Sebuah Patung singa dari Candi Prambanan diapit dengan dua kapataru dan kinarakinari (makhluk setengah burung

setengah manusia bentuk orthomorphic)

Lion dance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lion dance

Chinese name
Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese

Alternative Chinese name

Traditional Chinese
or
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese
ma ln / s t
/
Ch Nm
Korean name
Hangul

Hanja

Japanese name

Kanji

Lion dance (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: wsh) is a form of

traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion's

movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is usually performed during the Chinese New Year
and other Chinese traditional, cultural and religious festivals. It may also be performed at
important occasions such as business opening events, special celebrations or wedding
ceremonies, or may be used to honour special guests by the Chinese communities.
The Chinese lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the
difference is that a lion is normally operated by two dancers, while a dragon needs many people.
Also, in a lion dance, the performers' faces are only seen occasionally, since they are inside the
lion. In a dragon dance, the performers' faces can be easily seen since the dragon is held on
poles. Chinese lion dance fundamental movements can be found in most Chinese martial arts.
There are two main forms of the Chinese lion dance, the Northern Lion and the Southern Lion.
Both forms are commonly found in China, but around the world especially in South East Asia,
the Southern Lion predominates as it was spread by the Chinese diaspora communities who are
historically mostly of Southern Chinese origin. Versions of the lion dance are also found in
Japan, Korea, Tibet and Vietnam. Another form of lion dance exists in Indonesian culture, but
this is of a different tradition and may be referred to as Singa Barong.

Contents

1 History

2 Regional types
o 2.1 Chinese Northern Lion
o 2.2 Chinese Southern Lion
o 2.3 Vietnamese Lion
o 2.4 Japanese Lion
o 2.5 Korean Lion
o 2.6 Tibetan Lion
o 2.7 Indonesian Lion

3 Music and instruments

4 Costumes

5 Association with wushu/kung fu

6 During Chinese New Years and festivals

7 Evolution and competition

8 In politics

9 In popular culture

10 See also

11 Notes

12 External links

History

Details of the Song Dynasty painting "One Hundred Children Playing in the Spring" (
) by Su Hanchen () showing children performing the lion dance.
There has been an old tradition in China of dancers wearing masks to resemble animals or
mythical beasts since antiquity, and performances described in ancient texts such as Shujing
where wild beasts and phoenix danced may have been masked dances.[1][2] In Qin Dynasty
sources, dancers performing exorcism rituals were described as wearing bearskin mask,[1] and it
was also mentioned in Han Dynasty texts that "mime people" () performed as fish, dragons,
and phoenixes.[3][4] However, lion is not native to China, and the Lion Dance therefore has been
suggested to have originated outside of China from countries such as Persia,[5][6] and introduced
via Cental Asia.[7] According to ethnomusicologist Laurence Picken, the Chinese word for lion
itself, shi (, written as in the early periods), may have been derived from the Persian word
er.[8] The earliest use of the word shizi meaning lion first appeared in Han Dynasty texts and had
strong association with Central Asia (an even earlier but obsolete term for lion was suanni (
or )), and lions were presented to the Han court by emissaries from Central Asia and the
Parthian Empire.[9] Detailed descriptions of Lion Dance appeared during the Tang Dynasty and it
was already recognized by writers and poets then as a foreign dance, however, Lion dance may

have been recorded in China as early as the third century AD where "lion acts" were referred to
by a Three Kingdoms scholar Meng Kang () in a commentary on Hanshu.[10][11][12] In the
early periods it had association with Buddhism: it was recorded in a Northern Wei text,
Description of Buddhist Temples in Luoyang (), that a parade for a statue of Buddha
of the Changqiu Temple () was led by a lion to drive away evil spirits.[11][13][14]
There were different versions of the dance in the Tang Dynasty. In the Tang court, the lion dance
was called the Great Peace Music (, Taiping yue) or the Lion Dance of the Five
Directions () where five large lions of different colours and expressing different
moods were each led on rope by two persons, and accompanied by 140 singers. In a later
version, the 5 lions were each over 3 metres tall and each had 12 "lion lads" who teased the lions
with red whisks.[11][15] Another version of the lion dance was performed by two persons, and this
was described by the Tang poet Bai Juyi in his poem "Western Liang Arts" (), where the
dance was performed by hu (, meaning here non-Han people from Central Asia) dancers who
wore a lion costume made of a wooden head, a silk tail and furry body, with eyes gilded with
gold and teeth plated with silver as well as ears that moved, a form that resembles today's Lion
Dance.[11][16] By the eighth century, this lion dance had reached Japan. During the Song Dynasty
the lion dance was commonly performed in festivals and it was known as the Northern Lion
during the Southern Song.
The Southern Lion is a later development in the south of China, most likely originating in the
Guangdong province. There are a number of myths associated with the origin of this dance: one
story relates that the dance originated as a celebration in a village where a mythical monster
called Nian was successfully driven away;[7][17] another has it that the Qianlong Emperor dreamt
of an auspicious animal while on a tour of Southern China, and ordered that the image of the
animal be recreated and used during festivals. However it is likely that the Southern Lion of
Guangzhou is an adaptation of the Northern Lion to local myths and characteristics, perhaps
during the Ming Dynasty.[18][19]

Regional types
The two main types of lion dance in China are the Northern and Southern Lions. There are
however also a number of local forms of lion dance in different regions of China, and some of
these lions may have significantly differences in appearance, for example the Green Lion (,
Qing1 Shi1) popular with the Hokkien people and Taiwanese.[20][21] Other ethnic minorities
groups in China may also have their own lion dances, for examples the lion dance of the Muslim
minority in Shenqiu County in Henan.[22][23] There are also related form of mask figures that
represent mythical creatures such as the Qilin and Pixiu.[24] The Qilin dance is most commonly
performed by the Hakka people who were originally from northern China, but have largely
settled in the south of China and southeast Asia in modern times.[25][26]
Various forms of lion dance are also found widely in East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea,
Vietnam, as well as among the communities in the Himalayan region.

