Intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou: Longli's dragon dance

Teachers paint the faces of students in preparation for the dragon dance at Longli Middle and Primary School in Jinping County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, on March 20, 2019. Classified as an intangible cultural heritage of Guizhou Province in 2005, Longli's dragon dance has a history of more than 600 years. It is characterized by the dancers' beautiful painted face. Since 2008, Longli's dragon dance has been introduced into Longli Middle and Primary School, whose students enjoy two hours per week with dragon dance masters to learn costume making, dance skills and face painting arts. By practicing this kind of folk martial art, local youngsters have not only built up their bodies but also developped a deep understanding of their own tradition. By now, some 500 students of the school have become the inheritors of Longli's dragon dance. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)