Qilin (Kylin) Dance

The qilin dance is among China's earliest totemic beast dances, born of ancient Han reverence for the auspicious qilin; the tradition around Lankao in the Kaifeng area traces back to the late Ming and has passed down for generations.

Two dancers hidden inside a qilin costume play the 'head' and 'tail,' miming the creature's leaps and play to percussion—some performances are pure acrobatic skill, others weave in mythic storylines.

Inscribed in 2008 on the second national ICH list, the dance carries Han totemic belief and customs of praying for blessings, and holds rare value for the study of dance history.

It is performed mainly at village temple fairs and festivals around Lankao County in the Kaifeng area, the region's most representative folk dance.