Chinese Northern Lion

Northern Lion in a variety show

The Chinese Northern Lion (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Bi sh)
Dance is often performed as a pair of male and female lions in the north of China. Northern lions
may have a gold-painted wooden head, and shaggy orange and yellow hair with a red bow on its
head to indicate a male lion, or a green bow (sometimes green hair) to represent a female.[27]
There are however regional variations of the lion.
Northern lions resemble Pekingese or Fu Dogs, and its movements are lifelike during a
performance. Acrobatics are very common, with stunts like lifts, or balancing on a tiered
platform or on a giant ball. Northern lions sometimes appear as a family, with two large "adult"
lions and a pair of small "young lions". There are usually two performers in one adult lion, and
one in the young lion. There may also be a "warrior" character who holds a spherical object and
leads the lions.[28]
The dance of the Northern Lion is generally more playful than the Southern Lion. Regions with
well-known lion dance troupes include Xushui in Hebei province, and Ninghai in Ningbo. There
are a number of variations of the lion dance performance, for example the Heavenly Tower Lion
Dance (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Tin t sh w)
from Xiangfen County in Shanxi is a performance whereby a number of lions climb up a tall
tower structure constructed out of wooden stools,[18] and there are also high-wire acts involving
lions

Chinese Southern Lion

Southern Lion dance during Lunar New Year 2015 in Paris

The Chinese Southern (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Nn sh)
Lion dance originated from Guangdong. The Southern Lion has a single horn, and is associated
with the legend of a mythical monster called Nian. The lion consists of a head which is
traditionally constructed using papier-mch over a bamboo frame,[29] and a body made of

durable layered cloth trimmed with fur. Newer lions however may be made with modern
materials such as aluminium instead of bamboo and are lighter. Newer versions may also apply
shinier material over the traditional lacquer such as sequin or laser sticker but they do not last as
long as those with semi-dull lacquer. Most modern lion dance costumes comes with a set of
matching pants, however some practitioners use black kung fu pants to appear more traditional.
Modern lion dance costumes are made to be very durable and some are waterproof.
There are two main styles of Guangdong or Cantonese Lion: the Fut San or Fo Shan (Chinese:
; pinyin: Fshn; literally: "Buddha Mountain"), and the Hok San or He Shan (simplified
Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: hshn; literally: "Crane Mountain"), both
named after their place of origin. Other minor styles include the Fut-Hok (a hybrid of Fut San
and Hok San created in Singapore by Kong Chow Wui Koon in the 1960s), and the Jow Ga
(performed by practitioners of Jow family style kung fu).[27] The different lion types can be
identified from the design of the lion head.

A Southern Lion Dance performance

Fo Shan is the style many kung fu schools adopt. It requires power in moves and strength in
posture. The lion becomes the representation of the kung fu school and only the most advanced
students are allowed to perform. Traditionally, the Fo Shan lion has bristles instead of fur and is
heavier than the modern ones now popularly used. It also has a very long tail and eyes that
swivel left and right. On the back there are gold foiled rims and a gilded area where the troupe's
name may be written. All the traditional style Fo Shan have pop-up teeth, tongue, and swiveling
eyes. The underside of the tail is white; the designs of the tail are also more square and contain a
diamond pattern going down the back, and often has bells attached to the tail. It has a high
forehead, curved lips and a sharp horn on its head.[27] Traditional Fo Shan lions are ornate in
appearance, a number of regional styles however have developed around the world. The newer
styles of Fo Shan lions replace all the bristles with fur and the tails are shorter. They eyes are
fixed in place, and the tongue and teeth do not pop up. The tail is more curvy in design, does not
have a diamond pattern, and lacks bells.

Lion dance at Hok San Association in Singapore

The He Shan style lion is known for its richness of expression, unique footwork, impressivelooking appearance and vigorous drumming style. The founder of this style is thought to be the
"Canton Lion King" Feng Gengzhang (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ;
pinyin: Fng Gngzhng) in the early 20th century. Feng was born in a village in He Shan county
in Guangdong, and he was instructed in martial arts and lion dance by his father. Later, he also
studied martial arts and Southern lion dance in Foshan before returning to his hometown and
setting up his own training hall. He developed his unique version of lion dance, creating new
techniques by studying and mimicking movement of cats, such as "catching mouse, playing,
catching birds, high escape, lying low and rolling". He and his disciples also made changes to the
lion head, its forehead is lower, its horn rounded and it has a duck beak mouth with flat lips.[27]
The body of the lion is also more powerful in structure with eye-catching colours. Together with
new dance steps and agile footwork, a unique rhythm invented by Feng called the "Seven Star
Drum", Feng created a new style of lion dancing that is high in entertainment value and visual
appeal. In the early 1920s, the He Shan lion dance was performed when Sun Yat-Sen assumed
office in Guangzhou, and created a stir. Around 1945, He Shan lion performers were often
invited to perform in many places within China and Southeast Asia during celebratory festivals.
The He Shan style became very popular in Singapore; the lion acquired the title of "Lion King of
Kings", and has a "king" character () on its forehead. Further improvement had been made by
the Singapore Hok San Association, for example making the lion more "cat-like" by shortening
the tail of He Shan lion, and creating new drum beat for the dance.
Different colors are used to signify the age and character of the lions. The lion with white fur is
considered to be the oldest of the lions, while the lion with golden yellow fur is the middle child.
The black lion is considered the youngest lion, and the movement of this lion should be fast like
a young child or a headstrong teenager. The colors may also represent the character of the lion:
the golden lion represents liveliness, the red lion courage, and the green lion friendship. There
are also three lion types that represent three historical characters recorded in the classic Romance
of the Three Kingdoms who were blood oath brothers that swore to restore the Han dynasty:[30][31]

A Chinese Guan Gong (Kwan Kung) lion ushers in the Chinese New Year in Chinatown,
Manhattan, New York City (USA).

