The lion dance is a traditional dance performed during Chinese New Year, other Chinese holidays and major celebrations to bring good fortune. This dance was first recorded in the Treatise on Rites and Music of the Book of Han, a history book of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24). There are also many vivid descriptions of this tradition in classic Chinese poetry.

There are two schools of lion dance in China-the northern and the southern. Guangdong lion dance, which belongs to the southern school, features martial arts and energetic movements, and the image of the lion is more vigorous and fierce. This custom appeared in Guangdong province in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and remains popular in Foshan, Suixi and Guangzhou.

Guangdong lion dance is a traditional sport that integrates martial arts, dance and music. A performer does a set of southern fist, also called southern boxing or nanquan, accompanied by the sound of drums and gongs to start the performance, and two performers, covered by a lion costume, comes on stage guided by a dancer with a mask.

Guangdong lion dance [Photo/by.gov.cn]

During the performance, dancers control the body of the lion and mimic the movements of opening eyes, washing whiskers, licking fur and shaking its head. The most attractive part of the dance is “cai qing", which means plucking the greens. In this section, the lion jumps on poles and reaches for green lettuce and red envelopes hung high above, eats them and spits them out to spread fortune and wealth to the audience.

Since ancient times, Guangdong lion dance has been regarded as an auspicious rite to ward off evil spirits and has been passed down for generations. This tradition has become Guangdong’s cultural icon.

Lion dance is also common in overseas Chinese communities and has become a cultural bridge for overseas compatriots to find their origins. It is considered to be a tradition with far-reaching cultural value.