Waist drum is a very unique folk large-scale dance art.
The waist drum has a long history, and to trace its origins, we have to start with the drum. Drum is a symbol of spirit, dance is a manifestation of strength, and the combination of encouragement and dance is the first of its kind. If it is said in "Shangshu·Yiji" that "hitting the stone and turning the stone, the beasts lead the dance" records that people in the primitive society beat the stone tools and imitated the image of the beast to dance the totem dance, then in "Yi·Xi Ci" "Drums "Dance to the fullest" shows that the appearance of drums made dance leap, becoming the beginning of farming dance culture, and an important art form to carry forward the national spirit.

Birthplace and Origin

Located in Youdi Village, Zhang Village, Chuannanta Township, Heimutou, Hengshan County, it is one of the birthplaces of the waist drum, and it is also the most original and complete place where the waist drum is preserved today. It maintains the completely traditional things of the waist drum since the Qing Dynasty. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, waist drums were regarded as indispensable equipment by garrison soldiers as swords, spears, bows and arrows. In the event of a surprise attack by the enemy, they would beat drums to report to the police and transmit information; the two armies confronted each other and cheered with drums; when the battle was won, the soldiers beat drums to celebrate. With the passage of time, the waist drum has gradually developed from a military use to a folk dance when the local people pray to the gods, wish for a good harvest, and celebrate the Spring Festival, which makes the waist drum more popular, but in terms of drumming style and performance , and continue to retain the vigorous and heroic appearance of some Qin and Han soldiers. In 1981, people found an ancient tomb on a hillside called "The Tomb Collapse" in Wangzhuang Village, Liangcun Township, Yan'an City, adjacent to Ansai County. Among them, two waist drum portrait bricks with the same shape and character shape were unearthed, both of which were fired after being molded. Appraisal by experts of cultural relics and archaeology in Yan'an area, it is a creation of Song Dynasty. The drummer portrayed on the portrait brick has a slender drum on his waist, his body is turned sideways, his head is raised to the left and back, his left foot is on the ground, his right leg is kicked out in front, his hands are high and the other is low, swinging a hammer and beating a drum. For those who hit the cymbal, jump up with both feet, suck the left leg, look at the left side, and make a cymbal with both hands in front of the chest. The drummers are shirtless, wearing bloomers, with ribbons tied around their waists, floating to the front and bottom. In particular, the movements and images of the drummers are similar to the fourth beat of "horse step and kicking legs" and the second beat of "forward progress" in today's waist drum. The picture of the waist drum is clear and the shape is beautiful, which vividly shows the waist drum performance in the northern Shaanxi region of China in the Song Dynasty, and provides precious and detailed cultural relics for the study of the historical origin and development of the waist drum in northern Shaanxi.

developing

In 1942, the new Yangko movement in Yan'an and the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia border area developed the ancient folk art of waist drum and became a symbol of hundreds of millions of soldiers and civilians celebrating victory and liberation, and was known as the "Victory Waist Drum". , all over the land of China, and recorded in the glorious history of the revolutionary literary and artistic movement. In 1951, waist drum participated in Chinese folk music and dance performances. Folk artists such as Ai Xiushan from Fengjiaying Village in Ansai taught waist drum skills to the China Youth Art Troupe. After performing at the World Youth and Students Festival held in Budapest, they won the special prize. , thus making the waist drum famous at home and abroad. In recent years, it has performed in large-scale events such as the opening ceremony of the 11th Asian Games and the Hong Kong Handover Celebration, and has also performed in Japan. The waist drum performance can be performed by a few people or thousands of people together. The majestic momentum and superb expressiveness are intoxicating.

On April 12, 2019, a new Guinness World Record was established at the Experimental School of Nanshan Middle School in Mianyang, Sichuan. Under the professional certification of Guinness certification officers and supervisors at the event site, the "Nanshi Thousand People Waist Drum Team" participated in the challenge with 1,344 people and was successfully certified.