The Liu Bei (Cantonese: Lau Pei) lion is the eldest of the three brothers and has a yellow
(actually imperial yellow as he became the first emperor of the Shu-Han Kingdom) based
face with white beard and fur (to denote his wisdom). It sports a multi coloured tail
(white underside) signifying the colors of the five elements as it was believed that being
the Emperor, he had the blessings of the heavens and thus control of the five elements.
Older Liu Bei lions also have black in the tail while the new ones do not. There are three
coins on the collar. This lion is used by schools with an established Martial art master
(Sifu) or organization and is known as the Rui Shi (simplified Chinese: ; traditional
Chinese: ; pinyin: Ru Sh; literally: "Auspicious Lion").

The Guan Gong (Cantonese: Kwan Kung) lion has a red based face, black bristles, with a
long black beard (as he was also known as the "Duke with the Beautiful Beard"). The tail
is red and black with white trim and a white underside. He is known as the second brother
and sports two coins on the collar. This Lion is known as the Xing Shi (simplified
Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Xng Sh; literally: "Awakened Lion").
This is a commonly-used lion.

The Zhang Fei (Cantonese: Cheung Fei) lion has a black based face with short black
beard, small ears, and black bristles. The tail is black and white with white trim and a
white underside. Traditionally this lion also had bells attached to the body, which served
as a warning like a rattler on a rattle snake. Being the youngest of the three brothers, there
is a single coin on the collar. This Lion is known as the Dou Shi (simplified Chinese:
; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Du Sh; literally: "Fighting Lion") because Zhang
Fei had a quick temper and loved to fight. This lion is used by clubs that were just
starting out or by those wishing to make a challenge.

Later three more Lions were added to the group. The Green Faced Lion represented Zhao Yun or
Zhao (Cantonese: Chiu) Zi Long. The Zhao Zi Long lion is a green lion with a green tail with
black trim and a white underside, as well as a white beard and fur and an iron horn. He is often
called the fourth brother, this lion is called the Heroic Lion because it is said he rode through Cao
Caos million man army and rescued Liu Beis infant and fought his way back out. The Yellow
(yellow/orange) face and body with white beard represented Huang Zhong (Cantonese: Wong

Tsung), we was given this color when Liu Bei rose to become Emperor. The Huang Joon has a
full yellow tail with white trim. This lion is called the Righteous Lion. The white lion is known
as Ma Chao (Cantonese: Ma Chiu), he was assigned this color because he always wore a white
arm band to battle against the Emperor of Wei, Cao Cao, to signify that he was in mourning for
his father and brother who had been murdered by Cao Cao. Thus this lion was known as the
funeral lion. This lion is never used except for the funeral of a Master or an important head of the
group, and in such cases the lion is usually burned right after use as it is symbolically
inauspicious to be kept around. This lion is sometimes confused with the silver lion which
sometimes has a white like colouring. These three along with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were
known as the "Five Tiger Generals of Shun," each representing one of the colors of the five
elements.

Vietnamese Lion

Vietnamese Unicorn and ng a at the 2014 Tt Parade in Little Saigon, CA

The lion dance is known in Vietnam as the unicorn dance (Vietnamese: ma ln). It was imported
from China but has acquired local characteristics. Most lions in Vietnam resemble the Chinese
Southern Lion with sheep's fur and not the traditional bristled hair, but there are also distinct
local forms that differ significantly in appearance and performance. The dance is performed
primarily at traditional festivals such as Vietnamese lunar new year (Tt) and Vietnamese MidAutumn Festival (Tt trung thu), as well as during other occasions such as the opening of a new
business. The dance with a view to ward off evil spirits, and the dances are typically
accompanied by martial artists and acrobatics.
A feature of the Vietnamese unicorn dance is its dance partner ng a or the spirit of the earth,
depicted as a large bellied, broadly grinning man holding a palm-leaf fan similar to the Chinese
'Big Head Buddha' (). The good-hearted spirit, according to popular beliefs, has the
power to summon the auspicious unicorn, and thus during the dance, takes the lead in clearing
the path for the unicorn. The comical appearance of ng a adds to the festive and merrymaking nature of the dance.[32]

Japanese Lion

Festival of Miyazaki Shrine, Japan

Japan has a long tradition of the lion dance and the dance is known as shishi-mai () in
Japanese. It is thought to have been imported from China during the Tang Dynasty, and became
associated with celebration of Buddha's birthday. The oldest surviving lion mask, made of
paulownia wood with an articulated lower jaw, is preserved in Tdai-ji in Japan.[33] The dance is
commonly performed during the New Year where the lion dancers may be accompanied by flute
and drum musicians.

A Japanese lion dance performed by a single person accompanied by flute and drum musicians
The lion dance has been completely absorbed into Japanese tradition, and the style of dancing
and design of the lion differs by region. There are many different lion dances in Japan - it is
believed that as many as 9,000 variations of the dance exist in the country.[34] The lion dance is
also used in religious Shinto festivals as part of a performing art form called kagura. Shishi
kagura may be found in different forms - for example the daikagura which is mainly acrobatic,
and the yamabushi kagura, a type of theatrical performance done by yamabushi ascetics,[35]
bangaku and others.[36][37] Various forms of shishi dances are also found noh, kabuki and bunraku
theatres.[35]
The Japanese lion consists of a wooden, lacquered head called a shishi-gashira (lit. Lion Head),
often with a characteristic body of green dyed cloth with white designs. It can be manipulated by
a single person, or by two or more persons, one of whom manipulates the head. As with Chinese
lions, the make of the head and designs on the body will differ from region to region, and even
from school to school. The mask however may sometimes have horns appearing to be a deer
(shika), and different Kanji characters also pronounced shishi can mean beast, deer or wild boar,
for example as in shishi-odori (, lit. Deer Dance). The dance may also sometimes feature
tigers (tora) or qilin (kirin).[38]

In Okinawa, a similar dance exists, though the lion there is considered to be a legendary shisa.
The heads, bodies and behavior of the shisa in the dance are quite different from the shishi on
mainland Japan. Instead of dancing to the sounds of flutes and drums, the Okinawan shisa dance
is often performed to folk songs played with the sanshin.

