Mi Sancai - Inheritor of Lisu Folk Song and Dance in Longyang District, Baoshan 

Mi Sancai (密三才, born 1957), also known by his stage name Hu Sanba (胡三八), from Xizheng Village (西正村), Mangkua Yi-Dai Township (芒宽彝族傣族乡), Longyang District (隆阳区), Baoshan Prefecture (保山市), Yunnan Province (云南省), is a provincial-level representative inheritor of Lisu (傈僳族) song and dance.

His artistic career spans the critical period when this western Yunnan traditional song-and-dance art transformed from rural ritual practice to modern stage performance. As a living carrier of the “Song Field Culture” (歌场文化) of the Nujiang Gorge (怒江峡谷), he has dedicated over 70 years to transforming Lisu three-string dance (三弦舞) and four-part harmony a cappella (四声部合唱) from fireside entertainment into a nationally recognized cultural symbol. He is honored as the “King of Lisu Dance” (傈僳舞王) and “Dance Soul Messenger of Nujiang Gorge” (怒江峡谷的舞魂使者).

Family Heritage and Artistic Training

Mi Sancai was born into a family of Lisu “song masters” (歌师) and immersed in the local saying: “When you hear the three strings, your feet will itch” (听见三弦响，脚杆都会痒).

• Age 14: Began systematic training in Lisu three-string dance and folk instruments under his father and village elders.

• Age 18: Could perform core dance sequences such as Three-Step Music (三步乐) and Cross Pattern (十字档).

• Age 20: Became the youngest lead dancer locally, mastering foot-stomping (imitating labor in slash-and-burn agriculture) and wave-like arm movements (symbolizing mountain winds), conveying the Lisu reverence for nature.

His style blends the ruggedness of Lisu Tiao Ga (跳嘎) with the agility of Achi Muga (阿尺木刮), forming a flexible-yet-robust, improvisational performance style. In Return from Hunting (猎归), he skillfully uses leg bends and torso tilts to depict hunters moving through the gorge.

Mi Sancai is also proficient in making and playing multiple folk instruments, including the three-string zither (三弦琴), four-string zither (四弦琴), flute (笛子), and jaw harp (口弦), making him a versatile Lisu song-and-dance artist.

Core Skills and Cultural Preservation

Living Inheritance of Lisu Song and Dance

Mi Sancai fully preserves the movement vocabulary and ritual procedures of Lisu song and dance:

• Dance Techniques: Mastery of dozens of Da Zhua (打跩) sequences, including Plucking Strings with Steps (弹弦打跩), Unaccompanied Da Zhua (无伴奏打跩), and Gan O Zhua (肝哦跺), recreating scenes of daily Lisu life.

• Musical System: Skilled in traditional melodies including Xiaogediao (小歌调), Wedding Tune (接亲调), Love Tune (爱情调), House-Building Tune (盖房调), and Funeral Tune (哭丧调); adept at four-part a cappella harmony.

• Ritual Procedures: Strict adherence to “Invite Spirits – Purification – Dance – Thank Spirits” (请神—净身—起舞—谢神) in festivals such as Slash-Pole Festival (刀杆节) and Kuoshi Festival (阔时节), preserving Lisu cultural genealogy through dance.

His original dance Dove Feeding (鸽子渡食) uses coordinated foot, hand, head, and chin movements combined with expressive facial gestures to depict hatching and feeding doves, becoming a signature piece.

Rescue of Endangered Song and Dance

Facing near extinction of traditional Lisu song and dance, Mi Sancai led a field revival initiative:

• Movement Archiving: Visited 15 Lisu villages (傈僳族村寨) in Longyang District, documenting endangered dances including Spotted Dove Dance (斑鸠舞) and Flower-Piercing Dance (穿花舞), recording 50 hours of original footage.

• Technique Reconstruction: Adapted traditional movements for stage performance and paired old melodies with new lyrics celebrating contemporary life.

• Instrument Innovation: Improved traditional three-string construction using lightweight fir wood and steel strings, maintaining rich tone while enhancing volume; recognized by Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism as a model of heritage innovation.

Three-Dimensional Transmission System

Mi Sancai established a three-tier inheritance network:

1. Family Transmission

• His son learned Lisu song and dance from childhood, now independently performing core rituals such as Three-String Consecration (三弦开光), representing the fifth generation.

