The Lion dance (simplified Chinese: 舞狮; traditional Chinese: 舞獅; pinyin: wǔshī) is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a costume of the same. Chinese New Year's celebrations would not be the same without this energetic performance with its distinctive drum and cymbal accompaniment (now available as a smart-phone application....).
Combined with fireworks, red-gold decorations and great feasting it is in some ways the living spirit of Chinese New Year celebrations. Which is strange considering that lions (and big cats generally) are not native to China...
From whence does this tradition and this symbol come? What does it symbolise? Is there a story, a thousand year history? But of course. (This is a Chinese cultural icon after all.)
The exact origins of the lion dance are naturally lost to the mists of time - perhaps starting sometime in the Han Dynasty when exotic beasts and their symbolic representations were first presented at the Imperial Court having travelled from the West along the famous Silk Routes.Representational dances born of descriptions of these strange beasts soon followed and were taken up across China.
Eventually two distinct styles emerged - the Northern and the Southern styles. The geographic dividing line between these two styles roughly follows where the Yangtze river flows.
However, thanks to the predominance of 'Cantonese' modes and cultural models outside of mainland China, it is the Southern style that much of the world is familiar with.
And for the formalised modern incarnation that one sees today the blame can be mostly laid at the foot of one man: the "Canton Lion King", Feng Geng Zhang (冯庚长).
According to records, Zhang was born in a village near the city of He Shan in the province of Guangdong, Southern China.. He Shan was famous for its 'He Shan' style lion dance, which had grown to popularity in many areas of China because of its richness of expression, unique footwork, magnificent-looking costume and the vigorous drumming style used. The He Shan style is the first recognised 'style' of which there are now five, each with their own character.
Zhang's father was a secular disciple of a Shaolin Temple, and instructed his son in martial arts as well as the He Shan tradition of the lion dance at an early age. Later, moving to Fo Shan (another city in Guangdong), Zhang continued his study of martial arts and also of the Southern lion dances. Returning to his hometown Zhang set up his own training hall, teaching and researching the art of lion dance and its related school of martial arts. Zhang developed the role of animal mimicry within the dance following the study of the behaviour of cats around the school. The game of "cat and mouse" was incorporated, as were the various movements such as 'catching mouse', 'playing', 'catching birds', 'high escape', 'lying low' and 'rolling'.
Zhang's school of Lion Dance also made changes to the body of the Fo Shan lion, improving the decorative detail and over-all strength of construction. With the more agile foot work, dynamic movements, eye-catching colours and faster rhythm of the "Seven Star Drums" this new style soon eclipsed in popularity that of its ancestor, the He Shan style. This became the second style, and is called the Hoksan Lion style, easily recognised by the more-cat-than-lion behaviour of the lion.
Later styles (Futthock, Jow Ga and Tou Pai) emerged as students of the various masters developed their own approaches, but these are mostly only variations in costume design, drumming rhythm and slightly different moves.
So much for the various styles of the traditional Lion Dance. But what of its cultural, social, and historical significance within the realm of 1930s Shanghai, the focus of our intermittent blog postings?
It is worth pointing out that the Chinese word for Lion Dance 'wushi' is not that dissimilar to the word for martial arts, 'wushu' - in fact the Lion Dance is in many ways an extension of traditional Chinese martial art forms - particularly the styles practiced during the period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) by Shaolin monks in Guangdong province. (Perhaps the most famous of these martial arts practitioners were the Ten Tigers of Canton who lived at the end of this period - the end of the 19th Century. They were said to be the best fighters in southern China at that time.)
Many Chinese martial arts incorporate animal mimicry into their forms (Eagle Claw, Five Animals, Monkey, Praying Mantis, White Crane, etc, to name a few), a source of inspiration that is central to the display that is Lion Dancing. In truth, most lion dancers are martial art members from a local kung fu club or school. They practice the dance in their club as yet another branch of martial art. In general, the perception is that if a school has a capable troupe with many 'lions', it demonstrates the success of the school.
The Lions of the Republican Period
In 1900–01, the 'Righteous and Harmonious Fists' (a secret society/brotherhood) rose against foreign occupiers and Christian missionaries in China. This uprising is known in the West as the Boxer Rebellion due to the martial arts and calisthenics practiced by the rebels.
Though it originally opposed the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the Empress Dowager Cixi gained control of the rebellion and tried to use it against the foreign powers. The failure of the rebellion led ten years later to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the creation of the Chinese Republic. [For further background on this particularly story refer to our account of 'Chinese Gordon and the Ever Victorious Cocktail]
The present state of Chinese martial arts is strongly influenced by the events of the Republican Period (1912–1949). In the transition period between the fall of the Qing Dynasty as well as the turmoils of the Japanese invasion and the Chinese Civil War, Chinese martial arts became more accessible to the general public as many martial artists were encouraged to openly teach their art. At that time, some considered martial arts as a means to promote national pride and build a strong nation. As a result, many training manuals were published, training academies created, two national examinations were organised and demonstration teams travelled overseas. Numerous martial arts associations were formed throughout China and in various overseas Chinese communities. In 1936, at the 11th Olympic Games in Berlin, a group of Chinese martial artists demonstrated their art to an international audience for the first time.
The term Kuoshu (or Guoshu, 國術 meaning "national art"), rather than the colloquial term gongfu (Kung fu) was introduced by the Kuomintang during this period in an effort to more closely associate Chinese martial arts with national pride rather than individual accomplishment.
During the Shanghai of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s various secret societies and 'brotherhoods' operated, usually as complex business operations that branched out into 'cultural' activities. These societies often operated through and around martial arts schools. More often than not there was a criminal element to a lesser or greater degree. An example might be a local trade and import business that also does opium dealing and bootlegging as a side-line - they may have ties to a martial arts society from whom they draw their man power for certain jobs. This martial arts society may, at certain times of year, field a lion dance troupe to maintain or grow the social prestige of their society over another similar society or brotherhood... with this complex web of allegiances and influences it was not unusual for emotion to run high.
