The Construction of the Vine-shield Battle Array Conservation Base under the Project of Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Completed in Pingtan on July 17

On the morning of July 17, the construction of the Vine-shield Battle Array Conservation Base, located at No. 93, Shengnanzhuang, Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone, was completed.

Jiang Xinhua, president of the Vine-shield Battle Array Association in Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone, said that the completion of the Vine-shield Battle Array Conservation Base in Pingtan is the result of the joint efforts of the government and the people, and an important project for the protection of intangible cultural heritages in Pingtan. In the future, the Vine-shield Battle Array Association in Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone will also make better use of this platform to protect and develop the Vine-shield Battle Array.

During the reign of Emperor Jiaqing in the Ming Dynasty, Qi Jiguang was appointed as a commander to lead the war of resisting Japanese invaders in Fujian. When Qi Jiguang entered Fujian, his solders holding the vine-shields taught the local armed forces how to fight the Japanese invaders in “Yuanyang Array”. Since then, the Vine-shield Battle Array has been introduced to Pingtan.

The Vine-shield Battle Array, featuring a unique tactical formation, style and system, has been inherited and improved since it was introduced to Pingtan 450 years ago. In the early years of the Republic of China, Chen Jinhe, the eminent martial artist from the village Daluding, reformed and upgraded the Vine-shield Battle Array into a great folk art featuring the effect of attack, exercise and dance performance, which has been handed down as an established form of art.

In 2017, the Vine-shield Battle Array in Pingtan was included in “The List of the Fifth Group of Representative Items of the Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritages in Fujian”.