What is the origin of the lion dance?

The origin of the lion dance is:

1, the origin of the Tang Dynasty said: in the tablet to make in the Tang Ming Huang tour of the Moon Palace, the lion dance made by the Tang Ming Huang tour of the Moon Palace after a wake-up call and there is a waking up lion dance, the story that when the Tang Ming Huang tour of the Moon Palace, in front of the steps appeared a colorful, broad-mouthed, large nose unicorn against the Tang Ming Huang, but it has no malicious intent, and in the the front of the steps and rolled the ball in a majestic posture.

Tang Ming Huang woke up to see this phenomenon, he asked the ministers to imitate the beast in his dream, and at the same time by the club with a strong gongs and drums dance to entertain the guests. Since then, the lion dance has spread to the people. In the Tang Dynasty, the "Taiping Le" in the "Lipu Kabuki" is also called the "Lion Dance of the Five Parties".

2. Bai Juyi, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote a poem: "A fake lion with a false face, carved wood for the head and silk for the tail. Gold-plated eyes and silver paste teeth, Fenxun sweater swinging ears" ("Xiliang Shu"). Visible in the Tang Dynasty has been a lion dance. Ancient origin: lion dance originated from "exorcise". In ancient times, the ancients invented the "Nuo". "Nuo" gradually evolved into the modern lion dance. Nuo lion dance in addition to perform in the village, more into the people's homes, in the drive away the ghosts of the epidemic at the same time, but also increased the delivery of blessings, pray for blessings task.

3, history, "Han Book of Rites and Music" mentioned "Elephant Man", according to the interpretation of the Three Kingdoms, is to play "fish, shrimp, lion" entertainers. By the Tang Dynasty, the lion dance was a large palace dance performance. At that time, the "Taiping music" is also known as the "five lion dance" out of the Tianzhu and Lion Kingdom and other countries. Bai Juyi's poem describes the lion dance: "Masked Hu people masked lion, carved wood for the head of the silk for the tail, gold plated eyes and silver for teeth, Fenxun sweater swinging ears", see the lion dance and we have seen has been very similar.

4, the Song Dynasty, folk lion dance flourished, according to the Song Dynasty, "the old story of the martial arts" records, appeared with the combination of martial arts "lion and leopard barbarians card". The dance was originally performed by the "army", from the military outflow popular in the south. During the Song and Jin dynasties, the lion dance, which emphasized martial arts skills, moved south with the immigrants, giving rise to the distinction between the southern and northern lions.

5, Chinese folk tradition, that the lion dance can drive away evil spirits. Therefore, whenever there are festivals, such as New Year's celebrations, Spring Festival, etc., they like to beat the gongs and drums, and lion dances to help celebrate. Lion dances have also become world-famous following the migration of Chinese overseas, and are very popular in Malaysia, Singapore and Chinatowns in other countries. Overseas Chinese living in Europe and the United States have also formed a number of lion dance clubs, every year, the Spring Festival or major festivals, they will be around the world to celebrate the lion dance.