The "Fire Dragon Lantern Dance" in Huanglongxi Town originated in the Southern Song Dynasty. The ancestors created the "Fire Dragon Lantern Dance" based on the dragon totem culture of "Huanglong meets Wuyang Chishui" and "Zhulong in charge of light and darkness and Yinglong in charge of wind and rain", "one dragon gives birth to nine sons", and the auspicious "snake body, deer horns, tiger eyes, cow ears, elephant legs, horse mane, fish scales, and animal whiskers" of folk beliefs. In order to make the fire dragon perform magically, a unique (secret formula) gunpowder was developed. This gunpowder has low heat and gorgeous flames. The fire dragon flows long and sprays powerfully. It can burn the dragon lantern and the body of the dragon dancer. Therefore, the fire dragon lantern dance integrates the dragon, lantern, dance, and flame into a magical, strange, beautiful, wonderful and thrilling dance posture. The fire dragon lantern is made of bamboo, wood, paper, cloth, weaving, wrapping, painting, and lighting. The structure is "four parts and nine sections", namely the "four parts" dragon treasure (red treasure, gold treasure) dragon head, dragon body, and dragon tail. The dragon treasure is about 35 cm in diameter, embedded in a 45 cm diameter treasure frame decorated with colorful silk flowers, which can be rotated and decorated with lights. The dragon head is oblong and about 90 cm in length, with colorful interior. The dragon mouth is 45 cm long, with flames or flame smoke, the dragon horns are 50 cm long, the dragon whiskers are transparent, the dragon eyes are spiritual and solid, the dragon body is 34 cm in diameter, with colorful interior lights about 18 meters long, and the dragon tail is about 150 cm long in a willow shape. When dancing the dragon lantern, each handle is held by one person to support the dragon's dancing posture. The folk activity of "burning fire dragon" in the ancient town starts from the "fire dragon lantern dance" on the second night of the first lunar month every year to the lantern closing on the Lantern Festival. The night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is 0. "Dragon" tours the ancient town and makes a big fuss on the Lantern Festival, which is very festive! The dragon dance team consists of row lanterns (books, paintings, congratulatory words and paintings or lantern team titles), palace lanterns, ghost crabs, fish, shrimps, frogs and other lanterns. Lantern flags, lantern signs; percussion and suona; three groups of fire dragon lanterns, about 50 people. When lighting the lanterns, the Taoist priest, wearing a ritual robe, hat, boots, and law enforcement badge, escorts the fire dragon team to the riverside and lines up. The Taoist priest performs rituals to place the water god and the land god and prays for good weather, good harvest, thriving livestock, and safety of the lantern team in the new year, and then "invites the dragon to go out to sea". The dance routine of the fire dragon lantern is as follows: (i) The dragon dancer wears a straw hat. Naked, he wears shorts (anti-flame spray) and straw sandals, and holds the dragon to the formation and poses for dragon dancing. (ii) Under the sound of loud gongs, drums, cymbals, small gongs, malangzi, and suola (two bells, one for the middle and one for the high), the local celebrities with high moral character are invited to "point (cinnabar) eyes" to the dragon, first the left eye and then the right eye. When pointing, the dragon dancers sing in unison: "One point of gold, two points of silver, 0 good weather, four points of auspiciousness and peace." Or sing other poems to wish the family a happy new year and good luck. Then, the dragon treasure leads the way, a long snake in the same line, the golden dragon swings the dragon, the clouds rise, and the golden dragon leaves the palace. After performing the dance postures of floating, swimming, overlapping, and turning to the accompaniment of drums and music. (3) The dot-the-eye person also hangs red fireworks on the dragon dance team. The audience holds red fireworks to spray the dancing dragon lanterns and dragon dancers. The more fireworks burn and the more violent the movements, the happier and more joyful the dragon dancers are. The host will hold a banquet to celebrate. After evolution, after the government officials announced the start of "burning the fire dragon", drums and music were played, and the local governor or celebrities lit the dragon mouth fireworks. This is the second burning style "dragon mouth spraying flowers". The dragon head nodded three times, wishing a happy new year to all parties and all levels of distinguished guests and the people on the scene! At this time, thousands of men and women, young and old people from all directions who came to watch the lanterns during the festival all lit the special bamboo tube fireworks in their hands at the same time, and sprayed them alternately at the dancing fire dragon! Suddenly, the sound of firecrackers and fireworks rose up, the sound of firecrackers, the sound of fireworks, and the shouts of people rang out, the sound was continuous, and the fireworks were everywhere! Sparks jumped on the dragon and the people, blooming everywhere. The sound of firecrackers, the fire of fireworks, the roar of people, soaring thousands of miles, within a few minutes, it became a sea of fire, a world of smoke, a fantasy of light, and a tide of music! People danced the dragon happily, the fire was shining, what a joy to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, what a spectacular scene of dragons soaring in the sea of fire! The lantern dancers were in high spirits, performing lantern skills such as swimming dragons out of the sea, ritual worship, wandering around the world, rolling clouds, and happily gathering dragons; holding the dragon handle tightly in their hands, waving with the dragon head, sparks, the body kept shaking, the heels were steady, indomitable, fearless, showing the majesty and heroism of the "dragon"! There was a cry of surprise all around. In a sea of fire and smoke, light and sound, surprise and danger, joy and happiness, the fire dragon danced wildly; finally, the dragon head was raised high, and the dragon body was coiled in a dragon shape! In the atmosphere of fireworks, gongs and drums, suona, and the shouts of thousands of people, thank the audience and pray for good weather, good harvests, and happiness in the coming year! At this point in the Dragon Lantern Festival, the lantern dancers placed the burnt dragon lanterns by the river for sacrifice and burned them, and sent the ashes to the river, which meant sending the dragon down the river into the sea and back to the palace. Dragon dancing has a long history in China and is widely spread. From south to north, from villages to cities, there is a dragon dancing custom every time there is a festival or a grand event. The Huanglongxi Fire Dragon Lantern Dance is very spectacular, with palace lanterns, row lanterns, and sign lanterns in front, dancing to the sound of joyful musical instruments. The dragon body swings with the dragon head and makes corresponding flying gestures. The flower burners light fireworks together and aim at the fire dragon or dragon dancers. The dragon dancers are in high spirits, and there are bursts of cheers and praises from the audience. The whole scene is full of cheers. "Burning the Fire Dragon" has a strong local characteristic of western Sichuan, enriching the cultural life of the local people, reflecting the local folk customs and local culture of western Sichuan, and showing a landscape of the ancient Shu culture in western Sichuan. It is one of the more intact folk mass activities in western Sichuan. It has immeasurable value in inheriting excellent national culture, promoting the spirit of the Chinese nation, properly preserving national cultural heritage, and building a new socialist rural culture. Information source: Chengdu Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center Information source: Chengdu Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center