LION DANCE

Every Chinese New Year - as well as other social events such as weddings and the opening of businesses - is celebrated by the Chinese with the welcoming of the Chinese Great Lions. Fire-crackers explode outside every restaurant, business and most houses that the sacred Lions dance past. Children watch in awe at the huge twirling Dragons chasing the Pearls and the Unicorns and Lions shuffling and leaping and retrieving the blessings of the benefactors they greet.
I still remember the first time I saw a Chinese New Year procession at a young age in Manchester and I thought that the streams of colour, ripplings of flags and commotion and action were all a long way away from me after that.
I'm glad I was wrong. February welcomed in the 'Auspicious Year Of The Horse,' a time of wealth and growth, and again I found myself in the middle of rainbows of colour, fire-cracker 'shells' drifting around the streets like cherry blossom and Unicorns and Lions and Dragons dancing through the streets.
The many thanks of all the businessmen, the crowd, the University and the Seel Street Club to those who took part.

- Tai Mo Fat blessing the streets of China-town.

The Year of the Snake Procession surrounding the Dragon -

But there was still a great deal I did not understand about Chinese New Year, least of all the use of the Lions - Undeniably the oddest looking creatures ever seen this side of the X-Files.
It was said, long ago, in Ancient China, that a great monster known as 'Nian' - The direct translation of 'Nian' is 'Year' as he was reported to terrorise Mankind at the beginning of every year - threatened to destroy all of the people of China. His strength was great and he was unafraid of anything that the Chinese people threw at him. One day, the story goes, he came across two children playing with fire-crackers and was terrified by the noise. This is why fire-crackers are used outside all the restaurants. To frighten away any Demons for the Year.
The introduction of the lions goes back a little further in time. Lions are not actually native animals of China and they were first introduced via the Silk Road that acted as a trade route between the Middle East and the East. Many rulers of the Middle Eastern countries used to send lions as a gift to the Emperor as gestures of peace and good-will. They were much revered and were worshipped as Holy animals. Why? Well, the story goes back to the 'Nian' again. When the 'Nian' attacked, it was too fast and strong for the Tiger and Leopard to attack and too cunning for the Snake the Crane. The people despaired and asked the Lion to help. The Lion was the only animal - Though not of Shaolin - to wound the creature and so the 'Nian' vowed to return the following year.
When he did, the Lion was too busy guarding the Emperor's Palace to help the people and so they decided to help themselves; out of bamboo and brightly coloured cloth they constructed the image of a Lion and began performing their Kung Fu as the 'Nian' approached. So frightened was the monster of another wound that he fled immediately. This is why the Lions are used in the Chinese New Year.

What I had never considered as a child was that the Lions were obviously being controlled by a team of two people - I was young! - These people are usually picked because of their knowledge and skill in Kung Fu as the Dances themselves are Forms with set patterns that they not only have to stick to, but also vary depending on the direction they take and any diversions in their way.
Also, there are many time-honoured traditions involved, such as bowing to the local merchants who leave them cabbage - spat out for luck - and New Year gifts. Bowing to the various images of Buddha they see around the place is also a show of respect. Another aspect of the Kung Fu is demonstrated by many owners placing their offerings in hard-to-reach places, such as dangling twenty feet up in the air! It takes a great deal of skill to manoeuvre a 20+kg Lion head while standing on top of a pole, especially while putting on a show and trying to reach for the offerings with your teeth as Sifu Ornellas will vouch for - although he makes it look very easy.

Just for kicks and more for my reference than anything else, here's a list of Chinese New Years me and Jim have seen. It'll be added to each year until, hopefully, we've got all twelve:

Ma - Horse/Xiang - Goat.

St Georges Day 2002

St Georges Day's Lion Dances were a great success, including a visit from the Mayor and many primary schools from the area. Below are the pictures of the dances on the steps leading up to St George's Hall:

A picture of Seel Street's Lion Dance Team

July 25th 2002- The European Capital of Culture Bid Ceremony

What a day! The weather was fair, the crowd loved it, even Prince Philip pointed a tender finger toward the display. Three Lions danced exceptionally for what seemed like hours. They played with the crowd, bowed to the Queen and even molested a large number of pensioners and children with grace and charm. A special congratulations goes from the University - and everyone else - to Laura Ornellas and Jordan, the two Baby Lion Dancers who had no relief and still managed to put on a fantastic show. Below are the pictures of the momentous day:

--- Her Majesty, The Queen ---