A Quanzhou lion dance performance. [Photo/fujian-szwhg.chaoxing.com]

The Quanzhou lion dance was included in the fifth batch of national-level representative intangible cultural heritage items, in the expanded traditional sports, entertainment, and acrobatics category.

It said to have been created by the Shaolin monk and became an activity that combines martial arts and folk dance in the southern Fujian region. The lion dance has several hundred years of history.

There are several different routine performance methods for Quanzhou lion dance, with the most impressive being the Song Jiang Formation. The Quanzhou lion dance is a quintessential example of the integration of Chinese martial arts culture and Southern Fujian culture, preserving the essence of the traditional techniques of Chinese Shaolin Kungfu.

A Quanzhou lion dance performance. [Photo/fujian-szwhg.chaoxing.com]