Fire in the sky

Performers are spraying hot iron liquid into the sky, sparking like fireworks.[Photo Provided to China Daily]

In Situ village, a Spring Festival tradition to scare away demons known as datiehua, or the spraying of iron is just one attraction among many.

Hundreds of performers were dancing besides bonfires, with iron melting in large pots. Suddenly, they begin to spray the scorching liquid into the air, producing a shower of magnificent sparks, almost like fireworks.

This is called datiehua, or the spraying of iron - a tradition followed in the provinces of Shanxi and Henan to celebrate the Spring Festival and scare away demons.

This year, the tradition was converted into a regular performance on weekends at Situ village, Jincheng city, in Shanxi province, and attracted tourists from surrounding cities.

Situ village is a tourism zone which was opened in 2015. It offers visitors local cuisine and has shops and entertainment activities.

Families, especially those with children, can also experience Shanxi's folk culture .

Speaking of the performance, Wang Jinjun, 50, the head of the group of performers who play with the molten iron, says: "It's all about your boldness and your skills."

The show includes about 600 craftsmen who are divided into 100 teams, and there are also 400 dancers who demonstrate how blacksmiths lived and worked in ancient times.

Members of the group, which made its public debut during the recent Spring Festival celebrations, say that the current performances are the first time that so many people have gathered to perform datiehua.

Three of the performers are in charge of melting the iron in a large furnace and putting the molten liquid into a special vessel.

The others then take turns to spray the molten iron around with a wooden ladle or stick.