Southern Shanxi Floral Drum

This is a folk dance which originated in Wanrong County and eventually became popular in southern Shanxi. It is said that the dance w as brought to Wanrong during the early years of the Ming Dynasty by people from Fengyang in Anhui Province who had fled their famine blighted home villages. The performances of Wanrong Floral Drum can be divided into three categories: high drum (at the height of one's chest), low drum (at the height of one's waist) and multi-drums (beating several drums carried on one's body). The dance is usually accompanied by big gongs and cymbals. The daneers beat their drums with various movements while changing formations all the time.