What is the origin of the Social Fire Festival?

It is related to the ancient ritual of sacrificing to the gods of agriculture. The original social fire was people gathering around the fire, beating drums, singing and dancing, with the purpose of praying for favorable winds and rains, good harvests, peace of mind, and all the best wishes for the country.

Performing social fire mainly in the yard to fight, skill performance. For example, the stilts in the social fires around the world, which are performed by actors standing on wooden sticks of varying lengths, reflecting the skill of the performers.

The most distinctive feature is the performers' faces. They are colorful and simple, with four main categories: folk myths and legends, historical and opera characters, anthropomorphic animals and natural phenomena.

Shanxi Jinshang Social Fire Festival

Social fire is a traditional performing art of Shanxi folklore, originating from the Qin and Han dynasties, and is a folkloric recreational activity that expresses joyfulness, auspiciousness and blessings. The first Shanxi Jinshang Social Fire Festival was held in January 2001 in the four Jinshang cultural tourism areas of Pingyao Ancient City, Mianshan Mountain, the Wang Family Residence and the Qiao Family Residence.

The opening ceremony, various performances, and street performances featured stick-carrying, stick-carrying, stiff stick-carrying, early boat-carrying, high dawn, dragon dance, lion dance, embroidered ball tossing, sedan chair-carrying, folk music playing, gong and drum competitions, Jin Opera, rice-planting songs, and mini-opera performances, among others.