Chinese Lion Dance – An Article by Josh Haigh

Chinese Lion Dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, which is often confused with Chinese Dragon Dance. It is easy to tell them apart, as Lion Dance has only two performers, and their faces are covered, since they are inside the lion costume. Dragon dance has many performers who hold the dragon up above them on poles.

Lion dances can be broadly categorised into Chinese Northern and Chinese Southern, although there are distinct Lion Dances in Taiwan, Okinawa, Korea and Japan.

The Chinese Northern Lion Dance was used as entertainment for the imperial court and elsewhere. The northern lion is usually red, orange and yellow (sometimes with green fur for the female lion), shaggy in appearance, with a golden head. The northern dance is acrobatic and may include dangerous stunts, and is usually performed with a pair of lions.

The Chinese Southern Lion Dance is more symbolic. The lion is considered to be a tame demon, and is used to scare away all other demons and evil spirits and to summon luck and fortune. The Chinese southern lion exhibits a wide variety of colour and has a distinctive head with large eyes (of an eagle), a mirror on the forehead (demons are supposedly scared of their own reflection), and a single horn at centre of the head (the horn of a unicorn).

During the Chinese New Year, lion dancer 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 ching”, literally means “plucking the greens”, a quest by the lion to pluck the auspicious green, normally vegetables like lettuce which in Chinese is called ‘cái’ that sounds like ‘cái'(fortune) and auspicious fruit like oranges tied to a red envelope or red packet containing money; either hung up high or just put on a table in front of the premises. The lion will dance and approach the green and red packet like a curious cat, to “eat the green” and “spit” it out either scattering the green and associated good luck amongst the audience, owners and guests, or leaving it in a nice arrangement, like an auspicious character but remembering to keep the red packet! The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the troupe is rewarded with the red packet.

Chinese Lion Dance is not just performed during the Chinese New Year, it can be done at any event that requires a helping of good luck or fortune, such as a wedding, birthday, opening of a new business, visiting dignitaries, and so on.

The Chinese Southern Lion Dance can be subdivided into various types of Lion Dance, which are Fo Shan (Buddha Mountain), He shan (Crane Mountain), Fo-He (minor style that exhibits a hybrid of Fo Shan and He Shan).

There are three main types of lion (as opposed to types of lion dance), which are Lui Bei, Guan Gong and Zhang Fei, historical figures from the Three Kingdoms period.

The Lui Bei 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) with black as one of them which encompasses the colours 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. There are three coins on the collar. This lion is also known as Rui shih or The Auspicious Lion.

The Guan Gong lion has a red based face, black bristles, with a long black 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 also known as Hsing Shih or the Awakened Lion. This lion is generally used by most.

The Zhang 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 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 an additional three Lions were added to the group:

The Green faced lion represented Zhao Yun or Zhao Zi Long. He has a green tail with 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 Cao’s million man army and rescued Liu Bei’s infant and fought his way back out.

The Yellow (yellow/orange) face and body with white beard represented Huang Zhong, and was given this colour when Liu Bei rose to become Emperor. This lion is called the Righteous Lion.

The white colour lion is known as Ma Chao, he was assigned this colour 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 a funeral for the Sifu or some important head of the group, and in such cases it is usually burned right after. Even if it is properly stored, it is not something one would want to keep, as it is symbolically inauspicious to have around.

These three along with Guan Gong and Zhang Fei were known as the “Five Tiger Generals of Shun,” each representing one of the colours of the five elements, with the Lui Bei lion being the emperor and in control of all five elements.

Chinese lion dance is an important part of Chinese culture, which this club is helping to keep alive through our training and performances. Words can’t do justice to describe the way it feels to be a part of it. But I’ll try! The drum is loud and hypnotic, leading the musical cacophony, and once you’ve caught the beat it stays with you forever. The lion is the heart of the performance, interacting with the audience, being driven on by the drum and making it all look effortless, despite burning thighs and aching backs. Once you have been privileged enough to be part of a lion dance performance, there is no looking back, you’re hooked! FREE lion dance lessons on Sunday morning; shouldn’t you be there too?

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