In his project Community Fire, the photographer Zhang Xiao takes a local, hometown look at Shehuo (ç¿¿ç?«), a Chinese Spring Festival tradition celebrated in rural Northern Chinese communities that includes temple fairs, dragon dances, and storytelling. Shehuoâ¿ literally, âcommunity fireâ?â¿is devoted to the worship of land and fire, and boasts a history of many thousands of years. During the festival, people hold ceremonies, pray for the next yearâ¿s good harvest, and confer blessings of peace and safety on all family members. However, what was once a heterogeneous cultural tradition with myriad regional variations has largely become a tourist-facing, consumption-oriented enterprise. In the early 2000s, Shehuo received an âintangible cultural heritageâ? designation from the Peopleâ¿s Republic of China, resulting in increased funding in exchange for greater government involvement. While altering the practitionersâ¿ relation to Shehuo, this change expresses itself most visually in the way costumes and props have been replaced with newer, cheaper products from online shopping websites. Zhangâ¿s colorful and fantastical photographs capture how these mass-produced substitutions have transformed the practice of Shehuo. Community Fireâ¿with essays in English and Chineseâ¿is a dynamic visual exploration of one of Chinaâ¿s oldest traditions. Copublished by Aperture and Peabody Museum PressÂ