Painting: Dancing

Dancing in the city of Liang Zhou, with the flowers on her head shaking restlessly

Swirling and Gulu (a type of dancing that emphasis the movement of neck) types of dancing were introduced from Central Asia during the Tang dynasty. The dancer stands on a small circular rug and dances up and down. The dances each have hundreds of different positions. This kind of dancing still exists in Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, as well as the Xinjiang region of China. The dancing girl in the picture moves very energetically. The painter frames an instant of her movement during the dance, yet leaves infinite room for the observers’ imagination.