Chongqing- Dragon is the totem of the Chinese people. Dragon is a symbol of auspiciousness. Every Spring Festival, people in Tongliang celebrate the arrival of the New Year with a dragon dance, hoping for good weather and health in the coming year.

As a representative inheritor of Tongliang Dragon Lantern and Silk Figure, Zhou Jian has been engaged in this sector for more than 30 years. From the New Year Lantern Festival to the Dragon Dance, his dragon lanterns satisfy the most romantic imagination of dragons of people.

"In my grandfather's generation around the 1970s, it had been a custom to make a giant puppet of a dragon for the dragon dance in rural areas. Across Tongliang, each town or township makes its unique dragons." Zhou introduced.

Tongliang dragon lanterns dated back to the Tang and Song dynasties and thrived in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is well-known for its exquisiteness and magnificent performance. In 2006, Tongliang dragon dance made it to the first National Intangible Cultural Heritage List of China. Many years of exploration, protection, and improvement have gradually rejuvenated Tongliang dragons.

At the party celebrating the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 2019, nine giant dragons brought the party to the peak. It was not the first time that Tongliang dragons had participated in the National Day celebrations at Tiananmen Square. In 1984 and 1999, Tongliang dragons danced in Beijing for the 35^th and 50^th anniversaries of the founding of the People's Republic of China, full of noble aspiration and daring.

In the past, dragon lanterns were made and inherited by three families. But now, the other two have lost their craftsmanship, only Zhou Jian persists in making dragon lanterns in traditional ways. "Each year, I make improvements in some details like materials based on traditions."

There is a tradition in Tongliang, that is to hold the Dragon Lantern Festival during the Spring Festival. From the first day to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, dragon lanterns light all night. As the Spring Festival is approaching, the Dragon Lantern Festival at Xuantian Lake is under preparation, in which dragon lanterns are critical elements.

"Instead of dragons, we focus on making dragon lanterns. Tongliang dragon lanterns are popular across the county and a must-have item in each town and township to celebrate the Lantern Festival." said Zhou.

The dragon dance is a vital part of the Dragon Lantern Festival, feasting visitors' eyes. The performance lasts around 50 minutes, consisting of eight programs, covering major dragon dances in Tongliang, such as the water dragon dance, lotus dragon dance, straw dragon dance, and the most anticipated fire dragon dance.

Fire dragon is the most special dance among Tongliang Dragon lanterns. The iron is melted at a high temperature of about 1500 degrees. Then scoop up the iron with a bamboo spoon and throw it to the night sky. When the iron is broken by the wood, the drops of iron splashing turn into thousands of sparks. Going shirtless looks scary, but the dancers will not burn their hands. Their skin is only shortly touched by molten iron, so experienced dragon dancers use fast-paced body movements to avoid the molten iron remaining on their bodies.

By Xuantian Lake, iron fireworks, flying dragons, and cheerful people constitute a magnificent and amazing scroll. It mirrors the most romantic imagination about dragons and our deepest attachment to dragon dances.