AS China ushers in the Year of the Horse, millennia-old Spring Festival traditions are blending seamlessly with cutting-edge technology, expressing enduring wishes through both heritage and innovation.
Ahead of the 2026 Chinese New Year, a waterfront tourist dock in Chun’an County, east China’s Zhejiang Province, came alive as over 200 performers, adorned in traditional attire, danced with vibrant “bamboo horses”. These were colourful cloth-covered steeds mounted on bamboo frames, which the performers tied around their waists.
In the Chinese zodiac, the horse symbolizes speed, endurance and an enterprising spirit. To jubilant music, the colourful troupe pranced and leaped, forming a lively, joyful procession that offered a fresh and exhilarating experience for the audience.
Pan Yongxia, director of the Chun’an County cultural centre, explained that the performance gathered bamboo horse dancers from across the county, marking the largest-ever showcase of Bamboo Horse Dancing. Hundreds of such performances will continue in villages and townships throughout the festival period. Originating in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Chun’an Bamboo Horse Dancing has long been a staple folk activity during traditional holidays like the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival.
It was listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage item in 2014. “Performances have evolved from small groups of five people into largescale square dances with dozens or even hundreds of participants, actively engaging all age groups. Incorporating modern elements like street dance has made the art more accessible and appealing to younger generations,” said Pan.
“It is essential to preserve traditional performance techniques while innovatively blending them with contemporary dance for broader appeal,” said Fang Bingkun, 86, a former representative inheritor of the art. Over seven decades, he has documented its traditions and streamlined its formations, making it easier to learn and perform.
While this intangible heritage thrived in the ancient county in east China, a high-tech tribute to the Year of the Horse lit up the sky over Shenzhen, a major tech hub in southern China’s Guangdong Province.
Xinhua
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