Outstanding Tiaocai dance of Nanjian welcomes guests

Tiaocai dance, also known as the dish-serving dance, is a traditional ceremonial dance performed by the Yi people in Nanjian Yi autonomous county of Dali Bai autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province. It is often performed during banquets to welcome guests and enhance the joyous atmosphere.

The dance involves dish carriers and lead dancers carrying the table in mouth while moving from the kitchen to the dining table, following the rhythm of the music with unique Yi dance steps. The dishes are humorously and strategically arranged in a chess piece layout, integrating dance, music, and cuisine into a single ceremonial performance.

In 2007, Nanjian Dish Dance was included in Yunnan province's first batch of intangible cultural heritage projects, and in June of 2008, it was listed in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage projects.

Source: Culture and Tourism Headline; trans-editing by Wang Yunya