Kanshō

***Kanshō*** [神耍; かんしょう], also known as *kangabashi*, is a specific type of ritual dance in the Kiren religion. It literally means 'entertainment for the gods', and is mainly intended to appease and humour spirits and deities in order to prevent bad luck or curses. In most *kanshō* dances, the dancers are female, and are either possessed by or transformed into a spirit themselves. Today it is very much a living tradition, with rituals tied to the agricultural calendar, thriving primarily in the southern region of Kanton in both rural and urban areas.

*Kanshō* consists generally of two main parts - *sakkyō* and *kaiyō*. *Sakkyō* is a preparatory dance, slow and deliberate in its movements, stressing restraint and elegance, while *kaiyō* presents erratic behaviour, with jumping, shaking, twisting, and sometimes even acrobatics. The two sections can be understood as the two phases of spiritual possession: sakkyō allows the human dancer to prepare themselves for the trance, and kaiyō is the unconscious trance state.

During *sakkyō* dance, the female shaman or priestess, surrounded by a group of other dancers and a priest, holds a small bowl of water which she taps with metal sticks in order to create different sounds. Around her, the back-up performers use drums to create a rhythm. She takes care not to spill a drop of the water as she dances, forcing her to move slowly and cautiously. The secret of *sakkyō* is to let the mind go, and to stop caring about whether the water spills or not - once this has been achieved, spillage will inevitably occur. Once the first drops fall, the shaman pours the bowl over her head and tosses it to the ground. She then enters the *kaiyō* state, where she begins to dance wildly and spontaneously, while her backing performers play rain-sticks and bells alongside their drum percussion.

Although the aforementioned routine is the standard form of *kanshō*, there are a number of varieties of ritual dance used for different ceremonies and purposes.

## Varieties

* *Honneri* - dance and song performed by shrine maidens (*honne*), originally derived from ritual dances in which the *honne* channeled the gods as part of Imperial court performances. These have a very loose form; there is no bowl of water, and the women wear very elaborate yet flowing robes which could be considered immodest. In most cases, *honneri* carries an erotic overtone. Today, it is performed at festivals and around temples as part of *kami* worship. Specific props, such as bells, hazelwood canes, large leaves, strings of feathers and long silk streamers may be used.
* *Chinri* - dance with the purpose of purification, and is usually performed in a circle by ten or twelve women around the object which is being cleansed. During this ritual, the dancers carry long poles on which long metal chains or bells are hung, creating a tinkling sound as they move. Additionally, long silk streamers are wrapped around the girls' foreheads. Upon calling for a certain spirit to purify the soul of the object or person, the dancers begin to move in a counter-clockwise direction, chanting a certain mantra.
* *Hibashi* - 'fire entertainment' which involves the use of naked flames as a symbol of spiritual significance. Fire-jumping is the most common activity associated with *hishō*, during which male and female dancers take turns jumping over large lit stone lanterns, or in some cases, small campfires. Coal-walking can also be performed, during which participants wear six-inch-tall wooden sandals and walk over a five-metre length of lit coals. Sometimes *hishō* involves the lighting of four large bowls of oil, which are arranged in a square formation around the area in which dancing is taking place.
* *Nagabashi -* a dance in which simple wooden masks are used to represent different emotions, spirits or human figures. These are often accompanied by red or blue robes, symbolising the intensity and extremes of the human heart. *Nagabashi* is popular during festivals; its original significance has been lost, but nowadays it is seen purely as a form of folk entertainment and often incorporates humourous, insightful dialogue.
* *Yōshuri* - dancing which incorporates acrobatics or gymnastics. It is almost always performed by men, often young boys, and is actually a part of the physical education course for some Kantonese schools. In ancient times, it was believed that the spirits loved nothing better than seeing how human bodies could move and function, as they themselves were bodiless and found it novel. Therefore, dancing and acrobatics became popular ways of entertaining the *kami* and garnering favour with them. Quite apart from the performing arts, this relates to why sex is not considered taboo in Kantonese folk religion, as the ability of the human body to procreate was considered holy, divine and something to be celebrated.
* *Hindō* - a dance in which participants throw small wooden balls to each other while cavorting in a circle. Performers can either be male or female, although this is also considered a great dance for children, and is most often seen during traditional festivals. Along with wooden balls, dancers may also use beanbags, wooden poles, or as is commonly done in modern times, tennis balls wrapped in silk fabric.