Cultural volunteers in Leyu town, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, have been busy rehearsing a traditional dance, Mo Bi Gui, since early September. The volunteers are trying to revive the dance after performances ended more than 20 years ago.

Mo Bi Gui is a part of Zhangjiagang’s local Shashang culture. Legend says more than 400 years ago, a rich man from Nantong fell into water on his way to explore a sandbank for planting fields in Zhangjiagang.

The man floated on the water for several days and finally survived. He believed he was saved by a god, so he donated a lot of money to build Shenwang Temple in the area which is now Jinfeng town.

He held temple fairs from October 1-5 of the Chinese lunar calendar every year to worship the god. Mo Bi Gui was often performed then. In 1949, the temple sank into the river, and the performance disappeared with it.

Leyu town began to save its folk cultural heritage in 1980 and discovered Mo Bi Gui. It was adapted into an exorcism dance and won the second place prize at a Chinese folk dance competition in 1988. The performance was listed as a Suzhou intangible cultural heritage in 2011.