Why do you want to dance lions on the tenth day of the lunar new year?

Why do you want to dance lions on the tenth day of the lunar new year?

The lion dance on the tenth day of the tenth lunar month has no special significance, just for celebration and entertainment. Lion dance is divided into literature and martial arts according to the key points of performance. Shi Wen focuses on the lifestyle of lions. The "five styles" mainly show the movements of turning, rolling and falling. Lion dance, also known as "playing lion" and "lion lantern", is generally performed by two people wearing cloth lion skins, which has been enduring in Spring Festival performances all over the country.

Why do lions dance during the Spring Festival?

Lion dance is a traditional folk performing art in Asia. Performers dress up as lions to the music of gongs and drums and make various movements of lions. China folk tradition holds that lion dancing can exorcise evil spirits. Therefore, whenever people miss their relatives more, such as the New Zhang Celebration and the Spring Festival Tournament, people like beating gongs and drums and dancing lions. "Lion Dance", also known as "Lion Dance" and "Peace Music", is usually performed by three people. Two people dressed as lions, one as the lion's head, one as the lion's body and hind feet, and one as the lion's head. Dance is divided into civilian and military. The artistic dance shows the gentleness, shaking and rolling of the lion, while the martial lion shows the fierceness, prancing, pedaling and rolling of the lion. The lion is the statue of all animals, and its image is majestic and martial, giving people a sense of majesty and bravery. The ancients regarded it as a symbol of courage and strength, and thought it could ward off evil spirits and keep people and animals safe. Therefore, people have gradually formed the custom of dancing lions at major events such as the Spring Festival, hoping that life will be auspicious and everything will be safe.

Legend of the origin of lion dance in the Spring Festival

1, the origin of the Han Dynasty

According to legend, during the reign of Emperor Gaozu Zhang, the state of Yue in the western regions presented a golden lion to the Han Dynasty, and the envoys threatened to continue to pay tribute to the Han Dynasty if anyone could tame the lion, or break off diplomatic relations. After the messenger of the moon left, Emperor Zhang Han chose three people to train the lion, but none of them succeeded. Later, the golden lion violently attacked and was killed by the imperial secretary. In order to avoid the punishment of Emperor Zhang, the imperial secretary tore off the lion's skin. The imperial secretary's two brothers dressed up as golden lions, and one teased him to start a dance. This not only fooled Ambassador Yue, but also believed Zhang Di. After this incident, it spread to the Han Palace, and the people thought that lion dancing was a symbol of national glory and good luck. So he imitated the lion and performed a lion dance. Since then, lion dancing has been very popular.

2. Origin of Northern Wei Dynasty

As a performing art, lion dance is believed to have formed in the Northern Wei Dynasty 1500 years ago, when the Xiongnu in the north invaded and rebelled. They specially carved many wooden stones, sewed them into a lion's body with golden silk hemp, and sent good dancers to pay tribute to Wei, with the intention of stabbing Wei Emperor to death during the lion dance. Fortunately, the loyal minister saw through it and made him retreat. Later, because Wei Di loved lion dancing, he ordered imitation, and pragmatism spread to later generations.

3. Origin of Tang Dynasty

There is a story of Tang's visit to the Moon Temple in the monument, and lion dancing made him wake up and became a lion dancer. This story tells that when Tang visited the Moon Temple, a colorful unicorn appeared in front of the steps, with a wide mouth and a big nose, which was harmless to Tang, and rolled the ball in front of the steps with a majestic posture. Emperor Tang Ming woke up and wanted to see this phenomenon again. He wants ministers to imitate auspicious animals in his dreams, and at the same time, the music department should be equipped with gorgeous gongs and drums to entertain guests. Since then, lion dance has flowed into the people. Bai Juyi, a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty, said in a poem: "Masked conference semifinals are fake lions, and carving wood is the beginning and the end. Gold-plated eyes and silver teeth, and a brave sweater with ears? " It can be seen that there was a lion dance in the Tang Dynasty.

4. The origin of Foshan

It is said that in the early Ming Dynasty, a monster appeared in Foshan, Guangdong. When it was about to die, it appeared in the suburbs of Foshan, destroying crops and harming people and animals everywhere. People were miserable, so they tied bamboo grates into several lion models, painted them in various mottled colors and arranged them in advance. As soon as the monster appeared, gongs and drums roared, and the lion danced vigorously and rushed at the monster together. The monster was frightened and turned around and ran away. Later, local villagers thought that lions had the power to exorcise evil spirits and brought good luck. Therefore, every year during the Spring Festival, gongs and drums are played, and people go door-to-door and dance lions to celebrate the New Year, to show the intention of eliminating holes and insects and predicting good luck.

Taboo of lion dance in Spring Festival

First, it is forbidden to see the gods and not pay homage to them in lion dance.

In the tradition of Hakka polytheism, every village and residence has a patron saint, who is the spiritual pillar of every village and residence. The lion dance team must pay homage after passing through the altar, otherwise it will be regarded as impolite and look down on the villagers, and the villagers in the village will not pay for the lion dance team.

Second, the lion dance is prohibited from performing from the new house.

In traditional folk customs, people who dance lions in front of their ancestral houses cannot be invited to dance lions in their new houses. It is said that this provision is related to Hakka ancestor worship.

3. Lion dancing is forbidden to enter the fence from the right.

In traditional folk customs, it is considered that there is a small piece on the right and a large piece on the left, and all the surrounding houses are on the left. Therefore, the lion dance team must enter the surrounding houses from the left, and the lion comes from the left (large), which means that the dragon and lion leap forward, and both people and money are empty. So the lion dance team is forbidden to enter the paddock from the right. Moreover, before entering the enclosed house, you must take the T-step and knock Ding Gong to enter the enclosed house to pay homage, so as to wish the house a prosperous New Year.

4. Lion dancers are forbidden to sit opposite the fence.

In traditional folk customs, lion dancers are forbidden to sit in front of closed houses. According to legend, women in enclosed houses usually watch the lion dance under the eaves. The lion dancer sits under the eaves with his back to the eaves, and the woman stands behind to watch the lion dance. If they sit face to face, they will be regarded as neglected and left out.

Five, it is forbidden to disturb the drums.

Traditional drums are divided into fast gongs, slow gongs, lion gongs and dragon gongs. If you fight indiscriminately, it will be regarded as disrespectful to our family and expelled.