Korean Lion

Korean Bukcheong sajanoreum

There are two main traditions of lion dance in Korea, the saja-noreum, which is performed as an
exorcism drama; and the sajach'um which is performed in association with masked drama.[39] The
best known of the Korean lion dances is the Bukcheong sajanoreum or lion mask play from
Bukcheong. In this dance performers may don five different masks including a huge but comic
lion mask.[40] The dance was originally performed every night of first fifteen nights of the lunar
New Year, where the dance troupe in lion masks and costumes visited every house in the villages
of the Bukcheong region, and the lion dance is meant to expel evil spirits and attract good luck
for the coming year.[41] There was also once a court version of the lion dance.[39]

Tibetan Lion

Tibetan Snow Lion Dance, Bodhgaya, India

In the Himalayan and Tibetan area, there is also a lion dance which is called the snow lion dance.
This dance may be found in Tibet and among Tibetan diaspora communities where it is called
Senggeh Garcham,[42] among the Monpa people in Arunachal Pradesh,[43] and in Sikkim where it
is called Singhi Chham.[44][45] The snow lion has white fur, and in Tibet, it may also have a green
mane or green fringes, while in Sikkim, the mane may be blue.

The Snow Lion is regarded as an emblem of Tibet and the Snow Lion Dance is popular dance in
Tibetan communities and it is performed during festivals such as during the ritual dance (cham)
festival and the New Year. The snow lion dance may be performed as a secular dance, or as a
ritual dance performed by bon po monks. The dance may have a long history in Tibet, but may
also have been influenced by Chinese Lion Dance in the Sino-Tibetan borderland.[46]

Indonesian Lion

Barong of Bali, Indonesia

Main articles: Reog and Barong (mythology)
The Chinese lion dance is referred to as barongsai in Indonesia, often performed by Chinese
Indonesian during Imlek. Indonesians however, has developed their own style of lion dances. The
lion dance (Indonesian: barong) in Indonesia has different forms that are distinct to the local
cultures in Indonesia, and it is not known if it has any relation to the Chinese lion.[8] The most
well-known lion dances are performed in Bali and Java.
In Hindu Balinese culture, the Barong is the king of good spirits, and the enemy of the demon
queen Rangda. Like the Chinese lion, it requires more dancers than in the Javanese Reog.
Reog Ponorogo, Indonesia
The Reog dance of Ponorogo in Java involves a lion figure known as the singa barong. It is held
on special occasions such as the Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr), City or Regency anniversary, or
Independence day carnival. A single dancer, or warok, carries the heavy lion mask about 30
40 kg weight by his teeth. He is credited with exceptional strength. The warok may also carry an
adolescent boy or girl on its head. When holding an adolescent boy or girl on his head, the Reog
dancer holds the weight up to total 100 kilograms. The great mask that spans over 2.5 meters
with genuine tiger or leopard skin and real peacock feathers. It has gained international
recognition as the world's largest mask.

Music and instruments

Accompanying the lion dance

Menu
0:00
Musicians accompanying lion dance at Seattle's Chinatown-International District Night
Market, Hing Hay Park (2010)
Problems playing this file? See media help.
The Chinese Lion Dance is performed accompanied by the music of beating of drums, cymbals,
and gongs. Instruments synchronise to the lion dance movements and actions. Fut San, Hok San,
Fut Hok, Chow Gar, etc. all play their beat differently. Each style plays a unique beat.
Developments in electronic devices have allowed music to be played via
phone/tablet/computer/mp3 player. This has contributed to the evolution of how people can play
lion dance music - which eliminates the need to carry around instruments (which can be quite
large).

Costumes
The lion dance costumes used in these performances can only be custom made in specialty craft
shops in rural parts of China and have to be imported at considerable expense for most foreign
countries outside Asia. For groups in Western countries, this is made possible through funds
raised through subscriptions and pledges made by members of local cultural and business
societies. For countries like Malaysia with a substantial Chinese population, local expertise may
be available in making the "lion" costumes and musical instruments without having to import
them from China.

Association with wushu/kung fu

The Chinese lion dance has close relations to kung fu or Wsh () and the dancers are
usually martial art members of the local kung fu club or school. They practice in their club and
some train hard to master the skill as one of the disciplines of the martial art. In general, it is seen
that if a school has a capable troupe with many 'lions', it demonstrates the success of the school.
It is also generally practised together with Dragon dance in some area.

Toronto Lion Dance team, Wushu Project pouring Chinese Tea to person(s) who've requested
them to at the Diamond Banquet Hall in Markham, Ontario for Chinese New Year 2014

During Chinese New Years and festivals

Lettuce being offered to a lion, and a Big Head Buddha at the start of a Lion Dance during a
Chinese New Year festival in Boston's Chinatown.
During the Chinese New Year, lion dance troupes from the Chinese martial art schools or
Chinese guild and associations will visit the houses and shops of the Chinese community to
perform the traditional custom of "cai qing" (), literally meaning "plucking the greens",
whereby the lion plucks the auspicious green vegetables like lettuce either hung on a pole or
placed on a table in front of the premises. The "greens" (qing) is tied together with a "red
envelope" containing money and may also include auspicious fruit like oranges. In Chinese ci
(, pluck) also sounds like ci (, meaning vegetable) and ci (, meaning fortune). The
"lion" will dance and approach the "green" and "red envelope" like a curious cat, to "eat the
green" and "spit" it out but keep the "red envelope" which is the reward for the lion troupe. The
lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the business. During the Qing Dynasty,

there may be additional hidden meanings in the performances, for example the green vegetables
(qing) eaten by the lion may represent the Qing Manchus.[47]
Different types of vegetables, fruits, foods or utensils with auspicious and good symbolic
meanings; for instance pineapples, pamelos, bananas, oranges, sugar cane shoots, coconuts, beer,
clay pots or even crabs can be used to be the "greens" () to be "plucked" to give different
difficulty and challenge for the lion dance performers. But the difficulties of the challenge should
comes with the bigger the rewards of the "red envelope" given.

