Bo Hanbing – Inheritor of Dai Culture in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna

Deep in the tropical rainforests of Xishuangbanna, the footsteps of the New Year Festival in the Dai calendar year 1387 are drawing near, and the village of Man Dan (曼旦村) in Mengla County (勐腊县) is filled with the sound of passionate drumming. The source of this sound is none other than 63-year-old Bo Han Bing (波罕丙). He is the representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage of Dai Xiangjiaogu dance (傣族象脚鼓舞) and a guardian of Dai culture. With a lifetime of passion and perseverance, he has ensured that the sound of the Xiangjiaogu drum never ceases in the tropical rainforest.

Bo Han Bing’s journey of inheritance began in his childhood in Man Dan village. At the age of 7, he began practicing martial arts, and by the age of 10, he had developed a strong interest in Xiangjiaogu dance. At 15, he formally apprenticed himself to a local master and embarked on a long path of learning. He dedicated his life to Xiangjiaogu dance, seeking out renowned teachers and creating a unique performance style that integrates “dance and martial arts,” combining the strength of Dai martial arts with the grace of dance. This style has made him the focus of various festive events.

Starting at the age of 38, Bo Han Bing began to widely recruit disciples and transformed his own stilt house into a training center. Over the years, he has trained more than a hundred disciples, including students from Laos and Myanmar. His training center has become not only a base for the inheritance of Xiangjiaogu dance but also a hub for the dissemination of Dai culture. Bo Han Bing firmly believes, “As long as there is one more student willing to learn, I will teach without reservation.” Today, his apprentices and grand-apprentices are spread throughout the surrounding villages, and Xiangjiaogu dance has evolved from a “solo performance” to a “chorus of drums.”

Xiangjiaogu dance is named after the drum carried by the dancer, which resembles an elephant’s foot. It is a traditional dance unique to Dai men. Dancers use their fists, palms, elbows, knees, and even heels to strike the drum, combining acrobatic movements such as leaping and bending with martial arts moves. This fusion of strength and flexibility vividly conveys the Dai people’s “soft exterior and strong interior” national character. Bo Han Bing emphasizes, “The Xiangjiaogu drum is not just a musical instrument; it is a language through which the Dai people communicate with nature. When the drum sounds, the worries of the mountains and forests will dissipate.”

In 2018, Bo Han Bing was recognized as a representative inheritor of the fifth batch of national intangible cultural heritage. He has also been honored with titles such as “Xishuangbanna Prefecture Master of Arts and Crafts” and “Fire Prevention Ambassador.” His Xiangjiaogu dance performances have crossed national borders, with performances in Japan, India, Shanghai, and other places, building a bridge for cultural exchange through the passionate rhythm of the drum. His disciple Yan Kan Feng (岩坎逢) said, “My master often teaches us that the drum has no borders; we should bring traditional culture to the whole world.”

With the booming development of tourism in Xishuangbanna, Man Dan village has become a popular destination known as a “rainforest paradise.” Bo Han Bing’s training center attracts countless tourists who come to stay in the stilt houses, taste Dai cuisine, and learn to play the drum. Bo Han Bing remarked, “The arrival of tourists has revitalized traditional culture, and the interest of the younger generation in these cultures has been rekindled.” A person in charge of the Mengla County Culture Center in Xishuangbanna Prefecture said, “Bo Han Bing is a paragon of living heritage, bringing Xiangjiaogu dance from ritual to daily life and integrating tradition with modernity.”

Faced with the impact of modern culture, Bo Han Bing acknowledges the pressure but remains steadfast. He has dedicated his life to interpreting the significance of intangible cultural heritage inheritance — not only the continuation of skills but also a nation’s reverence and perseverance in culture. As Bo Han Bing said, “As long as the drum is there, the soul is there. As long as the drumming continues, the roots of the Dai people will be deeply planted in this rainforest.”

Bo Han Bing’s story is a microcosm of the inheritance of Dai culture and a vivid practice of the protection and inheritance of China’s intangible cultural heritage. His perseverance and efforts have ensured that the sound of the Xiangjiaogu drum continues to echo in the tropical rainforest and have given new vitality to Dai culture in the new era.