History /
Lion Dance
Lion Dance is an art steep in Chinese culture and tradition. It is a form of traditional dance
in which performers mimic the lion’s emotions and movements while dressed in a colorful lion costume consisting of
a lion head with a long silk tail. The Lion Dance is performed during parades and auspicious events to ward off
misfortune and to bring luck and prosperity. Two of the numerous legend related to the origin of the Lion Dance are
recounted here.
One Lion Dance legend tells of the dream of the ancient Chinese Emperor in Tang Dynasty. He dreamed of people
celebrating and performing in front of him, dancing with a very colorful artifact resembling a lion’s head and
accompanied by drum music. Upon waking, the Emperor ordered his people to fashion the lion head from his description
and to mimic the performance as seen in his dream.
Another Lion Dance legend tells of a monster in ancient China who appeared in every New Year's Eve, plundering crops
and terrorizing the villagers. The villagers called it the “New Year Beast”. One day the villagers hatched a plan to
scare away the monster. They used bamboo strips to make a fanciful lion head with a unicorn horn, painted with multiple
dazzling colors, and sewed together strips of cloth to make the body. When the “New Year Beast” appeared, the villagers
startled the monster with their lion head, dancing, drums and music and succeeded in scaring away the “New Year Beast”
for good. Subsequently, during every festival or harvest celebration, the villagers performed the Lion Dance from
door-to-door, accompanied with drums, gongs and cymbals.
The Lion Dance of ancient China that has the closest relation to present day Lion Dance is called “Peace and Joy”,
depicted in a circus program called “Proliferation of fish and dragon” during the Han Dynasty. Performers dressed as
lion are dancing while leading the parade.
獅的象徵 張智明
古代相傳獅子可驅邪避鬼，興隆祥瑞之靈物，又能克服惡魔，而被祀為神獸，因此寺廟前、橋頭和欄杆等都安置有石獅子。在民間故事傳說裡的獅子圖紋，更為一種鎮宅招福的象徵。
中國舞獅的淵源
舞獅是一種富民間色彩的藝術，凡有巡遊會景或大慶典，都有獅隊舞動隨行，關於其起源坊間有較多傳說。
舞獅起源傳說之一—傳唐明皇一次做夢時，夢見民間在慶典之日，舞動一頭狀似獅子，顏色悅目，以八音鑼鼓配樂，在御前表演助興，唐明皇夢醒後，命令下人照樣仿製表演，故後人稱之為「醒獅」。
舞獅起源傳說之二—相傳中國古時每年除夕，必有一頭怪獸出現，鄉民稱之為「年獸」，這頭怪獸到處嚼食蔬菜，鄉民不勝其擾，於是用竹篾紮成獨角獸頭，塗上繽紛顏色，用布料裁剪成獸身。當「年獸」出現時，
兩人持之舞動，鳴鼓吶喊，果然把「年獸」趕走。此後民間每逢秋收或節慶，都配以大鑼大鼓到各家門前舞動，以作紀念。據史記記載，舞獅源自漢朝技雜戲中的「魚龍曼延」，在遊行隊伍前面，表演者裝扮成獅子模樣，
邊行邊舞，獅子舞在那時喚作太平樂，與今之舞獅有密切淵源。
獅的類別和特色
獅子分南方獅和北方獅，南、北獅在造型和服飾各有不同，再配合地方色彩及傳統舞法，在型態和技術方面都有很大的分別。北獅盛行於黃河以南及四川一帶，南獅則以廣東一帶為主。
【南獅】—造型身披麟甲，五彩繽紛，而獅頭的裝飾和圖案更為注重，與傳統中國戲曲的臉譜十分相似。在獅頭的前額、眼、耳、口、鼻、眉、腮和下頷都裝配絨球和毛料，舞動獅頭時，絨球震動，毛料飛揚，
使造型生動豐富，顏色方面以黃、紅和黑為主。南獅主要表演剛猛，舞動時注重腰馬步法的配合，想像和創新，在整個表演期間，突出表現獅子八態「喜、怒、哀、樂、動、靜、驚、疑」等感情變化。
舞獅多有雙獅和多頭醒獅群舞，成雙成對，威武雄壯。 【北獅】—造型酷似真獅，全身披毛，動作靈活，舞動時以跳躍為主。北獅不若南獅龐大，矯小可人，頭部沒有南獅的五彩繽紛裝飾，純粹是獸毛顏色，
頭上有紅結者為雄性，綠結者為雌性，表演者所穿之褲與鞋和獅被毛色一樣，舞動時像一頭維肖維妙的活獅子，給人真實的感覺。北獅主要表演靈巧，跳躍翻滾，持球者表現武士雄姿，舞獅頭者跟隨武士演出各種動作，
舞獅尾者緊密跟隨，加上京鑼、京鼓等音樂節拍，按樂聲起舞，頭尾能舞姿協調，融成一體，才是上乘的技術。 現在常見的舞獅，多以南獅為主，而南獅獅頭又再分有「佛裝」和「鶴裝」兩種，「佛裝」的面型及嘴部較闊，
