Chinese Lion Dancing
Kai Guang/ Dian Jing Tradition – Chinese Folklore
In lion dance tradition, a new lion should not be used without going through the Kai Guang ceremony. Kai Guang/ Dian Jing means eye opening or eye dotting. It is a ceremony where a special person is assigned to dot the eyes of the lion. It is skin to giving life and taming the new lion.
Most Chinese stores have an ancestral, Buddhist or Taoist altar or shrine. The new lion is laid out in the front of this altar. The drum, gong, and cymbals are played softly and steadily in the background.
The special appointed person will dot the eyes with cinnabar. There are some schools which use the blood of a live rooster. The mirror of the front of the lion’s head will be dotted first. This signifies giving life to the lion. Then, each of the Lion’s senses are “awoken”, by dotting the eyes, ears, mouth and the rest of the lion.
The lion slowly awakens, as its eyes blinks and moves. Then the mouth opens, ears flicker, and body moves. As the lion is given life, the drum, gong, and cymbals get louder and firecrackers are set off outside the store or restaurant. The new lion will perform for the first time at this event. As always, lion dance begins with three bows; left, right, and then centre’ the new lion will face the altar and do three bows, and then continue with the traditional lion dance routine.
History of Lion Dancing – Chinese Folklore
The lion dance originated in China more than one thousand years ago. The lion is traditionally regarded as a guardian creature. It is featured in Buddhist lore, being the mount of Manjusri.
Chinese lion dances can be broadly categorized into two major styles, Northern and Southern.
Northern dance was used as entertainment for the imperial court. The northern lion is usually red, orange, and yellow, shaggy in appearance, with a golden head. The northern dance is acrobatic and is mainly performed as entertainment.
Southern dance is more symbolic. It is usually performed as a ceremony to exorcise evil spirits and o summon luck and fortune. The southern lion exhibits a wide variety of color and has a distinctive head with large eyes, a mirror on the forehead, and a single horn at he center of the head.
The lion dance is often confused with the Chinese dragon dance, which features a team of around ten or more dancers. The lion dance is usually performed by two people.
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