Culture and Art in Daan Town

A pearl of the "cultural heritage of the Great Tang Dynasty"----Da'an "Eight Beasts"

According to Zhou Bo, director of the Literature and History Committee of the former Shanwei Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and Li Zhenshui, the first mayor of Da'an in the 1950s, the "Eight Beasts Dance" originated from the foundation ceremony of Anlu County in the fifth year of Wudu in the Great Tang Dynasty. The "Eight Beasts Dance" originated from the foundation ceremony of Anlu County in the fifth year of the Tang Dynasty's Wude, when the people celebrated the ceremony with the "Eight Beasts". Because of its "eight beasts" modeling realistic, eight beasts dance is extraordinary, is regarded

as a good-luck thing (eight immortals eight horsemen).

After that, whenever there is a large-scale celebration, the Chinese New Year

, there will be a parade of "eight beasts".

The legacy of the Tang Dynasty has been passed down for more than a thousand years. Taoism began in the Eastern Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, and continued in the Song, Jin, Yuan, Ming Dynasty. To the Qing Dynasty, because Taoism is regarded as the religion of the Han Chinese and was suppressed. "Eight Immortals" belongs to the Taoist characters, the Tang Dynasty has "Eight Immortals" legend, but there is no "Eight Immortals riding eight beasts" appeared, to the Song Dynasty, "Eight Immortals "only finalized, which is what we see today," the eight immortals riding eight beasts "look.

"Eight beasts" is composed of: unicorn, lion, elephant, sheep, one-horned bull, tiger, deer, white horse eight beasts, legend has it that the eight beasts are the "Eight Immortals," eight mounts, the patrol is by eight children six men and two women dressed as the Eight Immortals sitting on the eight beasts on the tour performance, therefore, the "Eight Immortals" is the "Eight Immortals" is the "Eight Immortals" is the "Eight Immortals". Eight beasts on the parade performance, so it is called "Eight Immortals eight riders", "Eight Immortals riding eight beasts". Mounts and performances in the order of appearance: the first is Han Zhongli riding a unicorn beast, followed by Lu Dongbin riding a lion beast, then Han Xiangzi riding a sheep beast, Cao Guoyu riding a one-horned bull beast, in order of Iron Crutch Li riding a tiger beast, Zhang Guolao riding a white horse, He Xiannu riding a deer beast, and the last to make the blue Caihe riding an elephant beast.

On the way to "run, walk slowly, jump, worship" and several other actions. "Eight beasts" modeling similar to the living, the shape of both God: the unicorn to the elegant rich and noble, the lion beasts flaunted the mighty, the elephant slow and easy, sheep, pure and friendly, the deer beasts are at ease, the white horse has a strong and vigorous, one-horned bulls of the simplicity of the tiger's ferocity so that everyone is afraid of the joy.

Daan eight beasts also known as Hailufeng with a huge appearance, such a huge thing, you need to rely on the concerted efforts of a number of people, in order to perform, in order to dance it alive and well, including the big tiger's body length of 9 meters, the body width and diameter of 1.5 meters, nearly 2 meters high, weighing more than 150 pounds, plus the weight of riding sitting on the top of the performance of the small eight Immortals, the total weight of the total weight about has been about 200 pounds.

So each time out of the tour performance, each beast are required to be equipped with six strong body strong people, each other take turns to replace the beast inside a front and back carrying people, in addition, because the people inside can not see the front of the road and outside the situation, then you need to rely on the outside of the other four people on both sides to beat the beast command, each tour will have a lot of young people to follow the management of the eight beasts in the procession, the front has A person carrying the "Daan Town, eight eight immortal" flag to open the way, the band of 5 people (drummer 1 person, trumpeter 2 people, gongs, cymbals, each person) and the band, the logistics staff total **** counted 70 people. Each performance can be described as the rise of the army.