Chinese lion dance performing a "cai ching" where the "greens" are hung high above for the lion
to pluck.
In the old days, the lettuce was hung 5 to 6 metres above ground and only a well-trained martial
artist could reach the money while dancing with a heavy lion head. These events became a public
challenge. A large sum of money was rewarded, and the audience expected a good show.
Sometimes, if lions from multiple martial arts schools approached the lettuce at the same time,
the lions are supposed to fight to decide a winner. The lions had to fight with stylistic lion moves
instead of chaotic street fighting styles. The audience would judge the quality of the martial art
schools according to how the lions fought. Since the schools' reputation were at stake, the fights
were usually fierce but civilized. The winner lion would then use creative methods and martial
art skills to reach the high-hanging reward. Some lions may dance on bamboo stilts and some
may step on human pyramids formed by fellow students of the school. The performers and the
schools would gain praise and respect on top of the large monetary reward when they did well.
The lion dance troupes are sometimes accompanied by various characters such as the Big Head
Buddha,
During the 1950s-60s, in some areas with high population of Chinese and Asian communities
especially the Chinatown in many foreign countries abroad China in the world, people who
joined lion dance troupes were "gangster-like" and there was a lot of fighting between lion dance
troupes and kung fu schools. Parents were afraid to let their children join lion dance troupes
because of the "gangster" association with the members. During festivals and performances,
when lion dance troupes met, there may be fights between groups. Some lifts and acrobatic tricks
are designed for the lion to "fight" and knock over other rival lions. Performers even hid daggers
in their shoes and clothes, which could be used to injure other lion dancers legs, or even attached
a metal horn on their lions forehead, which could be used to slash other lion heads. The violence
became so extreme that at one point the Hong Kong government banned lion dance completely.
Now, as with many other countries, lion dance troupes must attain a permit from the government

in order to perform lion dance. Although there is still a certain degree of competitiveness, troupes
are a lot less violent and aggressive. Today, lion dance is a more sport-oriented activity. Lion
dance is more for recreation than a way of living. But there are still plenty of troupes who still
practice the traditional ways and taboos of the lion dance as it is practiced in the past.
In a traditional performance, when the dancing lion enters a village or township, it is supposed to
pay its respects first at the local temple(s), then to the ancestors at the ancestral hall, and finally
through the streets to bring happiness to all the people.

Evolution and competition

Lion dance in competition may be performed on a series of small circular platforms on poles
similar to the ones shown here.
Lion dance has spread across the world due to the worldwide presence of the diaspora Chinese
communities and immigrant settlers in many countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa,
Australia, Pacific Polynesia, and in particular, in South East Asia where there is a large overseas
Chinese presence.
The dance has evolved considerably since the early days when it was perform as a skill part of
Chinese martial arts, and has grown into a more artistic art that takes into accounts the lion's
expression and the natural movements, as well as the development of a more elaborate acrobatic
styles and skills during performances. This maybe performed as a cultural performances or
during competitions. This evolution and development has produced the modern form of lion
dances and competition are held to find the best lion dance performances. The competition may
be performed on a series of small circular platforms raised on poles, and is judged based on the
skill and liveliness of the "lion" together with the creativity of the stunts and choreographed
moves, as well as the difficulty of the acrobatics, and rhythmic and pulsating live instrumental
accompaniment that can captivate the spectators and the judges of the competition.
International Lion Dance championships are held in many countries, for example in Malaysia,
Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan.[48]

In politics
The lion dance is seen as a representative part of Chinese culture in many overseas Chinese
communities,[49] and in some South East Asian countries, there were attempts to ban or

discourage the dance in order to suppress the Chinese cultural identity in those countries.[50] For
example, in Malaysia, lion dance was criticized by a Malay politician in the 1970s as not
Malaysian in style and suggested that it be changed to a tiger dance,[51] and it was banned except
at Chinese New Year until 1990.[52] Lion dance became a matter of political and public debate
about the national culture of the country.[49] During the Suharto era in Indonesia, public
expression of Chinese culture was also banned and barongsai (lion dance) procession was
considered "provocative" and "an affront to Indonesian nationalism".[53] This ban was however
overturned after the collapse of the Suharto regime in 1998, but nevertheless the occasional local
banning of the lion dance still occurred.[54]

In popular culture
In the 1960s and 1970s, during the era when the Hong Kong's Chinese classic and martial arts
movies are very popular, kung fu movies including Jet Li's "Wong Fei Hung" has actually
indirectly shows and indicates how lion dance was practised with the kung fu close co-relation
and kung fu during that time. Those days, the lion dance was mostly practised and perform as
Wushu or kung fu skills, with the challenge for the 'lion' built of chairs and tables stack up
together for the 'lions' to perform its stunts and accomplish its challenge.
Several 1990s movies, including a remade version of "Wong Fei Hung", and the sequels of Once
Upon a Time in China, involve plots centered on Lion Dancing, especially Once Upon a Time in
China III and IV. The series main actor, Jet Li has performed as a lion dancer in several of his
films, including Southern style lion dancing in Once Upon a Time in China III, Once Upon a
Time in China and America and Northern style lion dancing in Shaolin Temple 2 and Shaolin
Temple 3.

