What is the difference between the southern and northern lions?

1, different shape

The northern lion northern lion's shape resembles a real lion, the lion's head is relatively simple, the whole body is draped in golden yellow hair. Lion dancers (generally two people dance a head) pants, shoes will be draped in hair, looks like it is already a lion. Male lions have red knots on their heads, while females have green knots. The southern lion is a rich southern style of a lion shape, it is high and narrow forehead, eyes large and can turn, mouth wide with a pen, wide back, nose collapse, full cheeks, teeth can be hidden and exposed.

2, different movements

The northern lion shows flexible movements, different from the southern lion's emphasis on ferocity. Dance is to pounce, fall, flip, roll, jump, rub itch and other movements. The southern lion is mainly rely on the movements of the dancers to show the mighty lion type, usually only two people dance a head, dance focus on horse stance.

3, the dance method is different

Northern lions are generally male and female pairs; dressed as a warrior master of the front leader. Sometimes a pair of northern lions will be matched with a pair of small northern lions, small lions teasing big lions, big lions get children for fun, show the family. The performance of the northern lions is closer to vaudeville. The music is mainly composed of cymbals, gongs and drums.

The lion head of the Southern Lion is not quite like a lion's head, and some people even think that the Southern Lion is closer to a New Year's animal. The Southern Lion's head also has a horn, which is rumored to have been made of iron in the old days to cope with the martial arts fights that often occurred during lion dances. Traditionally, the Southern Lion's head is divided into "Liu Bei", "Guan Yu" and "Zhang Fei".

Expanded Information:

Nanlion eye-dotting

Nanlion eye-dotting is one of the traditional customs of the southern lions, with a long history, and carries the meaning of good luck and celebration. Generally the new lion head is tied into not yet opened before the ceremony will be held. In ancient times, the rich and noble people invited lions, are required to lion team tied as a new lion, before the lion dance to hold the eye-dotting ceremony, by inviting the owner of the lion team eye-dotting.

The master came to the lion in front of the wonderful brush, respectively, in the lion's eyes, forehead and tongue on the three points on the red cinnabar lacquer, and then the ceremony was completed.

To modern times, whether it is a business opening ceremony or foundation, or performances and competitions gatherings, will enable a number of new lions, in the activities to be held before the eye-dotting ceremony. It is generally believed that the eye-dotting of the southern lions can make each lion full of hope and blessings, and the eye-dotting of the lions will have life.

The eye-dotting ceremony is very grand, lighting candles and burning incense, and after paying homage to the ancestor, the eye-dotting will begin. Eye-dotting raw materials from the cinnabar, gold powder, red water, white wine into, qualified to open the eye-dotting are highly respected people. Generally point six, take "six six big luck" meaning.

Collecting the green lion

One of the most important parts of the lion show and the competition is to collect the green. Legend has it that "Caiqing" originally had the meaning of "opposing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty" because the rulers of the Qing Dynasty practiced tyranny, erected a prison of words and killed innocent people indiscriminately, which aroused the indignation of the masses, and the people's anti-Qing Dynasty activities were surging, and the southern lions were called the "Waking Lions" to imply that the people of the country should be awakened to their own meaning.

Chaiqing has "采清" and "踩清" resonance, containing the meaning of the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty. Afterwards, it became a part of the lion show that entertained the people, and lettuce was commonly used for the "green".

Reference:

Baidu Encyclopedia - Northern Lion

Reference:

Baidu Encyclopedia - Southern Lion