Pingyuan town in rural Pingtan county hosted a square dance festival on Oct 18 to enrich the life of local folks.

The carnival was well-received, especially by the elderly women who said they enjoyed a lot of dancing around with their companions.

A square dance festival is held in Pingyuan town, Pingtan county in Fujian province, Oct 18. [Photo/pingtan.gov.cn]

You Aijin, 68, said the square dance brought sunshine into her life, and pulled her out of the agony of her husband’s passing away a few years ago.

“I used to keep myself indoors a lot, until my friend invited me to the square dancing. It helped me reduce my blood pressure and makes me more energized,” said You.

“We also consolidate our friendship in this small space. We can talk and share laughs. When someone is sick, the others will help around.”

You Aijin, is an avid square dance fan in Pingyuan town, Pingtan county in Fujian province, Oct 18. [Photo/pingtan.gov.cn]

Four residents even donated 1,500 yuan ($245) on site to show their support for the event and said they hoped it could become a tradition in the town.

“I grew up in Pingyuan. And I haven’t seen a lot of activities like this. And we all believe it will help cultivate the rural culture. Hopefully we’ll still see it next year,” said donor Lin Rensheng.

The popularization of square dance is, to a large extent, due to the advocating efforts by Lin Meiyu, a villager in Jianglou village, who is also an avid dancer.

Lin proposed to the village officials to set up a square dance team in 2011, and taught the folks how to move their bodies to the beat. That was when the dance became a craze, like in many other places in China, and gripped the people with pleasure and a peaceful mind.

“The old keep their limbs nimble, and the kids grow more dynamic. The most important matter is that rural life became more colorful,” said Lin.

Chen Ruiying, 100, is the most loyal fan of the square dance at Jianglou village. Though she can hardly perform any dancing moves due to her age, she always sits aside and appreciates the dancing every evening.

“Square dance has become a vital part of our lives. Everybody either dives in or watches it from the stand, otherwise the night is incomplete for us,” said Lin Qin with a smile.