What Is Yingge Dance? Chaoshan's Warrior Dance Explained

Short answer: Yingge (英歌) is a traditional folk dance from Chaoshan in which performers in painted faces and opera-style costumes clash wooden sticks in martial-arts formations. It is over 300 years old, on China's national intangible heritage list, and performed at festivals — most intensely around Chinese New Year.

What does Yingge mean?

"Yingge" translates as "hero's song." Performers embody the 108 heroes of the classic novel Water Margin. The dance mixes martial arts, opera and ritual — it was historically performed to drive away evil and bring courage to the community.

Where and when can you see it?

• Chinese New Year period: villages and towns across Chaoshan hold parades — the single best time
• Puning and Chaoyang districts are the famous heartlands
• Festival performances can also be arranged around temple fairs at other times of year

Watching tips

Arrive early — roadside space fills fast. Ask your guide which village troupes are performing that day; schedules are local knowledge, not posted online.