Fiery glamour

In Chongqing, Cai Mingcan is ready for the big performance on eryue'er, the second day of the second Chinese lunar month, also known as longtaitou, or Dragon Head Raising Day. It falls on Monday.

People in ancient times observed a special celestial phenomenon, which they described as resembling a dragon raising its head. After this day, ancient people believed that the rain-bringing Dragon King was awakened from its winter sleep. The day has since been celebrated as a festival.

"We will make a point of delivering a move that shows the dragon raising its head," says Cai, who has been preserving and updating Tongliang dragon dance, also a national intangible cultural heritage, for three decades.

The Tongliang dragon dance dates back to the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, when people prayed for rain by worshipping the dragon kings of Chinese mythology, who take command of the seas and control the weather. During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, the ritual evolved into a folk activity.

The dance has stood the test of time and remained popular, as it has come to represent profound significance in the contemporary era, embodying felicity, power and bravery, Cai says.

So far, there are about 100 types of dragon dance in Tongliang district, and Cai's troupe, consisting of more than 50 young performers, has been able to deliver shows in accordance with the 24 solar terms, including the bamboo dragon show in spring, the lotus dragon show in summer, the straw dragon show in autumn and the fire dragon show in winter.

Particularly, the multiple fire dragon shows they gave last month triggered thunderous applause from their audiences, as sparks flew all around the soaring dragons being carried by the crew, recalls Li Yihuan, a 21-year-old man who has been performing the dance since he was 16.

Li has become accustomed to his teammates hurling molten iron into the night sky, resembling scattered iron flowers or stars falling like rain.

"The key is to overcome the fear and perform with enough courage, so the fiery dragon can be presented with agility," Li says.

To date, the Tongliang dragon dance has made its way to more than 30 countries and regions, including the United States, France and Australia.

"We have received more invitations for the Year of the Dragon," Cai says, adding that the performance schedule now extends to December.