Pukou District, the hometown of Jiangpu Hand Lion Dance, is located in the northern suburbs of the ancient capital of Nanjing. There are dozens of scenic spots in the area, including ancient cultural sites, Laoshan National Forest Park, and Pearl Spring Scenic Area. The props of Jiangpu Hand Lion Dance are bamboo pieces framed with linen and colored silk to look like a lion. Wooden (or bamboo) sticks are supported under the lion's chest and lower abdomen as handles for the lion dancers. It is a folk dance form in which a single person dances with more or less people in their hands. This dance originated in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period and was used by Taiping soldiers stationed in Yongning area at that time to keep fit, strengthen their bodies, and have fun with the people. After the failure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, this dance was preserved and used by local people for celebrations and entertainment during festivals. After liberation, few people can dance this dance. In the late 1980s, the district's literary and artistic workers discovered it during a field trip. After excavation and sorting, it won the Excellent Performance Award at the Jinling Folk Culture Temple Fair. In 1994, after further processing, it won the "Golden Rose" Award at the Shenyang International Folk Dance Art Festival. In 1996, it won the "Star Award" from the Ministry of Culture at the National Folk Dance Competition held in Jinhua, Zhejiang. In 1999, it was adapted into a set of women's hand lion dances and participated in the Hungarian International Folk Dance Festival, performing on the same stage with performance teams from 14 countries and regions including Britain and France, winning honor for the country. In 2000, the hand lion dance participated in the Sixth China Art Festival at Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing. In 2002, it won the gold medal in the "China Jiangsu 'Three People' Competition". In 2003, "Lion and Tiger Double Heroes" and "Lion Baby" adapted from the hand lion dance won the "Five-Star Project Award" of Jiangsu Province. That year, the hand lion team was named a characteristic literary and artistic team by the Provincial Department of Culture. "Lion Baby" won the annual award in the CCTV "Harmonious Spring Festival Gala". During this period, the hand lion dance was constantly invited to participate in various festivals and celebrations, and was widely welcomed. Jiangpu hand lion, as a folk art wonder left by the soldiers of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, has great historical and documentary value both from a historical and cultural perspective. Its unique performance form and performance interest have highlighted certain social value. It has positive inheritance and development value in building spiritual bridges, foreign cultural exchanges, and building a harmonious society. The region and its geographical environment Nanjing, as the ancient capital of ten dynasties, is the center of Jiangsu politics, economy, science and technology, and culture. It is also an internationally influential historical and cultural city. Pukou District is a gate of Nanjing City to the north of the Yangtze River, and has been known as the "natural barrier of Jinling" since ancient times. Pukou has a long history. From the Three Dynasties to the Western Zhou Dynasty, Pukou belonged to Yangzhou. At that time, Yangzhou Prefecture had a wide range and had been divided into the Nanjing area. In the 22nd year of Lu Zhaogong (523 BC), Pukou belonged to Tangyi of Chu State. From the Qin Dynasty to the Eastern Han Dynasty, Pukou was successively under the jurisdiction of Jiujiang County, Linhuai County, and Guangling County. During the Three Kingdoms period, Pukou belonged to Wei and Wu. During the Jin and Southern Dynasties, most of Pukou belonged to Wujiang County and Weishi County (Qiaozhi County). From the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it belonged to Wujiang County, - County, and Qingliu County. In the Yuan Dynasty, there was a market town named Puzi City on the riverside (the town was Xuanhua Town in the Jin Dynasty and - Town in the Sui Dynasty). In the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang built a large city with a circumference of 16 miles at Puzikou to protect Nanjing, namely Pukou City, also known as Puzikou, and Pukou got its name from this. Jiangpu County was first established, and the county seat was set up in the city. In the 24th year of Hongwu, the county seat was moved to Xinkai Road (now Jiangpu Street). During the Republic of China period, Pukou District was separated from Jiangpu County. In May 2002, Pukou District and Jiangpu County merged to form the new Pukou District. Today, Pukou is adjacent to the Yangtze River in the southeast, across the river from Xiaguan, and borders Hexian and Quanjiao counties in Anhui in the west. It is bounded by Chuhe River and Chuzhou City and Lai'an County in Anhui in the north, and borders Nanjing City in the northeast. The district governs four subdistricts, namely Jiangpu, Taishan, Yanjiang, and Dingshan, and seven towns, namely Xingdian, Shiqiao, Wujiang, Qiaolin, Tangquan, Yongning, and Pancheng. The total area is 902 square kilometers, with a total population of 520,000. Pukou District is a hilly area, with the mighty Yangtze River in front and the secluded Chushui River behind, and Baili Laoshan passing through the area. It has beautiful scenery and charming views, integrating mountains, water, cities, and forests. Pukou is located in the temperate zone and has a subtropical monsoon marine climate, with