History and Development of Chinese Sword Dance
From the Spring and Autumn Period to modern times, Chinese sword dance went through changes and development
In the last post, the origin of the Chinese sword as a weapon is discussed, tracing back to the spring-autumn dynasty. Yet the latent function of the Chinese sword, as aesthetic and recreational means, contributes to the emergence of Chinese sword dance. Till today, Chinese sword dance has flourished in various fields, such as sports, material arts, education, and literature. Chinese classical sword dance is a highly characteristic and representative dance art form in Chinese traditional culture.
One of the earliest records of Chinese sword dancing appears in “The Family Sayings of Confucius,”(孔子家语) where Confucius’s student Zi Lu wears a military uniform and comes to see Confucius.1 When he saw Confucius, he drew his sword and began to swing like dancing, meanwhile asking whether gentlemen (君子) in ancient times also used swords to defend themselves. Confucius’s reply surpassed Zi Lu’s understanding of swords’ functions in battle and fight. He said: “The gentleman took loyalty and justice as the goal of life, and used kindness as his protection; although he did not go out of the narrow house, he knew the great events thousands of miles away. For those who are not virtuous, use loyalty and trustworthiness to transform them; for those who cause social unrest, use benevolence and righteousness to stabilize them. Then why does he need a sword?”
Confucius and His Student Zi Lu2
Confucius bestows spiritual and Confucian cultural connotations in movements of swords- faithfulness and benevolence. Prior to the Han Dynasty, in the late Qin Dynasty, a famous historical event between Xiang Zhuang (项庄) and Liu Bang (刘邦) indicates the entertainment function of sword in the form of dance. In this period, two major political forces emerged in the rebellion against the Qin rule: Liu Bang and Xiang Yu (项羽). Both fighting for dominance, Liu Bang managed to capture the capital of the Qin Dynasty before Xiang Yu. This angered Xiang Yu, who then planned to attack Liu Bang, thus he designed the “Banquet at Hongmen.” To assassinate Liu Bang at the banquet, Xiang Zhuang was instructed to perform a sword dance but the true aim is to kill Liu Bang.
The Banquet at Hongmen3
When Chinese history entered the Han Dynasty, the sword was gradually replaced by a long knife and withdrawn from the military field. The trend of officials and nobles wearing and dancing with swords became popular under the promotion of the emperor. The “Book of Jin · Treatise on Carriages and Ceremonial Regalia” (晋书·舆服志) writes: “According to the Han system, from the emperor to all officials, everyone wore swords. Later, swords are allowed to bring when attending court,” manifesting that practice of wearing swords became a part of the ceremonial regulations. Driven by the luxurious social customs of the Han Dynasty, wearing swords became a symbol of status and a representation of power, highlighting one’s position and dignity. At the same time, fencing penetrates the folk, stepping into the field of philosophy, folk life, and entertainment, having increasingly more connection with Taoism, monks, and gentlemen, and gaining more popularity. Under the etiquette system and social customs of the Han Dynasty, the artistic transformation of the sword culture led to the formation of the sword dance culture. Sword dance has truly become an art form of stage performance. Other factors that complement the sword dance performances include the court ritual music of the Han Dynasty, which inherited and developed the six major dances and six minor dances. Additionally, the development of metallurgy led to the creation of more robust swords, which were used both in warfare and in dance.
The Tang Dynasty, approximately 360 years after the Han Dynasty, is considered the peak of Chinese sword dance, with art and culture reaching unprecedented heights. The Tang Dynasty marked the second major ethnic integration in China, the Tang Dynasty integrated diverse ethnic cultures into sword dancing. There were mainly three categories of dancing: martial dance, civil dance, and Hu dance. Martial dance is designed to boost warrior spirit, civil dance is inclined to beauty and graceful art form while Hu dance was invented by Hu people, who are from the national minority. Some of the dances involve many performers and are highly energetic and some are performed by female dancers solely, though both possess popularity. From the government’s perspective, the established music and dance system was divided into court music and dance performed seated (坐部伎) and standing (立部伎). Professional court music and dance institutions such as the “Jiaofang” (教坊) and Yichunyuan (宜春院) were established to manage these arts, resulting in high artistic standards and diverse performance styles.
Tang Dynasty Court Music and Dance4
Sword dance not only has the performance value but also permeated literary culture by the time. Due to the emperors’ attention, composing poetry became prevalent in the country. The sword and wine are the excellent catalyst for the poets such as the well-known Bai Li (李白) and Fu Du (杜甫) to produce new pieces. Poets expressed their concerns for the nation and people, as well as their feelings of unfulfilled talent. These emotions were transformed into eloquent verses that have become timeless masterpieces.
Portrait of Bai Li
With the fall of the Tang Dynasty, sword dance performances declined but still retained some popularity, though they never reached the same level of grandeur. The Song Dynasty followed the Tang Dynasty, for which there were complex entanglements of class contradictions between civil officials and military officers. In order to consolidate the rulers’ power, the rulers vigorously strengthened centralization and continuously indoctrinated the populace with Neo-Confucianism to restrict people’s thoughts. In this oppressive environment, sword dance is mainly amalgamated with other art forms. The “History of Song: Treatise on Music” (宋史乐志) documents the songs and dances incorporate elements of martial arts and story-telling. In the historical trend, a new art form gradually emerged—opera art, consisting of sword dance, forming the prototype of the later opera art. Sword dance continued to decline in the following periods, not until the Qing Dynasty that sword dance was revitalized in folk communities. Various schools of practice rose, among which the Wudang School (武当派) was the most influential. Still, the originally pure form of sword dance gradually merged with opera and martial arts.5
Chinese sword dance has continued to evolve. It has been adapted to include elements of contemporary dance, and most essentially, as a way to preserve traditional Chinese culture while also appealing to modern audiences. The Chinese sword dance has transitioned from a martial training exercise to a sophisticated art form with deep cultural and historical significance. Its evolution reflects the dynamic nature of Chinese culture and the enduring appeal of this mesmerizing performance art.
Reference List:
1. https://ctext.org/kongzi-jiayu/zhs
2. https://k.sina.com.cn/article_2197376813_p82f94f2d02700gzsf.html
3. https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%B8%BF%E9%97%A8%E5%AE%B4/6231
4. https://xiezhenou.artron.net/news_detail_734331
5. https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%B8%BF%E9%97%A8%E5%AE%B4/6231