Korean Long Drum
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Temple fairs remain a firm favorite
Carnival spirit lights up Beijing during the holiday, as Su Zhou finds out. Su Zhou Despite more and more young people turning their back on tradition, temple fairs remain a favorite event during Spring Festival. Zhu Changdui, who works for the Postal Savings Bank of China and comes from Ankang, Shannxi province, said he remembers reading about Spring Festival in Beijing when he was young. He recalls reading of children with red cotton-padded jackets running out the hutong to join the temple fairs and see dragons dancing, martial arts performances and people selling traditional snacks. "In recent years, Spring Festival has not been like the ones when I was little because of the rapid change in society, especially in my hometown," said the 28-year-old, who added that his relatives like to celebrate the festival by playing mahjong. "However, I think Beijing has preserved a lot of the old tradition and blended it with the new trends." This year will be the first time Zhu has stayed in Beijing during Spring Festival since he settled in the capital four years ago. He said he would like to capture as much of the traditional spirit as possible. "I plan to visit temple fairs and I have a schedule for them. I think my camera will not have a few days off then," Zhu joked. Temple fairs, or miaohui, are said to hail back to ancient days, when farmers would offer new year sacrifices to their village gods. The events developed into marketplaces for goods and ideas, where people would peddle their wares and performers would put on shows. Temple fairs grew in prominence throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), but essentially evaporated with the founding of New China in 1949, and they were taboo during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). The country's first official temple fair after 1949 was in 1985 at Beijing's Temple of the Earth (Ditan Park). Now they are once again an important part of the Spring Festival and they continue to evolve. The carnivals in parks such as Ditan, Tiantan and others with a long history largely remain true to tradition, and they evoke imperial times and folk memories. This year marks the 11th Cultural Week for Tiantan Park, or the Temple of Heaven. Between Feb 19 and 23, performers will act as emperors, guards, officials, dancers and musicians and show visitors the solemn ancient worship ceremonies. As Beijing is a second home for many expats, other fairs have departed from historical orthodoxy, particularly in recent years. In Shijingshan Amusement Park, the organizers are hosting a "foreign-style" temple fair, which will include Western as well as traditional cultural elements. Organizers said the fair will be similar to a foreign carnival parade and will include a four-dimensional cinema alongside other events. Performances such as Japanese fan dances, a Korean long-drum dance, Latin dance, a Russian song and dance performance, a cartoon show and children's activities will also feature. "Spring Festival used to be a favorite time for children. We posted handwritten couplets on both sides of the door, paper-cuttings with traditional images on the window and we set off firecrackers, put on new clothes and went to temple fairs where there were all kinds of toys and snacks," said Yu Dawu, a 66-year-old painter, who recently published a picture book called Spring Festival in Beijing for children to see how people used to celebrate Chinese New Year. Although the festival celebrations in Beijing are not as lively as they used to be, Yu said he believed the holiday's core concept hasn't changed. "Family reunions and the earnest hope for a better life in the coming year remain the same," he said. To avoid potential risks, the Beijing tourism authority has enhanced its traffic monitoring system and ordered no free gifts to be handed over during the temple fairs. According to the authority, the number of tourists in Beijing during Spring Festival will soar and the range of celebrations mean there are a lot of potential risks to manage. Wang Yanyong, director of the Tourism Development and Planning Research Center of Beijing Jiaotong University, said temple fairs should connect more with current trends instead of repeating old traditions. "Different years should have different themes and they should combine with the current entertainment trends," said Wang. "More high-tech elements should be integrated into the design of tourism products." "Temple fairs are just like the dumplings we eat every Spring Festival Eve, they may be old and unchanged symbols of Chinese New Year, but there is still space for innovation." Contact the writer at suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn
