The thunderous sound of gongs and drums shattered the silence of the night, bringing life into the fantastic Bench Dragon Dance in Xidi Village, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. Over a hundred red lanterns lit up one by one, like a galaxy cascading into the alleys of the village. At the head of the bench dragon, its eyes shone like torches and its whiskers moved wildly in the wind. The dragon’s body rose and fell, gathering power to soar as if to be free from all the constraints and drifting with the ease of clouds and water. The bench dragon and phoenix-shaped lantern interweaved into a flowing folk tapestry with ringtones and drumbeats blending into a symphony transcending time and space. It’s time to witness the inspiring spectacle of the bench dragon dance beneath the night sky here in Anhui.

(Text/Video editor: Pan Cheng; Video: Wang Cheng; Translators: Ding Lili, Luo Yeyitong, Zheng Tianze)