This is the representative work of the intangible cultural heritage jointly declared by Belgium and France.
Festivals are a cultural heritage. Giant's Day is a religious festival that became popular in Western Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, the main towns that still maintain this traditional festival are Ath, Brussels, Dendermonde, Mechelen and Mons in Belgium and Cards in France Cassel, Pézenas and Tarascon.
The Giants' Day in Belgium and France is based on the parade of giants. The scale of the parade varies from town to town. The giants made of rattan play the heroes of mythology, or the famous characters in history, "Bible", contemporary life, and other legendary figures. The highest is about 9 meters, and a single weight is about 350 kilograms. During the parade, the portrait model of the giant is generally operated by 1-2 people hidden in the model, and it slowly advances under the accompaniment of drum music and surrounded by people wearing bright costumes. In the old city center of Art in Belgium, the annual giant parade is held on the fourth weekend of August every year, performing biblical stories such as Felix the giant Goliath being stoned to death by the shepherd David.
The French Dragon Festival began in the middle of the 15th century, and its concept of "dragon" is different from that of our Chinese. The "dragon" they refer to comes from the following Christian legend: "In the beginning of AD, in the caves near Tarascon grew a monster called the "Dragon". It had long ravaged the area. , devoured the sailors and villagers, and later, a saint miraculously subdued it." Therefore, the original meaning of the Dragon Festival is the Dragon Subduing Festival.
The Dragon Festival in Tarascan, France, lasts for four days in June every year. There will be a parade as usual. The dragon's body, made of metal, foam and wood, was placed on the cart and pushed by young people. A little girl dressed as a saint held the dragon's neck. The dragon dance procession was followed by a cheering and applauding mass parade. Some other mass cultural and sports activities are also held during the Dragon Festival.
In Belgium, dragons are traditionally regarded as demons slain by the patron saint. The most famous is the Dragon Festival in the city of Mons, near the French border. This traditional festival, which aims to celebrate the eradication of violence, is held every June. During the festival, the parade dressed in various national costumes had a lively atmosphere, especially the scene of the warriors and "dragons" fighting on the municipal square, which made the audience boil.
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