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lion dance.
Malaysia portal
Dance portal

Chinese New Year

Culture of China

Chinese dragon

Chinese phoenix

Chinese guardian lions

Dance in China

Foo Dog, dog breeds originating in China that resemble "Chinese guardian lions" and
hence are also called Foo or Fu Dogs or Lion Dogs

Pantomime horse

Barong (mythology)

Shishi

Shisa

Reog

Notes
1.
Fan Pen Li Che (2007). Chinese Shadow Theatre: History, Popular Religion, and Women
Warriors. McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-0773531970.
"Shang Shu - Yu Shu - Yi and Ji". Chinese Text Project.
Wang Kefen (1985). The History of Chinese Dance. China Books & Periodicals. pp. 25
27. ISBN 978-0835111867.
Faye Chunfang Fei, ed. (2002). Chinese Theories of Theater and Performance from
Confucius to the Present. University of Michigan Press. pp. 2425. ISBN 978-0472089239.
Berthold Laufer. Kleinere Schriften: Publikationen aus der Zeit von 1911 bis 1925. 2 v.
p. 1444. ISBN 978-3515026512.
Mona Schrempf (2002), "chapter 6 - The Earth-Ox and Snowlion", in Toni Huber, Amdo
Tibetans in Transition: Society and Culture in the Post-Mao Era, Brill, p. 164,
ISBN 9004125965, During the Persian New Year of Newruz, a lion dance used to be performed
by young boys, some of them naked it seems, who were sprinkled with cold water. They were thus
supposed to drive out evil forces and the cold of the winter.
Marianne Hulsbosch, Elizabeth Bedford, Martha Chaiklin, eds. (2010). Asian Material
Culture. Amsterdam University Press. pp. 112118.
Laurence E. R. Picken (1984). Music for a Lion Dance of the Song Dynasty. Musica
Asiatica: volume 4. Cambridge University Press. p. 201. ISBN 978-0521278379.
Wolfgang Behr (2004). "Hinc sunt leones two ancient Eurasian migratory terms in
Chinese revisited" (PDF). International Journal of Central Asian Studies 9.
Wilt L. Idema, ed. (1985). The Dramatic Oeuvre of Chu Yu-Tun: 1379 - 1439. Brill. p. 52.
ISBN 9789004072916.
Wang Kefen (1985). The History of Chinese Dance. China Books & Periodicals. p. 53.
ISBN 978-0835111867.
, Original text:

 "". .
"/".

Carol Stepanchuk, Charles Choy Wong (1992). Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts:
Festivals of China. China Books & Periodicals. p. 38. ISBN 978-0835124812.
"".

Dorothy Perkins, ed. (1998). Encyclopedia of China: History and Culture. Facts On File
Inc. p. 354. ISBN 978-0816026937.
"Lion Dance". China Daily.
"South Lion: the Guangzhou Lion Dance". Life of Guangzhou. 13 February 2009.
"Taipei (Taiwanese Lion)". Shaolin Lohan Pai Dance Troupe.
"".
"". The People's Government of Henan Province.
" 1". .
"Besides The Lion". The Lion Arts.
"Qilin Dancing During the Lunar New Year and Southern Chinese Martial Culture".
Kung Fu Tea.
"The Hakka Chinese: Their Origin, Folk Songs And Nursery Rhymes".
"The Difference in Lion Dance". The Lion Arts.
Benji Chang (2013). "Chinese Lion Dance in the United States". In Xiaojian Zhao,
Edward J.W. Park, PH.D. Asian Americans: An Encyclopedia of Social, Cultural, Economic, and
Political History. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-1598842395.
"Making a Chinese Lion Head". The Chinese Art of Lion Dancing.
"Southern (Cantonese) Lions". Shaolin Lohan Pai Lion Dance Troupe.
"".
"ng a". Pht Gio Ha Ho Texas. Archived from the original on March 4, 2007.
Marianne Hulsbosch, Elizabeth Bedford, Martha Chaiklin, eds. (2010). Asian Material
Culture. Amsterdam University Press. p. 110.
"Kobe, 1906 New Year Celebrations 13". Old Photos of Japan.
Benito Ortolani (1995). The Japanese Theatre: From Shamanistic Ritual to
Contemporary Pluralism. Princeton University Press. pp. 2627. ISBN 978-0691043333.
Benito Ortolani (1995). The Japanese Theatre: From Shamanistic Ritual to
Contemporary Pluralism. Princeton University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0691043333.
Terence Lancashire (2011). An Introduction to Japanese Folk Performing Arts. Ashgate.
p. 7. ISBN 978-1409431336.
Brian Bocking (1997). A Popular Dictionary of Shinto. Routledge. p. 134. ISBN 9780700710515.
Keith Pratt, Richard Rutt, ed. (1999). Korea: A Historical and Cultural Dictionary.
Routledge. p. 271. ISBN 978-0700704637.
"Traditions revived during Seollal holidays". Korean Herald. 2010-04-04.
"Bukcheong Saja-nori". Asia-Pacific Database on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).
"Tibetan Snow Lion Dance". Tibet Views.
"Tawang Festival". India Travel.
Shobhna Gupta (2007). Dances of India. Har-Anand. p. 76. ISBN 978-8124108666.
J. R. Subba (2008). History, Culture and Customs of Sikkim. Gyan Books Pvt. Ltd. p. 193.
ISBN 9788121209649.

 Mona Schrempf (2002), Toni Huber, ed., Amdo Tibetans in Transition: Society and
Culture in the Post-Mao Era (PDF), Brill, pp. 147169, ISBN 9004125965
Marianne Hulsbosch, Elizabeth Bedford, Martha Chaiklin, eds. (2010). Asian Material
Culture. Amsterdam University Press. p. 117.
Malaysia Muar Lion Dance Troupe is World Champion|New Straits Times |11 February
1994
Sharon A. Carstens (2012). "Chapter 8, Dancing Lions and Disappearing History: The
National Culture Debates and Chinese Malaysian Culture". Histories, Cultures, Identities:
Studies in Malaysian Chinese Worlds. NUS Press. pp. 144169. ISBN 978-9971693121.
Wanning Sun, ed. (2006). Media and the Chinese Diaspora: Community,
Communications and Commerce. Routledge. p. 10. ISBN 978-0415352048.
by M. Jocelyn Armstrong, R. Warwick Armstrong, K. Mulliner, ed. (2001). Chinese
Populations in Contemporary Southeast Asian Societies: Identities, Interdependence and
International Influence. Routledge. p. 222. ISBN 978-0700713981.
Jean Elizabeth DeBernardi (2004). Penang: Rites of Belonging in a Malaysian Chinese
Community. Stanford University Press. p. 255. ISBN 978-0804744867.
Leo Suryadinata (2008). Ethnic Chinese in Contemporary Indonesia. Institute of
Southeast Asian Studies.
"Chinese Lion Dance Banned in Indonesias Aceh". Jakarta Globe. December 21, 2009

Dragon dance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the novel by John Christopher, see Dragon Dance (novel).