「鶴裝」的嘴部較似鴨嘴。早期的獅頭，結合歷史人物的特徵，表達於獅頭藝術上。顏色以黃、紅、黑為主，三種顏色各具代表—黃色代表劉備，黃臉白鬚，腦後有三個金錢，代表智、仁、勇俱備。紅色代表關公，紅臉黑鬚，
腦後有二個金錢，代表智、勇雙全。黑色代表張飛，黑臉黑鬚，獅頭裝上黑色鐵角，牙刷硬鬚，腦後有一個金錢，代表勇猛。現在的舞獅造型，為了吸引觀眾，務求突出，多以顏色鮮艷為主，金銀二色也極為普遍。
獅的神態和本性
獅子的神態，在舞獅時最為重要，如能掌握到獅子八態，「喜、怒、哀、樂、動、靜、驚、疑」，才能把獅子舞得栩栩如生，維肖維妙。想把獅子舞得出神入化，首先要了解獅子的本性，獅子本性謹慎多疑，
對每一樣事都會再三考慮及探測，例如見到青會歡喜，見到火會驚慌，見到木會舔咬，見到柱會圍繞，見到水會嬉戲，過橋探路，覓食多疑 ……。
舞獅的技巧
南獅造型剛猛，舞動時虎虎生威，馬步以四平大馬為主，配以跳躍步法、麒麟步法、弓步、虛步、丁步、仆步等步法。獅頭獅尾的動作必須協調合拍，獅子與鼓樂之節奏配合，輕、重、快、慢有序，再配合舞獅技巧七字訣「靜、看、探、採、聞、睡、醒」，便是舞獅技巧的最高景界。
傳統舞獅的規矩和禮儀
傳統舞獅有著很多的禮儀和規矩，特別在兩間舞館的獅隊雙遇時，行內人稱為「會獅」。在會獅時，舞獅者絕對不可作出以下的動作：眨眼、起單腳和聞對方獅尾。眨眼—是藐視的意思，起單腳—是挑戰對方的行為，
聞對方獅尾—是指視對方的獅為母獅，這些動作是很容易引起舞館間的打鬥。在規矩內也有輩份之分，因往日的街道多是十分狹窄的，如在慶典和遊行，很多時兩隊獅隊會同時在街上相遇，誰能優先通過，便要看當時帶隊師傅的輩份來決定，
通常年輕的師傳，會令獅隊先停鑼鼓，讓輩份高的師傅和獅隊先行通過，如遇上兩隊獅隊的師傅輩份相同，便雙方同時間停鑼鼓，師傅交換名帖，獅隊作友好的「會獅」後，各自通過。
THE SYMBOL OF DRAGON
The dragon is a mythical creature of ancient Chinese legends. It was revered as one of the four spiritual symbols of good fortune. It was told that when the dragon
dived into the water, it could stir up wind and wave, and it could travel around the four oceans. When it flew up into the sky, it could swallow the clouds and blow out the fog. When
it was angry, the earth shook, when it was calm, good weather bestowed with sufficient rain and wind.
According to the legends in ancient China, the dragon was a lucky symbol, because it could gather the clouds and make rain fall. And it was believed that the flying dragon in the sky
could bless all the creatures on earth and bring about fortunes. The dragon was also a symbol of royal dignity, so the Chinese themselves believed to be descendants of the dragon.
"Dragon" has the most historical records related to the emperors in the annals of the Han Dynasty. As the Dragon was auspicious, it was believed that the emperor was descended from
the Dragon, the supreme imperial power. From the ancient oracle, the dragon was depicted as a creature with the shape of a gigantic head, wide-open mouth, sharp teeth, snake tongue,
ring shaped eyes, two ears with long hair, small slender horns, lips with beard, jaws with beard, thin neck, big abdomen with coarse fins, scales on body, sturdy limbs, tiger palms,
and three claws. During the Ming and Ching dynasties, the dragon had evolved from four claws to five claws. Only in the emperor’s palace the five claws dragon could be painted, while
other claws dragon was reserved for other high ranking ministers.
THE ORIGIN OF CHINESE DRAGON DANCE
Dragon Dance in China has lasted for at least seven or eight centuries. It is originated from the circus program called “Proliferation of fish and dragon” in the Han Dynasty and it
was very similar to present day dragon dance and lion dance, but in a much grander scale. “Proliferation” is the name of an ancient opera bearing the meaning of continuity and
changeability. Hence, whatever appeared in the directed dance, be it a long dragon, a colossal fish or in other animal shapes, the sense of continuity and changeability prevailed.
