“Erzi Song” Folk Dance of Bai Ethnic Minority in Yunlong County, Dali

Historical Origin

• Origin: The “Erzi Song” dance is a traditional dance art with Nu culture characteristics, preserved among the Bai people in Jiance Township, Yunlong County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. “Erzi Song” means “dance of the dumb” in Bai language. It originated from the Nu culture, which dates back over 3,000 years to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. This dance was initially a ritual to drive away evil spirits and later evolved into a folk dance for exorcism, blessing, and celebration.
• Cultural Background: “Erzi Song” is deeply rooted in the Bai people’s folk culture and religious beliefs. It reflects their ancient agricultural culture, cultural psychology, and unique artistic traditions. The dance is considered a “living fossil” of dance art and is one of the few surviving examples of Bai Nu culture in Dali.

Dance Performance

• Performance Process: The “Erzi Song” performance is divided into three sections:
  • First Section: “Erzi Making a Feast”: Includes performances like “Jumping in Four Directions” and “Erzig rab Red Meat”.
  • Second Section: “Erzi Making a Wedding”: Includes performances like “Blocking the Color Door”, “Worshiping the God of Happiness”, “Spring Official Trial”, and “Naming the Dishes”.
  • Third Section: “Sending the Earth God”: Includes performances like “Worshiping the Earth God”, “Raising the Five Directions of Earth”, and “Sending the Earth God”.
• Role Division: The performance usually involves 10 people, each playing specific roles such as the old man, Erzi, Erzi’s wife, the Spring Official, the doctor, and the guide. All roles are played by men and are dressed according to their roles. For example, the Spring Official wears Ming Dynasty official clothing and paper glasses, while the old man wears local Bai clothing with a white paper beard and a cane.

Cultural Value

• Characteristics: “Erzi Song” is a primitive theatrical dance that combines dance and drama performance. It has characteristics of “primitiveness, ritualism, theatricality, and danceability”. It preserves ancient symbols of nature worship, fertility worship, and ancestor worship, reflecting the Bai people’s ancient farming culture and cultural psychology.
• Research Value: “Erzi Song” is an important resource for studying the history, ethnic relations, folk religions, and customs of the Bai people. It has high historical and ethnological research value.
• Inheritance Significance: As a precious part of the original culture in mountainous Bai areas, “Erzi Song” is an important carrier of Bai traditional farming culture, folk culture, and religious culture. It is a significant intangible cultural heritage that needs to be protected and passed down.

Heritage and Protection

• Heritage Status: In 2014, “Erzi Song” was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council. Currently, there are only a few inheritance people who can perform “Erzi Song”, and the inheritance of this art form is facing challenges.
• Protection Measures: To protect and pass on this precious intangible cultural heritage, Yunlong County has increased publicity and protection efforts, conducted field investigations, and established project archives. In 2002, “Erzi Song” was invited to perform at the “Japan International Folk Art Festival”, bringing it to an international audience. In 2016, three protection and inheritance bases were established in Yunlong County, and a theme cultural square is being built in Jiance Township, the core area of “Erzi Song” transmission.

Representative Inheritors

• Yang Chunwen: As a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project “Erzi Song”, Yang Chunwen has made significant contributions to the protection and传承of “Erzi Song”. Between 1998 and 2001, he led the training of local young actors and participated in international exchange activities, bringing “Erzi Song” to the world stage.