DRAGONS of various styles danced to the rhythmic resonance of drums and gongs as they paraded through major venues in Huizhou, Guangdong on Saturday to celebrate the Lantern Festival.

In the “Dancing With Chinese Dragons” parade, 18 of them belonged to the country’s national intangible cultural heritage and two were from Hong Kong and Macao, complemented by 31 provincial intangible cultural performances from Guangdong.

More than 1,200 performers, including 71 inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, joined the parade through a route spanning 3.6 kilometers, attracting more than 150,000 onlookers. The dragons from across the country danced together amid the beautiful sceneries, historical landscapes, and cultural scenes along the way in Huizhou.

Performances of various intangible cultural heritage projects were also staged in the parade in a bid to treat passersby to a vibrant and varied cultural feast. More than 18 million people watched the parade online.

On the eve of the Lantern Festival, a gala was held at the square of Huizhou Olympic Stadium. Dragon dance teams from various places took turns to wow the audience with their studding performances. For example, the team from Tongliang County, Chongqing Municipality, amazed the audience with its sparkling and magnificent fire dragon, which showcased the vivid charm of the Chinese dragon.

The Miao ethnic group’s custom of dancing the dragon amid fire sparks from Taijiang County, Guizhou Province is a traditional ritual for the Miao people to pray for good luck in the New Year. In the gala, the dancers, wearing safety helmets, held the dragon with both hands and danced amid sparkling fireworks.

Puning Yingge Dance continues to attract the attention of the world this year. In the gala, the Yingge Dance performers impressed the audience with their powerful steps, igniting the entire venue with their exuberant vigor.

The two-day event was co-hosted by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Guangdong Provincial Culture and Tourism Bureau and the Huizhou government, aiming to promote and inherit excellent traditional Chinese culture. (SD-China Daily)