To celebrate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up, the Jishan County Cultural Bureau and Cultural Center have made great efforts to create the sitcom "Soul of Hou Ji".

History background:

In ancient times, Hou Ji, the peasant ancestor, taught the people to grow crops in Jishan, and Chinese agriculture first started here. Whenever the harvest season, people prepare gifts and pretend to be beasts, hold wooden sticks to beat wooden drums, celebrate the harvest, and sing praises to the peasant ancestor Hou Ji for his great deeds of taming beasts, opening up wilds, turning grasses into grains. People say prayers, wishing for fruitfulness and prosperity for future generations.   

This sacrificial ritual has been passed down to the present. In 2017, it was named "Beixin Sacrifice to the Beasts" and was selected as the fifth batch of county-level intangible cultural heritage projects in Jishan County. Same year, it was renamed "Beixin Sacrifice Ritual to the Beasts" and submitted to municipal institute for intangible cultural heritage project.  

Creation process:

"The Soul of Hou Ji" is based on the intangible cultural heritage project of Jishan County, "Beixin Sacrifice to the Beasts", a traditional folk dance. In March 2018, it was put into creation and rehearsal. From music production to dance choreography, we made every effort to carry out new productions. After more than five months of rehearsing, adapting, and revising, this sitcom featuring music, dance, and intangible cultural heritage, was finally presented to audiences all over the country.

Performance:

In April, it premiered at the opening ceremony of the third "Flower Sea and Clear River—Home to Intangible Heritage" Peach Blossom Festival in Jishan County;

Based on the feedback of the experts, it was under adjustment and rehearsal before reappearing in the mass cultural exhibition in Jishan County to commemorate the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up and celebrate the Party Building Day (July 1st) "I have a good show";

In July, it was selected by Yuncheng Art Museum to participate in this year's "Stars Award" selection activities;

In August, China Central Television came to Jishan specifically to shoot on location at the Ten-Thousand-Mu Ban Date Farm in our county before heading to Beijing for live performances and interviews on the "I Have Heirloom" column;

On September 7th, it performed again at the opening ceremony of the 8th China Jishan "Ban Date Science and Technology Cultural Activity Week".

After several auditions, it was recognized and guided by experts at all levels, and finally was selected by Yuncheng City to participate in the 2018 "Stars Award" selection. On the evening of September 19th, this play announced itself at the Yongji People’s Theater, celebrating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up in Shanxi Province, a program of new cultural art works in the forms of music, dance, opera, and folk art.