As early as the Song Dynasty, Su Shi, a great writer, left Hainan at the end of his exile and was sent away by the hometown of the Li people, and wrote the poem "Wu Man and Song Li reverberate around the beam". It can be seen that the Li nationality's song and dance not only has a long history, but also has its unique charm.
Li people are generous and can sing and dance well. Song and dance of Li nationality has its unique charm. Li people like to dance "bamboo dance", usually in the yard or on the threshing floor. When dancing, there are four people squatting on each side, each holding one end of the bamboo pole horizontally with his hand and beating it according to the rhythm. With the opening and closing of bamboo poles, dancers keep jumping up and down with their feet and make all kinds of wonderful movements. The dance is quite enthusiastic and fascinating.
In Hainan, "Bamboo Dance" has become the most distinctive dance performance in Hainan. Bamboo dance promotes ethnic exchanges. Bamboo dance is also called jumping bamboo pole, which means "jumping firewood" in Li language. Because it is a fitness exercise, foreign tourists also call it "a rare aerobics in the world". This sport is popular in Ledong, Dongfang, Changjiang, Baisha and other Li autonomous counties in Wuzhishan area of Hainan Island. According to research, it has a history of hundreds of years.
"Jumping firewood" was originally an ancient ritual way of Li nationality. According to legend, jumping firewood is an ancient sacrificial way of Li nationality, which has a history of hundreds of years. When the Li family returned to the warehouse after hard farming, all the men, women and children in the village were beaming and wearing holiday clothes. Every household cooks new rice, makes glutinous rice wine, slaughters livestock and sacrifices ancestors and gods.
With the changes of the times, the custom of jumping firewood has spread and evolved among Li people. Nowadays, the color of sacrifice has gradually disappeared, and it has become an activity that is both cultural entertainment and physical fitness. Change the past habit of "female beating male jumping" into "mixed jumping". In the past, "March 3" was a mountain love festival in Lizhai, but now it has also enhanced the content of healthy activities such as bamboo pole jumping. Young men and women rely on bamboo pole jumping to find "partners", set up "magpie bridge" and establish friendship.