The string lion dance is kept alive in Huotong Town in Ningde of Fujian Province. Also called "Lion Whipping" or "Lion Beating" by the local, the string lion dance is a unique folk entertainment art form as well as a special acrobatic performance featuring animal impersonation.    

Before staging a show, everything from stage setting to lighting effect to string layout is manually prepared. As the string arrangement is the key link of the show, every single area involving strings must be carefully dealt with. The Huotong String Lion Dance is characterized by controlling the lion's various movements with strings. The show is a perfect combination of artistic and martial arts skills. Originally, the string lion dance was performed in street processions and later staged on fixed stages.

Thanks to repeated improvements made to the art by the folk artists throughout the ages, the string lion dance is more and more expressive. Different postures like sitting, standing, squatting, lying, wakening-up, spreading and mountain climbing can be vividly presented. In the scene of "lions playing with a ball" alone, there are various movements like ball searching, chasing and catching etc. All the movements of the lions are realized by the performers' skilful controlling and close coordination.