On September 27, Hengshan District in Yulin, Shaanxi, successfully held a large-scale performance of the Hengshan traditional waist drum with 5,000 participants, officially challenging the Guinness World Record for the “largest waist drum dance.”

The performance featured 5,000 performers, 98% of whom were students aged 14 to 17. It also brought together national-level inheritors of the art, young drummers from farming communities, and older practitioners, creating a picture of three generations passing on the tradition together.

The event began around 3 p.m. and lasted about 8 minutes. The 5,000 performers wore traditional white headscarves and red sashes, moving in unison with coordinated formations that displayed the powerful momentum and dynamic spirit of the Hengshan waist drum.

The total cost of the event exceeded 5 million yuan. According to the published tender results, three major expenses amounted to 3.4989 million yuan: catering services, 1.4946 million yuan (for 5,300 meals); transportation rental, 1.098 million yuan (100 buses); and publicity, 906,300 yuan (including pre-event coverage by national-level media and live broadcast teams).

The public has questioned whether spending millions of yuan on “a certificate” is worthwhile, suggesting that resources would be better directed toward the practical needs of cultural preservation.

The Hengshan District Bureau of Culture and Tourism explained that the event aimed to address the risk of the tradition “breaking off between generations.” By organising a large-scale performance, they hoped to inspire young people’s interest and promote long-term cultural tourism development.

They also clarified that the funding came from “other fiscal sources,” not from livelihood-related budgets, and that the event took place on terraced wasteland rather than farmland, without causing environmental damage.