The people who dance with fire dragons
In the rural heartland of south-west China, a traditional ceremony with molten iron is performed to bring good luck for the harvest. Watch the video to find out more.
In rural south-west China, an ancient tradition is alive and well. Wearing just shorts and cloth hats, village dancers perform a 600-year-old ceremony that blends art with science in a dazzling spectacle.
The villagers dance with traditional Chinese dragons, believed to bring the good weather that is vital to their harvest. But as the BBC’s Finn Aberdein finds out, they add a thrilling element to the ceremony: iron heated and thrown into the air to create showers of sparks.
Watch the video clip above to find out more.
Tales from Modern China airs on BBC World News, 8 July 2017. Check the schedule for details.