Qilin Dance
舞麒麟
Curator
Technical support
In the Art Community Building course, I acted as the planner and facilitator, guiding students to collaborate closely with the Gankeng community and develop a series of interactive installation works. Through on-site research, concept development, and implementation, students embedded local cultural elements into their interactive art projects. These works were displayed in community spaces and contributed to introducing new forms of cultural expression, generating subtle yet tangible impacts on cultural communication within Gankeng.
The installation draws inspiration from the climax of the Qilin dance performance—Cai Qing (“Plucking the Greens”)—and extracts four key moments to structure the entire visitor journey. Along this flow, we design three types of stations: check-in points, co-creation activities, and interactive installations. These elements not only attract public engagement but also help visitors understand the cultural symbolism and meaning behind the tradition, creating an educational yet enjoyable experience.
In the interactive segment, participants can toss “vegetable balloons” into the mouth of a virtual Qilin. The digital Qilin responds dynamically to the audience’s movements and throwing actions, simulating the rhythm and playfulness of the real Cai Qing performance. This playful interaction allows visitors to experience the unique charm of the Qilin dance while naturally learning about its cultural significance.
Student Group: Yuning Zhang; Yuansheng Hu;Jiaxun Zeng; Weifeng Li
Qilin has long been rooted in the Hakka communities of Shenzhen. However, in recent years, its transmission has faced challenges, including declining participation, limited involvement from younger generations, and a growing sense of distance between the tradition and the public.
This Installation proposes an accessible, experiential, and educational interactive installation designed to re-engage wider audiences. Using motion-sensing technology, the system captures participants’ movements and animates a virtual digital Qilin in real time. By allowing visitors to “dance” with their bodies, the installation creates an intuitive and engaging cultural experience, fostering renewed interest and supporting the contemporary transmission of the Qilin dance tradition.