Wang family's lion dance tradition roars on

Take the part of playing the lion's tail as an example: the performer must hold on to the belt of performer playing the lion's head with one hand, and raise and sway the lion's tail with the other. Even during breaks, the performer needs to keep on interacting with the audience and constantly swing the tail, demanding a high degree of professionalism.

However, things did not all go smoothly for the Wangs following their move to Hongsibao district, even though there was an upsurge in community interest in lion dance after their arrival.

Lion dance was gradually ignored as children living nearby started school, and then later went off to seek work in cities. The advent of new technology such as television and the internet also outshone ancient performance arts.

Performers and funding were hard to find, making it increasingly difficult to organize a proper lion dance.

Things picked up for Wangs' Lion Dance in 2017, as China's rural vitalization strategy was implemented.

Lifted out of poverty, Honghai village has gone through impressive changes and villagers are attaching greater importance to health and cultural inheritance than ever. Wang Lin now feels more confident about the future of Wangs' Lion Dance.

"I am sure the stage will grow bigger," he said. "Performing lion dance can not only build up the body, but also pass on a positive living attitude.

"As long as youngsters want to learn, I'll teach them myself. The heritage and the spirit should always be passed on."

Over the years, Wang Lin was the lion dancer and his father the drummer. Now, they have retired to the audience, ready to give the stage to members of younger generations.

Lion dance is still a compulsory course for family members, and the young generation put on a marvelous show at the 2018 Lantern Festival fire show in Hongsibao district.

As a successor, Wang Lin said his family shoulders not only the responsibility to pass on the techniques, but more importantly, the spirit of the lion dance and its cultural essence.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, his schedule became busier once again.

He took out his phone and sent text messages to his children, who work in other parts of the country: "Come back home soon. We'll start to rehearse the lion dance for the new year!"

Huang Chen contributed to this story.