Bench Dragon

The Bench Dragon of Liangjiang was created in the reign of Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty (1796-1820). It is said to be a game for children designed by the talented lady "Mapozi" of Liangjiang Town for the return of her married elder sister in the first month of the lunar year. The dragon body is made of a four-leg bench owned by each household of rural areas. The dragon head is woven by straw at one end of the bench. A simple bench dragon is accomplished in this way. While performing, bench dragon shall dance and act in various postures regularly, rhythmically based on the specified pattern and drumbeat. 7 to 8 shrimps, carps and crabs pasted with paper swim around the bench dragon. The dance moves are bold and unconstrained, which are filled with original ecological features and great values of appreciation. In 2008, this original ecological art of bench dragon that has been passed down for three centuries appeared in "Feichang Youxi --- Tour of Seeking Roots", a program of Shanghai Dragon TV. Liangjiang bench dragon was selected into the second-batch Intangible Cultural Heritage List of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 2009.