Arts Studies and Criticism

In Tujia-inhabited areas, there is a well-known saying: “Hands-swaying dance in the South, Funeral Dance in the North.” The southern hands-swaying dance, prevalent in the You River Basin where the Tujia people are concentrated, embodies rich cultural genes — those of the Tujia ethnic group, the regional community, and the broader Chinese civilization. It represents a vivid expression of outstanding Tujia cultural traditions within the broader context of Chinese traditional culture. This paper explores the “southern hands-swaying dance” from the perspective of systematic cultural protection. It examines the cultural genes embedded in hands-swaying dance — at the ethnic, regional, and national levels — to interpret how this dance, as an element of China’s intangible cultural heritage, contributes to the diverse yet unified structure of the Chinese nation. While international dissemination marks the modern development of hands-swaying dance as a representative of excellent traditional Chinese culture, its full vitality lies in being deeply rooted in the lives of local people. To play its positive role in promoting social and economic development, hands-swaying dance must be integrated into the systemic development of local society, economy, and culture. Therefore, its inheritance and development should be based on comprehensive planning that encompasses local conditions and cultural systems.