Besides the Chinese New Year, the Qilin dance is also performed on such celebratory occasions as weddings, birthday parties, the inauguration of an ancestral hall, moving into a new home, welcoming guests, the Jiao festivals, and birthdays of deities.
In Hang Hau village, the rhythmic chants of young and old performers resonate as villagers gather weekly to practice. The president of the local Hakka unicorn Qilin dance association, surnamed Lau, recalled to Xinhua how he and his fellow village boys became acquainted with this art form, initially a means of defense against pirates as they practiced Kung Fu in the early days.
With the passage of time and the migration of villagers seeking jobs, the tradition faced decline. Upon retiring in 2003, Lau returned to find few were teaching the dance. Determined to revive the ancient traditional art, he organized free classes, gathering villagers to learn and perform Qilin dance.
Gradually, the number of village performers grew from three to nearly 10. Lau noted that it generally took two years to nurture a skilled troupe, emphasizing that the essence of excellent performance lies in the practice of Kung Fu.
But there is something more to a vibrant Qilin dance performance -- the creature's head. One of the few remaining Qilin head makers, surnamed Mou, skillfully assembled vividly lifelike Qilin heads from bamboo strips and rice paper. His journey began in his youth, repairing Qilin heads and developing a fascination for the craft.
