Culture&Life | Celebrating Spring Festival with Yingge dance in south China's Guangdong

A Yingge dance team of children performs during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

SHANTOU, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Yingge dance, or "dance to the hero's song," is a form of folk dance popular in south China's Guangdong Province. The dance merges opera, dance, and martial arts and was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this traditional dance is often performed during traditional Chinese festivals.

The Yingge dance has been trending on social media platforms over the past two years as videos of the dance garnered millions of views online.

This year, Yingge dance teams from Shantou have also been invited to perform on multiple overseas stages for the Spring Festival celebrations.

A Yingge dance team performs during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A Yingge dance team performs during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A Yingge dance team member puts on a costume at a training base in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 29, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

Members of a Yingge dance team are pictured in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 26, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A Yingge dance team performs during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A Yingge dance team performs during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A Yingge dance team performs during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A Yingge dance team member prepares for performance at a training base in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 29, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A Yingge dance team performs in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 29, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A women's Yingge dance team performs in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 29, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A women's Yingge dance team performs during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

A tourist poses for photos with members of a Yingge dance team in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 26, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo shows a Yingge dance team performing during an event celebrating the Spring Festival in Shantou, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 2, 2025. (Photo by Yao Jun/Xinhua)