像血像火像滚烫的沉雷，听听这鼓声，震响了黄土地子孙的血性！| Ansai Waist Drum Dance

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 “The first drum of the world.”

安塞腰鼓，是陕西省的传统民俗舞蹈。

可由几人或上千人一同进行，气势磅礴。

被称为“天下第一鼓”。

Before the first light of dawn shines on Ansai, a district of northern Shaanxi city of Yan’an, the sound of drumbeats already delivers the first blessings of the New Year to the sleepy village.

新年的第一缕曙光还未映出山头，响亮的鼓声便穿过安塞的空中，给这个寂静的小村庄送来了新年的第一声祝福。

Drummers from the village gather and relay their good wishes to every household by beating their waist drums.

村里每家每户出几个人，聚到一起就是一支拜年的队伍，浩浩荡荡地去“沿门子”，也就是到每家每户的院子去表演一场腰鼓。

A day before the annual fair, held in celebration of the Spring Festival, Zhou Zhisai, an inheritor of the traditional Ansai waist drum dance, gives his team a pep talk:"Tomorrow we'll go to send our greetings. We have to play [the drums] well. For me, playing waist drum is my priority during the Spring Festival. It's a special culture in the north of Shaanxi Province. It is also a way to communicate with other players."

在“沿门子”的前一天，传统安塞腰鼓打法传承人周志塞就说：“明天腰鼓‘沿门子’，拜年的时候，一定要把腰鼓打好。过年的时候，我最期待的就是一定要把腰鼓搞好。这个腰鼓是我们陕北特色交流的一种方式。只要在一起打起腰鼓，就能互相交流，关系就能搞起来。”

The performance is a whirlwind of movement and a cacophony of colors: drumsticks tied with red silk, men wearing white turban-like headdresses, and dazzling dance moves to passionate drumbeats. But the most striking part of the performance is the look on the drummers' faces, which feature passion, happiness, confidence and elegance. 

系红绸的鼓槌、扎白手巾的汉子，激昂的鼓点，闪转腾挪的舞蹈，最最打动人的，是原来还沉默的人们脸上毫无修饰的得意、自信、激情、潇洒。

The drummers seem a bit timid at first sight. But the moment the big drum is struck, they instantly line up, their faces lit up – it's showtime! Everyone is in a festive mood, having shed their shyness to begin the celebrations.

这些安塞汉子各个起初看起来有些黝黑，甚至有些沉默。但是当大鼓擂响，他们瞬间成排成列，脸上迸发着昂扬与兴奋。

Following the beats, the drummers rhythmically shake their heads and shoulders. Their eyes sparkle with joy, igniting the passion of the audience. The exciting waist drum dance is a tradition during the Chinese New Year, and is aimed at spreading blessings.

他们随着鼓点摇着头，抖着肩，眼睛里的快乐像火星一样溅出来，点燃了周围的气氛。“咚咚”的鼓声一响，一场热烈进行的腰鼓表演，就算是新年最好的祝福了。

"Ansai waist drum dance is an essential tradition for us during the Spring Festival. The sound of the drums, the look on the drummers' face, all are so good. Here in the north of Shaanxi, the families begin to prepare for New Year meals since December. We go to every household to extend greetings by playing the waist drums. We celebrate both the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018."

 “春年必须要有安塞腰鼓。腰鼓一下打起来，声音、表情很豪放，相当地好。我们这边陕北过大年，腊月的时候就开始做茶饭，一大家子团圆。每家每户要过去拜年，拜年的时候，就打起我们安塞的腰鼓。这是送走2017年，迎来2018年的欢庆。”

Zhou, captivated by the Spring Festival drum performances since his childhood, decided to turn his admiration into a profession.

周志塞从小开始学腰鼓，吸引他的正是春节期间的腰鼓表演。

"I started to play at the age of 8. At the beginning, they wouldn't teach me. They rehearsed throughout December. I would stay behind watching them. I learnt to play it this way. I got up very early. Sometimes I was the first there, because I skipped breakfast. The next year, I was allowed to join the adults and play like they did."

“我从八岁的时候就开始打起安塞腰鼓了，人家那个时候大人不给教。他们从腊月排练到正月。他们在前面跳，我就在后面看着，一边看着一边学着。早晨的时候，我早早就起来了。有时候饭也不吃，我比他们也去得早。等到第二年的时候，我就加入大人的队形里面了，跟他们一样打。”

The dance's origins are closely related to the historical and geographic conditions of Ansai. Located in the northern part of Shaanxi, the village was once called the "throat of the region", or "key to the northern gate". It was an important military post and stronghold in Chinese history.

