Shen Ruchang’s Background
Shen Ruchang, a male of Han (汉族) ethnicity, was born in 1948 in Shibangou Village, Daying Village, Sijie Township, Tonghai County, Yuxi City. He is the provincial-level inheritor of the Stilt Lion Dance (高脚狮子舞) and is affectionately referred to as “Coach” or “Master” by local people.
Learning and Inheritance
Shen Ruchang has loved the Stilt Lion Dance since childhood. With his exceptional talent and diligent practice, he gradually mastered this unique dance technique. His performances are exquisite, and his movements are agile, allowing him to easily perform the various difficult moves of the Stilt Lion Dance. Over the years, Shen Ruchang has dedicated himself to the inheritance and development of the Stilt Lion Dance, training many apprentices, including children aged 8 to 14. He not only teaches the craft in his village but also actively participates in various cultural activities and performances, helping more people understand and appreciate this traditional art.
Dance Features
The Stilt Lion Dance is a unique traditional dance of Sijie Township, Tonghai County. Performers stand on stilts and imitate the movements and forms of a lion through various actions and techniques. This dance requires the dancer to have excellent balance and physical coordination, while also showcasing the power and agility of the lion.
Inheritance and Protection
Shen Ruchang understands the cultural value and significance of the Stilt Lion Dance and actively participates in the protection of intangible cultural heritage. Thanks to his efforts, the Stilt Lion Dance was included in the provincial-level intangible cultural heritage protection list by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism in 2024. Shen Ruchang hopes that through his actions, more young people will join in the inheritance of the Stilt Lion Dance, ensuring the continuation of this traditional art.
As the inheritor of the Stilt Lion Dance, Shen Ruchang has not only achieved outstanding success in the art itself but has also made great contributions to the inheritance and promotion of this intangible cultural heritage.
Shen Ruchang’s Methods of Cultivating the Next Generation of Inheritors
As the inheritor of the Stilt Lion Dance in Sijie Township, Tonghai County, Yuxi City, Shen Ruchang uses various methods to train the next generation of inheritors. These methods include:
1. Teaching by Example
Shen Ruchang imparts the techniques and cultural connotations of the Stilt Lion Dance to his apprentices through personal demonstration and explanation. He not only teaches the dance movements but also shares related legends and cultural background, allowing his students to fully understand this traditional art.
2. Cultivating Young People
Shen Ruchang places great emphasis on nurturing young people. In 2002, he was invited by Daying Primary School to serve as an extracurricular instructor and trained a group of young stilt performers. These young apprentices have participated in major performances during the “May Day” Golden Week, the Spring Festival, and the opening of the Spring Flower Street in Tonghai County, accumulating valuable performance experience.
3. Training Apprentices
Shen Ruchang has trained 20 apprentices in his village, with the most outstanding being 27-year-old Shen Sifa and 27-year-old female apprentice Zheng Lijiao. Through one-on-one guidance, he helps his apprentices master the difficult movements of the Stilt Lion Dance, ensuring the inheritance of the techniques.
4. Participation in Cultural Activities
Shen Ruchang leads his apprentices to participate in various cultural activities and performances, helping them improve their performance skills through practice. For example, he has participated multiple times in ethnic art performances in Yunnan Province and the National Traditional Sports Meeting for Ethnic Minorities, allowing his apprentices to showcase their skills on larger stages.
5. Integrating with Modern Education
Shen Ruchang also actively collaborates with schools to introduce the Stilt Lion Dance into the classroom. By offering interest classes and extracurricular activities, he provides more students the opportunity to experience and enjoy this traditional art. This educational approach not only cultivates potential inheritors but also increases public awareness and interest in this intangible cultural heritage.
Through these methods, Shen Ruchang has successfully passed on the techniques of the Stilt Lion Dance to the younger generation, laying a solid foundation for the inheritance and development of this traditional art.
