Cha Fajin - Inheritor of Yi "Cadaba" Dance Art in Longyang District, Baoshan 

Cha Fajin (茶发金, born October 1972), from Xuzhang Village (徐掌村), Wafang Yi-Miao Township (瓦房彝族苗族乡), Longyang District (隆阳区), Baoshan Prefecture (保山市), Yunnan Province (云南省), is a provincial-level representative inheritor of the Yi (彝族) Ca Da Bo dance (擦大钹舞).

His artistic career spans the critical period when this western Yunnan traditional dance transitioned from rural ritual performance to modern stage presentation. As a living carrier of the “Song Field Culture” (歌场文化) deep in the Nu Mountains (怒山), he has dedicated over 50 years to transforming Yi Ca Da Bo from fireside entertainment into a nationally recognized cultural symbol. He is honored as the “Dance Soul of Nu Mountains” (怒山舞魂).

Family Heritage and Artistic Training

Cha Fajin was born into a family of Yi cymbal masters (钹师) and grew up with the local saying: “When you hear the cymbals, your feet will itch” (听见钹声响，脚杆都会痒).

• Age 12: Began systematic training in Yi Ca Da Bo techniques under his father Cha Liuxing (茶留兴), mastering all core routines through intensive practice.

• After his father’s passing, he inherited the position of lead performer in the Xuzhang Village Ca Da Bo troupe (擦大钹班子), becoming the team’s core figure.

His style combines the ruggedness of Yi “cymbal jump” (Tiao Bo, 跳钹) with the agility of Achi Muga (阿尺木刮), forming a flexible-yet-powerful, improvisational performance approach. In Return from Hunting (猎归), he skillfully uses leg bends and torso tilts to depict hunters moving through the gorge.

Cha Fajin is proficient not only in Ca Da Bo dance but also in playing multiple folk instruments, including cymbals (大钹), drums (大鼓), and suona (唢呐), making him a versatile Yi song-and-dance artist.

Core Skills and Cultural Preservation

Benchmark of Living Heritage

Cha Fajin fully preserves the movement vocabulary and ritual procedures of Yi Ca Da Bo:

• Dance Techniques: Mastery of core routines such as Long Cymbal (长钹), Shamao Ding (纱帽顶), String Flower (串花), Fly Stomping (苍蝇蹉脚), and Wuhe Throw Fist (五合丢拳), recreating Yi daily life through bodily expression.

• Music System: Skilled in drum rhythms and suona melodies, able to improvise according to different occasions.

• Ritual Procedures: Adheres strictly to complete performance procedures in festivals and funerals, preserving Yi “dance as historical record” (以舞传史) cultural genes.

His performances are recognized by Yunnan Minzu University (云南民族大学) as living examples of western Yunnan ethnic farming culture. The team’s Ca Da Bo shows are grand in scale and visually striking, with strong artistic impact.

Systematic Rescue of Endangered Techniques

Facing the risk of near-extinction, Cha Fajin led field revival projects:

• Movement Archiving: Visited 12 Yi villages (彝族村寨) in Longyang District, documenting endangered dance sequences.

• Technique Reconstruction: Adapted and enhanced traditional movements for stage performance; paired ancient tunes with new lyrics celebrating local life.

• Instrument Innovation: Participated in improving cymbal-making techniques, retaining rich tone while enhancing volume and expressiveness.

Three-Dimensional Transmission System

Cha Fajin established a three-tier inheritance network:

1. Family Transmission

• Founded a family training studio to pass on skills during evenings and weekends, nurturing youth interest in Yi culture.

• His son learned Ca Da Bo from childhood and is expected to become the fourth-generation inheritor.

2. Community Teaching

• As the lead of the Xuzhang Village troupe, Cha Fajin and his team perform at weddings, funerals, housewarming events, and festivals.

• Trained 8 disciples, forming a stable performance team; maintains exchanges with other villages to enhance skills.

3. School Engagement

• Cooperates with Wafang Township Central School to bring Ca Da Bo into classrooms, cultivating youth interest in ethnic culture.

• Developed age-appropriate Ca Da Bo learning materials integrating traditional culture into modern education.

Cultural Communication and Innovation

National Platform Recognition

• Official Recognition: Named “Yunnan Folk Dance Artist” (云南省民族民间舞蹈艺人) in 2001 (Document 云文社字【2001】第91号).

• Stage Performance: Led Xuzhang Village Ca Da Bo team in multiple provincial, municipal, and district folk arts competitions, winning numerous awards.

• Media Coverage: Featured on CCTV program Borderline Travel (《边疆行》), raising awareness of Yi Ca Da Bo.

Tourism and Festival Innovation

• Festival Empowerment: Organizes large-scale Ca Da Bo performances during Yi festivals, innovatively integrating cross-genre programs.

• Immersive Tourism: Designed Ca Da Bo immersive experiences in Longyang tourism sites, enabling visitors to participate in instrument-making, dance learning, and simple play enactments, boosting local cultural tourism.

• Cultural Products: Collaborated with Baoshan College Art Department to develop Ca Da Bo cultural products, including cymbal models and dance emoji sets.

Heritage Protection and Policy Practice

Systematic Preservation

• Digital Archiving: Partnered with Yunnan Minzu University to build digital archives of core dance sequences and melodies.

• Reviving Classical Repertoire: Led restaging of endangered works using modern stage techniques.

• Theoretical Research: Collaborated with Baoshan College to conduct academic research supporting preservation efforts.

Policy and Community Support

• Funding: Secured provincial heritage funds for equipment, props, and disciple support.

• Community Programs: Established Nu Mountains Yi Ca Da Bo Lecture Troupe (怒山彝族擦大钹宣讲团), integrating policy education into performances; series Ethnic Unity, One Family recognized by Yunnan Department of Culture.

• Social Impact: Featured in People’s Daily Overseas Edition as Ca Da Bo in Nu Mountains (怒山里的擦大钹), expanding social influence of Yi culture.

Challenges and Innovation

Challenges include:

• Generational Gap: Learning cycle is long; high skill requirements; few young inheritors.

• Market Limitations: Limited stage opportunities; low commercialization.

Innovation Approaches

• Digital Empowerment: Developed instructional videos with Baoshan College, launched on “Xuexi Qiangguo” platform.

• Cross-Genre Fusion: Integrated Ca Da Bo with modern street dance for short video platforms.

• School Engagement: Promoted Ca Da Bo in schools via “Art Recess” and “Ethnic Culture Month,” training over 100 students.

Cultural Value and Contemporary Significance

Cha Fajin’s work has threefold significance:

• Historical Research: Preserved Yi melodies, rituals, and martial-like movements provide living models for studying western Yunnan Yi society, ancient military techniques, and production practices.

• Ethnic Cohesion: In multi-ethnic Longyang District, Ca Da Bo promotes unity; his team includes Yi, Han, and Dai members. Recognized as a “Model Team for Ethnic Unity in Yunnan.”

• Educational Innovation: His “Traditional Skills + Modern Education” model is a provincial heritage case study; teaching methods included in Yunnan Primary and Secondary Ethnic Arts Education Guidelines.

As Cha Fajin says:

“Ca Da Bo is not merely a physical movement; it is the life rhythm engraved in Yi blood.”

Through balancing tradition and innovation, he has led Yi Ca Da Bo from deep in the Nu Mountains to the international stage, exemplifying the diversity and unity of Chinese civilization.