UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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| Abstract : Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun |
| "KaoBing" is a traditional ritual folk dance practiced in Jiuxian Village, Mazhang District, Zhanjiang City, with a history tracing back to the Southern Song Dynasty (AD1127-1279). Performed by inheritors wearing masks and carrying props to represent generals and earth gods, the dance serves to ward off evil spirits and invoke blessings. It integrates community customs, religious beliefs, and artistic expression, and carries profound historical and cultural significance. The ritual is held twice a year, presided over jointly by Taoist priests and cultural inheritors, and consists often ceremonial segments, among which the Nuo Dance performance is central. In recent decades, however, the transmission of this tradition has faced severe challenges due to modernization and social transformation. The outmigration of young people has led to a shortage of successors. The performers are aging, the transmission system has become fragmented, and the influence of modern culture is evident. This study has three main objectives: to examine the status of inheritance of the "KaoBing" Nuo Dance in Jiuxian Village, to analyze its structure, symbolism, and performance, and to explore its cultural and social relevance in contemporary society, alongside the challenges it faces. Employing ethnographic methods, the research includes participant observation of the whole ritual process, in-depth interviews with six core inheritors and multiple villagers, and multi-dimensional data collection through video, audio, and mobile recording devices, with subsequent analysis using specialized software. Through detailed analysis of the ritual, this study clarifies the dance's artistic features and symbolic connotations, while also revealing its social functions and the challenges to its contemporary survival. It fills a critical gap in dance anthropology and ritual studies, stimulating stage creation. The findings provide valuable insights for academia and hold practical significance for cultural heritage preservation, education, and sustainable revitalization. |
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