The traditional tiger dance is said to imitate a tiger's moves. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A tiger dance troupe from Taiwan recently came to Fujian province and took the traditional folk art back to its hometown, where the art is facing an uphill struggle to keep going.

Tiger dance, or nonghu in Chinese, is an art form that imitates the life habits of tigers. There are many difficult moves in tiger dance performances.

The head of the troupe said that passing on the tiger dance to young people in Taiwan is facing a challenge – as most of the existing enthusiasts are now elderly and lack the strength of youth.

"This time, we hope to attract more young people to join our troupe and carry forward this art," he said.

According to Fujian locals, the earliest tiger dance can date back more than 800 years. The skills were passed down in Fujian for hundreds of years. But 80 or 90 years ago, the art faced extinction.

Fortunately, when Zheng Chenggong and his army recaptured Taiwan from the Dutch in 1661, the skills were brought to Taiwan and passed on.