I. Social Spotlight: From Going Viral to Going Global
The year 2024 heralds the much-anticipated Year of the Dragon in China. The dragon, a totemic symbol of the Chinese nation, not only signifies good fortune but also deeply reflects the complex spiritual beliefs and rich cultural heritage of the Chinese people. During the Spring Festival of 2023, Yingge Dance from Puning quickly gained popularity through short videos on internet platforms such as WeChat, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, captivating audiences nationwide. This method of cultural dissemination, transcending ethnicities, regions, and eras, allowed a niche traditional cultural tradition to resonate deeply with the public, closely integrating with their daily entertainment and life, and serving as a quintessential example of intangible cultural heritage reaching beyond its usual bounds. In the Spring Festival of the Dragon Year, Yingge Dance once again dominated the screens, its dazzling and fiery wave of popularity continued throughout the holiday, even sparking a brilliant cultural fervor overseas. On the first and second days of the Lunar New Year, the Nanshan Yingge Team from Guangdong’s Puning made appearances at iconic British landmarks—the Burlington Arcade and Trafalgar Square—bringing New Year greetings from Guangdong to overseas Chinese and foreign friends alike. The performances attracted over seven hundred thousand spectators and received coverage from over a hundred media outlets[1]. On February 14th, the fifth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, fifteen Yingge teams from locations such as Chaoyang in Shantou and Puning in Jieyang participated in a parade and performance in Shantou. The event saw thousands dancing the Yingge Dance in the streets, which were packed with tourists drawn by its reputation, and balconies on both sides filled with local residents[2]. The transition of Yingge Dance from going viral to successfully going global not only demonstrates the enduring power of this traditional folk dance art in the new era but also signifies the vitality and charm of Chinese culture gradually crossing borders, showcasing its timeless allure and growing influence to the world.
Nanshan Yingge Team’s Performance in the UK
II. Tracing History: The Heritage of Yingge Dance
Yingge Dance, rooted in the Chaoshan area of Guangdong Province in southern China, boasts various styles such as Chaoyang Yingge, Jiazi Yingge, and Puning Yingge. It is a folk art form that integrates dance, opera, martial arts, and combat, and was nominated as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Legend has it that Yingge Dance originated as a folk dance performed at religious ceremonies to entertain deities. Since the early Ming Dynasty, it evolved into a male martial dance themed around the heroes of the Water Margin, marking the early form of Yingge. The dance’s content, inspired by the story of heroes descending from Mount Liang to attack Daming Prefecture to rescue Lu Junyi, has now become more of a cultural symbol. Continuously innovated and passed down through centuries, Chaoshan Yingge Dance has flourished for hundreds of years, representing an excellent culture created by the people of Chaoshan through long-term social practice. It vividly portrays a spirit of righteousness, high morale, courage in struggle, and unity among heroes. This includes the rich regional cultural elements of the area, carrying the life sentiments of the Chaoshan people and reflecting the vibrant national spirit unique to the Chaoshan ethnicity, which remains energetic through generations. In recent years, Chaoshan Yingge Dance has gradually come into the public eye through transformations in performance form, style optimization, and opening up of information channels. The first movie to feature Chaoshan Yingge Dance, “Soul of Yingge,” was released in 2019, integrating Yingge Dance elements with street dance culture, transcending traditional aesthetic expressions. Moreover, Yingge Dance has broken through the traditional concept of being transmitted only among men, with the emergence of female Yingge teams and children’s Yingge teams, bringing a new brilliance to the traditionally masculine and robust elements of heroism in the modern era.
The 2024 Spring Festival Yingge Dance performance and parade took place at the Wenguang Tower Square in Chaoyang District, Shantou. [3]
III. Exploring the Development of National Cultural Traditions through Intangible Heritage
The “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Intangible Cultural Heritage” defines intangible cultural heritage as “various traditional cultural expressions passed down from generation to generation by the peoples of all ethnic groups and regarded as a part of their cultural heritage.” With the progress of the era and the evolution of information technology, intangible cultural heritage in the context of globalization can easily fall into the “peril” of homogenization. However, Yingge Dance, as a representative of intangible heritage, has journeyed from “going viral” to “going global,” becoming a gem of Lingnan culture on the world stage, reflecting a new pathway for the modern development of national cultural traditions.
