Long Zhengfu - Representative Inheritor of Hani Palm Fan Dance Project in Yuanjiang County, Yuxi 

Long Zhengfu (龙正福) is the Representative Inheritor of the Hani Palm Fan Dance (哈尼族棕扇舞) from Yuanjiang County (元江县), Yuxi City (玉溪市), Yunnan Province (云南省). Born in 1943, Long Zhengfu hails from Xi Long Village (西竜村), Bamu Committee (坝木村委会), Yangjie Township (羊街乡), within the Yuanjiang Hani and Yi Autonomous County (元江哈尼族彝族傣族自治县). He has dedicated his life to preserving and transmitting the Hani Palm Fan Dance, a significant element of the Hani people’s intangible cultural heritage.

Early Life and Cultural Training

Long Zhengfu's journey in the Hani Palm Fan Dance began at the age of 16 when he started learning from his grandfather Long Baozha (龙保扎) and his father Long Dega (龙德嘎). Under their guidance, he perfected various dance routines and skills, alongside mastering traditional musical instruments such as the small sanxian (小三弦), erhu (二胡), leaves, suona horn (唢呐), and cowhide drums (牛皮鼓). His performances, especially the three-string Palm Leaf Fan Dance, have earned him wide popularity among local villagers.

Contributions to Cultural Preservation and Development

To ensure the continued transmission and development of the Hani Palm Fan Dance, Long Zhengfu took on numerous apprentices. As of now, 15 apprentices have successfully completed their training. He regularly performs at local arts events, and his performances have been showcased in major cities like Beijing (北京), Tianjin (天津), and Shanghai (上海), alongside the Local Art Troupe of Hani Nationality, Yuanjiang County (元江县哈尼族地方艺术团). One of his notable performances was at the Chinese Culture and New Year Arts Festival (中华民族风情游迎春活动艺术节) in Luoyang (洛阳), Henan Province (河南), where his talent was highly praised by the audience.

Recognition and Official Titles

Long Zhengfu’s dedication to the preservation of the Hani Palm Fan Dance earned him the title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor (国家级非物质文化遗产代表性传承人) in 2014. In 2011, the Hani Palm Fan Dance project was added to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List (国家级非物质文化遗产名录), as part of the third batch of such recognitions.

Cultural Transmission and Practice

In 2016, Long Zhengfu established the Long Zhengfu Inheritance Institute (龙正福传习所) in Yangjie Township (羊街乡), Yuanjiang County, which is dedicated to preserving traditional instruments like the cowhide drum (牛皮鼓) and palm fan (棕扇). The institute offers these traditional props to local arts teams free of charge. By 2023, the township has created a network of 8 inheritance institutes and 10 performance teams focused on the Palm Fan Dance.

The core practices of transmission include:

• Organizing dance activities in schools as part of physical education (e.g., dance breaks).

• Training 60 performers to participate in cultural festivals and art exhibitions.

• A systematic transmission process of "collecting materials, choreographing routines, and conducting training."

Major Performances and Cultural Integration

Long Zhengfu and his team have participated in significant cultural events, such as:

• 7th International Hani Aka Culture Symposium (第七届国际哈尼阿卡文化学术讨论会), where they showcased traditional dance moves like the leg tremors at Midu Pusi Square (咪都普思广场) in Yuanjiang County (元江县).

• In May 2022, they performed at the Hani Terraces "Opening of the Seedling Door" Ceremony (哈尼梯田开秧门仪式), where the dance reenacted agricultural scenes such as plowing (耙田) and transplanting rice (插秧).

• In 2023, during the Xueshe Zha Festival (喍奢扎节), they used palm leaves to depict the white pheasant (白鹇) totem.

Cultural Significance and Agricultural Integration

According to Long Zhengfu, the Hani Palm Fan Dance is deeply intertwined with the agricultural calendar. The dance is performed before the spring plowing season to bless the harvests. The dance moves include:

• Difficult actions such as the "monkey hugging waist" (猴子搂腰), which imitates animal forms.

• Physical expressions that represent farming activities like plowing and rice transplanting.

• Rhythmic gestures accompanied by instruments such as the cowhide drum, gongs (铓), and cymbals (钹).

Evaluation and Achievements

Long Zhengfu’s cultural preservation efforts have been formally recognized, with his activities receiving an excellent rating by the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism (云南省文旅厅) in 2021. His preservation work was included in the 6th National Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor Record Exhibition (第六届国家级非遗传承人记录工作成果展), which contributed to the creation of a standardized video archive documenting the dance.

Legacy and Impact

As the main inheritor of the "monkey hugging waist" movement, Long Zhengfu has trained 2 provincial-level inheritors and 5 county-level inheritors. He has taught over 300 apprentices, 20 of whom have become cultural leaders in their respective villages. In 2020, he launched a project to standardize the dance moves, successfully documenting 42 routines in both written and video formats.

Through his tireless efforts, Long Zhengfu has significantly contributed to the preservation, promotion, and international recognition of the Hani Palm Fan Dance, ensuring that this cultural treasure is passed on to future generations.