The Huotong String Lion Dance. [Photo/fujian-szwhg.chaoxing.com]

The Huotong String Lion Dance is being passed down in Huotong town, Jiaocheng district, Ningde, Fujian province. It is part of the first batch of nationally representative projects in the intangible cultural heritage traditional sports, entertainment, and acrobatics category.

By the mid to late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this art had become an integral part of local festival culture in Huotong town, with a continuous history spanning over 400 years. Currently, the tradition is preserved and performed exclusively by two hereditary lineages — the Huang and Chen families.

As a signature feature of the traditional Dragon Heads-raising Day, the Huotong String Lion Dance is divided into four unique types of performances: single lion (male), double lions (brothers), triple lions (mother and cubs), and quintuple lions (three generations).

Crafted from bamboo, wood, rattan and adorned with silk fabrics, these large-scale lion dances are manipulated through an elaborate rope system. Multiple thick cords attached to various parts of the lion figures pass through a performance frame (lion stage), controlled by a team of over 10 operators.

This remarkable tradition combines two distinct skill sets: intricate puppet craftsmanship and coordinated performance artistry. Requiring perfect synchronization among the entire team, its true uniqueness lies in harmonizing the expressive qualities of "civilian lions" (wen shi) with the athletic movements of "martial lions" (wu shi), creating a perfect synthesis of both styles.

The technical mastery displayed from the precision engineering to the perfectly timed manipulations has earned this art the distinguished title of "China's Peerless Heritage".