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

2. School Education

• Served as a teaching assistant at Mangkua Central Primary School (芒宽中心完小), training students weekly in three-string music and dance.

• Created Lisu dance curriculum for youth, integrating ethnic culture into modern education; recognized by Yunnan Provincial Department of Education as a model project for “Ethnic Culture in Schools.”

3. Community Teaching

• Organized local Lisu art troupes, serving as organizer, instructor, choreographer, and lead dancer.

• Since 2000, trained over 800 disciples, including 20 “grand-students” aged 8–13, and in 2005 trained an international disciple, Situ (司徒) from New York, promoting global cultural exchange.

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 2002; included in the second batch of provincial-level intangible cultural heritage inheritors.

• CCTV Stage: In 2005, led Mangkua Lisu four-part a cappella ensemble on Xiao Cui Talks Spring Festival special, receiving nationwide acclaim.

• International Influence: In 2006, led Lisu “pristine” four-part choir to win a special award at the China International Choir Festival in Beijing.

Tourism and Festival Innovation

• Festival Empowerment: Organizes large-scale song-and-dance events during annual Kuoshi Festival, including cross-genre Lisu-Han Harmony (傈汉同辉), attracting over 500,000 online viewers.

• Immersive Tourism: Designed Lisu Song-and-Dance Immersive Experience Center at Sandieshui Scenic Area (三叠水景区), hosting over 10,000 visitors annually and increasing local income by 1,000 RMB per person.

• Cultural Products: Collaborated with Baoshan College Art Department to develop Lisu-themed cultural products, including three-string models and dance emoji sets; videos on “Xuexi Qiangguo” platform exceeded 1 million views.

Heritage Protection and Policy Practice

Systematic Preservation

• Digital Archiving: Partnered with Yunnan Minzu University to create digital archives of 30 core dance sequences and 20 classic folk songs.

• Reviving Classical Repertoire: Led restaging of endangered works like The White Elephant Saves the Hero (白象救主) and The Deer’s Gratitude (马鹿报恩) using modern stage technology.

• Theoretical Research: Collaborated with Baoshan College on Lisu song-and-dance studies; his oral histories included in Yunnan Minority Art Research Series.

Policy and Community Support

• Funding: Secured provincial heritage funds for equipment and costumes, providing 300 RMB/month stipends to disciples.

• Community Programs: Established Nujiang Gorge Lisu Song-and-Dance Lecture Troupe (怒江峡谷傈僳族歌舞宣讲团), 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 The Mysterious Lisu Four-Part Harmony (神秘的傈僳族“四声部”), raising public awareness of ethnic culture.

Challenges and Innovation

Challenges include:

• Generational Gap: Training is long and demanding; average disciple age 40; fewer than 20% are under 30.

• Market Limitations: Limited performance opportunities and low commercialization of ethnic cultural products.

Innovation Approaches

• Digital Empowerment: Developed teaching videos with Baoshan College; 1.5 million views on “Xuexi Qiangguo” platform.

• Cross-Genre Fusion: Released album New Lisu Rhythms (傈僳新韵), with single Fireside Night Talk (火塘夜话) exceeding 3 million Douyin views.

• School Engagement: Promoted Lisu song-and-dance in local schools through “Art Recess” and “Ethnic Culture Month,” training over 200 students.

Cultural Value and Contemporary Significance

Mi Sancai’s work has threefold significance:

• Historical Research: Preserved Lisu melodies and rituals provide a living model for studying western Yunnan Lisu society and religion; his four-part a cappella technique is recognized as a treasure of Chinese folk music.

• Ethnic Cohesion: In multi-ethnic Mangkua Township, his troupe—including Lisu, Han, Yi, and Dai members—promotes unity; recognized as a “Model Team for Ethnic Unity in Yunnan.”

• Educational Innovation: His “Traditional Skills + Modern Education” model is a provincial heritage case study, adopted across 16 prefectures; teaching methods included in Yunnan Primary and Secondary Ethnic Arts Education Guidelines.

As Mi Sancai says:

“The three-string is not merely an instrument—it is the life rhythm engraved in Lisu blood.”

Through balancing tradition and innovation, he has led Lisu song and dance from Nujiang Gorge to the international stage, exemplifying the diversity and unity of Chinese civilization.