"Eight beasts" parade, 10,000 people, a sea of people, shoulder to shoulder, the road to watch. Although there are dancing with "iron nun fork" of the "open road God", the waist bundled red scarf, grimacing, from time to time left, right, up, down, each stabbing three

down to show that the road is open, but still cause traffic jams, so that the "eight animals The "eight beasts" team could not move forward and backward. At this point, the "eight beasts" in the tiger, elephant began to run up when the "trailblazer". A few meters long trunk can stretch and shrink, surprise, stretch to the crowd of blockades, especially more than ten feet long tiger tail, thrown up tiger wind, no one is not afraid, onlookers suddenly scattered like a wave, screams, laughter one after another. When the crowd made way, the elephants and tigers returned to perform. The tiger's ferocity is probably the most impressive, so much so that some people refer to the "eight beasts" of Daan as "Daan market to get big tigers".

According to legend, there was a "government nurse" in Daan Market in the old days, who was usually so arrogant and mean that everyone was disgusted with her. The performers of the "Eight Beasts" arranged to "teach her a lesson" during the parade. To the street, see the woman standing in the forefront, see the opportunity, will be the elephant trunk to the woman's chest, a violent blow, the official woman immediately four feet to the sky, the crowd laughed. The woman returned home in anger, crying to her husband, to avenge the "trunk". The official gentleman threatened to retaliate. His men reminded that this go Nai "more squatter feet" how! So they had to stop. In the old days, the head of each community in Daan Market set up a "Covenant Hall" to ensure peace and security, which was known as "More Liu" to the public. There were "four pavilions": East Pavilion, West Pavilion, South Pavilion and North Pavilion. The "eight beasts" are divided into four social heads, two for each social head. In the West Society, there are bulls and tigers; in the North Society, there are unicorns and elephants; in the East Society, there are lions and sheep; and in the South Society, there are horses and deer. From the production to the performance of the costs are responsible for the community, so the eight beasts out of the show is also called out of the community.

According to the elders: the head of the community divided into a number of "Fudo",

Most of the choice of the Palace as the venue for the proceedings. For example, the West Society, North New Street (including Rice Street, Zhou Chu Lane, Pine Basket) gathered in the Pine Basket Pudong Temple; Fuxin Street (Paper Street, Houjie, Horizaiwei) gathered in the A-Ma Temple; North Society, Zhainai belly (Fu'an Zhai) gathered in the Great Master Duo Temple; South Gate Town gathered in the foot of the pomegranate; East Society, Tam Tsai Heng gathered in the foot of the Yung Shue Bak Kung Temple; Wu Chu Nai gathered in the Transepts of the Master's Temple (the former East Hall); South Society, Central Street gathered in the Bak Kung Temple, Mast Tsai Yuen gathered in the Guan Di Temple.

On the first, second and fourth days of the Lunar New Year, the "eight beasts" had to parade. In addition, the twentieth day of the first month for the community day, May 13, Song Bai Basket Po do a big show, September 9, the birthday of the emperor and every ten years or fifty years of celebrations, "eight beasts" are out of the community tour.

Sea and Lu Feng singing and lion dance to preserve a set of comity system customs. Singing music belongs to the cultural, lion dance belongs to the martial arts, cultural and martial arts small, "cultural and martial arts" on the road to meet, the lion team must make way for the song class first. Lion class in the dragon lion, lion yi, clam child lion, cover child lion, etc., which to cover child lion is honored. Only the "eight beasts" status is special, singing, lion dance class on the road with the encounter to give way. Daan "eight beasts" have been to the land city and coastal townships tour, wherever they went, the masses in the streets of villages, lanes and gates set up incense to meet the feast, the sound of cannons, parents rate of the crowd of family members to pay homage.

Anti-Japanese War period, Daan "eight beasts" became a powerful tool for propaganda anti-Japanese, many times to participate in the propaganda anti-Japanese parade collection, "Eight Immortals riding the eight beasts, the ghosts died in Jinqiu" nursery rhymes and "Salvation Song" resounded throughout the streets and alleys, Daan people have to participate in various forms of anti-Japanese salvation movement, the people of Daan. The people of Daan joined the anti-Japanese salvation movement in various forms. In the "eighty thousand students from the army to go" slogan of inspiration, Daan young people have to join Zeng Sheng led