Temple fairs add romance to Spring Festival in Beijing
BEIJING, Feb. 3 --Despite the fact that many people will leave the capital during the Spring Festival, there will still be lots going on for those left behind, including a brace of temple fairs that will appeal to the artistic and romantic alike. With the Valentine's Day falling on the same day as the Lunar New Year, Beijing's temple fair organizer hopes to add a romantic touch to the time-honored event - by hosting the marriage of 10 foreign couples on Feb 14 at Shijingshan Amusement Park, which has held the fair for the past 10 years. While the double-lucky day should be compelling, Liu Jingwang, general manager of the park and host of the wedding ceremony, said he is still waiting for foreign couples to sign up with just 10 days to go until the big event. "We will hold a fairytale-style wedding for these couples in front of the park's Cinderella Castle and Ferris Wheel," Liu said. In addition to the usual amusements, park visitors are expected to have a great time enjoying performances from other countries such as a Japanese fan dance, Korean long-drum dance, Latin dancing, and Russian song and dance performances. The temple fair, which lasts from Feb 14 to Feb 21, is anticipating 3 million visitors during the Spring Festival. The 3-millionth tourist will receive a VIP membership, which guarantees free use of all facilities in 2010, Liu said. The lucky tourist will also be invited to wear a wreath and join the parade. The amusement park is also looking for 10 foreign students to work as volunteer guides at its temple fair. "They will also enjoy a VIP membership for the whole year," Liu said. All people interested are welcome to call the park's hotline at 68874060. And for people looking to touch their souls in an arty and historic way, they can visit the Changdian temple fair in southern Beijing. Dating back 400 years, the Changdian temple fair is the capital's most acclaimed cultural event It will feature an exhibition of antiques and calligraphy as well as offer a chance to interact with local artists and craftsmen. The fair was first developed on Liulichang Street in South Beijing during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was known as a venue for colored glaze and later developed into a favorite haunt for scholars, painters and those looking to write, compose and purchase art. Running from Feb 14 to Feb 18, the antique shops, bookstores, galleries and teahouses along the street will stay open, offering exhibitions of traditional Chinese art, including paintings, calligraphy, pottery vases, bronze ware and ancient books. And professional artists from the Beijing Fine Arts Association will draw profiles for visitors for free. "At the same time, the acknowledged antique experts from art auction firms will be invited on Feb 16 to introduce the knowledge of collecting antiques," said Feng Jianhua, vice-general manager of the fair. "They will also help art lovers to evaluate their collections." In 2006, the Changdian temple fair was listed as part of the national intangible cultural heritage. This year, the temple fair will partly be located in the Taoranting Park nearby, where most of the fair's folk art performances will be displayed, Feng said. Highlights will include exhibitions of traditional handicrafts including clay sculptures, diabolos, Peking Opera masks, colored glazes, shadow puppets and palace lamps. (Source: China Daily)
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民族舞蹈
长鼓舞是朝鲜族代表性的舞蹈之一，脱胎于传统的“农乐舞”。长鼓分为长鼓、舞蹈长鼓、儿童长鼓和幼儿长鼓等几种。形状是两头粗、中间细，左边鼓筒直径比右边鼓筒直径大1厘米，右边鼓皮薄，左边鼓皮厚。 古代的长鼓，用獐皮做左边的厚鼓皮，用狗皮做右边的薄鼓皮，鼓筒采用木材或多层纸、薄铁等材料制成。长鼓有沙市6个铜制的龙头形钩子，钩住松紧绳．松紧绳用三股真丝线制成，每只鼓上装有8全套袖，即用来调整鼓绳的皮套。 长鼓起源于我国的宋代，后来流传到朝鲜半岛，成为朝鲜民族音乐的主要打击乐器。我国东北朝鲜族聚居的地方，长鼓在朝鲜族音乐和舞蹈中起重要作用。长鼓的右边用一根饰彩穗的竹条敲，左边用手，右边声高左边声低，能敲击出丰富多彩的节奏，著名的朝鲜族长鼓，在全世界闻名，艺术水平相当高，真正代表了能歌善舞的朝鲜民族的艺术特色。 长鼓作为民间打击乐器，在农乐舞队里由长鼓手击打，起伴奏和渲染气氛的作用，当情绪高昂时，长鼓手常常随着众人一起翩翩起舞，因其身前挎着长鼓，故在起舞时侧重于击鼓的形体动作，逐步创作出挎跳“大蹦子”等技巧，由此而被称为“长鼓演戏”。后经历代艺人创造丰富，长鼓舞便在20世纪初期，以独立的表演形式从农乐舞里脱颖而出。每逢佳节之日，民间常出现跳长鼓舞者，深受群众欢迎。延边歌舞团从20世纪50年代初开始将长鼓舞搬上舞台，从而扩大了长鼓舞的影响，60年代又在独舞的基础上，创作出长鼓的群舞表演。长鼓舞不仅鼓技惊人，花样翻新，亦在于表达喜悦、欢快的情绪，以优美的舞姿和娴熟的鼓技给人美好的艺术享受。
Knowledge Graph
Examples
1 The combination of Pipa and Korean Long Drum is a real innovation, and clearly shows they have some chemistry.
2 Accompanied by traditional Korean instruments including the gayageum and the Korean long drums, this contestant sings the well-known tune "Arirang".
3 The audience gives a warm applause for the Korean Long Drum Dance, showcasing a Korean ethnic group's characteristics.