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Civilization Object No. 070
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Ansai Waist Drum Dance

安塞腰鼓

An explosive dance of drumming, leaping, and shouting from the Loess Plateau — the fierce heartbeat of northern Shaanxi.

dna Heritage DNA
history Origin

Ancient Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE) origins

category Domain

traditional dance

verified Level

National Heritage

pin_drop Region

Northwest China

pulse Status

active

The Ansai waist drum dance is a vigorous folk performance from Ansai County in Shaanxi Province. Dancers tie waist drums diagonally across their bodies and beat them with drumsticks while leaping, spinning, and shouting. The powerful, explosive movements symbolize the spirit of the Loess Plateau. It was originally performed as a sacrificial ritual and war dance, and later evolved into a celebratory folk art performed at festivals and national events.

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Relationship Constellation

This heritage item connects to 5 entities across the atlas — masters, places, festivals, and stories.

pin_drop Xi'an location person Yangge Dance ich person Zhou Dynasty dynasty person Guanzhong region person Han Chinese ethnic-group
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