Ninghai lion dance is commonly known as "beating the lion" or "lion lantern", and is very popular in Ninghai. It is said that during the peak period of lion dance in history, there were more than 300 lion dance classes in Ninghai County. Its history can be traced back to the Liang Dynasty. Ninghai lion dance performances are the most prominent among various folk art activities in Ninghai. As soon as the New Year arrives, all towns and villages in Ninghai organize lion dance classes of various forms, go from village to village, with noisy gongs and drums, worship ancestors and welcome gods, and express people's good wishes for good weather, good harvests, good luck and peace. The custom of lion dance has been passed down to this day, and there are still more than 10 "lion dance classes" in Ninghai's urban and rural areas. Ninghai lion dance can be divided into three styles according to different regions, and the performances are also unique. The mountainous area is a "martial lion", which is relatively simple to make, with only a "head" and a "quilt", but the lion dance movements are brave, leaping, jumping, rolling, and jumping with a whirring sound. There are routines such as "sweeping the field, chasing frogs, rolling, splashing crucian carp, going up the mountain and into the cave, dancing with fists and sticks, rolling forks, and catching lions". The coastal areas are "civil lions", which are exquisitely made and lifelike. The lions behave quite quietly during the performance, and there are routines such as "sweeping the field, worshipping Guanyin, stepping on the four corners, dozing off, scratching, 0 hair, shaking hair, dancing with fists and sticks, and catching lions. In addition, there are "civil and martial lions" on the Ninghai Plain, which integrate the tameness of the civil lion and the bravery of the martial lion. There are both strong and rough movements, such as "grabbing the lights" and "lion dancing", and delicate portrayals, such as "playing lions", "stacking lions", "biting lights", etc. Two completely different movements are intertwined with each other, one civil and one martial, one static and one dynamic, one smart and one clumsy, closely connected, throughout the whole dance. "Fishing for rewards" and "Qilin delivering children" are the most difficult movements of Ninghai lion dance. After the lion dance, the exquisite folk martial arts are performed, such as boxing, Playing with sticks, jumping on tables, climbing poles, walking backwards, etc., and finally a performer rolls a steel fork to catch the lion and the show ends. The unique lion dance music of Ninghai runs through the entire performance. The music of Ninghai lion dance is characterized by its roughness. The sound of the big gong is low and the reverberation is long; the big drum is not hit with a drumstick, but with fists or palms, especially the dull blows of the big gong and drum, which can vividly express the fierce and clumsy character of the lion. When the lion appears, the low and long sound of the ladu sounds like the roar of a lion. When the lion dance performance enters 0, the rapid and passionate high note of the ladu rises suddenly, which can add to the warm atmosphere. Information source: Ningbo Cultural Center (Ningbo Exhibition Hall Ningbo Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center) Information source: Ningbo Cultural Center (Ningbo Exhibition Hall Ningbo Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center)