Zhuchang township: A traditional Miao ethnic dance known as gunshanzhu continues to preserve centuries of cultural heritage in the mountainous region of Zhuchang Township, Nayong County, in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, gunshanzhu, often described as the "Pearl of the Guizhou Plateau," combines lusheng music, dance, and acrobatic movements. It is regarded as one of the most demanding forms of Miao performance art. Local legend traces the dance to the ancient migration of the Miao people, when young men were said to have rolled through thorny terrain to clear a path for their community. The rolling movements later evolved into a distinctive lusheng dance that symbolizes courage, hardship, and perseverance.

Performers don embroidered white jackets and pheasant-feathered hats while playing six-pipe lusheng instruments. A defining feature of the dance is that the music must continue uninterrupted, even during complex rolls, spins, and balancing movements performed around bowls filled with water. The dance includes routines such as the Flying Swallows, Human Pyramid, and Rolling Dragon, requiring precise coordination of music, breath, movement, and strength.

Gunshanzhu gained wider recognition from the 1990s and was included in China's first national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006. Its preservation has been supported by Wang Jingcai, a national-level inheritor of gunshanzhu, who introduced acrobatic elements to help bring the traditional art form from remote Miao communities to wider audiences. Local schools have also incorporated gunshanzhu into cultural education programs to encourage younger generations to continue the tradition.

Today, gunshanzhu remains both a living cultural tradition and a symbol of the Miao people's enduring resilience, preserving historical memory through the combined artistry of lusheng music and dance.