National cultural traditions are cultural characteristics or patterns formed by a nation through long-term historical accumulation, which still have a significant impact on contemporary society (Gu Mingyuan, 1998: 6). They dynamically evolve and advance over time, characterized by ethnicity and variability. The complex development of national culture cannot be separated from four key processes: creation, discovery, selection, and transfer. Yingge Dance, as an expression of Chaoshan folk culture, on one hand, is a unique regional culture produced by the Chaoshan people through actively absorbing cultures of various ethnic groups in the process of creation and discovery. This can be traced back to its origins in “Timely Rain,” “Yangge,” and “Nuo Dance,” as well as seen in the spirit it embodies. On the other hand, the Chaoshan people actively preserve this excellent folk culture through selection and transfer amidst the impact of global multiculturalism, extending its developmental trajectory across time and space, thus showcasing the exquisite appearance of “what is national is global” during the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon. Diderot (2018: 362) once said, “Many perfect works not only reflect the main characteristics of an era or a race but also express those emotions and typical spiritual lives almost common to all human groups, whose value and cultural significance are completely consistent.” This “Chinese war dance,” with hundreds of years of history, crosses language and cultural barriers with its vigorous and colorful cultural charm. The vibrant masks, dazzling costumes, bold and powerful dance moves, and uniform rhythm perfectly display the shock of strength and beauty, becoming a “universal pass” for the world. Moreover, the forward-moving heroism, conveyed through decades of dedication and passion by the dancers, expresses a unique depth and charm of Lingnan regional culture, further highlighting the eternal vitality of this traditional culture.
Folklore expert Mr. Zhong Jingwen once pointed out in “The National Cohesion of Folk Culture” that “this almost mystical folk cultural cohesion not only binds members who live and breathe together with an invisible fairy rope, connecting the living with the deceased ancestors and predecessors but also unites those Chinese overseas and of Chinese descent scattered across the five continents of the world.” Today, it not only brings together Chinese people worldwide but also spreads its unique cultural charm to foreign friends. Yingge Dance has fulfilled its new era mission as intangible heritage; its “Spring Festival parade” has transcended national boundaries, attracting audiences from Thailand, the United Kingdom, and other countries, turning the Spring Festival celebration into a global phenomenon. Currently, nearly one-fifth of the global population celebrates the Lunar New Year in various ways, reflecting the growing influence of Chinese culture worldwide[4]. When dancers bow at the century-old Burlington Arcade in London, applause from audiences around the world fills the sacred hall, marking the collision of two ancient civilizations and a loud affirmation of the power of cultural exchange. In a complex and seemingly fragmented world, Yingge Dance radiates such moving vitality across the globe, reflecting that the inheritance of Chinese culture in the new era has been endowed with deeper and more diverse meanings.
IV. Embracing the World Boldly with Traditional Culture
In the current era of rapid globalization and information technology development, the focus of education has gradually shifted towards how to cultivate talents capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century. The “21st Century Core Competencies 5C Model,” which includes cultural understanding and heritage, critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration, has become a global educational goal. Against this backdrop, the success of Chaoshan Yingge Dance is not just a cultural phenomenon but a vivid representation of China’s talent cultivation strategy in a global context.
