Manggu dance [Provided to InKunming]

[InKunming--Yunnan]  This November, Manggu Dance won National Intangible Heritage title. From Jianshui County to Beijing, Manggu dance becomes well-known all around China.

Cao Linjie, a 52-year-old Manggu dancer, is an inheritor of Manggu dance. He said, Manggu dance has won a lot of prizes before. At present, Cao’s biggest wish is to inspire more and more young people to take part in inheriting Manggu dance.

Manggu dance originated from Dazhai Village, which is about 60 kilometers away from Jianshui County. Because of the dance, the village also won a renowned reputation.

Manggu dance has rough, powerful, doughty characteristics. In legend story, Manggu dance was created by Hani people’s ancestors to frighten wild animals. Gao Jialong, a 71-year-old villager, said that Manggu dance was only performed once a year on Ama’ao Festival, which is the most important festival for Hani people. The dance was also meant to pray for a good weather for crops.

Nowadays, local government encourages young generation to learn and inherit Manggu Dance. More and more people visit Dazhai Village to learn Manggu dance. The village, with a population of over 10,000 Hani people, becomes more and more busy and lively than ever before.

Manggu dance is through innovation now. Villagers are proud of Manggu dance’s achievement, yet still worry about its authentic flavor.

Even though Manggu dance has seen great development, it still urges protection. The government of Jinashui County plans to invest 300,000 to 500,000 yuan to fund Hani villages, and to arrange 100,000 yuan in inheriting, developing and demonstrating Manggu dance.

Click here to view Chinese report.

(Editors: Tracy, Cathy Chen)