which dancers use eight bamboo poles as props. Eight long bamboo poles, two in a group, arranged in parallel into four rows, each two bamboo poles, together with the rhythm of the music drum, one open and one close. Dancers, following the rhythm of the bamboo poles, stepping on the beat of gongs and drums, jumping dexterously and dancing in the unpredictable bamboo poles.

Li Ping said: "I remember that on the eve of the "March 3rd" activity every year, I took my travel companion to drive to the Li villages in Wuzhishan, Baisha, and Qiongzhong to collect wind and participate in the "March 3rd" activity. When we came to Baisha, the Li people invited us to watch the bamboo pole dance in order to welcome us. Before the dance, the Li compatriots placed two 4-meter-long bamboo poles or wooden strips in parallel as cushion frames in the barnyard, with an interval of about 2.5 and a half meters, and four pairs of eight 3.5-and-a-half-meter-long bamboo poles were placed horizontally on them as jumping bars.

During the dance, 4 people squat on each side, each person holds the end of the bamboo pole with both hands, and opens and closes on the cushion frame according to a certain rhythm, and the sound is loud and pleasant. Young men and women of the Li nationality, taking advantage of the gap between the pairs of bamboo poles one by one, constantly replacing their feet, jumping up and down agilely, rushing forward and dodging, turning left and right dodging, while avoiding the blow of the double poles, they danced a variety of beautiful dance movements. The rod bearer dances with his hands and keeps saying "Hey!" The voice, the heroic and free atmosphere of the occasion, gives people a feeling of passionate worship.

A few teachers came from the mainland, and they couldn't help but try bamboo pole dance. A teacher from the north was caught in the feet of a bamboo pole because of his unskilled gait. A young teacher who came to Wuhan was afraid of being caught by a bamboo pole and was timid, but he was also caught in his foot. After all, the teacher from Guangxi is a dance teacher, and she dances with a bamboo pole, and her gait is light. There is also a middle-aged tourist from Henan, because of his slow steps, he was caught by a bamboo pole, stood unsteadily, sat on the ground with his buttocks, and made the tourists laugh. He was both ashamed and amused. At this moment, the young man of the Li nationality who dances the bamboo pole, like a monkey, is clever and agile, and in front of the bamboo pole, he is adaptable, which makes the tourists feel very admired.

Dr. Myth said, "This bamboo pole dance is not a pure dance, it seems to be a game activity. Li Ping said: "The bamboo pole dance is a dance, the bamboo pole is open and closed, the dancers dressed in festive costumes, with the rhythm of gongs and drums, the form changes, slow or fast, the sound is neat, the sense of rhythm is strong, it is a dance suitable for all ages." Dr. Myth agrees with Li Ping that the bamboo pole dance should not be a pure dance.

The third day of the third month of the lunar calendar is the grandest festival of the Li and Miao people in Hainan. Li Ping and others drove a car to Qiongzhong, Hainan, and walked into the March 3rd Square in Qiongzhong, where colorful flags were flying. They saw the bamboo pole dance performance at the venue, and it was an eye-opener for Dr. Myth to realize that bamboo pole dance is a real dance art. I saw eight bamboo poles, one by one, beating together, quite rhythmic. Four Li men wearing festive costumes, four Li women wearing Li costumes, with the opening and closing of the bamboo pole, the two feet alternate, jumping up and down, in the process of the bamboo pole dance, the behavior is chic and natural, the action is very wonderful, the dance is fascinating, and the response is quite enthusiastic. Xiaoying's tour guide looked at the dancers of the bamboo pole dance, shuttling back and forth between the bamboo poles, accompanied by a strong musical rhythm, making various beautiful movements. Jumping on two legs, like a frog jumping, and jumping on one leg, like a golden rooster independently. Jumping sideways, like a carp jumping over the dragon gate, leaping jumping, a dragon leaping and a tiger jumping. Xiaoying couldn't help but applaud

People sing and dance on this day to celebrate the good life. 10,000 people danced with bamboo poles, the scene was magnificent and very cheerful. Qi tour guide is a senior local tour guide in Hainan, he introduced us to meet Fu Xiaofang, a representative of Li women, Fu Xiaofang said: "Li people, bold personality, can sing and dance, Li song and dance, unique charm. The main characteristics of bamboo pole dance, strong sense of rhythm and beautiful rhythm, is a cultural and sports activity to promote cultural exchanges between Chinese and foreign nationalities, and has become the most distinctive dance performance in Hainan. In 2005, the bamboo pole dance of the Li nationality was identified as the intangible cultural heritage of Hainan Province, and in 2006, the bamboo pole dance was selected into the 'National Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List'. "

According to a Li tour guide, the Li people like to dance the "bamboo pole dance", which is usually danced in the courtyard or on the threshing floor. The bamboo pole dance is also known as the "firewood dance", and the village elders select the witty, brave and courageous young people in the village. Bamboo pole dance is not done with bamboo poles, but with thick and heavy tree poles, some of which have thorns on them, and if the dancer is not careful, he will be hit, not only the pain will be unbearable, but even injury, so the person who needs to dance is bold and careful. The movements of the bamboo pole dance, from "sharpening the knife" to "cutting rice", from "beating deer" to "frog jumping", from "young men and women in love" to "couples getting married", the bamboo pole dance is a reproduction of the production and life of the Li nationality, with a systematic and complete sequence and steps.

Fu Xiaofang added that the bamboo pole dance, or jumping, or turning, the movements are extraordinarily coordinated, showing a harmonious beauty. According to research, bamboo pole dance is popular in Ledong, Dongfang, Changjiang, Baisha and other Li autonomous counties in the Wuzhi Mountains of Hainan Island, and has a history of hundreds of years. As early as the Song Dynasty, when the great writer Su Shi left Hainan after his exile life, he was sent off by the Li fathers and villagers of "Li Ge changed into a dance to wish the return of the public", and wrote the poem "Barbarian Dance and Li Song, the aftermath is still rippling". It can be seen that the singing and dancing of the Li nationality has a long history and unique charm. Foreign tourists have seen the bamboo pole dance and called it "the world's rare calisthenics".