Dongjiang anti-Japanese column. 1945 August 15 (the eighth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar) Japan announced the unconditional surrender of the surrender of weapons is exactly the seventh day after the beginning of the autumn, the people of Daan said that this is fulfilled! "Ghosts died in the golden autumn" rhyme, but also the "Eight Immortals and Eight Beasts" as a "sacred object", August 22 "Eight Immortals and Eight Beasts

Since liberation, the "eight beasts" have participated in various large-scale activities organized by the government, and has become a "business card" for foreign cultural exchanges. Hai Feng County Soviet Government was established to celebrate the General Assembly, Shanwei Fengshan A-Ma Temple, Jieshi Xuanwu Mountain Temple, Lufeng City, the city's founding to celebrate the General Assembly, Donghai Town, welcome the completion of the bridge inauguration of the ribbon-cutting ceremony and other large-scale activities have been active in the "eight beasts" of the figure.

"Eight Immortals and eight beasts" has also suffered "strange injustice". The failure of the first Revolution, is the first month of the White Army into

into the territory of Daan, the same year, the eighth day of the second lunar month, "eight beasts" was forced to use as a reactionary propaganda tool of the pseudo-government. After that, the restoration of the first month of the twentieth normal community. 1958 winter, the Daan District Government in Daan Tianxin Zai held a meeting of 10,000 people, the establishment of the Daan People's Commune. The "Eight Beasts" of Daan attended to congratulate them. A cadre of the commune said that the "eight beasts" is a pseudo-military, reactionary, then a knife cut off the "eight beasts", so that the Daan "eight beasts" for a long time "hide in the jungle! "Until after the reformation of 1979 only reappeared in the world, to participate in the National Day Ceremony.

The "Eight Beasts" dance has always been one of the most favorite folklore programs of the people of Daan, and Li Zhenshui, an old man, introduced the performance of the "Eight Beasts" in Daan in the old days.

Before going out, the "Eight Immortals" put on the appropriate costumes and have their faces painted according to their roles by a make-up artist. The performers of the "eight beasts" wear straw shoes. It is said that the straw shoes can ward off evil spirits, the bottom plus leather, on the large wire, not afraid of glass nails, and drums, the sound of the ground, because there are "six ears", commonly known as the "six ears shoes". Each cut ready, gathered in front of the Temple of the North Social Imperial Master, which is now the town of Daan Cultural Square, held a "chemical eye" and "eye-dotting" ceremony.

Square has long been set up altar, "Master Gong" open altar managed to do the charm of the light, "eight beasts" set up on wooden chairs lined up in size (a variety of lions are placed on the ground before the show, only "eight beasts") "set up on the wooden chair), "eight immortals" stand aside.

"Master Gong" to do the charm after the light, but also perform "on the mountain", "through the sea of fire" and other programs, and then for the eight fairies, "the eye! ", the Taoist priest recited in his mouth, with a willow branch will be sprinkled in the eight fairy child body, which is called" eye". Meaning that the eight children are not children, is the real "Eight Immortals" is also, is a double of the Eight Immortals and spokesman.

Next, the Taoist priest hand-held pen, mouth reciting words, in turn, in the eyes of the eight beasts each point a stroke, which is called "eye-dotting". Meaning that from this point onwards, the eight behemoths that the eight immortals riding the beast.

According to the old man said, did not pass the "eye" and "eye-dotting" of the "Eight Immortals and Eight Beasts", not really "Eight Immortals and Eight Beasts", in layman's terms.

The ceremony was held at the same time as the "Eight Immortals and Eight Beasts", and the "Eight Immortals and Eight Beasts" are not the real ones.

The ceremony was completed, followed by a parade. In the old days, there were four major palaces and temples in Daan, located at the head of the four societies, and the eight beasts must be worshipped first at each society. Large-scale festivals there are other performance teams to participate in, holding a large flag, carrying rows of wind, picking flower baskets, wonderful, play the eight sounds, do the earth scene, all the way to the vast and mighty. First of all, after worshiping Yuantian God in Yuxu Palace, the main route from the square: Nanmen Town → Fu'an Zhai → Taite Street → Basket Pak Alley → Zhou Chu Alley → Rice Street → Horizai Tail, worship Mazu; and through the back street → Zhongjie Street → Fish Street → Weizai, worship Master Huaguang; and then through the head of the oil car → Jiezaiting → Piaozai Street, worship Master Grinder; and finally, through the foot of the stone pomegranate → on the five palaces → rejoin the square Palace of the Emperor. At this point, has traveled around the streets and alleys of Daan.

