Li Guoshu - Inheritor of Lisu Folk Dance in Tengchong City, Baoshan

Li Guoshu (李国书, born 1966) from Zizhi Village (自治村), Mingguang Township (明光乡), Tengchong City (腾冲市), Baoshan Prefecture (保山市), Yunnan Province (云南省), is a national-level representative inheritor of Lisu (傈僳族) Daxian (大三弦) dance.

His artistic career spans the critical period when this western Yunnan traditional dance transitioned from rural ritual performance to modern stage art. As a living carrier of “Song Circle Culture” (歌场文化) along the Ruili River (瑞丽江), he has dedicated over 60 years to transforming Lisu Daxian dance from fireside entertainment into a nationally recognized cultural symbol, earning the title “Soul of Frontier Dance” (极边舞魂).

Family Heritage and Artistic Training

Li Guoshu was born into a Lisu “song-master” (歌师) family, immersed in the tradition of “when the three-string sounds, even the feet can’t stay still” (听见三弦响，脚杆都会痒):

• Age 8: Began training under his father and provincial-level inheritor Li Si (李四).

• Age 14: Could perform core dance sections including Three-Step Melody (三步乐) and Cross Archive (十字档).

• Age 20: Became the youngest lead dancer locally, mastering foot-stomping (simulating slash-and-burn agriculture) and double-arm waves (symbolizing wind in the forest), conveying Lisu reverence for nature.

His style fuses the rough vigor of Lisu Tiao Ga (跳嘎) with the agility of A Chi Mu Gua (阿尺木刮), forming a strong-yet-flexible, highly improvisational art form. In Return of the Hunters (猎归), he excels at reproducing hunters’ swift movements across gorges through coordinated leg bends and torso tilts.

In 1985, he won the Silver Prize for Joyful Songs of Lisu Mountains (傈山欢歌) at the Yunnan Folk Dance and Song Exhibition (云南省民族民间歌舞展演), marking the beginning of his professional career.

Core Skills and Cultural Preservation

Living Inheritance of Daxian Dance

Li Guoshu has fully preserved the movement vocabulary and ritual procedures of Lisu Daxian dance:

• Biomimetic Performance: In Slash-and-Burn Agriculture (刀耕火种), he replicates traditional farming with forward lunges and side rotations; in Mountain-Chasing Dance (撵山舞), bow-and-arrow gestures and animal-fighting movements reflect ancestral hunting wisdom.

• Ritual Integrity: Strictly follows “Invite Spirits – Purification – Dance – Thank Spirits” (请神—净身—起舞—谢神) in festivals such as Dagger Pole Festival (刀杆节) and Kuo Shi Festival (阔时节), maintaining the Lisu cultural ethos of “transmitting history through dance.” His Daxian Dance Ritual (三弦舞祭仪) is recognized by Yunnan Minzu University (云南民族大学) as a living example of western Yunnan minority agrarian culture.

Reviving Endangered Dances

When fewer than 10 elders could fully perform Daxian dance, Li Guoshu led a field revival project:

• Movement Archiving: Visited 12 Lisu villages (傈僳族村寨) in Tengchong, documenting endangered dances like Spotted Dove Dance (斑鸠舞) and Flower-Piercing Dance (穿花舞), recording 40 hours of footage.

• Technique Reconstruction: Integrated traditional crossbow movements into Daxian dance, creating Crossbow Dance Harmony (弩舞同辉), revitalizing ancient hunting techniques.

• Instrument Innovation: Improved Daxian construction using lightweight fir wood and steel strings, preserving rich tone while increasing volume; recognized as a heritage innovation model by Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism (云南省文旅厅).

Comprehensive Transmission System

Li Guoshu established a three-tier inheritance network:

• Family Transmission: His son Li Jianjun (李建军) learned from childhood, now independently performing core rituals like Daxian Consecration (三弦开光), representing the fifth generation.