In the Ching Dynasty, whenever there were emperor’s parades or grand celebrations, dragon dance was a must. Many traditional customs and festivities of the court life in the
Ching Dynasty were adapted from the earlier Ming Dynasty and even as far back as the Manchus. The most important festivity was the Spring Festival where the most popular performance
was the dragon dance.
龍的象徵張智明
龍為我國歷代相傳之神物，尊為四靈之一，象徵吉祥。據說，其入水時，能興風作浪，四海遨遊；升空時，則吞雲吐霧，直沖雲霄。發怒時，則地動天搖，平和時，則風調雨順。中國自古相傳，龍是吉祥之物，能興雲佈雨。所謂飛龍在天，
廣澤萬物神靈，降福迎祥，象徵皇者之尊貴。故中國人自稱是龍的傳人。
「龍」在漢代史書記載最多，且把龍與皇帝扯上關係。龍呈祥瑞之物，認為天子是龍所生，皇權至高無上。從甲骨文字所顯示龍的形狀，它應該是一種巨首、張口、鋒齒、蛇舌、環狀眼、兩耳長毛、雙角細長、唇有鬚、頷有鬚、頸細、腹粗有鰭、身披鱗甲、四肢粗壯、
掌似虎、有三爪。明、清兩代演變有四爪和五爪。只有皇帝宮中才可畫成五爪，其他則為大臣階級所用。
中國舞龍的淵源
舞龍的歷史，至少已延續七﹑八百年之久。由漢代百技雜戲中的「魚龍曼延」發展而來的。「魚龍曼延」與現代的舞龍舞獅很相似，不過規模卻大得多。「曼延」是一種古戲曲名，它是指富於變化及連綿不斷的意思。所以，無論是指揮舞動
長達數丈的龍形或巨大的魚形及其它獸形匯聚成蜿延不斷，變化多端的表演行列，皆與今之舞龍有密切淵源。近世清朝時期，凡有巡遊會景或大慶典，例必有舞龍隨行。而清代宮廷生活的節令習俗，許多是沿襲明宮或更古老的舊習俗，甚而有的是滿族舊習俗。
節令中活動最多的莫過於春節。而最熱鬧，最受歡迎的也是舞龍。
龍的類別和特色
現在常見的舞龍可分兩個類別。龍體的製作是軟腹無肚俗稱「軟腹龍」或「上路龍」，其節間只用龍皮和繩相連接。硬腹有肚的龍俗稱「硬腹龍」或「下路龍」，其節間之龍皮內加籐圈，使龍在靜止時有被撐漲著的實體感覺。龍頭和龍尾大多
用竹篾紮成外殼，糊以白紙再上色彩，隨著龍的顏色有金龍、銀龍、彩龍、黃龍、青龍等稱謂。【白龍】—在喪事中所舞的龍俗稱「白龍」，而白龍的構造與一般九節龍相似，龍頭和龍身皆以白色為底，用紫色或藍色等素色裝飾而成；龍頭的鬍鬚亦為白色，龍旗亦用白色為底，
中央繪以黑龍，上方加一個「奠」字。白龍衹會在一個教授舞龍的師傅過世後，在他的靈堂舞動。【草龍】—「草龍」俗稱火龍，整條龍用稻草紮成，全身插滿點了火的線香，舞法和一般相似，春節時每家每戶舞弄，賺取紅包。「草龍」在停止舞弄的時候，要將牠視為神龍，
焚香點燭，奉祀一番。【夜光龍】—「夜光龍」又稱銀火龍，龍身共十三節，龍身漆上銀光油，舞龍者身穿黑衣服，表演時，在表演場地安裝數盞紫色燈，當光打在舞動的銀光龍時，只見銀龍飛舞，美麗精采。
舞龍時所用的樂器
舞龍所用的鼓俗稱「大鼓」，通常鼓膜是雙面，亦有單面。製作鼓膜叫「蒙鼓」，將牛皮用熱水浸濕後，穿上麻繩以千斤頂加壓，使鼓皮緊貼在鼓桶上，待乾燥定形和試音後，以小鐵釘固定，剪去不必要的部份，再以帽釘裝飾便完成。鑼和鈸在舞龍時佔有極重要的位置，
所謂「鑼鼓經」、「文武場」，如果缺少鑼和鈸，總是熱鬧不足，精采不如。一面好的鑼，大的音要沉、要長、要緩；小的音要脆、要急。而鈸的音通常則較高和清脆。