distinct four seasons, mild climate, and abundant rainfall. Due to the presence of mountains and water in the territory, the natural vegetation is rich and colorful. There are the national-level Laoshan Forest Park, the famous scenic spot Pearl Spring, and the famous temples Doushi Temple and Huiji Temple in the territory. There are many cultural relics and historical sites, so the cultural landscape resources are also very rich. In addition, the transportation in Pukou area is very developed. There are not only river transportation and river transportation, but also National Highways 312 and 328, Provincial Highways 104 and 124, Nanjing Bridge, and the Third Bridge passing through the area. In particular, the terminus of the famous Jinpu Railway is in Pukou, which has brought far-reaching influences to Pukou's economy and culture. At present, Pukou District has also become a shining pearl in Jiangbei, Nanjing. Distribution area So far, it has been found that the project is only distributed in Daying Village, Yongning Town, Pukou District (now merged with Houchong Village to form Houchong Village). After excavation and sorting in the late 1980s, it has now expanded to Jiangpu Street area, Dingshan area, garrison, and armed police forces. Historical Origin Pukou is a gate of Nanjing City to the north of the Yangtze River. It has been known as the "natural barrier of Jinling" since ancient times. It has always been a battleground for military strategists. The local chronicles say that it "strangles the north and the south, clamps the Jianghuai River". In 1851, after Hong Xiuquan's Jintian Uprising, the Taiping Army was unstoppable. It left Guangxi and entered Hunan. In January 1853, Hong Xiuquan led his army to capture Wuchang, and then advanced by land and water, going east along the river. In March, he captured Nanjing, and used it as a base to enter the Northern Expedition, the Western Expedition and the construction of the regime, and fought with the Qing rulers for more than ten years. According to historical records, in the second half of 1858, in order to clear the Qing army outside Tianjing and open up the Tianjing grain road, Hong Xiuquan sent Ying Wang Chen Yucheng and Zhong Wang Li Xiucheng to lead troops to attack the Qing army's "Jiangbei Camp" in Pukou. In order to ensure that Tianjing was safe, Ying Wang Chen Yucheng, who was only 22 years old, led his troops day and night, detoured to the north of Chaohu, and quickly captured Luzhou (now Hefei City, Anhui Province), Chuzhou and Wuyi Town, and went south to attack Pukou. Afterwards, the Taiping Army established three camps in Jiufuzhou, Pukou, and fought against the Qing Army in Daying for 10 years. Most of the Taiping Army were from Guangxi, and the performance of "Hand Lion" was brought by the Taiping Army from the south. Legend has it that when the Taiping Army captured Wuyi Town and went south, they rested in Yongning Town and passed on the unique folk dance form of "Hand Lion" to Yongning Daying and other villages during their rest. It is said that at that time, when the Taiping Army soldiers were not fighting, they played a kind of lion held in their hands, and the main movement was up and down. The biggest feature of this dance is that it can be danced alone or in groups. Solo dance can strengthen the body, and group dance can be used to arrange troops and battle formations, with great momentum. In addition, it can also be enjoyed by the people. Therefore, it is deeply loved by the Taiping Army soldiers and nearby villagers. After the failure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement, the Qing Dynasty was already in a shaky state, the society was in dire straits, and the people were suffering. The villagers in Daying Village used the majestic and playful image of the hand lion to pray for good fortune, drive away evil and get rid of hardship. Of course, the "Hand Lion" dance has different focuses among the Taiping Army soldiers and the villagers of Daying Village in Yongning. The Taiping Army soldiers mainly used physical fitness and formation exercises, while Daying Village mainly prayed for good fortune and drove away evil, so it focused more on the organic combination of Nuo opera colors and entertainment, that is, it has a certain performance nature. After liberation, few people could dance this dance. In the late 1980s, literary and artistic workers in this area discovered during their field trips that during the Spring Festival, 12 villagers in Daying Village, Yongning Town, danced a lion held in their hands. Although the movements were clumsy and simple, they were still cute. With the sensitivity of decades of literary and artistic work, the literary and artistic teachers determined that this performance form was a rare and unique folk dance. In the late 1980s, after excavation and sorting, it participated in the "Celebrating the Eighth Five-Year Plan and Celebrating the Harvest" Farmhouse Spring Festival Gala jointly organized by the Provincial People's Broadcasting Station and the former Jiangpu County People's Government in 1989, making its debut in the province; in 1993, the hand lion dance was re-arranged and a new performance routine was determined, and the performance was improved. It participated in the Jinling Folk Culture Temple Fair and won the Outstanding Performance Award; in 1994, after further processing, it participated in the Shenyang International Folk Dance Art Festival and won the "Golden Rose" Award; in 1996, it participated in the National Folk Dance Festival held in Jinhua, Zhejiang The Folk Dance Competition was awarded the "Star Award" by the Ministry of