Shehuo

Shehuo is a traditional Chinese celebration, similar to a carnival, that takes place mainly in the countryside of Northern China during the Chinese New Year. It includes fun activities like dragon dance, lion dance, Yangko dance, traditional Chinese opera, stilt walkers, fire breathing, and drumming, along with many other folk arts.

The celebration features hundreds of characters, such as traditional deities and immortals, buddhas, sages, heroes, and various mythical creatures from old stories and myths. These lively events have a long history, starting from ancient times when people performed songs and dances to ask for good harvests and success.

Over time, Shehuo became a custom enjoyed during the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival. It is thought to bring good luck and a fresh start for the new year. Shehuo is recognized as important cultural heritage in places like Shaanxi, Qinghai, and Gansu, and in 2006, it was added to China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

History

Shehuo started as ancient ceremonies held over 2,000 years ago to pray for good harvests. These early events were called Saishe and came from even older traditions. Over time, Shehuo grew to include many fun performances like dances and acrobatics. It became a celebration to welcome the Spring Festival. The traditions became richer during the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, mixing in different kinds of music, dance, and rituals. In 2026, a huge Shehuo show in Haidong, Qinghai, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the biggest Shehuo performance ever!

Practices

Shehuo has two main types: Pose Shehuo and Performance Shehuo. Pose Shehuo includes forms like Cloth Shehuo, Carrying Shehuo, Horse Shehuo, Car Shehuo, Xinzi Shehuo, Mountain Shehuo, and Masked Shehuo. These are shown in processions and focus on displaying characters and skills. Performance Shehuo includes Floor Shehuo and Stilt-walking Shehuo, which are performed in open spaces and feature martial arts-style moves. Most performances are based on myths, legends, and historical stories. Ancient Chinese literary classics, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The Investiture of the Gods, and Journey to the West, are often used as inspiration.

Masks

Shehuo masks are worn by performers to look like gods or good characters from folktales and legends. A painted wooden ladle mask, called Mashao facial makeup, is commonly used. People hang these masks on doors during the festival to protect their homes and keep away bad luck.

Regional variations

Shanxi

Shanxi is well-known for its Shehuo performances. This fame comes from the time when merchants were successful during the Ming and Qing dynasties, which made the area richer and more focused on celebrations. There are two main types: "Wen Shehuo" and "Wu Shehuo". "Wen Shehuo" has rice-planting songs, opera, and small-flower operas. "Wu Shehuo" includes stilts, martial arts, and gongs and drums. In Zuoquan, Shehuo shows come in three styles: Opera, which is elegant, Kung Fu, which is intense, and Clown, which is funny. The Jiacun temple festival in Shangdang is famous as the best folk Shehuo in North China.

Shaanxi

In Shaanxi, each Shehuo show starts with Zhao Gongming leading the way, followed by a big gong and drum team playing strong rhythms. The most famous type in Baoji is called Blood Shehuo, inspired by Water Margin. It shows good fighting bad, with performers using facepaint and props to look like they are in a tough battle.

Ethnic Minorities

The Shehuo in Qinghai includes dances and songs from the Hui ethnic group. In Gansu, Shehuo mixes cultures from the Silk Road and has many local styles like Hexi, Longdong, and Gannan. In Xinjiang, Shehuo combines local traditions with arts from different ethnic groups, such as horse running, songs, and dances. In Liaoning, Benxi Shehuo from Benxi Manchu Autonomous County may have started from Fengxiang in Shaanxi or from old beliefs and rituals of the Manchu ethnic group.