A Study On Qiang People’s Sheepskin-drum Dance In Maoxian County

In the ethnic language of Qiang people living in Mao County, Sichuan, Sheepskin Drum Dance is referred to as "Buzila" or "Moen Nasha". Sheepskin Drum Dance, as the name implies, is an ethnic dance in which people sing and dance by holding a drum made of sheepskin. Sheepskin Drum Dance is a ritual dance bearing special meanings and religious purposes in Qiang people’s lives. The spiritual culture of Qiang people is merged into Qiang ethnic Sheepskin Drum Dance. The extremely ethnically characterized dance has been passed down as a precious heritage by ancestors. At present, Qiang ethnic Sheepskin Drum Dance can also be used as significant information for historical researches and it has been included in the "Folk Dance" Category in State-level Non-material Cultural Heritage List at an early time. This paper includes description and research of Mao County Sheepskin Drum Dance from the perspectives of the reasons, meanings, research status & methods of selected topic, the origin & development of Sheepskin Drum Dance and the influences caused by religion, and the external forms, symbolic meanings, ritual procedures, costumes and incidental music of Sheepskin Drum Dance. The paper also covers the introduction to Qiang ethnic Sheepskin Drum Dance by six parts including the cultural connotations, social functions, inheritance and development of the Dance. Besides, existing problems are taken into consideration and several personal suggestions for the development of Sheepskin Drum Dance are proposed.