Chinese Dragon Dance in Ulm Temple Courtyard

Molten golden light strikes the side of a vibrant red and gold dragon puppet, illuminating scales that shimmer against the heavy, grey overcast sky above. The dragon winds through a dense crowd in a stone-paved courtyard, its segmented body creating a rhythmic curve across the frame. Late autumn leaves, brown and brittle, scatter across the grey flagstones where spectators stand in ritual stillness. Wooden temple pillars frame the background, their dark lacquer against the bright fabric of the dragon. Shadows stretch long and sharp across the ground as the sun dips low, catching the texture of the woven paper and silk. A loose red tassel hangs from the dragon's head, resting just inches above a spectator's shoulder in the foreground.