Yangko (a popular rural folk dance) and
Gaoqiao (walking on stilts) are representative dances that combine music, dance
and skill. Both of them have a long history and diversified forms.
The Yangko originated from rice planting and
farming. Also, it has some connection with ancient eulogizing songs in
sacrifices to the God of Farm. During its development, it incorporated much from
the farming songs, Lingge (a kind of folk song), folk Wushu (martial art),
acrobatics and traditional operas. At last, it became a kind of folk dance.
By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the Yangko
had spread widely across the country. People divide it according to areas or its
form, for example, the Drum Yangko in Shandong, the Yangko in northern Shaanxi,
the local Yangko in Hebei, Beijing and Liaoning, the Manchurian Yangko and the
Stilts Yangko. Other forms such as the Huagu (Flower Drum), Huadeng (Festive
Lantern), Caicha (Tea-Leaf Picking) and Yingko are popular in Guangdong and Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region.
New Yangko originated from a
self-entertaining folk dance Tichangzi Yangko in northern Shaanxi. Encouraged by
Mao Zedong's talk about art, professional artists started a new upsurge in
Yangko learning. They filled the spirit of new times into the old Yangko. The
strong rhythm, vigorous steps, free arm waves and high-spirited movements were
deeply loved by common people. With the progress of the People's Liberation
Army, the Liberation Yangko became very popular in the Yan'an area and later
extended to Shanghai and the whole of China. In 1949, the "waist drum" by Yan'an
artists stirred up the Second World Youth Festival and won the top award. The
new Yangko movement of Yan'an stimulated a further blossoming of Chinese dance.