Wenzhuang Fire Lion Dance of Shencheng Town — Treasure of Shen County’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

LIAOCHENG, China, Jan. 6, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

The Wenzhuang Fire Lion Dance of Shencheng Town originates from Wenzhuang Village in Donglu Street, Shen County, Shandong Province. This form of lion dance is distinguished by a lion’s mane made up of numerous ignited fire wicks, which create a spectacle of sparks during performances. It is typically performed on the evening of the second day of the second lunar month, following the Spring Festival. The dance aims to enhance the festive atmosphere and to pray for favorable weather and bountiful harvests in the coming year. It is a unique and cherished folk art form of Shandong Province.

The Wenzhuang Fire Lion is composed of three primary elements: the bamboo lion head, the lion body made from drilled pinewood, and the jujube wood tail.

The Wenzhuang Fire Lion Dance has its roots in folklore and dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). During this era, fire lion performances were already an integral part of local traditions in Wenzhuang. According to the recollections of senior artisans, esteemed practitioners from East Street, Shencheng Town, performed the Fire Lion Dance in cities such as Shanghai and Nanjing during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Following the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the tradition was passed down to the second generation of performers, Ren Jinsheng and Ren Yinsheng, from East Street, Shencheng Town.

Each lion is performed by one individual, and the performance concludes when the fire twists are burned out. For subsequent performances, new fire twists must be prepared and twisted.

Today, the current inheritor of the Wenzhuang Fire Lion Dance, Ren Baocun, began learning the art form from his father at a young age. After years of study and practice, Ren has refined both the craftsmanship of the fire lions and the movements of the dance, enhancing their visual appeal while adhering to the wisdom and methods of his predecessors.

Wenzhuang Fire Lion Dance Performance of Shencheng Town

In 1984, a filming crew from the program China’s Unique Art visited Wenzhuang to document the performance. That same year, the dance represented Shen County at a folk dance festival in Liaocheng, where it won first prize. Later, the Shandong Song and Dance Troupe sent a team to Shen County to learn the intricacies of the Fire Lion Dance, which was subsequently included in the Collection of Folk Dances. In 2006, the dance was recognized as a city-level intangible cultural heritage, and in 2007, it was officially listed as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage. In 2016, a dedicated inheritance hall was established, and performance props were crafted to further preserve the art. A small-scale exhibition and performance was held in 2018, and in 2020, the project was included in the Cultural Liaocheng Series publication, Cultural Legacy and Remembrance.