Post-90s inheritors of intangible cultural heritage make me believe the Divine Bird Dance will not vanish

In Menglian, a border town of Yunnan, the endangered Dai ethnic dance called Divine Bird Dance (Kinnara) is being preserved. For a long time, this intangible heritage received little attention, with only Teacher Kunlong persevering out of pure passion. My friends Xuanxuan and Yiman® Menglian Purple Kinnara are both post-90s inheritors of this intangible heritage and young dancers themselves. They were independently captivated by the traditional Dai Divine Bird Dance (Kinnara), with Yiman being a direct student of Teacher Kunlong. 🌟Beautiful Legend The Divine Bird is a half-human, half-bird deity governing music and dance. Descending from Mount Meru to the human world, it brings peace and prosperity wherever it goes, revered and beloved by the Dai people. During important festivals, performers don masks and feathered wings, embodying the deity through dance to honor the Divine Bird. 🌟Challenging Inheritance For years, Teacher Kunlong single-handedly safeguarded this cultural heritage solely through devotion. The lack of awareness and young successors remained his greatest struggle. 🌟Post-90s Heritage Guardians Yiman, a native of Menglian, represents the new generation deeply drawn to this tradition. Trained under Teacher Kunlong, he introduced the dance to Xishuangbanna, where performances gradually gained recognition, allowing more people to appreciate the beauty of the Divine Bird Dance. Now frequently staged, the dance has won the hearts of young performers like Xuanxuan. Their participation breathes fresh vitality into this ancient heritage, gradually lifting it from the shadow of extinction.