Yangko, a rural Chinese folk dance with a history( date) back thousands of years, originals from farming life in ancient times. The dance relates to sacrifices to the farmland god when people prayed for a good harvest. As time passed, the ( origin) dance developed, taking in various artistic forms and skills ，including opera, acrobatics and martial arts, and eventually turned into the type of Yangkois seen today.
( preserve) this Chinese folk culture, it was included in the inaugural(首批的) items of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. It is ( common ) performed in northern China during festivals， especially for Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival. Performances or competitions (organize) in towns and villages to express people's joy and their hope for a better life.
Yangko employs drumming, Suona, dancing and singing. Content is basedfolk stories and legends. Costumes are richly-colored and opera-styled, enabling (character) to be easily identified. During a performance, the actors will dance and sing, following lively rhythms. Highly-skilled and interesting acts such as stilt(高跷) walkingcarrying a wedding sedan chair (花轿) are also included. As a part of traditional Chinese culture, Yangko( concentrate) the group consciousness of the Chinese people , and has outstanding historical and cultural value.
