Performers play the iron throwing show, an intangible cultural heritage with a history of 1,000 years, in Changsha, Central China’s Hunan Province on August 28, 2022. The iron tree at 1,500 C is full of “silver flowers” as if the sky stars are dazzling. Photo: IC

Lianyungang, known as the magical and romantic city of the hometown of the Monkey King and the land of Journey to the West, presented a light and shadow feast for tourists from all over the country, allowing tourists to travel back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in a second.

Iron flowers blossom, which has a history of 1000 years, has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage in China. It contains people's wishes for blessings and prosperity. This performance art, dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty and spanning a thousand years, became the most eye-catching project in the scenic area. The bursting iron flowers bloomed in the air, creating a strong visual contrast with the quiet and serene night sky.

According to an employee, there were six performers involved in the iron flower performance, and during the May Day holidays, the number of tourists increased exponentially, so the team extended the performance time to 20 minutes. At the scene, the iron flower always triggered a small climax, and the performers would shout at the moment of hitting the molten iron, and the tourists would also be infected and shout along.

"When the iron flower explodes, there is continuous applause and cheering from the audience. The performers and the audience seem to resonate with each other," said a staff member. "It is a matter of pride to be able to preserve and inherit such fantastic craftsmanship," a netizen commented.