Dragon dance staged in Hai'an. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Dragon dance is the most popular traditional type of entertainment for Chinese people during festivals and celebrations. It is particularly popular in Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province.

A 20-meter lotus dragon controlled by female dancers from Hai'an. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

In 2003, Hai'an was recognized as the "hometown of national folk art (dragon dance)" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the lotus dragon dance is a distinctive school of the dragon dance in the city with the dragon's scales composed of pink lotus petals and the dancers being females.

The rotatable framework of lotus dragons is made of galvanized wire, silk, and plastic foams, while the body is a patchwork of lotus petals made of dyed cloth. The colorful dragon head and tail match with the dragon body.

A round posture made by a lotus dragon. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]

Led by the dragon head, the dragon body and tail writhe up and down, shuttling back and forth to present a vivid giant dragon. The round posture is often seen in a lotus dragon dance, which traditionally conveys people's best wishes for good weather for crops and a happy life for themselves.