Product Code Database
Lion dance (first=t) is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a Asiatic lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. The lion dance is usually performed during the Chinese New Year and other 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 honor special guests by the Chinese communities.
The Chinese lion dance is normally performed by two dancers, one of whom manipulates the head while the other manipulates the tail of the lion. It is distinguishable from the dragon dance which is performed by many people who hold the long sinuous body of the dragon on poles. Some fundamental movements of the lion dance can be found in Chinese martial arts, and it is commonly performed to a vigorous drumbeat with gongs and cymbals.
There are many forms of lion dance in China, but two main forms of the lion dance are the Northern Lion and the Southern Lion. Around the world, especially in Southeast Asia, the Southern Lion predominates as it was spread by Overseas Chinese communities who are historically mostly of Southern Chinese origin. Versions of lion dance related to the Chinese lion are also found in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Besides the Chinese-based lion dance, other forms of lion dance also exist in India, Indonesia, and East Africa.
However, the lion is not native to China (a species found in Northeast China, Panthera youngi, had long become extinct), and the lion dance therefore has been suggested to have originated outside of China from countries such as India or Persia, and introduced via Central Asia. According to ethnomusicologist Laurence Picken, the Chinese word for lion itself, shi (獅, written as 師 in the early periods), may have been derived from the Persian word šer. The earliest use of the word shizi to mean "lion" was in Han dynasty texts and had strong associations with Central Asia (an even earlier but obsolete term for lion was suanni (狻麑 or ), and lions were presented to the Han dynasty by emissaries from Central Asia and the Parthian Empire.
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. In early periods, it was associated with Buddhism: it was recorded in a Northern Wei text, Description of Buddhist Temples in Luoyang (洛陽伽藍記), that a parade for a statue of Buddha of a temple was led by a lion to drive away evil spirits. An alternative suggestion is therefore that the dance may have developed from a local Chinese tradition that appropriated the Buddhist symbolism of the lion.
There were different versions of the dance in the Tang dynasty. In the Tang court, the lion dance was called the "Great Peace Music" (太平樂, Taiping yue) or the "lion dance of the Five Directions" (五方師子舞) where five large lions of different colours and expressing different moods were each led and manipulated on rope by two persons, and accompanied by 140 singers. Original text: 太平樂，亦謂之五方師子舞。師子摯獸，出於西南夷天竺、師子等國。綴毛為衣，象其俛仰馴狎之容。二人持繩拂，為習弄之狀。五師子各依其方色，百四十人歌太平樂，舞抃以從之，服飾皆作崑崙象。 In another account, the 5 lions were described as each over 3 metres tall and each had 12 "lion lads", who may tease the lions with red whisks. Another version of the lion dance was described by the Tang poet Bai Juyi in his poem "Western Liang Arts" (西凉伎), where the dance was performed by two hu (胡, 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. 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 China originating in the Guangdong province. There are a number of myths associated with the origin of the Southern Lion: one story relates that the dance originated as a celebration in a village where a mythical monster called Nian was successfully driven away; 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.
Other ethnic minority groups in China also have their own lion dances: for example, the lion dance of the Hui people in Shenqiu County in Henan called the Wen Lion, the lion dance in Yongdeng County, Gansu, and Yongning County and Wuzhong, Ningxia, the lion dance of Tianyang, Baise, Guangxi, the lion dance of Guizhou, the lion dance of Yunnan, the lion dance of Xiangxi, Hunan, and the lion dance of Huangpi, Wuhan, Hubei, the lion dance of Feixi County, Hefei, Anhui. There are other related forms of dances with mask figures that represent mythical creatures such as the Qilin and the Pixiu. The Qilin dance and the Pixiu dance are most commonly performed by the Hakka people who were originally from Central China, but have largely settled in the south of China and southeast Asia in modern times.
Chinese lion dances usually involve two dancers but may also be performed by one. The larger lions manipulated by two persons may be referred to as great lions (太獅), and those manipulated by one person little lions (少獅). The performances may also be broadly divided into civil (文獅) and martial (武獅) styles. The civil style emphasizes the character and mimics and behaviour of the lion, while the martial style is focused on acrobatics and energetic movements. Various forms of lion dance are also widely found in East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, as well as in communities in the Himalayas region.
