The fire cat dance is a sacrificial dance unique to the Zhuang ethnic people in Wuzhou area of Guangxi. It is performed as a ritual to keep mice away from harvested grain.
In the dance, dozens of young men and women play "cats" and "cat gods". Donning colorful cat fur-like dresses with stripes, they wear headbands made of straw, with a straw plait shaped like a cat's tail at the back and a "cat face" mask over the forehead.
When all "cats" are dancing trippingly in a circle, the dancer playing the "mouse" appears. Wearing a gray "mouse skin", he sneaks into the grain-storing yard in exaggerated steps, joyfully making his way to the barn. Just as the "mouse" is beside himself with joy, the "cat god" hiding nearby comes out and fights with him. Amid loud sounds of drums, gongs and trumpets, the "cat god" beats the "mouse", bringing the Fire Cat Dance to a climax. Then, the much-loved and hope-filled fire cat dance comes to an end in loud cheers.