Jiaxie Song and Dance in Saga County, Shigatse

The Jiaxie Song and Dance (甲谐歌舞) is a traditional collective dance from Saga County (萨嘎县), located in Shigatse (日喀则), Tibet Autonomous Region. It is performed mainly during the Tibetan New Year and other major festivals. The dance, which has been passed down through generations, is particularly famous in the Dangga Township (旦嘎乡) of Saga County.

  • Heritage Level: Second Batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage

  • Heritage Category: Traditional Dance

  • Heritage ID: III-88

  • Approved Date: June 7, 2008

  • Declared Area: Tibet Autonomous Region, Saga County

Historical Origins

Origins of Jiaxie Song and Dance

The Jiaxie Song and Dance has over 1,300 years of history. Several theories explain its origins:

  1. It was performed to celebrate a military victory.

  2. It was danced to mark a victorious competition.

  3. It was performed to celebrate Princess Wencheng (文成公主) of the Tang Dynasty‘s arrival in Tibet.

The third theory, which celebrates the arrival of Princess Wencheng in Tibet, is the most widely accepted and recognized by the general public. According to Tashi (扎西), a local elder, there are over thirty different variations of the Jiaxie Song and Dance, and the village currently performs about a dozen of these.

Artistic Features

Performance Style

The Jiaxie Song and Dance is characterized by a distinct combination of singing and dancing, with both male and female performers dressed in traditional attire.

  • Male Performers: Dressed in luxurious red and yellow satin costumes, which symbolize nobility and elegance. They wear large, round hats with tassels that sway as they perform. They also carry props such as long waist knives, horsewhips, small knives in scabbards, and chopsticks. The male dancers’ movements are vigorous and bold, reflecting the courageous and hardy nature of the Tibetan people.

  • Female Performers: The female performers wear traditional Tibetan clothing adorned with various accessories and hold Khadar (哈达), a ceremonial scarf, as they sing and dance. Their movements are graceful, elegant, and balanced, creating a contrasting softness to the men’s dynamic performance.

The dance is performed under the open sky, with the blue sky as the backdrop and the earth as the stage, providing an aesthetic and organic beauty that delights audiences.

Dance Characteristics

  • The male dancers often engage in dynamic spinning and leaping, with energetic foot stamping and bold arm movements.

  • The female dancers move with graceful steps and gentle hand movements, maintaining balance and elegance.

  • The performance creates a lively and festive atmosphere, celebrating Tibetan culture and the spirit of unity.

Inheritance Status

Current Status of Inheritance

In 2008, the Jiaxie Song and Dance was officially included in the second batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, marking a significant step toward its preservation. In recent years, opportunities to perform have increased, and the dance has gained attention in places like Shigatse (日喀则) and Lhasa (拉萨). In 2010, the performance even took place at Tiananmen Square (天安门广场) in Beijing.

Importance of Inheritance

As a traditional ethnic song and dance form, the Jiaxie Song and Dance has been passed down orally from generation to generation, preserving both its form and content. The dance has a total of 35 variations, and performing all of them can take up to two days.

Protection Measures

Protection and Government Support

The Tibet Autonomous Region provides annual financial subsidies for inheritors, with a subsidy of 10,000 yuan per person, ranking among the highest in the country. The government has long recognized the importance of preserving traditional Tibetan culture and has made significant progress in this regard.

  • National Level: 89 items of intangible cultural heritage and 96 national-level inheritors.

  • Regional Level: 460 items of intangible cultural heritage and 350 regional inheritors.

In November 2019, the Saga County Cultural and Tourism Bureau (萨嘎县文化和旅游局) was designated as the official protection unit for the Jiaxie Song and Dance. The project’s protection status was reaffirmed on October 31, 2023, with the Saga County Cultural and Tourism Bureau receiving a passing evaluation.

Social Impact

Major Cultural Events

  • In August 2018, the Jiaxie Song and Dance was performed during the 16th Mount Everest Cultural Tourism Festival in Shigatse.

  • On December 19, 2020, the Jiaxie Song and Dance was featured in a cultural exchange performance in Luwan District (卢湾区), showcasing Tibetan and Han cultural unity.

Educational Outreach

In November 2016, the Jiaxie Song and Dance was introduced into local schools as part of an effort to promote traditional culture among the younger generation. This initiative helped bring the dance into modern cultural activities, ensuring its continued relevance in the community.