The head of each community has specialized in the production of "eight beasts" of the artists, they have their own production of each beast. According to those in the know, the modern production of artists are: the West Society of Kang Niang Gui, Chen Rong production of green oxen, Lin Zifu production of fierce tiger; North Society of Huang Biao production of elephants, Yang Gui's father production of unicorns and lions. "Each of the eight beasts is a huge thing, and it takes a lot of time and money to make them. Due to indoor space limitations, can only be broken down into parts of the production, out of the community before the combination. Production materials include bamboo, wood, hemp, iron, cloth and so on.

According to the artist Li Cheng introduced, "eight beasts" head production with bamboo, wire tie frame, and then paste kraft paper with pig's blood material, and finally color painting; body production of a good rectangular wooden ladder, before and after the device to carry eight beasts of the stretcher, the middle of the top of a small stool and wood, with gabion uniformly fixed to a wooden ladder to form a cylindrical beast, and then, on top of the hemp bag to be covered with a sack to form the beast. After that, on top of the sack cloth, and then draped with cloth sewn on a variety of animal skins, and finally according to the appearance of the beast painted into. The production of beasts slightly different, such as sheep, but also sticky cotton, tiger tail length equal to the length of the tiger's body, inside the use of long bamboo, large wire binding, so that it can be constantly trembling in the parade. The elephant's trunk should be able to stretch freely. In a word, the production of eight beasts, not only to "shape" like, but also to "God" like. (relayed)

Hailed as the "sea goddess" A-Ma Zu, traditionally in coastal areas by the people to build temples and worship and incense, but is located in the mountains of Lufeng City, Guangdong Province, the town of Daan has two A-Ma Zu temple. In this regard, Lufeng City Love Volunteer Association to the town of Daan after the activities to help orphans, a special trip into the mountains to find monuments, to explore the reasons, to appreciate the wisdom of the ancestors and the heavy historical and cultural deposits.

Legend has it that the A-Ma Tin Hau Palace, located at the end of Horizai in Daan Town's Xisha, was built in the Song Dynasty by members of the Su family.

In the old days, the surging sea water of Wukan Harbor Bay was traced up the river to Daan Market, where seawater and fresh water met, and the "salty crows" swam around, making the area rich in produce.

The A-Ma Temple (Tin Hau Temple) is about 50 meters from the Luohe River embankment, the temple sits in the north-south, built against the water, the ancient name of the place, "the golden lion in the water". On both sides of the bank, there are green dragons and white tigers, and the boulders in the water look like lion's paws. Downstream of the Luohe River on both sides (Daan and Southwest towns) ferry boat head, Dachinkan, fish Street, Mast Zai four ferry terminal, upstream of the turbid water Harbor, Sandaosi and two ancient bridges (two boardwalks).

Da'an eight scenes two of them

Lion Roach Longquan Jing a river, but the Nanyang stacked species more.

Fish mountain ringing stone blocking the water mouth, Horio Dunshan connected to the river wave.　　The two bridges are clear and turbid, and the river is full of green banyan and smoke.　　Eagle land ancient banyan cover the back wall, rhinoceros looking at the moon shine deep river.

Legend has it that in the Song Dynasty, Su's to this foundation, one day, Su's and the geomancer from the back of the wall all the way to this "dragon", the geomancer suddenly asked: to their own good, or to everyone's good? Originally, the geomancer see this place "dragon degree" is very good, ask the proprietor, if the answer is "to their own good", that is, in this building Su Ancestral Hall carry on, but the blessing of only a family name a clan. Reasoning after the Su instantly replied: "Everyone is good!" The earth master heard the words and then built the Mazu Temple here.

