What entertainment activities are available in Enshi?

Centering on the Four Traditional Tujia Dishes, the show is interspersed with Tujia folk songs and dances, lasting around 60 minutes. The four featured dishes are white crane greens, pickled wild vegetables, rape soup and wine-accompanied snacks, brimming with authentic ethnic charm.

During the performance, solo, duet and chorus folk songs are sung with pure and melodious tones. Traditional dances including Shuashua, Lianxiang and Hand-waving Dance fully present the rich local customs of the Tujia people.

It is a traditional dance using wooden benches as dragon lanterns. The dance can be performed by two or three people. For a pair of dancers, one stands in the front and the other at the back. For a trio, two lead in the front and one follows behind. Classic movements include River Eagle Spreading Wings, Snowflakes Covering the Top, Yellow Dragon Coiling around the Waist and Fierce Tiger Darting Down the Mountain.

This activity is mainly held from Chinese New Year's Eve to the 15th day of the first lunar month, and also staged on other festive occasions.

Lantern Opera is a local folk drama popular across Enshi, especially in rural areas. It has four distinct features: First, simple costumes and props. Only an official robe, a gauze hat, three sets of facial hair and a sword are needed for the show. Second, a small cast. It mainly features male roles, female roles and clowns. Usually one male and one female actor perform on stage, with a maximum of four performers. Third, limited musical instruments. For vocal accompaniment, just one musician plays the large bowed string instrument. Drums, gongs and cymbals are added for percussion parts. Fourth, flexible venues. It can be staged in courtyards, squares and other open spaces.

The opera has different names based on its purpose: it is called New Year Lantern Opera for celebrating the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival; Qingming Lantern Opera for Qingming sacrificial rituals; Birthday Lantern Opera for birthday celebrations; Wedding Lantern Opera for weddings and baby showers; and Sacrificial Lantern Opera for praying to gods and fulfilling vows. There are more than 60 traditional repertoires of Lantern Opera