The loud beating of the drums and gravity defying jumps and turns. These are the two things that draw our attention to the spectacle of the lion dance this Chinese New year. As our imagination comes alive with these colorful mascots, don’t you wonder about the meanings behind the intricate costumes of these dragon-looking dancing “lions”? A trip to a Wu Shu and lion dance workshop in Binondo gave me a crash course on the symbolisms carried by the various parts of the famous lion head.
The eyes
The horn
The ribbon
The mouth
Lion dances, along with dragon dances which are a completely different thing, have been used to celebrate the Chinese New Year for centuries. These spectacular portrayal of playful beasts are believed to fight off bad luck for the Chinese people, and help draw in peace and prosperity for the rest of the year.
Photos courtesy of Inquirer.net, Pinterest.com and Ledger-Enquirer.net
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