安塞腰鼓和当地的历史地理环境是分不开的。安塞区位于陕西省的北部，这里素有"上郡咽喉"、"北门锁钥"之称，自古以来就是军事重镇，是抵御外族入侵的边防要塞之一。

It is said that early in ancient China's Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) and Han Dynasty (202-220BC), waist drums were indispensable for the soldiers as weapons. Drums were used to warn about surprise attacks, boost the morale of soldiers during confrontations, and celebrate victory. That is why some of the dance styles of the folk performance are reminiscent of soldier formations. 

当地群众传说，早在秦、汉时期，腰鼓就被驻防将士视同刀枪、弓箭一样不可少的装备。遇到敌人突袭，就击鼓报警；两军对阵交锋，以击鼓助威；征战取得胜利，士卒又击鼓庆贺。所以安塞腰鼓在击鼓的风格和表演上，仍然保留着某些秦汉将士的勃勃英姿。

Over time, the waist drum dance became a local tradition to pray for good harvest and a happy new year.

随着时间的流逝，腰鼓发展成为当地民众祈求神灵、祝愿丰收、欢度春节时的民俗舞蹈。

In certain parts of the province, there are at least one drummer in each household, and a troupe in every village.

在腰鼓的主要流传地区，几乎村村有鼓队，家家有鼓手。

The performers of the Ansai waist drum dance wear a white towel on their head, and wrap a redsilk scarf on their waist. They grab one drumstick in each hand. Along with the sounds of the Chinese red drum, gong, nao and suona (all Chinese folk instruments), they drum and dance with full energy to show their love and passion for the Loess Plateau.

打鼓者多头系羊毛巾，腰结红绸带，鼓系腰间，两手执槌，在大鼓、大锣、铜铙及唢呐的伴奏下，摇头晃脑、生龙活虎，显示黄土高原的挚热情感。

The village was named "home of Chinese waist drum dance" in1996. Ansai Waist Drum Dance had been part of such major events as the opening ceremonies of the 1990 Asian Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, both held in the Chinese capital.

安塞腰鼓是其中具有代表性的一种。在改革开放之初的1990年北京亚运会上，安塞腰鼓的表演成为开幕式的一大亮点，受到各国贵宾和奥委会主席萨马兰奇等官员的盛赞；1996年，安塞县被国家文化部命名为“中国腰鼓之乡”。2008年安塞腰鼓的亮相拉开了北京奥运会开幕式的序曲。

According to Zhou, "an authentic Ansai waist drum is made of cowhide and wooden frame. Curved wood is the best. It gives a better sound."

周志塞说：“这种正宗黄牛皮的安塞腰鼓，要用木头做出来腰鼓的框子，要曲木（弯曲的木头）的木头，反应更好。

"Our drumdance is strong, skillful, fierce and loose. Your whole body is swinging while beating. That shows the amazing strength."

安塞最起码腰鼓都有四大特点。猛劲和能劲、虎劲、垮劲。打出来的时候，摇头摆尾的。那种猛劲打出来的时候相当漂亮。

Particular customs accompany Ansai waist drum dances. In the past, they were performed mostly in festivals and temple fairs. The busiest time used to be from the Spring Festival to the Lantern Festival. 

安塞腰鼓有完整的表演程式和活动习俗。过去，腰鼓多在喜庆节日和庙会中演出。每年的春节至元宵节，是集中的活动时间。

"We went to temples to worship the gods, before greeting the people," Zhou says."We burned incense and swept graves. After that, people of all ages would sing folk songs together. The celebration of the Spring Festival would reach its peak with us beating all the drums."

周志塞介绍：“首先要拜到庙、先拜神、再拜人。先到庙里去烧香，挂纸。完了直接回来，男的、女的、老的、少的，背起腰鼓唱着陕北的民歌，把腰鼓打起来，大鼓敲起来，欢庆我们的春节。”

For people in Ansai, waist drum performance is a symbol of saying goodbye to the past year and greeting the new one. Watching the performance at the beginning of the New Year brings them auspicious months to look forward to.

对于安塞人来说，腰鼓表演是迎来送往、辞旧迎新的代表。在新年来临之际，看一场腰鼓，是一年吉祥如意的象征。

"It's a tradition that we extend the New Year greetings to every household with waist drums. It makes everyone happy. The drum dance delivers the best wishes to your family for the whole year."

“在过年春节的情况下，拜拜年，沿门子，是为了每家每户高高兴兴。腰鼓在你院子转一转，保你一年四季平安。”

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过年喽

Cameraman: Zu Guangning 

Film editor: Chen Xiao, Zheng Zhihua

Story written by: Nie Yaqi

English editor: Nadim Diab

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