Lion Dance

The Lion Dance is one of Chinas most popular cultural events.   Often the performers are members of a Kung Fu school, and, if well performed, the dance brings good fortune, prosperity and longevity to wherever it is performed.  While the dance is quite often seen during the Chinese New Year celebration, it can be performed anywhere, from the opening of a restaurant to the closing ceremony of a large multicultural festival.

History

The lion is not an animal that is native to China.   Rulers of what is now Iran and Afghanistan used to sent lions to the Chinese Emperors as gifts, hoping to persuade the Emperor to allow them to trade with merchants along the famous Silk Road.

Dating back to sometime during the Han Dynasty (205 BC – 220 AD), and peaking during the Tang dynasty (716-907 AD), it was performed particularly at religious festivals, and spread to nearby Korea and Taiwan.