One afternoon during the height of last summer, Chinese photographer Feng Li was in his Chengdu home looking through WeChat when one video stopped him in his scroll. With flashing lasers, giant sound systems and booming electronic music, a sea of people were waving their hands in the air and dancing to the beat in an expansive field underneath a concrete highway. Known locally as the “Golden Beach”, each evening as the clock struck 7pm, the outdoor venue filled with local villagers descending from all directions under the bridge to dance to pounding techno and EDM for exactly two hours.
Naturally, Feng decided that he needed to check it out for himself. “There were a lot of people dancing to strong music,” Feng recalls of his first visit. “I was immediately fascinated by the magic of the music and the enthusiasm of these people. It was like going back to the discos of the 80s and 90s.”
At the Golden Beach’s peak, Feng estimated that there would be between 3,000 and 5,000 people at the venue – roughly the capacity of an Ibizan superclub. But unlike the typical clubs, festivals and raves in the West, villagers of all ages went daily to shake their stuff. Groups of young men and women attended, but the majority of those there were people in their 40s or 50s, with a healthy turnout from pensioners and also young children who would play in the designated sandpits and ride merry-go-rounds.
“There are men and women, young and old – this is what attracts me,” Feng says. “Everyone in the hot summer, in the heat, releasing their passion – everyone’s face is full of joy and sweat. I think it is because of the effect produced by such a special geographic environment.”
Gripped by its unique energy, he returned to the venue five times in a single week with his camera, documenting the joyous moves, the wild outfits, the diverse array of dancers, and endless smartphones – many propped up on tripods and ring lights filming the debauchery. Now, several of those photographs are featured in his new photobook, Golden Times, jointly published by Jiazazhi Press and Fotografiska Shanghai. With its colourful cast of characters, the book is an alternative take on the traditional nightclub photography genre and a vibrant insight into a unique cultural phenomenon – in what is a surreal yet fun, singular fusion of East and West.
As a style of music, dance is relatively young within China’s popular consciousness. After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opened the country up to the rest of the world in 1978, people who travelled to other countries began to experience Western nightclubs and early forms of electronic music, fostering their own scene when they returned. The first techno nightclubs opened in 90s Beijing, and it largely remained an underground subculture until recently, with EDM exploding in popularity. Between 2016 and 2018, the number of electronic music festivals in China ballooned from 32 to 150, and the genre became the second most listened to on streaming platform NetEase by 2016.
“Square dancing” or “plaza dancing”, on the other hand, is a centuries-old, popular activity across the country – where predominantly middle-aged and retired women gather for a couple of hours in public spaces and dance in unison as a form of exercise. The Golden Beach began as a space for such physical activity – but with the added layer of driving, repetitive beats – before it became a viral sensation and attracted huge crowds. “At the beginning, there were just a few local people who liked dancing and fitness [coming together] to dance under the bridge spontaneously,” Feng says. “They shared videos on the internet, and then some media reported it. Later, more and more people joined in, and at most, there were thousands of people here, just like a concert.
“In urban parks or residential areas, people will spontaneously gather to exercise by dancing,” he continues. “But the rhythm usually is not so strong because the noise will disturb the surrounding residents. [It’s] a unique culture in China – you can see this square dance in almost every city.”
Drinking is not allowed at the venue, nor are overly revealing clothes. It makes for a family-friendly atmosphere, with vendors selling more wholesome goods and wares than a typical nightclub bar. “There are a lot of people selling food, children’s toys and so on,” he says. “Just like a small market.”
There are also several wild outfits on show – from extravagantly patterned two-pieces to an older man in a bucket hat and tiny shades, with many embracing outrageous clothing. It’s part of any good night out. “Many people here are not only good dancers but also very good at dressing up – looking very fashionable, very tasteful,” Feng says. “Some dress like they’re at a masquerade party. I’ve also attended some music festivals and parties where young people play, but [the older people at Golden Beach] are more sincere and energetic than the young people.”
And that loose, authentic spirit is what makes the Golden Beach, and the pictures, so compelling. “It’s a place of freedom,” he finishes. “I was affected by the warm atmosphere from the first moment. I almost danced with them to the rhythm of the music while shooting. I think it was a kind of enthusiasm and vitality from the bottom of my heart.”
‘Golden Times’ by Feng Li is published by Jiazazhi and Fotografiska Shanghai
Credits
All images courtesy Feng Li