英德闹花灯

The "Nao Hua Deng" is a folk dance popular in Shakou Town, Yingde City. It is said to have been introduced from the Central Plains region, and the custom of Nao Hua Deng can be found in villages such as Qingxi and Hongfeng in Shakou Town, with Qingxi Village being the most prominent. The tradition of Nao Hua Deng in Qingxi Village has a history of over four hundred years, dating back to the early Ming Dynasty when people from Fujian province migrated to this area. The Huang family temple in Qingxi records the tradition in the "Ming Chenghua Gui Mao year." During the period when Yingde County established its government seat in Qingxi, the Nao Hua Deng tradition flourished among the people.

英德闹花灯

Before the liberation, the performance of Nao Hua Deng was scheduled after the New Year's Eve dinner on the thirtieth day of the lunar year. The Yingde County Annals (Daoguang edition) also recorded this activity: "The Lantern Festival is filled with fireworks and lanterns, and the sound of music and songs can be heard throughout the city and villages all night long." The performers of Nao Hua Deng were all men, but they often dressed as women for the performances. The elderly in the village say that this was due to the traditional concept of gender hierarchy prevailing at that time. However, this phenomenon has changed since the liberation, and women are also allowed to participate. During the performances, the lyrics are sung in the Hakka dialect. The content ranges from the first month to the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, for example: "In the first month, the New Year's flowers come, with new gate towers and new halls. The roof tiles are aligned, and the eaves drip with water." In Hakka, "Lantern" sounds the same as "childbirth." So when the Nao Hua Deng team arrives in a village, they shout, "The lanterns are here!" This means that there will be new births in the village this year, making the performance popular among the villagers.

In 1956-1957, Nao Hua Deng took to the stage and was later investigated and compiled by the cultural departments of the province, city, and county. It was selected to perform at the provincial selection event and participated in the Second National Folk Music and Dance Gala held in Beijing on February 20th of that year. In 1958, during the Lantern Festival, the Qingxi "Nao Hua Deng" club was invited to perform at the Guangzhou Cultural Park Center Stage. In December 2003, it won a silver award at the 2nd Guangdong Provincial Folk Art Performance Competition held by the Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Association of Folk Artists, and Yangxi County. In 2006, it won a silver award at the Guangdong Mobile Performance Program Online Exhibition.

In conclusion, the Nao Hua Deng tradition in Yingde has a long history and cultural significance. It has evolved from a local folk dance to becoming recognized and appreciated at provincial and national levels. The dance reflects the local customs and beliefs, and its lively performances continue to captivate audiences and bring joy to the community.