A Shuangfeng dragon dance performance. [Photo/Shuangfeng Town People's Government]

In Taicang's Shuangfeng town, the sounds of drums and the movements of dragons and lions have long been woven into local life, carrying a cultural tradition that has been passed down through generations.

Recognized in 2000 as China's "Hometown of Folk Dragon and Lion Art", Shuangfeng continues to preserve and revitalize one of its most distinctive intangible cultural heritage traditions.

The Shuangfeng dragon and lion dance reflects a unique blend of northern and southern Chinese folk cultures. Over time, local styles merged with influences brought from other regions, creating a diverse artistic system featuring more than ten dragon and lion forms. Northern drum music and southern rhythmic gong patterns also gradually fused, forming a unique style of Shuangfeng.

The preservation of this heritage owes much to generations of practitioners, especially Qiu Guoliang. Born in 1939, Qiu dedicated more than six decades to protecting and promoting the craft.

A Shuangfeng dragon dance performance. [Photo/Shuangfeng Town People's Government]

During the 1960s and 1970s, he traveled extensively through rural areas to document traditional dragon and lion-making methods and collect musical scores. Later, he organized lion dance teams and established a cultural workshop, helping to revive an art form that had once faded from public attention.

While preserving traditional techniques such as bamboo frame construction, paper mounting, painting and ceremonial eye-dotting, Qiu also introduced innovations to performance routines. This allowed the ancient craft to retain its traditional spirit while appealing to modern audiences.

The tradition has also achieved remarkable achievements. In 2008, 1,010 young performers danced with a 2,008-meter-long dragon, accompanied by nine large dragons and 81 smaller ones, to celebrate the Beijing Olympic Games. In 2012, a 5,568.46-meter dragon lantern, produced by Shuangfeng's Longfeng Folk Arts and Crafts Factory, was animated by nearly 4,000 volunteers at the Markham Civic Centre in Toronto, Canada, setting a Guinness World Record for the world's longest dragon lantern.

These milestones, together with dragon and lion exhibits and historical archives, are preserved in the Shuangfeng Dragon and Lion Culture Exhibition Hall.

Today, the craft has entered schools and communities, giving younger generations opportunities to experience traditional craftsmanship firsthand.

A Shuangfeng dragon dance performance. [Photo/Shuangfeng Town People's Government]

The transmission of the craft has now extended to a seventh generation of inheritors, while dragon and lion products made in Shuangfeng continue to reach markets both across China and overseas.