On the old street of Dongba in Gaochun, Nanjing, a stirring sound of gongs and drums intertwined with the loud and clear sound of "foreign loudspeakers" from far to near. The villagers from four miles and eight townships gathered early on both sides of the streets and alleys, eagerly waiting for the performance of the national intangible cultural heritage "Dongba Big Horse Lantern". From a distance, seven "fine horses" came stepping on the beat of the drum. Only as they approached did they see clearly that each horse was originally a tacit cooperation between two people - the former wore a bamboo tie on his head and stood tall and upright; The latter bent over and tightly grasped the belt of his predecessor, wearing painted "horse skin". The bronze bell of the horse's neck rings in the wind, and the four "horse legs" rise and fall in a staggered manner, with precise steps and seamless integration. The body made of bamboo paper paste, under the performance of the dancer, has a trembling mane and a light ponytail, exuding the charm of a galloping real horse. This is called 'left step start, right step follow'. Lift your left leg in front and follow your right leg behind. If you take a wrong step, the horse will become unstable. ”65 year old Tang Chunshan stood on the street, his gaze always following the team. As a representative inheritor of Dongba Damadeng at the provincial level, the Tang family has been engaged in this business for four generations. From a young age, he was exposed to running, galloping, leaping, and arranging troops and formations with great skill. As they spoke, the seven bamboo horses had already arrived at the open center of the street, gradually changing their formation. The young actors who played characters from the Three Kingdoms such as Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei leaped onto their horses, accompanied by "Western loudspeakers" and folk drums and gongs, sometimes running solo or double, and sometimes setting up Bagua formations. The drums and gongs played a "rapid wind", and the performance reached its climax. Seven bamboo horses ran like flowing dragons, their hooves fluttering, and finally ran out of the four character formation of "peace under heaven". The cheers echoed one after another on site. While the team was resting, Tang Chunshan talked about the origin of this craft. Its origin can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, when the local people were inspired by the Han Dynasty's "camel carrying music". However, due to the lack of camels in the south, they tied horses with bamboo and gradually developed "horse lanterns". During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Dongba became a major commercial and trade hub, known as the "Gateway to Seven Provinces" due to its convenient water transportation. Merchants gathered here, and guilds stood tall. Several knowledgeable individuals surnamed Tang created a "big horse lantern" based on the small horse lantern, which was passed down from generation to generation and integrated into the bloodline of the ancient town. In 2008, Dongba Dama Lantern was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list. Talking about the changes in recent years, Tang Chunshan has many emotions. He has been carrying on the legacy of his parents for nearly 40 years, witnessing with his own eyes the transfer of this craft from family secrets to social sharing. The old rule of 'Guan Yu does not leave the Tang family's home, and villains seek outsiders' has long been abandoned. We don't pay attention to the size of the scale, nor do we care about the amount of funds. The most important thing is to showcase intangible cultural heritage to everyone and involve more people. Therefore, Tang Chunshan and his fellow villagers have put in a lot of effort. Every Friday afternoon, the playground of Dongba Central Primary School is crowded with people. The school has reduced and remade the bamboo horse props, so that no one sits on the horse's back, and developed a "mini horse lantern" course suitable for children. Tang Chunshan and retired teacher Chen Hongbin have taught together and have already brought out three batches of young students who can perform on stage. As the night deepens, the sound of drums and gongs gradually fades away, and seven bamboo horses carrying the "Three Kingdoms Youth" roam through the streets and alleys of Dongba. (New Society)