Culture; in 1999, after being adapted, a set of women's hand lion dance was formed and participated in the Hungarian International Folk Dance Festival, performing on the same stage with performance teams from 14 countries and regions including Britain and France, winning honor for the country; in 2000, the hand lion dance participated in the Sixth China Art Festival at Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing; in 2002, it won the gold medal in the "China Jiangsu 'Three People' Competition"; in 2003, "Lion and Tiger Double Heroes" and "Lion Baby" adapted from the hand lion dance won the Jiangsu Province "Five-Star Project Award". That year, the hand lion team was named a special literary and artistic team by the Provincial Department of Culture. During this period, the hand lion dance was constantly invited to participate in various festivals and celebrations, and was widely welcomed. Basic content "Hand Lion Dance", a special folk dance form, also followed the local customs with the failure of the Taiping Army Movement. It changed the original grand military camp formation to a performance form of praying for blessings during festivals and celebrations. It is usually performed during the Spring Festival. In Yongning, Pukou, every Spring Festival, the hand lion performers are gathered by the most prestigious elders (i.e., lion heads) in the village at the Zhu Family Ancestral Hall to burn incense and worship candles. Under the leadership of the elders, the dancers chanted and prayed together for a good harvest, prosperity of livestock, peace in every family, and happiness for everyone in the new year. For a while, the hall of the ancestral hall was filled with incense and prayers echoed, and the atmosphere seemed mysterious and solemn. After the prayer, the dancers, led by the lion head, lined up in a formal formation, holding the hand lions in their hands, ready to go. At this time, firecrackers rang, gongs and drums cleared the way, and the hand lion dance was about to enter the village and perform door to door. During the performance of the hand lion dance, there is an unwritten rule between the performance team and the village and farmers: that is, when the hand lion dance finishes the performance in front of the door of the household and changes to another household, if the household lights another string of firecrackers, the performer has to play again in the household to increase the atmosphere of joy; no matter which village the lion dance enters to perform, it is fine if it does not enter the village. Once it enters the village, no matter the size, wealth, or distance of the farmers in the village, it must play door to door until it is done. This is called "Ning Mao one village, not Mao one family"; all farmers consciously thank the hand lion dancers, and the performers do not care about how much they thank. There are four levels of thanks, which are: chicken tea, egg tea, noodle tea and cake tea. The hand lion dance, under the guidance of the gongs and drums, shuttles back and forth and fights, advancing and retreating in an orderly manner. Its main movements include "rolling on the spot", which is neat and energetic; "two lions grabbing the ball", which is wonderful, fierce and cute! In addition, there is "eight lions stringing the well", which is powerful and agile. The most exciting one is the "Lion and Dragon Circling the Pillar". The dancers are connected and stacked like Luohan, and the lions are connected like dragons. The spectacular scene is full of skills! At present, the unique folk dance of "Hand Lion Dance" has been processed and sorted by literary and artistic workers, and its artistic charm is even better than that of the past. Especially in the past ten years, it has been well-known all over the country and has won many national, provincial and municipal awards. Related products and works 1. Props Jiangpu hand lion is different from other lion dances, mainly in the production process and dance method of its props. When it comes to the folk art performance form of lion dance, people must be familiar with it. There are two main schools of lion dance in my country, namely "Southern Lion" and "Northern Lion". The Northern Lion dances fiercely and fiercely, while the Southern Lion dances lively and agile. But whether it is the Southern Lion or the Northern Lion, whether the performers are dressed up as two or one person, they generally use lion clothes to cover the performers in the performance. In terms of production technology, each hand lion is about 1.5 meters long and weighs about 2.5 kilograms. First, use bamboo strips to make a skeleton, and then use linen and colored silk to frame it into the shape of a lion. A bamboo stick is placed under the lion's chest and lower abdomen, which is the handle of the lion dancer. A single person dances in the hand, either alone or in a group, and the more the better. In recent years, with the development of production technology, the weight and appearance of the hand lion have become lighter and more lovely. Second, costumes Performers generally wear uniform clothes, wearing a yellow scarf (or a white scarf), a vest (similar to a battle robe and helmet clip), a red belt around the waist, yellow knickerbockers on the lower body, and yellow cloth boots on the feet, just like a Taiping Army soldier. Third, the instrumental music includes drums, gongs, cymbals, cymbals, suona, sheng, etc. (In recent years, with the needs of events such as competitions, there have been cases of composing first and then rehearsing and performing) The inheritance genealogy originated in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period. It