In his project Community Fire, the photographer Zhang Xiao takes a local, hometown look at Shehuo (ç¿¿ç?«), a Chinese Spring Festival tradition celebrated in rural Northern Chinese communities that includes temple fairs, dragon dances, and storytelling. Shehuoâ⬿ literally, ââ¬Åcommunity fireââ¬?â⬿is devoted to the worship of land and fire, and boasts a history of many thousands of years. During the festival, people hold ceremonies, pray for the next yearâ⬿s good harvest, and confer blessings of peace and safety on all family members. However, what was once a heterogeneous cultural tradition with myriad regional variations has largely become a tourist-facing, consumption-oriented enterprise. In the early 2000s, Shehuo received an ââ¬Åintangible cultural heritageââ¬? designation from the Peopleâ⬿s Republic of China, resulting in increased funding in exchange for greater government involvement. While altering the practitionersâ⬿ relation to Shehuo, this change expresses itself most visually in the way costumes and props have been replaced with newer, cheaper products from online shopping websites. Zhangâ⬿s colorful and fantastical photographs capture how these mass-produced substitutions have transformed the practice of Shehuo. Community Fireâ⬿with essays in English and Chineseâ⬿is a dynamic visual exploration of one of Chinaâ⬿s oldest traditions. Copublished by Aperture and Peabody Museum PressÂ
