Dance of Advertent Butterflies

The Dance of Advertent Butterflies is a courtly entertainment of the Realm, which found much favour with the Scarlet Empress and has thus gained widespread acceptance in Dynastic circles. Two courtiers in elaborate costumes and trailing scarves of gossamer or silk perform together, mimicking the motions of butterflies and singing the praises of the different flowers they pretend to alight upon, to the accompaniment of a band of musicians. The most interesting part of the Dance, however, is a spirited dialogue, in which they cleverly criticise, under floral appellations, different nobles in attendance at the court, in a manner equally gratifying and flattering to their royal mistress.

Costumes include stylized representations of butterfly wings, as well as scarves of material light enough to flow with the breeze. Fans in floral or feather patterns are often carried, and can themselves be used to evoke fluttering motions as the dancers move. Music accompanies the performers throughout; the louder instruments being energetically struck as the singing becomes impassioned or the actors declamatory.

Source: Parts adapted from Sketches of Japanese Manners and Customs by J. M. W. Silver