It is said that the Northern Lion may have originated from Northern Wei, when Hu dancers performed the dance for the emperor, and it was referred to as Northern Lion by the Song dynasty. Northern lions resemble Pekingese or Foo Dogs/Fu Dogs, and their movements are lifelike during a performance. Acrobatics is 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.
There are two main styles of Southern Lion: the Fut San or Foshan (links=no), and the Hok San or He Shan (links=no), both named after their place of origin. Other 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). The different lion types can be identified from the design of the lion head.
The Hok San style was introduced to Singapore in the 1920s by Li Yi Sheng (t=李怡生), a disciple of Feng. He played a key role in founding the Singapore Hok San Association Lion Dance Troupe (t=新加坡鶴山會館武術醒獅團). The style gained popularity in Singapore and saw widespread adoption across Malaysia and beyond.
The word "lân" originates from "kỳ lân" (qilin), making "múa lân" a general term for the arts. It is believed that various types of lion dance were introduced to Vietnam over time by Chinese traders and migrants, and were gradually adapted into Vietnamese cultural practices.
There are distinct local forms that differ in appearance and performance, for example, the lion dances of the Tay people and Nùng minority people. A court version of the dance is performed at the Duyet Thi Duong Theatre within the grounds of the royal palace in Huế.
The lion dance has been absorbed into Japanese tradition. There are many different lion dances in Japan and the style of dancing and design of the lion may differ by region – it is believed that as many as 9,000 variations of the dance exist in the country. 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, the yamabushi kagura, a type of theatrical performance done by yamabushi ascetics, and also in bangaku and others. Various forms of shishi dances are also found in noh, kabuki (where the lion dances form a group of plays termed shakkyōmono, examples include Renjishi), and bunraku theatres.
The Japanese lion usually consists of a wooden, lacquered head called a shishi-gashira (), 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. The one-man variety is most often seen in eastern Japan. 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 shishi written with different kanji characters can mean beast, deer, or wild boar, for example as in shishi-odori (鹿踊, ). Historically, the word shishi may refer to any wild four-legged animal, and some of these dances with different beasts may therefore also be referred to as shishi-mai. The dance may also sometimes feature Tiger dance ( tora) or qilin ( kirin).
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.
Lion dance as an exorcism ritual began to be performed in the New Year in Korea during the Goryeo dynasty.National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (2015). 9788963257358, Gil-Job-Ie Media. . ISBN 9788963257358 The best known of the Korean saja-noreum lion dances is the Bukcheong sajanoreum or lion mask play from Bukcheong. In this lion dance, the lion with a large but comic lion mask and brown costume may be performed together with performers wearing other masks. The dancers may be accompanied by musicians playing a double-headed drum, an hourglass-shaped drum, a large gong, and a six-holed bamboo flute. The dance was originally performed every night of the 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 to expel evil spirits and attract good luck for the coming year. The eyes of the lion mask may be painted gold to expel negative spirits. The lion masks of Pongsan and Gangnyeong may feature rolling eyes and bells meant to frighten demons when they make a sound as the lion moves. It is also believed that children who sat on the back of the lion during such performances would enjoy good health and a long life.
The snow lion is regarded as an emblem of Tibet, and the Snow Lion dance is popularly performed in Tibetan communities during festivals such as the ritual dance (Cham dance) festival and the New Year. The snow lion represents the snowy mountain ranges and glaciers of Tibet and is considered highly auspicious, and it may also symbolize a number of characteristics, such as power and strength, and fearlessness and joy. Some local versions of the Snow Lion dance may also have been influenced by Chinese lion dance in the Sino-Tibetan borderland – for example, it was recorded that the local chief in Songpan County, Sichuan, gave a lion costume to the Jamyang Zhépa II of the Amdo region in the 18th century. The Snow Lion dance may be performed as a secular dance or as a ritual dance performed by bon monks.
In Songi Mukhawate or Songi Mukhota dance, a masked folk dance from Maharastra performed during Chaitra Purnima, Navaratri, and other special occasions, the lion costumes may also be used. The lion costumes represent Narasimha. In Honnavar Taluk in Uttara Kannada, a lion dance called simha nrutya may be performed in Yakshagana plays. The dancers wear a cotton mask that resembles a lion with two silver fangs, and dance in imitation of the movements and behaviour of lions.