Sometimes, if lions from different martial arts schools met the lions were supposed to fight to decide a winner. The lions were meant to fight with stylistic lion moves instead of chaotic street fighting styles. The audience would then 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 somewhat fierce. 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 lion’s forehead, which could be used to slash other lion heads.
[This aggressive side to Lion Dancing continued right up until the late 1960's and got so bad that at one point, the Hong Kong government had to temporarily put a stop to lion dances completely.]
In the even more tense atmosphere of 1920's and 30's Shanghai the mock battles of two opposing lion dance troupes could easily end in flashing knives, street-fighting and bloodshed as scores were settled and criminal or even political primacy was established (many of the Shanghai gangs being involved at some level or another with the various political factions jockeying for position in the city of the time).
It is for this reason that at regular intervals the authorities would clamp down on the various secret societies and martial arts schools, simultaneously imposing a ban on lion dances which were the most obvious evidence of the operation of a martial arts school. Supposedly this was to impose order, but, given the corrupt nature of much of Shanghai's political and administrative institutions this often coincided with the settling of personal scores or the furtherance of one criminal outfit's goals at the expense of another's.
From the 1920's onwards this all took on a new dimension as various groups vied for control of the destiny of China. Republicans, Nationalists, Communists, criminal gangs, foreign powers... all, to some degree or other, either clamped down on or actively backed the martial arts schools that had provided the teams of lion dancers. By extension, cultural gatherings like celebrations that involved lion dances were also banned.
Under the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and beyond from 1931 until the end of WWII the banning of secret societies, brotherhoods, and martial arts schools (and therefore cultural displays like lion dances) took on a meaning beyond that of mere imposition of martial law and the calculated attempt to reduce the risk of an organised uprising. - There was additionally an element of cultural repression leading to the sometimes invoked metaphor of the Chinese people as a 'sleeping lion' (the 'sleeping lion' being one of the formulaic poses used in a lion dance) - then, as China threw off its foreign shackles and charted its own destiny, the description changed to that of an 'awakened lion' (another set pose of the lion dance). Such imagery was actively promoted by the Kuomintang so that to perform the Lion Dance was seen as an act of defiance and self-assertion in the face of adversity.
For those who missed the Lion Dance performed at Ancestral as part of the Chinese New Year festivities here is a short video of this venerable lion performing the cai ching ('plucking the greens') which brings good fortune to the business for the coming year.
The Many Shades of Lion...
An important element of each lion dance is the personality of each lion, for there are many different types of lion. Lion costumes are identified by the colours used in their construction and the general detailing.
Firstly there are the three basic types of lions, recognised by their colours: The golden lion, representing liveliness; the red lion, representing courage; and the green lion, representing friendship.
Lion costumes can also be distinguished by the colour of the fur.
The lion with the white coloured fur is considered to be the oldest of the lions. The lion with the gold or yellow fur is the considered to be the middle child, while the black coloured lion is considered to be the youngest lion. Each type of lion will move in ways that reflect their supposed age.
Three other famous lion types represent characters from Chinese history and which were recorded in the martial classic, Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Liu Bei, Guan Gong (Cantonese: Kwan Kung) and Zhang Fei. These three were blood oath brothers that swore to restore the Han dynasty.
The Liu Bei (Cantonese: Lau Pei) lion is the eldest of the three brothers and has a yellow-based face with white beard and fur (to denote his wisdom). This yellow is actually an 'imperial shade' as Bei became the first emperor of the Shu-Han Kingdom. This lion's decoration involves a multi-coloured tail encompassing 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. The collar of this lion has three coins attached. This lion is used by schools with an established "Sifu" (Martial art master) or organisation and is known as Rui shih (Shui Shi) or The Auspicious Lion. A slight shift in the pronunciation of the Chinese character for 'Auspicious' will transform this lion into the 'Sleeping' Lion described above as a political metaphor.
The Guan Gong (Cantonese: Kwan Kung) lion has a red-based face, black bristles and a long black beard (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 therefore has two coins on his collar) and is known as Hsing Shih (Shing Shi) or the 'Awakened' Lion (see above). This lion is one of the commonest ones used by lion dance troupes.
The Zhang Fei (Cantonese: Cheung Fei) lion has a black-based face with short black beard, small ears, and black bristles. The tail is also 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 was 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 family.
The Green faced lion represented Zhao Yun or Zhao (Cantonese: Chiu) 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 (Cantonese: Wong Tsung), we was given this colour when Liu Bei rose to become Emperor. This lion is called the Righteous Lion.
The white coloured lion is known as Ma Chao (Cantonese: Ma Chiu). 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. It is sometimes though, 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 colours of the five elements.
During Chinese New Years and festivals
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 before finally dancing through the streets to bring happiness to all the people.
The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people. Also, in a lion dance, the performers' faces are covered, since they are inside the lion. In a dragon dance, the performers can be seen since the dragon is held upon poles.
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" (採青), literally means "plucking the greens".
Lettuce is in Chinese called 'cái'(菜) which sounds rather like 'cái'(财)meaning 'fortune'. Otherwise, auspicious fruit like oranges might be used. In either case there will often be tied to them a red envelope containing money which is suspended up high or just put on a table in front of the premises. The lion will dance and approach the 'greens' and red envelope like a curious cat. Next the lion will "eat the green" before spitting it out or leaving it in an arrangement shaped like an auspicious character. The lion keeps the red envelope. The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the red envelope is the troupe's reward.
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" (青) 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.
