The Aojiang Dragon at Jiudiehe Park in Pingyang county, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/wzrb.com.cn]
At Jiudiehe Park in Pingyang county, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, seven handicraftsmen have recently been busy working on the Aojiang Dragon for the Aojiang Dragon Dance.
The dragon is made of bamboo strips, silk cloth and other materials, and the skeleton of the dragon body has already been completed. The entire dragon is expected to be finished in mid-to-late January.
The Aojiang Dragon Dance, a folk cultural event, will be held in Aojiang town on March 11 (the second day of the second lunar month). This year's Aojiang Dragon will be 11 meters longer than last year, with a total length of 99 meters, of which the dragon head is 5 meters high and the dragon body is 2.4 meters in diameter, the largest in history.
In addition, the dragon's feet and tail can swing, and the dragon sound effect was upgraded.
Pingyang's Aojiang Dragon Dance was popular in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and is used as a way to wish for favorable weather, abundant fish and shrimp, or a bountiful harvest.
The Aojiang Dragon Dance was listed in the Zhejiang Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2009 and the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2014.
