THE ORIGIN OF THE LION DANCE
& THE LEGEND OF THE NIAN
Ever seen a Lion Dance and wondered how it all began?
14 January 2018
Share this:
It was said a long time ago in China, a terrible monster called a Nian Shou would descend upon a village to terrorise its inhabitants come every spring.
Eventually the villagers decided to fight back by creating a beast of their own by crafting its head out of a bamboo mesh covered by colourful pieces of paper, and a body made of a triangular piece of cloth.
When the Nian Shou appeared next, two men wearing the beast costume came charging out while the rest of the villagers created a racket by banging on pots and pans. Getting a taste of its own medicine, the startled Nian Shou fled and was never seen again. To celebrate the momentous occasion, the villagers re-enacted the event every spring. Thus the Lion Dance became embedded as a part of Chinese New Year’s cultural mythos.
Whether there was any truth in this charming little tale, the Lion Dance today has become a main fixture in Chinese New Year. Although performances may be held throughout the entire year, it is held more regularly during the lunar new year season, especially on days when businesses reopen after the long holidays.
For most Lion Dance performers, this is probably one of their busiest times on the calendar and it’s not uncommon to see troupes hitting various locations in a single day during this period. Many see it as a cultural tradition and spectacle, while others see it as a form of athletic sport.
While neither views are wrong, its true significance actually goes a little deeper than that.
DANCING WITH LIONS
The origin of the Lion Dance has a longer history that goes back thousands of years beyond the simple folktale of the Nian Shou. There have been records of masked dances being performed in the palaces of ancient China.
Back then, such performances were not done just for courtly entertainment, they were ritual dances meant to display the imperial might and divine power of the emperors. The Lion Dance of today is believed to be an evolution of such masked dances. To this date, many regional variations exists but the most popular ones are the Northern and Southern Lions.
The lion head is probably the most integral part of the dance. It is not considered merely just a costume prop, but is regarded as a living spiritual being imbued with divine powers. It is for this reason that the Lion Dance is usually called upon in traditional ceremonies to “officiate” it as it is believe the lion has the ability to help usher in positive energies and ward off negative influences.
The lion head is probably the most integral part of the dance. It is not considered merely just a costume prop, but is regarded as a living spiritual being imbued with divine powers. It is for this reason that the Lion Dance is usually called upon in traditional ceremonies to “officiate” it as it is believe the lion has the ability to help usher in positive energies and ward off negative influences.
Businesses during the Chinese New Year, especially those owned by ethnic Chinese, will often employ the services of a Lion Dance troupe to help them in this task when they reopen for a brand new year. So if you’re fortunate enough to be graced by a lion or two at your workplace this year, try “coaxing” it into blessing your workstation but remember to leave it a red packet. You might just find yourself enjoying a prosperous year ahead.
1 OUT OF 6 PEOPLE
ON THIS PLANET
The Chinese New Year falls on the 16th February 2018 and is celebrated for 15 days. Each day is celebrated differently with different meanings and traditions. The Lion Dance is but one of the many customs practiced by 1 out of 6 people on this planet. If you’d like to read up on the significance of each of these days, download this 72 page Thrivers Guide 2018 for FREE. This guide retails for $37 and will be FREE only for a limited time.
The guide uncovers more than just the customs and traditions of the Chinese New Year. These practices are deeply rooted in Chinese Astrology (the 12 Animal Signs) and Chinese Metaphysics. Click the button below to Download a FREE copy today.
WHAT'S INSIDE?
- The 12 Animal Signs Forecast for 2018
- The 2018 Earth Dog Feng Shui Guide
- Everything you need to know about the Chinese New Year
- Tips and How To's
- Free Resources
WHAT'S INSIDE?
Get Your FREE Thriver's Guide 2018!
The Definitive Guide To Making The Earth Dog Year Your Best Year Ever
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
Joey is the world’s #1 authority in Feng Shui & Chinese Metaphysics. He’s a bestselling author of 169 books published in 7 different languages with more than 4,500,000 copies sold globally. He speaks to more than 50,000 people at his live events around the world and is featured in CNN, Bloomberg and CNBC. He is also the chief consultant to some of the world’s most iconic developments including Battersea London, Aurora Melbourne and Publika Malaysia.
He founded the Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics in 2000, an institution dedicated to the research and academia of Chinese Metaphysics with more than 20,000 graduates and a global following of 1.8 million followers. Today, his programs are delivered in major cities including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne, Perth, Paris, Florence, Bangkok, Manila, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
In the last 20 years, he has been helping thousands of students and clients from all over the world, embark on their life journeys towards a transformational experience using Feng Shui, BaZi, Yi Jing, Face Reading, Date Selection and Qi Men Dun Jia. He is also the creator of the award-winning programs Grow Rich with BaZi™ and Design Your Destiny™ programs.
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
Eat Your Way To a Wealthy New Year
A Unique Way in Approaching Your New Year's Resolution
© Copyright 2018 Joey Yap Research International . Disclaimer | Privacy Policy