On one hand, Yingge Dance is more than just a dance form; it embodies a profound cultural heritage and historical tradition, playing an indispensable role in the quality education of young people. Through learning and performing Yingge Dance, young people can acquire traditional cultural knowledge and develop skills in cooperation and communication. Furthermore, the innovative expression and diverse forms of Yingge Dance provide a platform for young people to demonstrate their creativity. This educational approach allows young people to enjoy the charm of traditional culture while learning how to play their part in a team. As Pierre Bourdieu (1997:192) stated, one form of cultural capital is the enduring “dispositions” of the mind and body, requiring specific conditions for transformation, with education being a key phase in this process. Integrating traditional culture like Yingge Dance into the educational system and achieving the modernization of traditional cultural education not only promotes cultural heritage but also stimulates young people’s innovative and critical thinking. They can gain a deeper understanding and identification with their cultural roots, forming a sense of cultural confidence that transcends time and space.
On the other hand, the significance of traditional culture in cultivating the core competencies of young people is crucial, yet integrating traditional culture effectively into the education system to closely connect it with the daily lives and future planning of young people remains a challenge. Although the popularity of Yingge Dance provides an opportunity for the inheritance of traditional culture, maintaining this enthusiasm over time to ensure that traditional culture goes beyond mere imitation and appreciation to become an integral part of the growth path of young people still requires collective thought and effort from educators and society at large.
Moreover, in the context of globalization, the education of traditional culture is not only for inheritance but also for how to integrate traditional culture with a global vision to cultivate talents with global competitiveness. Yingge Dance can be seen as a new way to promote cultural exchange between peoples, building deep cultural ties across different ethnicities. The international tour of Yingge Dance is a successful case. Through such forms, it not only introduces the world to Chinese traditional culture but also provides young people with opportunities to connect with the world. Currently, despite significant academic and skill achievements, Chinese young people often feel insecure when stepping onto the international stage due to cultural differences and language barriers, significantly limiting their ability to communicate and interact with the world. Chaoshan Yingge Dance is not only a successful case of traditional cultural dissemination but also an encouraging signal. By promoting and displaying China’s traditional culture, young people can significantly boost their confidence and proudly stand on the world stage. In other words, when young people communicate with the world using the cultural forms they are proficient in and fond of, they become more confident and proactive. This cultural confidence stems not only from their deep understanding and identification with their own culture but also from the positive feedback and international recognition gained through such cultural exchange. This process subtly achieves a “from the inside out” and “from the outside in” bidirectional interaction benefit in talent cultivation.
Therefore, the education system and all sectors of society should actively leverage cultural phenomena like Yingge Dance as an opportunity to encourage young people to boldly step out of the country, using their culture as a calling card to showcase their talents and China’s cultural charm to the world. This not only helps them establish a firmer confidence on the international stage but also promotes cross-cultural understanding and respect, paving the way for the comprehensive development and international exchange of young people. To achieve this goal, educators and policymakers need to design more inclusive educational programs and creative activities, such as increasing international exchange projects, encouraging students to participate in cultural and artistic performances, and providing language and cultural education. This ensures that young people can comfortably learn and understand different cultures, comprehend various cultural backgrounds, and confidently express themselves, enhancing cross-cultural communication skills. This approach not only helps young people overcome cultural and language barriers but also inspires them to explore and disseminate Chinese culture, enabling them to confidently display themselves on the global stage and become ambassadors for cultural diversity and global understanding. The phenomenon of Yingge Dance tells us that culture is a bridge to the world, and young people are the builders of this bridge. Facing the challenges and opportunities of globalization, the education system needs to continually explore and innovate, integrating traditional culture with a global vision, encouraging and supporting young people to actively build their own culture and embrace the world.
References
Bao, Yaming. (1997). Cultural Capital and Social Alchemy: Interviews with Bourdieu. Shanghai People’s Publishing House.
Diderot, Denis. (2018). Philosophy of Art (Fu Lei, Trans.). The Commercial Press.
Gu, Mingyuan. (1998). National Cultural Traditions and the Modernization of Education. Beijing Normal University Press.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wvpBxRXtSQ
[2] https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ww35LZAa4tJ4joKElf-tTw
[3] https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ww35LZAa4tJ4joKElf-tTw
[4] https://bnnbreaking.com/world/uk/puning-yingge-dance-a-timeless-symbol-of-tradition-and-cultural-heritage