Festive Lantern Performance of Xiushan

Festive Lantern Performance – Brief Introduction

Xiushan is known as the hometown of festive lantern performance which originated from the "Children's Play" of Han People. Then the Tujia folk dancing and singing were blended into the performance of Xiushan festive lantern. It is wildly accepted by both Han and Tujia people due to its new style and enchanting dance.

Festive Lantern Performance – Three Types

The performance group of Xiushan festive lantern is a little bit small. The dance of the festive lantern has three different types: "Single Lantern Performance", " Double Lantern Performance" and "Lantern Show".

"Single Lantern Performance"is performed by a female role and a clown. The female role called "the lastest sister" or "flower sister", mainly disguised by men. They usually wear a wig, flower pattern dress, hold a silk folding fan in the right hand, a color towel in the left hand. The clown role called "Huazi" or "Lai Huazi", they wear fur lined jacket inside out and a scarf or a skullcap, tie a belt with a cattail leaf fan in the right hand. "Double Lantern Performance" has two female roles and two clown roles or two female roles and four clown roles.

Festive Lantern Performance – Lyrics and Music

The lyrics of the festive lantern performance generally reflecting the daily life, love, marriage, production knowledge, historical stories, and local anecdotes.

The music of the festive lantern performance has more than 400 kinds. The music style commonly made of two to four musical phrases. Every sentence of the phrases has five or seven words. Besides, the music has two kinds:normal tone and complex tone. Complex tone has a strong sense of life, the tune pattern is very beautiful which is the essence of festive lantern performance.