Dance lovers abroad are perhaps already familiar with national folk dances from China with their long and well-established history. With the development of cultural contacts between china and the rest of the world over the last 30 years, they have been seen on stage many times in numerous countries. Quite a few have received prizes in international dance competitions. This book provides the reader with an interesting historical background to Chinese national folk dance and gives a systematic introduction to its origins and development. There is no doubt it will help readers gain a better appreciation of Chinese national dance performances in all their splendour. To aid the readers in their understanding of the current state of national folk dance in China, a special appendix has been added 'Thirty Years of Continuation and Development.' There are more than 100 accompanying colour photographs and photographs of valuable artifacts