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LionDanceWhatisLionDance?LionDanceisatraditionalartformthatincorporatesphysicaltrainingcommonlyassociatedwithmartialartsandasceticexpressions.Itisafolkshowperformedbyoneortwopersonswrappedaroundwithlionskincostume.Likethedragonlanterndance,liondanceisusuallyperformedduringtheChineseNewYearandotherChinesetraditional,culturalandreligiousfestivals.Itmayalsobeperformedatimportantoccasionssuchasbusinessopeningevents,specialcelebrationsorweddingceremonies,ormaybeusedtoentertainspecialguestsbytheChinesecommunities.TheChineseliondanceisoftenmistakenlyreferredtoasdragondance.Aneasywaytotellthedifferencesisthatalionisnormallyoperatedbyoneortwodancers,whileadragonneedsmanypeople.Also,inaliondance,theperformers'facesareonlyseenoccasionally,sincetheyareinsidethelion.Inadragondance,theperformers'facescanbeeasilyseensincethedragonisheldonpoles.HistoryofLionDanceTherehasbeenanoldtraditioninChinaofdancerswearingmaskstoresembleanimalsormythicalbeasts.However,lionisnotnativetoChina.Accordingtotextualresearch,lionsinChinawereoriginallyintroducedfromWestAsiathroughtheSilkRoad.InBuddhistculture,lionistheanimalriddenbyBodhisattvaManjusrithatwasintroducedtoChinaalongwithBuddhism,togetherwiththerealliondanceperformedbytheanimal.SincesendinglionstoChinawasnoeasyjobaccompaniedbyhardships,veryfewlionsfinallyarrivedatthedestination.Therefore,therealliondancewasonlylimitedtotheimperialpalaceandwealthyfamilies,andcommonpeopleneverhadthechancetowatchit.Therefore,thefolkartistscreatedidealizedworksoflionsthroughimaginationaccordingtorecordsorlegends,andhighlightedthebroadforehead,upturnednoseandopenmouthwithtraditionaldivineandauspiciousdecorations,presentingthemightyforceandlivelinessoflions.Intheliondance,peopleperformtheroleoflions.Theearliestuseoftheword“shizi”meaninglionfirstappearedinHanDynasty.DetaileddescriptionsofLionDanceappearedduringtheTangDynastyanditwasalreadyrecognizedbywritersandpoetsthenasaforeigndance.However,liondancemayhavebeenrecordedinChinaasearlyasthethirdcenturyADwherelionactwasreferredtobyMengKanginacommentaryonHanshu.IntheearlyperiodsithadassociationwithBuddhism:itwasrecordedinaNorthernWeitext,DescriptionofBuddhistTemplesinLuoyang,thataparadeforastatueofBuddhaofatemplewasledbyaliontodriveawayevilspirits.ThereweredifferentversionsofthedanceintheTangDynasty.IntheTangcourt,theliondancewascalledtheGreatPeaceMusicortheLionDanceoftheFiveDirectionswherefivelargelionsofdifferentcolorsandexpressingdifferentmoodswereeachledandmanipulatedonropebytwopersons,andaccompaniedby140singers.AnotherversionoftheliondancewasdescribedbytheTangpoetBaiJuyiinhispoemWesternLiangArts,wherethedancewasperformedbytwoHudancerswhoworealioncostumemadeofawoodenhead,asilktailandfurrybody,witheyesgildedwithgoldandteethplatedwithsilveraswellasearsthatmoved,aformthatresemblestoday'sliondance.DuringtheSongDynastytheliondancewascommonlyperformedinfestivalsanditwasknownastheNorthernLionduringtheSouthernSong.TheSouthernLionisalaterdevelopmentinthesouthofChina,originatingintheGuangdongprovince.Thereareanumberofmythsassociatedwiththeoriginofthisdance:onestoryrelatesthatthedanceoriginatedasacelebrationinavillagewhereamythicalmonstercalledNianwassuccessfullydrivenaway.AnotherhasitthattheQianlongEmperordreamtofanauspiciousanimalwhileonatourofSouthernChina,andorderedthattheimageoftheanimalberecreatedandusedduringfestivals.TypesofLionDances1)TypesbystyleThegentlestyleshowsthelion’sgentlenessandlovelinessbygrabbingtheball,playingwiththeball,rollingabout,lickingitsfur,shakingitsfur,scratching,rubbingitsears,caressingthelioncub,etc.Thewildstylefocusesonlion’saggressivenessandhighskillssuchaswalkingontheball,scramblingfortheball,rollingtheball,divingtheball,jumpingandturning,climbing,walkingontheseesaw,walkingonpointedstakesandotherhighlyskill-demandingfeats.Thewildstyleperformancecanbesoulstirringasitdisplaysthelion’smajestyandwildness.2)TypesbygeographyDuringthemorethan2,000yearsofdevelopment,theliondancehasdevelopedintotwomajorgenres-theNorthernLionDanceandtheSouthernLionDance.TheNorthernLionDancemainlyfocusesontheperformanceofamartialliondance.Thedanceofasmalllionisperformedbyoneperson,andthedanceofabiglionisplayedbytwopeople,withonewieldingthelionheadwhilestanding,andtheotherwieldingthelionbodyandtailwhilestoopingdown.Guidedbytheliondancers,thelionwrithes,fallsforward,jumpsandbows,aswellassomeotherhighlydifficultmovements,suchaswalkingonwoodenorbamboostakes,jumpingoveratable,andsteppingonarollingball.SouthernLionDancemainlyfocusesontheperformanceofthecivilianliondance.Theperformancepaysalotofattentiontomovementslikescratchinganitch,shakingthehairandlickingthehair.Uptoday,theliondancehasformeditslocalfeaturesandstyles.InHebei,thelionsarestrongandvigorous,capableofclimbingandjumpingfromonebigtabletothenextuptofive.InGuangdong,thelionscanclimbthehighbamboopoleandpickthepresentonthetopofthepole.InAnhui,thelionscanperformwithlightedcandlesontheirbody.InSichuan,thelionscanwalksonhightiltsandplatform.ModerndevelopmentofLionDanceThedancehasevolvedconsiderablysincetheear