Dragon dance

Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese

Alternative Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

This article contains Chinese text. Without

proper rendering support, you may see question
marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of
Chinese characters.

Dragon dance (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: w lng) is a form

of traditional dance and performance in Chinese culture. Like the lion dance it is most often seen
in festive celebrations. The dance is performed by a team of dancers who manipulate a long
flexible figure of a dragon using poles positioned at regular intervals along the length of the
dragon. The dance team mimics the supposed movements of this river spirit in a sinuous,
undulating manner.
The dragon dance is often performed during Chinese New Year. Chinese dragons are a symbol of
China, and they are believed to bring good luck to people, therefore the longer the dragon in the
dance, the more luck it will bring to the community.[1] The dragons are believed to possess
qualities that include great power, dignity, fertility, wisdom and auspiciousness. The appearance
of a dragon is both frightening and bold but it has a benevolent disposition, and so eventually
became an emblem to represent imperial authority. The movements in a performance
traditionally symbolize historical roles of dragons demonstrating power and dignity.

Contents

1 History

2 Dragon structure

3 Performance
o 3.1 Competition

4 In literature

5 See also

6 Notes

7 External links

History

Han Dynasty stone relief engraving showing a form of Dragon Dance.

During the Han Dynasty, different forms of the dragon dance were mentioned. Rain dance
performed at times of drought may involve the use of figures of dragon as Chinese dragon was
associated with rain in ancient China, for example the dragon Yinglong was considered a rain
deity,[2] and the Shenlong had the power to determine how much wind and rain to bring.[3]
According to the Han Dynasty text Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals by Dong
Zhongshu, as part of a ritual to appeal for rain, clay figures of the dragons were made and
children or adults may then perform a dance. The number of dragons, their length and colour, as
well as the performers may vary according to the time of year.[4][5] Other dances involving
dragons may be found in a popular form of entertainment during the Han Dynasty, the baixi (
) variety shows, where performers called "mime people" () dressed up as various
creatures such as beasts, fish and dragons. In his Lyric Essay on Western Capital () Zhang
Heng recorded various performances such as performers who dressed as a green dragon playing
a flute, and a fish-dragon act where fish transformed into a dragon.[6][7][8] These ancient dances
however do not resemble modern Dragon Dance in their descriptions, and performances depicted
in Han Dynasty stone relief engravings suggest that the props used were cumbersome, unlike
modern Dragon Dance where light-weight dragons are manipulated by performers.[9]

Parade of a Chinese dragon in Seattle, c. 1909

The dragon acts of the Han Dynasty were also mentioned in the Tang and Song Dynasty. Figures
similar to the dragon lantern () used during Lantern Festival were described in the Song
Dynasty work Dreams of Splendor of the Eastern Capital, where figures of dragon mounted for
display were constructed out of grass and cloth and inside which numerous candle lights may be
placed.[10][11] Such dragon lanterns may be carried and paraded by performers in the street during
the Lantern festival at night time,[12] and this may have evolved into the modern form of the

dragon dance which is often performed during day time. A wide variety of dragon dances have
developed in various regions in China, for example a form of dragon dance from Tongliang
County (), which originated as snake totem worship, was said to have begun during the
Ming Dynasty and became popular in the Qing Dynasty.[13] In the modern era, the government of
People's Republic of China adapted and promoted various traditional folk dances,[14] which
contributed to the popularity of the current form of the dragon dance now found widely in China
as well as Chinese communities around the world.
Aside from the popular form of dragon dance, other regional dragon dances include one from
Zhanjiang, Guangdong province whereby the body of the dragon is formed entirely of a human
chain of dozens to hundreds of performers, and in Pujiang County, Zhejiang Province, the body
of the dragon is formed using wooden stools.[1][15] The number of different dragon dances has
been put at over 700.[16]

Dragon structure

The head of dragon

The dragon is a long serpentine body formed of a number of sections on poles, with a dragon
head and a tail. The dragon is assembled by joining the series of hoops on each section and
attaching the ornamental head and tail pieces at the ends. Traditionally, dragons were constructed
of wood, with bamboo hoops on the inside and covered with a rich fabric, however in the
modern era lighter materials such as aluminium and plastics have replaced the wood and heavy
material.
Dragons can range in length from around 25 to 35 meters for the more acrobatic models, and up
to 50 to 70 meters for the larger parade and ceremonial styles. The size and length of a dragon
depend on the human power available, financial power, materials, skills and size of the field. A
small organization cannot afford to run a very long dragon because it requires considerable
human power, great expenses and special skills which are difficult to manage.

Performers holding the dragons on poles in Taiwan

The normal length and size of the body recommended for the dragon is 112 feet (34 meters) and
is divided into 9 major sections. The distance of each minor (rib-like) section is 14 inches apart;
therefore, the body has 81 rings. Many may also be up to 15 sections long, and some dragons are
as long as 46 sections. Occasionally dragon with far more sections may be constructed in
Chinese communities around the world to produce longest dragon possible, since part of the
myth of the dragon is that the longer the creature, the more luck it will bring. The current record
of the longest dragon stands at over 5 km long.[17]
Historically the dragon dance may be performed in a variety of ways with different types and
colors of dragon. Green is sometimes selected as a main color of the dragon, which symbolizes a
great harvest. Other colors include: yellow symbolizing the solemn empire, golden or silver
colors symbolizing prosperity, red color representing excitement while its scales and tail are
mostly beautiful silver colors and glittering at all times which provides a feeling of joyous
atmosphere. As the Dragon dance is not performed every day, the cloth of the dragon is to be
removed and to have a new touch of ultra-paint before the next performance.