prospered in the early Republic of China. It declined before liberation. It was endangered before 1990. After 1990, it was well restored and developed through rescue excavation and sorting. So far, it has created another heyday. Representative inheritors of the first generation: Zhu Yongzhou from Zhujiaying, Daying Village, Yongning Town; the second generation: Zhu Zongyuan from Zhujiaying, Daying Village, Yongning Town; collective inheritance of Pukou District Cultural Center; hand lion dance team of Pukou District Cultural Bureau; hand lion dance team of Houchong Village, Yongning Town, Pukou District. The third generation: hand lion dance team of Taihua Electronics Group in Pukou District; hand lion dance team of the Third Brigade of the Armed Police in Pukou District; hand lion dance team of the Boat Bridge Brigade in Pukou District; hand lion dance team of Zhujiang Primary School in Pukou District. Hand lion dance team of Xinshiji Primary School in Pukou District; hand lion dance team of Dingshan Central Primary School in Pukou District. Main features: The "Hand Lion" dance has now become a brand folk art program in Pukou and even Nanjing. Its basic features are mainly reflected in the following aspects: 1. Historical inheritance: The "Hand Lion" dance belonged to the military camp culture of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom at the beginning of its birth. It was used for the army to strengthen its body and train its troops. After the failure of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, it was inherited by the local farmers and turned into an authentic rural culture. It is used for festivals and sacrifices. 2. Uniqueness The "Hand Lion" dance is different from my country's "Northern Lion" and "Southern Lion". The "Northern Lion" dances fiercely and vigorously, while the "Southern Lion" dances lively and agile. But whether it is the "Northern Lion" or the "Southern Lion", whether the performers are dressed up as two or one, they are generally performed with lion clothes covering the performers. The "Hand Lion" is different from other lion dancers in terms of props and performer routines. Its distinctive local characteristics are obvious, so it has a certain uniqueness. 3. Folklore Since the "Hand Lion" dance has been transformed into a rural culture, it has a certain folklore. First of all, this activity is generally only played during the Spring Festival to create a festive atmosphere. Secondly, the opening ceremony of the activity is given a certain folk color of exorcising evil spirits and bringing blessings because it is used for festivals and sacrifices. 4. Participation and entertainment The "Hand Lion" dance can be performed by one person, two people, or dozens of people. As long as the villagers are willing (mostly male), they can sign up for rehearsal and performance, which fully reflects the principle of self-entertainment. During the Spring Festival activities, male villagers can also take pride in participating in the performances in the local area. At the same time, the villagers also regard the annual hand lion performance as an important entertainment activity. 5. Timeliness When the "Hand Lion" dance was first excavated in recent years, it basically only had a simple entertainment function, and the number of people was generally only 12. The form is monotonous, the movements are simple, and women have never participated. After excavation and sorting, it has shown distinct contemporary characteristics in terms of props, choreography, performance content, and personnel participation. In particular, the performances of women's hand lions and doll hand lions have been added, which changed the traditional performances of only men in the past. At the same time, the performance form of the hand lion dance is more contemporary, used to cooperate with various local festivals and events, enriching the categories of artistic performances. In addition, music and movement choreography with a contemporary atmosphere have been added to the movements, music, and stage forms. 6. Artistry Since the "Hand Lion" dance is a folk art activity, it must have a certain ornamental value, and the activity itself must have a certain artistry. Whether it is from the production of costumes and props, performance routines, music production, etc., it gives people a pleasing feeling. Therefore, artistry is an indispensable and important feature of folk literature and art. Important value As an important folk art brand in our district, the "Hand Lion" dance has been loved by literary and art workers and the general public in recent years. The artistic charm of the "Hand Lion" dance can reflect the following values: 1. Historical value The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement has been over 150 years old, and all its dynamics have disappeared. However, as the military camp culture of the Taiping Army soldiers, the "Hand Lion" dance has been inherited alive. This phenomenon should reflect the Taiping Army soldiers and the people's joy and the close relationship between the army and the people. Therefore, both from its historical perspective and from its cultural perspective, it has great documentary value and historical value. 2. Popularization value The "Hand Lion" dance can not only strengthen the body and fitness, but also set off the festive atmosphere. Through its masculine and powerful performance, it can also reflect the spirit of the times of striving hard. It comes from the folks, is rooted in the folks, and is integrated with the lives, interests and customs of the common people. The movements are beautiful and easy to learn, and are loved by the people. Therefore, it is also easy to be promoted and popularized. 