Dongjiang unicorn dance in Huizhou Wushu

Dongjiang unicorn dance has a long history and distinctive features, which is a beautiful scenery among Huizhou cultural groups. Historically, Dongjiang unicorn dance has influenced more than half of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and even overseas. Recently, some scholars put forward at the work conference of Guangdong folk cultural heritage rescue project: Guangdong lion dance is divided into east and west, and the west is mainly lion-awakening, with Guangfo area as the representative; The East is characterized by Kirin and Huizhou is the representative place. The most representative of the Oriental unicorn mentioned here is the Dongjiang unicorn.

"Lion Dance" is a big concept, but the real lion dance is imported, and the native product of China traditional culture should be dancing Kirin. Kirin is the first of the "Four Spirits" in China people's traditional beliefs (four spirits: Kirin, Dragon and Phoenix, turtle), and it is a symbol of good luck and celebration. These sayings, such as "Kirin gives a gift", "Kirin gives a gift to a child" and "Qi's toes are auspicious", largely represent the traditional characteristics of China people's cultural beliefs.

As a famous brand of Dongjiang culture, Dongjiang Kirin is closely related to influential martial arts activities in Huizhou. Recently, Yangcheng Evening News published an exclusive interview with Dong Deqiang, a martial arts elder in Guangdong, saying that Guangdong has rich local boxing varieties with local characteristics, but many of them are in danger of being lost. Among the five major boxing methods in Guangdong (Hong, Liu, Cai, Li and Mo), Cai Lifo Boxing, Long Boxing and Bai Mei Boxing, among which Cai, Li, Mo, Long Boxing and Bai Mei Boxing are the main schools of local boxing in Guangdong. Among them, "Cai" is in Heyuan and "Mo" is in Dongguan, both of which are Huizhou regions in the traditional sense; Li Family Boxing, Dragon Boxing, White Eyebrows Boxing and Huizhou are all direct birthplaces. Huizhou boxing lions are all Dongjiang Kirin. Historically, the Wulin elders in Huizhou have taught Dongjiang Kirin when they set up museums in Guangzhou, Hong Kong and even overseas. For example, Baimei Boxing Hall and Black Kirin, which have great influence in Hong Kong Dragon and Lion Club, are the original Dongjiang Kirin of Huicheng, and they still recognize Huicheng as their ancestral land. In recent years, the author has visited some places in the Pearl River Delta where Kirin activities are well developed, most of which can be traced back to Dongjiang. It seems that Dongjiang Kirin has a great cultural radiation and influence in Huizhou. Huizhou Lijiaquan, which still has great influence today, has been deeply rooted in Huizhou through the teaching of the heads and masters of past dynasties.

Dongjiang Kirin is very different from lion dance in appearance, dance method and drum music. Kirin has a small horn on its head and a long tail, some of which are as long as eight feet, which is more conducive to the change of dance method and artistic expression; Kirin drum and suona have a three-dimensional sense; Its rich flavor of life and humanized performance routines make it have unique advantages in appreciation. With the improvement of modern people's appreciation level and the change of taste, it reflects its high viability and development potential.

Today, Dongjiang Kirin still has a broad mass base in Huizhou (especially in rural areas), but most of it has fallen into the private sector and has not been fully developed.