Village Carnivals in the Traditional Way
With a wide variety of Shehuo genres prevailing in the region, the
most special kind is the Blood Shehuo in Chisha Village of Baoji County, which
is also the only existence of its kind all over the country and is only
performed in leap years. The performance mainly features the revenge theme from
classic stories like Outlaws of the Marsh.
The content usually exhibits the bad folks' heads being pierced in by objects
such as axes, scissors, flails and stabbers, forming a realistic and horrible
scene. Thus the art form gained its name as blood Shehuo.
The stunt skills of blood Shehuo makeup still remain
unknown to outsiders. The performers are usually dressed up in the village's
temple, during which the door is always guarded at the time. Also, it is said
that the skill is only passed on to sons but not daughters.
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