In Hindu Balinese culture, the Barong is the king of good spirits and the enemy of the demon queen Rangda. The Javanese Reog typically involves two dancers called Juru Saluk. In Ponorogo in Java, the Reog dance involves a lion figure known as the singa barong. A single dancer, or warok, carries the heavy lion mask, about 30–40 kg in weight, with their teeth, and may also carry an adolescent boy or girl on its head. The mask, which may span over 2.5 meters, has gained recognition as the world's largest mask.
Another form of Indonesian lion dance is called Sisingaan from West Java. Sisingaan is marked by a form of a lion-shaped effigy palanquin that is carried by a group of dancers who perform various attractions accompanied by traditional music. The dance is usually performed to celebrate the circumcision ceremony, where the circumcised child is carried on a lion around the kampung (village).
The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to any business that receives one. 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. The lion dance troupes are sometimes accompanied by various characters such as the Big Head Buddha.
The Ngee Ann City National Lion Dance Championships are an annual competition in Singapore, launched in the 1990s, held at Ngee Ann City on Orchard Road.
During the Suharto era in Indonesia, public expression of Chinese culture was also banned in accord with anti-communism sentiment, and the barongsai (lion dance) procession was considered "provocative" and "an affront to Indonesian nationalism". This ban was however overturned after the collapse of the Suharto regime in 1998, with then-president Abdurrahman Wahid lifting the ban. Nevertheless, the occasional local banning of the lion dance still occurred.
During the 1950s–60s, in some areas with high populations of Chinese and Asian communities (especially Chinatowns in many foreign countries outside of China), people who joined lion dance troupes were considered "gangster-like". This caused a lot of fighting between lion dance troupes and kung fu schools. A few performers hid daggers in their shoes and clothes, which could be used to injure other lion dancers' legs. At one point, the Hong Kong government banned lion dances completely. More recently, lion dance troupes must attain a permit from the government in order to perform lion dance. It has been argued that the regulation was implemented to prevent lawbreakers from being involved. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) stated that lion dances involving the "cai qing" ritual are not allowed to take place in condominiums and inside units during Chinese New Year. BCA also urged the Management Corporation Strata Titles (MCSTs) to increase surveillance at common areas during the festivities.
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 Once Upon a Time in China IV. The series' main actor, Jet Li, has performed as a lion dancer in several of his films, including Northern Lion dancing in Shaolin Temple, , , and Southern Lion dancing in Once Upon a Time in China III and Once Upon a Time in China and America.
Other films include The Young Master, Dancing Lion, The Lion Men, , I Am What I Am and I Am What I Am 2. Northern Lion dancing appears in Disney's 1998 film Mulan, when the Hun villains sneak into the imperial city disguised as a large imperial lion. Lion dance has also appeared in popular music videos, such as Chinese hip hop group Higher Brothers music video for their single "Open It Up", Adam Lambert's music video "If I Had You", and Zayn Malik featuring Sia's music video "Dusk Till Dawn". It has also appeared in a music video "True To Your Heart" by 98 Degrees featuring Stevie Wonder, which was used to advertise the 1998 film Mulan.
In 2014, the film The Great Lion: Kun Seng Keng (first=t) was released, based on the true story of Muar's Kun Seng Keng lion dance troupe and its members, including multi-time world champion Chong Kok Fu.
The version 4.4 of the video game Genshin Impact introduced the playable character Yip Gaming, a "Wushou Dance" performer, which is Liyue's version of the lion dance. In Honkai Star Rail, Diting is a type of Ingenium lion-dog created by the Xianzhou Artisanship Commission, which resembles the type of lion-dogs seen in the Lion dance. Another video game, Wuthering Waves, features the character Lingyang, a "Liondancer" from the city of Jinzhou.
The Elden Ring downloadable content introduces a new boss type known as the "Divine Beast Dancing Lion". Its appearance is akin to that of the Chinese Northern Lion. During the second phase of the battle, the Lion jumps into the sky and enters three elemental forms: lightning, ice, and wind.
|
|