The temple on the right side of the ferry head, that is, Horizaiwei ferry, the Qing Dynasty by the opposite bank of the Shangshu Po Wu clan management. There are monuments inscribed in three directions. Ancient monument on the temple wall at the entrance. The inscription is written in an umbrella frame:

Houpipu Daiyuan is the market within the dragon

into the vein of the place are relying on the tranquility of the present please

Shi Master Yu show prohibited from digging up the earth mutilation

dragon vein by the signing of the difference between the co-protection of the inspection

If you dare to disobey the sound of the study will not be credited

daoguang 21 years in the June public prohibition

It is said that after the completion of the temple of A-ma, the Dai'an Hui

It is said that after the construction of the Mazu Temple, the Daan Market was blessed with good weather, prosperous population, and smooth flow of goods on land and water, with goods coming down from the mountainous areas and fishery goods coming up from the coast against the water, which attracted huge merchants to gather here, and the business opportunities became hotter and hotter day by day. Market within the family not forgetting the year Su ancestors generous feelings, still exists "where the red and white wedding please Su surnamed people sit in the big seat," the ancient style. The two Mazu temples, the crowd of worshippers never fails, the incense is more and more prosperous, the elders are often here to educate the descendants "can not be careful, we must take into account the overall situation, will be prosperous and beneficial to the children and grandchildren".

Love volunteers heard and witnessed now Daan, is a thriving scene: buildings, traffic, the town stores trading is very hot, the palace side of an old man proudly told everyone, "Daan people doing business in the Pearl River Delta that's the 'top of the line' it! "! Volunteers also learned that the town is the first city to be rated "Guangdong Province, strong town of education", you will not be difficult to find the most beautiful, most spacious building, must be the school. Daan Shizhai was awarded the "Chinese traditional ancient villages", "China's famous historical and cultural villages", Daan's Rolling Golden Dragon was compiled into the "Chinese Dance Journal", dance out of the country to Belarus and other places to perform. As early as in May 2006, "Rolling Golden Dragon" was announced by the State Council as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage.

Today, Daan ancient town of modern civilization and history and culture as one, a mirror of the "township of ethnic folk art" plaque glittering. According to Lufeng City, Guangdong Province, Daan Town, Nanxi Village, the old man Huang Tianshu collection of records and some of the informed narrative, "Rolling Golden Dragon" was created in the Southern Song Dynasty, Ming Jiajing years, Huang's Guangzhao Gong from Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, a branch of the village moved to Lufeng, Guangdong Province, Nanxi, bringing the "Rolling Golden Dragon evolution of the history of the biography" of the biographies. Huang's Nanxi "Rolling Golden Dragon" reproduced for seventeen generations. Later, the village's golden dragon artists, traditional martial arts masters to Lufeng Tanxi Township, Shengou Village, Daan Township, Anbo, the lower Anlian, Dingtan, Antang Village, Southwest Township, the two military, under the village, Lufeng Township, on the East Township of the Shenshan Village and other places.

Nanxi Village, "Rolling Golden Dragon" performance, by two people into the "dragon body cover", a person dancing dragon head, a person dancing dragon tail. The whole performance process is divided into "opening ceremony", "playing around the patrol hole", "swimming pool play water", "stretching and washing scales ", "Hibernation and Thunder", "Dancing with the Thunder", "Flying with the Clouds", "Returning the Salute at the End of the Show "Eight dance sections, the performance imitates the dragon spinning and flying, playing in the water, contemplating and waking up, softly and quietly coiled, and bravely advancing and other actions. Accompanied by the mighty and majestic, loud and clear, the "big gongs and drums" of the Hailufeng Zhengzi Opera, the big oboe plays different tunes according to different performance plots, such as Gong'e's Complaints, Crying for the Emperor's Heaven, Hillside Goat, and Eight Boards of Heads, and other tunes. The basic features of this dance are rich in expression, many routines, wonderful dance sections and good skills.

In 1996, Nanxi Village was awarded the title of "Hometown of Ethnic and Folk Art" by the Department of Culture of Guangdong Province, and the Rolling Golden Dragon was compiled into the "Chinese Dance Journal", and has won a number of awards in major events at the national and provincial levels.