Performance
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding
citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
(January 2014)

Members of the Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne performing for Chinese New Year, at
Crown Casino, demonstrate a basic "corkscrew" trick
The dragon dance is performed by a skilled team whose job is to bring the motionless body to
life. The correct combination and proper timing of the different parts of the dragon are very
important to make a successful dance. Any mistakes made by even some of the performers would

spoil the whole performance. To be very successful in the dance, the head of the Dragon must be
able to coordinate with the body movement to match the timing of the drum. For larger
ceremonial and parade style dragons, the head can weigh as much as 12 katis (14.4 kg, almost
32 lb). The dragon tail also has an important role to play as it will have to keep in time with head
movements. The fifth section is considered to be the middle portion and the performers must be
very alert as the body movements change from time to time. The dragon is often led by a person
holding a spherical object representing a pearl.

Fire dragon dance

The patterns of the dragon dance are choreographed according to the skills and experiences
acquired by the performers. Some of the patterns of the dragon dance are "Cloud Cave",
"Whirlpool", T'ai chi pattern, "threading the money", "looking for pearl", and "dragon encircling
the pillar". The movement "dragon chasing the pearl" shows that the dragon is continually in the
pursuit of wisdom.
The dragon moves in a wave-like pattern achieved by the co-ordinated swinging of each section
in succession. Whilst this swinging constitutes the basic movement of the dragon, executing
more complex formations is only limited by a teams creativity. The patterns and tricks that are
performed generally involve running into spiralled formations to make the dragon body turn and
twist on itself. This causes performers to jump over or through the dragons body sections,
adding to the visual display. Other advanced manoeuvres include various corkscrew-like rotating
tricks and more acrobatic moves where the performers stand on each other's legs and shoulders
to increase the height of the dragons movements.

A double dragon dance at Chongqing, China in September 2002 during a week-long celebration
of China's National Day

Performing in a dragon dance team incorporates several elements and skills; it is something of a
cross-over activity, combining the training and mentality of a sports team with the stagecraft and
flair of a performing arts troupe. The basic skills are simple to learn, however to become a
competent performer takes dedicated training until movements become second nature and
complex formations can be achieved which rely not only on the skill of the individual member,
but on concentration by the team as a whole to move in co-operation.
A double dragon dance, rarely seen in Western exhibitions, involves two troupes of dancers
intertwining the dragons. Even rarer are dances with the full array of nine dragons, since nine is a
"perfect" number. Such dances involve large number of participants from various organizations,
and are often only possible under the auspices of a regional or national government.

Competition
A number of dragon dance competitions have been organized around the world. In competition
performances however, there are strict rules governing the specifications of the dragon body and
the routine performed, and so dragons made for these events and what are mostly seen in the
impressive stage shows are made for speed and agility, to be used by the performing team for
maximum trick difficulty. In these dragons, the head is smaller and light enough to be whipped
around, and must be a minimum of 3 kg, the body pieces are a light aluminium with cane and the
majority of the hoops will be very thin PVC tubing. Performances are typically 8- to 10-minute
routines with an accompanying percussion set.
In more recent times, luminous dragons whereby the dragons are painted with luminous paints
that fluoresce under black light are also used in competition.

In literature
Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poem "The Great Chinese Dragon", published in his 1961 anthology
Starting from San Francisco was inspired by the dragon dance. Gregory Stephenson says the
dragon " represents 'the force and mystery of life,' the true sight that 'sees the spiritual
everywhere translucent in the material world.'"[18] Earl Lovelace's novel "The dragon can't dance"
uses the theme of the Carnival dance to explore social change and history in the West Indies.[19]
Arthur Ransome incorporates dragon dances in his children's book Missee Lee. part of the
Swallows and Amazons series, which is set in 1930s China.

See also

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance

Notes
1.

 "Dragon Dance". Cultural China.

Lihui Yang, Deming An (2008). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. Oxford University
Press. p. 104. ISBN 978-0195332636.
Jeremy Roberts (2004). Chinese Mythology A to Z: [A Young Reader's Companion].
Facts on File. p. 31. ISBN 9780816048700.
Lihui Yang, Deming An (2008). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. Oxford University
Press. pp. 107108. ISBN 978-0195332636.
"". Chinese Text Project.
Richard Gunde (2001). Culture and Customs of China. Greenwood. p. 104. ISBN 9780313361180.
Faye Chunfang Fei, ed. (2002). Chinese Theories of Theater and Performance from
Confucius to the Present. University of Michigan Press. pp. 2425. ISBN 978-0472089239.
"".
Wang Kefen (1985). The History of Chinese Dance. China Books & Periodicals. pp. 25
27. ISBN 978-0835111867.
. p. 688. ISBN 9579086826.
"/".
Lihui Yang, Deming An (2008). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. Oxford University
Press. p. 109. ISBN 978-0195332636.
Luo Li (2014). Intellectual Property Protection of Traditional Cultural Expressions:
Folklore in China. Springer. p. 141. ISBN 978-3319045245.
Wang Kefen (1985). The History of Chinese Dance. China Books & Periodicals. p. 103.
ISBN 978-0835111867.
"A brief history of Zhanjiang Dragons Dance". The Zhanjiang Travel & Tourism Portal.
Janet Descutner. Asian Dance. Chelsea House Publishing. p. 100. ISBN 9781604134780.
"New Guinness Record dragon dance solidifies friendship between Chinese, Canadian
cities". China Daily. 1 October 2012.
"Ferlinghetti, Lawrence (Vol. 111) - Introduction". eNotes.com. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
1.

Daryl Cumber Dance (1986). Fifty Caribbean writers: a bio-bibliographical

critical sourcebook. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 282. ISBN 0-313-23939-8.

External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dragon dance.

Lion Directory Worldwide Lion & Dragon Dance Resource Centre