Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance in Qonggyai County, Shannan

The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance (琼结久河卓舞) is a traditional Tibetan dance from Qonggyai County (琼结县), Shannan (山南), Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区). Recognized as part of China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage, this dance has both cultural and historical significance.

The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance is often referred to as the “waist drum dance” (腰鼓舞), symbolizing the Tibetan people’s power to ward off evil and pray for good fortune. The dance dates back to the 8th century, and it is known for its bold and graceful movements.

In November 2014, it was officially added to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, with the heritage number: III-39.

  • Heritage Level: National Intangible Cultural Heritage

  • Project Number: III-39

  • Heritage Category: Traditional Dance

  • Declared Area: Qonggyai County (琼结县), Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区)

  • Approved: 2014

Historical Origins

The word “Zhuowu” (卓舞) translates to “circle dance,” and it is also known as Guozhuang (锅庄) in Tibetan. There are several origins associated with this dance. One theory links it to the Tubo Dynasty (吐蕃王朝) when King Songtsen Gampo (松赞干布) married Princess Wencheng (文成公主), and during their entry into Lhasa (拉萨), a Zhuowu drum troupe performed to welcome them.

Another popular theory traces its origins to the 8th century when Padmasambhava (莲花生) was invited to the region during the construction of the Samye Monastery (桑耶寺). The monastery was repeatedly damaged by supernatural forces, and to dispel the evil spirits, Padmasambhava invited the Seven Brothers (七兄弟), who were skilled in drum dances, to perform at night by the bonfire. The dance was believed to have succeeded in protecting the monastery and has been passed down ever since. Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance became widely practiced across Tibet (西藏), starting from Shannan (山南) and eventually reaching other areas.

The dance, named after Jiuhe Village (久河村) in Qonggyai County (琼结县), has a recorded history of over 1300 years. It evolved through three historical periods:

  • 8th to 11th century: Performed at Qingwadazi Palace (青瓦达孜宫) and Samye Monastery (桑耶寺).

  • 12th to 17th century: Performed in Lhagar (拉加里).

  • 17th to mid-20th century: Performed at Riwodeqing Monastery (日吾德庆寺) in Qonggyai County (琼结县).

Dance Features

Dance Sections

The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance is performed in 12 distinct segments, each with different themes and movements:

  1. Welcoming the audience from Jiedui Street (结堆街).

  2. Prostrating and offering sacrifices to the Heavenly Gods.

  3. Padmasambhava holding a stake and striking the rock.

  4. Crow dance with Vajra steps.

  5. The Golden Tiger Dance performed at the beginning of the year.

  6. The dance from Jama (加麻 region).

  7. Padmasambhava purifies the land of the Samye Monastery (桑耶寺).

  8. Dance of a male deer and two female deer.

  9. Padmasambhava performing steps to purify the place.

  10. The parrot dance.

  11. The lion showcasing its mane to the snow mountains.

  12. People sitting on mats in Jiedui Street.

Movement Features

Compared to other regional Zhuowu dances, the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance has unique drum movements:

  • Hair tossing: The drummer typically tosses their hair in four directions (front, back, left, and right). However, in the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance, the drummer primarily spins their hair three times to the right front.

  • Drumstick technique: Drummers in the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance perform the “right cross reverse” movement, using their left hand to strike the drum three times while the right hand rotates the drumstick in a circular motion.

  • Opening move: The drummer’s opening move begins with the right foot stepping back while the right hand spins the drumstick three times.

  • Differences in movements of A-re (阿热 dancers): A-re dancers in other regions typically use ivory rope for their movements, which are mostly side-to-side. In Qonggyai, dancers perform without this rope, as they incorporate local folk dance moves.

Costume Features

The dancers in the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance wear loose, flowing hair rather than traditional braided styles, similar to the ancient murals of Samye Monastery (桑耶寺).

  • Drummers wear skirts modeled after those worn by past Tibetan kings (赞普) from the Yarlung Tribe (雅砻部落).

  • The drummers do not carry Buddhist altars (佛龛) on their backs, unlike dancers from other regions who wear three-layered garments. Drummers in Qonggyai wear three layers of clothing, with unique arrangements of colored ribbons tied to their waist, hanging down parallel to the skirt.

During performances, some dancers wear bells (铃) attached to their clothing, producing the characteristic sound of “chi-chi-chi!” as they dance.

Inheritance and Protection

Inheritance Value

The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance holds great cultural and historical significance. It reflects the unique customs of the Yarlung (雅砻) region and preserves the spiritual heritage of the Tibetan people. The dance is a vital part of Tibet’s traditional cultural expression and holds considerable research value.

Current State of Inheritance

With rapid modernization, the environment in which the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance thrives has been changing. The platform for performance and the scope of activities have diminished, which directly threatens the livelihoods of performers and their involvement in cultural activities. Many performers have aged, with some having passed away, while younger generations tend to migrate for work, resulting in a lack of new inheritors for the dance.

Key Inheritors

  • Nima (尼玛): Male, Tibetan, representative inheritor of the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance. He is based in Qonggyai County (琼结县), Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区).

Protection Measures

Qonggyai County (琼结县) has invested over 200,000 RMB in preserving the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance and other intangible cultural heritage items. This investment has included compiling both paper and electronic archives and training dancers with the assistance of the Qonggyai County Cultural Bureau (琼结县文化局).

  • November 2019: Qonggyai County Cultural Bureau (琼结县文化局) was officially recognized as the protection unit for the Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance.

  • October 31, 2023: The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance project was re-evaluated and certified by the Qonggyai County Cultural Bureau (琼结县文化局).

Social Impact

Major Events

  • 2009: The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance performed at the Tibetan New Year Gala on Tibet TV (西藏电视台).

  • 2019: The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance participated in the China Tourism Day activities in Shannan (山南).

  • July 15, 2019: The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance performed at the 4th Tibet-Qonggyai Tibetan Culture Tourism Festival.

Honors and Recognition

  • June 2009: The Jiuhe Zhuowu Dance won the Silver Award in the CCTV National Dance Competition in the Folk Dance category during the Chinese National Traditional Music and Dance Performance.