MKS sports East China's Anhui Province on January 15, 2025. Photo: VCG" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-01-25/33a2d575-16fd-407a-9d19-5f3ef1c2a2b6.jpeg" />

A fish-shaped lantern dance troupe performs at Huizhou District of Huangshan, East China's Anhui Province on January 15, 2025. Photo: VCG

Zhanqi village in Huangshan, East China's Anhui Province, is an ancient village with a history spanning over 1,000 years. The intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of the fish-shaped lanterns has been preserved and passed down through generations. Every Chinese New Year, villagers in Zhanqi perform dances with fish-shaped lanterns of various sizes, praying for favorable weather and a prosperous life in the coming year. 

Zheng Dongjiao, 48, is an inheritor of the Zhanqi fish-shaped lantern tradition, as well as the captain of a fish-shaped lantern performing team in the village. He recently organized a "village gala" dedicated to fish-shaped lantern performances, bringing together villagers of all ages. In addition, the gala featured other traditional regional performances in Anhui, such as desheng(meaning winning battle) drum performances and sizhouopera (named after a county in northeastern Anhui).

In recent years, village galas have become a popular way to celebrate significant events. This kind of initiative highlights the richness of folk art and the community's growing desire for a vibrant cultural life in China.

Meanwhile, social media has leveraged village galas to promote ICH while also enhancing the appeal of rural cultural tourism. On the day of the village gala dedicated to fish-shaped lantern performances in Zhanqi village, many visitors were drawn to the event. Topics like "fish-shaped lantern performance in the ancient village brings full festive spirit" have gained widespread attention on social media. 

The village gala was also livestreamed on short-video platforms, allowing online audiences to experience the charm of the centuries-old fish-shaped lantern performance and the festive atmosphere from afar.

Promoting traditions

"I have been performing the fish-shaped lantern dance since I was a child. Back then, there weren't many forms of entertainment - our household only had a black-and-white TV. During the Chinese New Year, the most anticipated event for villagers in Zhanqi was the fish-shaped lantern performance, a tradition that has been passed down for over 800 years," Zheng told the Global Times.

"For me, it is more than just a cultural practice - it's a deeply ingrained emotion, something etched into my very being," Zheng said.

At the age of 19, Zheng began to learn the craft of making fish-shaped lanterns. The fish-shaped lanterns are adorned with auspicious patterns such as clouds, lotus flowers, and ruyi to symbolize good harvests, abundance, and prosperity while showcasing the wisdom and creativity of Zhanqi villagers.

Yet, at the time, Zheng had no concept of inheriting this tradition. He pursued it out of personal interest and passion. Later, more and more young people, including Zheng, moved away for work. 

About four years ago, when Zheng's eldest daughter was preparing for the college entrance exam, he decided to return to his hometown to support her studies. Around that time, the village head approached him with an idea: to form a fish-shaped lantern troupe and promote the tradition. Perhaps it was a sudden spark of passion in his heart that made him agree right away, Zheng recalled.

Zheng's fish-shaped lantern troupe has been invited by cultural and tourism departments to perform in various locations. On one occasion, a short video of their performance went viral online. Inspired by this, Zheng started to use short videos and livestreaming to help audiences better understand the fish-shaped lantern tradition and his hometown.

Wider audiences

This year, three generations of fish-shaped lantern dancers performed together on the stage of the village gala and the performance was livestreamed. The 70-year-old eldest member of the troupe firmly held the bamboo pole and skillfully carried the fish lantern. 

Zheng noted that after the village gala, he received private messages from across the country inviting his troupe to perform. However, he decided to stay in Zhanqi during the Spring Festival period to ensure visitors wouldn't leave disappointed. 

During the festival, the village organized various activities, including fish-shaped lantern-making workshops, tastings of local cuisine and exhibitions and sales of local specialties. Zheng expressed his hope that young people returning to the village could also earn a living, as this would ensure the continued development of the fish-shaped lantern tradition.

"Traditional festivals not only provide a stage for showcasing ICH but also promote its revitalization and innovation. In this process, every participant's effort is indispensable. Only by keeping up with the times can precious ICH shine brighter in the new era," Bu Xiting, an associate researcher at the School of Cultural Industry Management at the Communication University of China, told the Global Times.

Besides Zhanqi, village galas were also held in different rural areas of regions such as Beijing, Sichuan Province's Panzhihua, as well as Huxi township, Zhangzhou city in East China's Fujian Province. Similar to Zheng, 37-year-old Cai Dongmei collaborated with her mentor and fellow artists to host a puppet-themed village gala in the Huxi township. Through a livestream of the gala, they brought local ICH to a national audience. The livestream lasted nearly two hours, attracting 1.69 million viewers online.

Cai told the Global Times that she hoped this kind of opportunity would allow more people to learn about her hometown, its cuisine, and its folk culture. She shared that she felt an increasing sense of responsibility. Many people have discovered local traditions through her performance, and now she hopes to spread more of her hometown's folk culture, introducing it to a nationwide audience.