• Ritual Practice: Hosts annual festivals, training 15 dancers and 5 assistants into a stable troupe.

• Community Teaching: Founded Li Guoshu Daxian Dance Training Center (李国书三弦舞传习所) using “fireside teaching” (火塘教学). Trained over 40 disciples; chief disciple Ma Yongchun (麻永春) independently leads Joyful Group Dance (群舞欢腾) and co-developed Daxian Fitness (三弦健身操) for local schools.

Cultural Communication and Innovation

National Platform Recognition

• Official Recognition: Named a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor in 2018. Featured on CCTV Borderlands Journey (边疆行); Douyin teaching videos exceeded 2 million views.

• Awards: Led troupe to Silver Prize for Along Ruili River (瑞丽江畔) at the 2019 Yunnan Folk Dance and Song Exhibition; won Best Choreography Award.

• High-End Stage Innovation: Collaborated with Yunnan Arts University (云南艺术学院) in 2025 to produce digital long scroll Frontier Strings (极边弦韵) using motion capture, achieving over 3 million views on the “Xuexi Qiangguo” (学习强国) platform.

Tourism and Festival Innovation

• Festival Empowerment: Organizes Mingguang Frontier Cultural Festival (明光边地文化节) during Dagger Pole Festival, including cross-genre performances like Yi-Lisu Harmony (彝傈同辉), attracting over 500,000 online viewers.

• Immersive Tourism: Designed Daxian Dance Immersive Experience Center (三弦舞沉浸式体验中心) at Wild Luxury Paradise (野奢天堂) homestay area, hosting over 20,000 visitors annually, boosting local income by 1,500 RMB per person.

Heritage Protection and Policy Practice

Systematic Preservation

• Digital Archiving: Partnered with Yunnan Minzu University to create 3D-scanned archives of 25 core movements; developed VR teaching system on “Xuexi Qiangguo” platform.

• Reviving Classical Performances: Restaged endangered plays like The White Elephant Saves the Hero (白象救主) and The Deer’s Gratitude (马鹿报恩), enhanced with modern stage design.

Policy and Community Support

• Funding: Secured provincial heritage funds for training center, equipment, and stipends.

• Community Programs: Established Ruili River Daxian Lecture Troupe (瑞丽江三弦宣讲团), integrating Lisu chants with policy education; series Ethnic Unity, One Family (民族团结一家亲) recognized by Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture.

Challenges and Innovation

Challenges include:

• Generational Gap: Daxian dance training takes 8–10 years; average disciple age 45; only 6 under 30.

• Market Limitations: Stage performances have limited audiences; cultural product development is still at an early stage.

Innovation Approaches

• Digital Empowerment: Collaborated with Huawei “Digital Intangible Heritage” project; VR system achieved over 1.5 million views.

• Cross-Genre Fusion: Integrated Daxian elements with modern street dance in Strings Move the Future (弦动未来), exceeding 5 million Douyin views.

• School Engagement: Launched specialty classes at Tengchong Ethnic Middle School (腾冲市民族中学), producing 12 professional dancers through arts-exam pathways.

Cultural Value and Contemporary Significance

Li Guoshu’s work has threefold significance:

• Historical Research: Preserved Lisu chants and Daxian rituals provide a living model for studying western Yunnan Lisu society and religion.

• Ethnic Cohesion: In multi-ethnic Tengchong City (腾冲市), his troupe includes Lisu, Han, Dai, and others, promoting cultural integration; recognized as a “Model Team for Ethnic Unity in Yunnan” (云南省民族团结进步示范团队).

• Educational Innovation: His “Field Teaching + Stage Practice” method is a provincial model intangible cultural heritage program promoted across 16 prefectures.

As Li Guoshu says:

“The Daxian is not just an instrument—it is the life rhythm engraved in the Lisu blood.”

Through balancing tradition and innovation, he has led Lisu Daxian dance from frontier villages to the international stage, exemplifying the diversity and unity of Chinese civilization.