Emotional bond

In December of last year, "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional New Year" was officially inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, with the Pujiang bench dragon being one of its representative traditions.

For residents of Pujiang and Chinese communities worldwide, the Spring Festival is more than just a holiday — it is an emotional and memory bond, a vivid expression of their cultural identity and heritage.

For Zhang, his most cherished childhood memory of the festival was walking hand in hand with his parents to watch the bench dragon performances on the streets.

As he recalls, each village and town would organize bench dragon parades, with spectators lining the streets in anticipation. Many performances took place at night, with candles illuminating the dragon's painted body, creating an enchanting spectacle.

One of the most exhilarating and visually striking elements of the performance is "swinging the tail". As the dragon's head gracefully turns, the tail can extend as far as four or five meters, requiring strong young performers to skillfully control its movement.

The dragon's head, which leads the direction and route of the entire performance, is typically handled by experienced performers.

"When the dragon sways and rotates, the tail moves with incredible power and agility, symbolizing our ability to overcome obstacles in the New Year and move forward with courage," Zhang explained, highlighting the remarkable skill and profound meaning embodied in the performance.