The old waist drum in Hengshan Mountain in northern Shaanxi is widely spread in Hengshan Mountain, and it is a folk dance form of Han nationality loved by local people. The specific age of its birth has not been recorded in detail in historical books so far. According to the investigation of Hengshan Cultural Center and some evidence of temple stone tablets, it can be traced back to at least the middle of Ming Dynasty. First, because Hengshan Mountain is located in the northern edge of Shaanxi, connected with Wushen Banner in Ordos, it has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. According to legend, the earliest sergeant guarding the Great Wall wore a waist drum as an alarm tool, and when he found the enemy's situation, he beat the drum as a signal, from one word to the cross and from the cross to a hundred words, so as to convey the news. Waist drum is also used to cheer and inspire soldiers' fighting spirit in cavalry combat charge. Drum is an order to command soldiers to advance and charge on the battlefield. Gong's order is to withdraw troops. After the victory of the battle, the soldiers lit bonfires, beat gongs and drums and danced to celebrate the victory at night. The battlefield "sliding four doors", "black donkey rolling over the sky", "turning nine turns" and "Twelve Lotus Lights" are wartime array charts. Border people have lived in the fortress for a long time and are used to it. Therefore, the application of waist drum gradually expanded from war to folk entertainment of Han nationality, and evolved for a long time, forming a bold, passionate, vigorous and powerful waist drum art with military war color.

There is also a legend that in ancient times, in order to adjust their lonely and monotonous grazing life, shepherds dug a hole with a tree root, stretched dead sheepskins at both ends, made drums, beat and trained sheep as entertainment. Later, with improvisation and percussion, it developed into a simple and unrestrained waist drum art with Shan Ye style.

It is also said that the waist drum evolved from the superstitious activities of praying for God and gradually developed from the sacrificial dance. In ancient times, the working people held temple fairs on holidays and played drums to entertain the gods, so as to achieve good weather and abundant crops. They imitate the form of war drums and hang them on their waists. Together with the Mongolian "jumping ghosts" and their own performances in high spirits, they form a superstitious form of waist drums.

Hengshan old waist drum has a great influence and a long history. During the Guangxu period of Qing Dynasty, the old waist drum artists from Hengshan once went to Yan 'an, Ansai Zhenwu Cave and Xihekou to spread their skills. In the seventeenth year of the Republic of China, hungry people who fled to Yan 'an and Ansai spread Hengshan waist drums there. So Ansai waist drum is a genre developed on the basis of Hengshan old waist drum. It can be seen that the art of waist drum originated from the long-term production, struggle and life of Han working people, and gradually evolved into a complete and unique performance form with the development of society. It is rooted in the working people and has strong vitality.