3. Social value As a unique folk art program in our district, the "Hand Lion" dance has attracted more and more attention. Its brand effect has also been increasingly improved. From the honors won by the hand lion dance in various competitions and activities since the 1990s, it can be seen that its social value cannot be underestimated. It can also be seen that the social value of the hand lion dance as an art brand has been highlighted. 4. Artistic value As a unique flower in the lion dance family, the artistic value of the "Hand Lion" dance is self-evident. The hand lion dance not only enriches the performance form of folk art, but also finds its performance interest and thoughts and emotions in the performance connotation. For example, the male hand lion shows the masculine and enterprising spirit of people with its mighty power; the female hand lion shows the characteristics of women's graceful dance posture and dexterity; the lion baby shows the agility, cuteness, liveliness and innocence among animals, as well as the wonderful feelings of harmonious coexistence between humans and animals, and between humans and nature. V. Practical value As a dance with props, the "Hand Lion" dance has movements such as swinging, teasing, rolling, and jumping. During the rehearsal process, it objectively exercises the body and plays a certain role in fitness and strengthening the body. Secondly, the hand lion dance has a strong artistic expression and is suitable for performances in various occasions. As an excellent folk activity, it will undoubtedly play a subtle role in setting the atmosphere of festivals and celebrations, coordinating interpersonal relationships, building spiritual bridges, promoting civilization construction, and building a harmonious society. Endangered status 1. Shortage of protection funds. In terms of costumes and props, there is a large investment every two years. Although the government has given certain financial support to the construction of public welfare public culture, the protection funds of the folk team are still in short supply. 2. Lack of professional business teachers. Every time we rehearse a large-scale hand lion dance, we have to invite teachers from the province and city to guide the rehearsal. Our district is relatively weak in this area. 3. It is difficult to establish a relatively stable performance team. Although performance teams have been established in the military, schools and enterprises, they are often due to the two-year demobilization mechanism of the military and the fact that parents of older children in schools do not allow their children to participate, as well as the fact that enterprises are mainly focused on their own production, so time cannot be guaranteed for rehearsals. In addition, the rural social form is rapidly urbanizing, and most young and middle-aged people go out to work, so there is no way to solve the problem of personnel, so it is not easy to find a relatively stable team. 4. The hand lion dance is a natural inheritance. Its historical origins and development context are all recalled by the elderly in the folk. In the past, this aspect has not been fully done, and there is an urgent need for rescue protection of the original music and dance of the hand lion dance. Protection measures taken Since the late 1980s, when a teacher from the Huaguan Museum discovered the dance, the local government has taken a series of protection measures, processed and sorted out the dance, and invited relevant provincial and municipal experts to adapt and improve the dance from the costumes and props of the performers to the dance routines and music in the spirit of both inheritance and development, making the dance rejuvenated with artistic charm. It has formed many teams such as men's hand lion dance, women's hand lion dance, lion and tiger double heroes, and children's hand lion dance. In particular, in 1999, the hand lion dance went to Hungary to participate in the International Folk Art Festival. So far, the cost of rehearsal and performance of the hand lion dance has reached hundreds of thousands of yuan. In 2002, in order to better inherit and develop the hand lion dance, the Pukou District Cultural Bureau formulated the "Pukou District "Hand Lion" Performance Team Development Plan and Work Measures". By January 2005, the Pukou District Cultural Bureau and the Pukou District Finance Bureau jointly established the "Pukou District National Folk Culture Protection Project Leading Group", expert group, and project studio, equipped with full-time and part-time personnel, clarified the responsible persons, and formulated orderly work processes and implementation measures. The special protection funds for the hand lion dance will also be included in the local fiscal budget. Specific measures are: 1. Organize specialized personnel to go deep into the folk to collect folk customs and collect and organize. 2. Persist in holding activities all year round to promote protection, make it prosperous, and expand its influence. 3. Invite relevant experts from the province and the city to arrange and compose different styles for it, so that it is suitable for performances at different levels and occasions. 4. Actively popularize and promote it. Since the excavation and sorting in the 1990s, it has been successfully arranged and transplanted in rural areas, schools, government agencies, enterprises, military camps, etc., so that its activities have been continuously carried forward and penetrated into various fields.