Community fire(社火) is a traditional festival carnival activity when the Han Chinese people celebrate the spring festival. The history of community fire can be traced back to ancient times. Community fire is seen as a rite to get rid of calamities and bring down blessings.
Community fire activities advocate folk custom and expression. Dance, twist, sing and play all go along with the nature and it doesn’t insist on deliberate arrangement and elegance. The performance pursues for rich content and simple charm. It is an important part of Xi'an culture.
Broadly speaking, Guanzhong Community fire included a lion dance, dragon, Yangko, stilts, core, bamboo horse, land boat, Big Head, folk percussion and other folk art. But in the narrow sense, the people in the Guanzhong area are accustomed to call core as the community fire, which is the most common form of playing club of the fire.
Community fire also has rich content of religion and other ethnic custom. The general performance last from the fourth day of the first lunar month to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The annual Spring Festival, the villages’ people spontaneously organize community fire activities. Community fire scale ranges from thousands of people to dozens of people, including percussion hand, lion dance, and so on. The masses set off firecrackers to greet the community fire team, and send them tobacco, alcohol and other gifts. The place where community fire team passes is full of the sound of firecrackers, drawing huge crowds, forming warm atmosphere.
Community fire has been passed down from generations, but as human progress, the evolution of the times, its form and content qualitative change. The new era gives community fire with new content. At present, community fire is no longer a fundamental expression of the people of "God" worship, but evolved into a health content, in the form of lively, numerous, interesting cultural and recreational activities. Community fire also become a new custom. Community fire enrich people's cultural life. With the changing times, community fire also constantly innovative. We hope that community fire would be further developed and prospered.
Add on: Mount Li Nvwa Custom
Xi’an City Wall Lantern Festival
Xi’an City God Temple Fair
Trista

