[Video provided to nantong.gov.cn]

The traditional dance tiaomafu is mainly found in Rudong county of Nantong, Jiangsu province, especially in Fengli, Juegang and Chaoqiao towns, but it is also popular in Nantong's Rugao, Hai'an and Tongzhou districts.

Tiaomafu was originally a kind of ritual to offer sacrifices by burning mafu joss sticks to the Royal Highness Dutian. The people, whose families had suffered misfortunes, made a vow to the gods to whom they voluntarily became servants.

Tiaomafu is a group dance and the number of its performers ranges from a dozen to more than 1,000.

This kind of dance features exceptional male dancers of the Han nationality with bells, the roars of dancers, and gongs as accompanying music, which is very rare among folk dances. Therefore experts such as the chief editorial department of China Folk Dances Integration are extremely interested in it. The dance has been presented on the stage and screen for over 20 years, having a significant impact on cultural exchanges and art research.