Modern Views Today, Lion Dancing is not found in many American Gung Fu schools, but in China it is hard to find one that doesn't perform this important act. About the Author Julie Hoylen is a home and fashion stylist living and working in the greater New York City area. The lion out of gratitude becomes a disciple of Buddhism. Traditions and Activities Every holiday has its own set of activities. As a result of my ongoing personal studies into the topics covered in this paper, it has been extensively revised and updated with new material and references added and corrections made to the original. The Lantern Festival The 15th day of the new year, called the Lantern Festival marks the end of the new year festivities. 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 Lantern Festival is also the first full moon night in the Chinese calendar, marking the return of spring and symbolizing the reunion of family. Closing The quest is over and the blessing is given, so the lion comes to the end of his routine. It symbolises supernatural power, goodness, fertility, vigilance and dignity. The Huang Joon has a full yellow tail with white trim. Lions of Lion dance as an exorcism ritual began to be performed in the New Year in Korea during the dynasty. Chinese lion dances usually involve two dancers but may also be performed by one. As in many religions, an tithe or offering of some sort is required as a sign of gratefulness for the blessing.
Eating Tangyuan Yuanxiao Eating tangyuan is an important custom of the Lantern Festival. What Lion Dances Symbolize In Chinese culture, the lion symbolizes power, wisdom, and superiority. Works Cited Advanced Lion Dances of China. 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. Hermansen of the Religious Studies department at San Diego State University as a term paper on ways of understanding religious ritual. It is believed to have originated in the anti- movements after the fall of the in 1644. They were thus supposed to drive out evil forces and the cold of the winter.
There are celebrations from the last day of the old year to the 15th day of the new year. Some people also wear a specific clothingthat you are supposed to wear for New Year's. The dragon tail also has an important role to play as it will have to keep in time with head movements. When the festival comes, lanterns of various shapes and sizes traditional globes, fish, dragons, goats! Instruments synchronize to the lion dance movements and actions. They visit stores, restaurants and businesses.
The lion in turn will play with, chase, or even bite and kick the buddha depending on its mood. There are usually two performers in one adult lion, and one in the young lion. For larger ceremonial and parade style dragons, the head can weigh as much as 12 14. This suggests to me that there is a deeper link on the subconscious level. The Lion Dance is enacted by two dancers. Therefore the very idea of a lion must have been imported from somewhere else.
The Hok San Lion has a straight mouth, a curved horn, and a short tail, the Fat San lion has a curved mouth, a pointed horn, and a long tail. Pháºt Giáo Hòa Háo Texas. The winner lion would then use creative methods and martial art skills to reach the high-hanging reward. The audience would judge the quality of the martial art schools according to how the lions fought. To be happy all the year: Don't swear or quarrel. The dance is typically accompanied by and. During training sessions for fighters, the Green lion was fitted with blades symbolizing the Manchurian army and would become a moving target for trainees.
The patterns and tricks that are performed generally involve running into spiralled formations to make the dragon body turn and twist on itself. Opinions about the origin of Chinese lion dance are widely divided. The movements in a performance traditionally symbolize historical roles of dragons demonstrating power and dignity. A mirror is attached to the head of the lion. Ever since they got thisinformation, they started painting their doors red along withfireworks. Photo © Valeska Gehrmann The appearance of the lion and the color of the fur has a symbolism to it as well.
Since this is the blessing, it is the perfect blessing. Dragons can range in length from as little as 2 metres 10 ft operated by two people for small displays, around 25 to 35 metres 80 to 110 ft for the more acrobatic models, and up to 50 to 70 metres 160 to 230 ft for the larger parade and ceremonial styles. The dance is based on traditional Kung fu footwork, kicks, and stances so both participants must have a solid background in Kung fu. The lion dance is also accompanied by the music of a large drum, gong and cymbals, and the popping of firecrackers. 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. One holds the head and the other the body of the Lion. Preface to the Second Edition This paper was originally submitted to Dr.