Tongliang Dragon Lanterns

Tongliang Dragon Lanterns

　　Tongliang Dragon Lanterns originated in the Ming Dynasty, flourished in the Qing Dynasty, and

　　have thrived in modern times. Their development went through three stages: Fire Dragon, Formal Dragon, and Flesh Dragon. In the early stage, the Fire Dragon was connected from head to tail using ropes and bamboo baskets. During performances, fireworks were set off along the dragon’s body, creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere. However, the Fire Dragon had a body but no flesh, resulting in an unimpressive dragon image. The mid-stage Formal Dragon featured a large head and long neck, constructed using bamboo baskets as segments, with lamps lit inside to replace fireworks. When performed, the dragon’s head was held high, and the lights trailed in a winding fashion, creating a spectacular sight. However, the dragon’s body was not fully formed, and still lacked a realistic appearance. The final form, the Flesh Dragon, used painted paper to cover the dragon’s body, resulting in a complete dragon with bones and “flesh.” During performances, the head and tail moved flexibly, and the body stretched and contracted freely. The inner lamps illuminated the golden-armored, crimson-backed dragon body, making it shine brilliantly and appear vividly beautiful. Because the Flesh Dragon was long and moved with a crawling motion during performances, it was also called the “Crawling Dragon.” In recent decades, Tongliang Dragons have been innovatively redesigned based on the traditional Flesh Dragon, incorporating features such as a lion’s head, deer antlers, shrimp legs, crocodile mouth, turtle neck, snake body, fish scales, clam belly, fish spine, tiger paws, eagle claws, and goldfish tail—all integrated into one dragon. Additionally, the traditional closed-mouth dragon was modified into an open-mouth dragon, with a dragon tongue and a precious jewel added inside the mouth. The newly created Tongliang Dragon appears vigorous and majestic, exuding an awe-inspiring presence with an aura that seems to swallow clouds and challenge the heavens.

　　　　The characteristics of the Tongliang Dragon can be summarized in three words: large, long, and lively. “Large” refers not only to its size but also to its exaggerated design. Its artistic elements integrate techniques from traditional Chinese painting, sketching, paper-cutting, and embroidery, while also drawing inspiration from theatrical facial makeup styles. Colorful brushstrokes highlight the dragon’s spine and scales, emphasizing the dragon’s spirit and making it appear majestic and imposing. The dragon’s body typically consists of around 24 segments, offering a balanced proportion and flexible movement. “Lively” refers to the use of mechanical principles in dragon manipulation, incorporating hand-cranked, spring-driven, and electric mechanisms to make the dragon’s leaps and rolls more agile and lifelike. In recent years, Tongliang has also developed a variety of toy-like and decorative small Crawling Dragons. The Tongliang Dragon is now entering broader aspects of people’s daily lives. During the 35th anniversary celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, nine Tongliang Dragons soared and twirled above Tiananmen Square, drawing amazed admiration from audiences both at home and abroad. At the first International Tourism Year Dragon Dance Competition in Beijing, China in 1988, the Tongliang Dragon won the gold cup. Today, the Tongliang Dragon has transcended national borders, flying to Japan, Southeast Asia, and many countries and regions in Europe and America.