Can you gracefully glide or dance upon the water's surface with a bamboo pole? Meet 27-year-old Yang Liu, who can stand steadily atop a slender bamboo pole with a diameter of only about 15 centimeters and perform enchanting dances on it. What might seem like an extraordinary feat of water walking is actually a traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage—bamboo drifting.
Yang shows a dance move on a bamboo pole. (Photo provided to People's Daily)
With her body leaning forward and one leg raised high behind, Yang floats on water with a delicate rod in hand while dancing on a bamboo pole approximately seven meters long. As an inheritor of this ancient art form, Yang has been revitalizing and innovating this millennia-old craft.
20 years standing on bamboo
Originally, this technique was not a form of entertainment but rather a practical skill employed by ancient peoples who transported timber via waterways. At the time, wood was used as the primary floating tool; hence, the former name of this craft was known as "wood drifting."
"The cradle of bamboo drifting lies in the Chishui River Basin in Guizhou Province, an area abundant in both water flow and bamboo resources," Yang explained. "So, in the past, locals would use bamboo poles as tools for navigating waterways."
Born in 1996, Yang began her journey into bamboo drifting at the tender age of seven. Initially drawn to the craft to build her strength, Yang soon developed a profound affection for the art form. Even in the frigid winters when the lake was icy, she kept practicing it.
"Countless times I fell into the water and got bumped by the pole at the beginning of my practice because the pole always swayed when I tried to keep my balance," she recalled.
"During this time, my grandmother often held the pole in the water, preventing it from swaying too violently and causing me to stumble. From her, I learned the skills of bamboo drifting and, more importantly, the spirit of perseverance that guides my whole life," she said.
Yang dances on the water in traditional Chinese costume. (Photo provided to People's Daily)
Incorporating new elements
As a dance enthusiast, Yang longed to showcase her performances on stage. Still, her relatively short height in the dancing team often deprived her of such opportunities. Upon graduating from art school at 18, she resolved to integrate her dance skills and traditional ethnic dance costumes with bamboo drifting and present them to a broader audience.
"Before performing any movements on the bamboo pole, I must practice repeatedly on solid ground. For instance, the simple act of lifting my leg above my head can only be executed flawlessly on water if I can balance steadily on land first," Yang explained.
Moreover, she has incorporated elements from traditional Chinese opera into her bamboo drifting shows, particularly the water sleeves. "The moment the long sleeves unfold in the air is visually striking, but it is important to maintain their neatness throughout the performance, which is crucial to preserving the opera tradition," Yang elaborated.
Yang wears a traditional opera costume and waves her sleeves over the water. (Photo provided to People's Daily)
Promoting traditional culture
Lakes or rivers are necessary for the performances of bamboo drifting, which limits the number of people who can appreciate this craft. Therefore, in 2019, Yang decided to leverage short video platforms to share this revitalized traditional art form with a wider audience.
"Many viewers have commented on my videos, expressing their desire to learn this craft, which has inspired my hope to establish a bamboo drifting base one day. This would allow more people to experience the art form and delve into its historical narrative," she said.
Looking ahead, Yang aspires to row the bamboo pole beyond China's borders. "In a Russian reality show I participated in this year, gasps of amazement erupted when I showed a video clip about bamboo drifting," Yang recalled. "At that moment, I decided to promote bamboo drifting internationally, much like Bruce Lee did with Chinese martial arts."