The origin of the lion dance and the origin of the lion dance custom?

Banda lions began in the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty.

Lion dance originated in the Han Dynasty when lions were first introduced from the Western Regions, and some people imitated the appearance and movements of lions to make dramas, and developed into lion dances during the Three Kingdoms.

As a folk art, lion dance is used to cheer people during festivals or celebrations. To the sound of gongs and drums, the performers will dress up in lion costumes made of red, yellow, or red and white colored cloth, and begin to imitate the movements of lions such as jumping, tumbling, and pounce on their huge lion heads.

The lion is a kind of beast of prey, and it is believed that the lion dance can ward off evil spirits, so it is necessary to perform the lion dance during the New Year or celebrations.

The lion dance originated in the Han Dynasty, when the lion was first introduced to China from the Western Regions, and some people observed the form and movement of the lion, and choreographed a play for everyone to enjoy. This is the origin of the lion dance. As a dance, lion dance became a well-known holiday celebration during the Three Kingdoms period.

Legend has it that when Emperor Tang Ming was in the Moon Palace, he dreamed of a colorful, wide-mouthed and big-nosed unicorn playing with a ball on the steps at the entrance of the palace, with a mighty and naughty form. When I woke up, I found a painter to draw the appearance of the beast in my dream. This is the image of the lion dance in later generations, "gold-plated eyes and silver teeth".

It was first introduced from the Western Regions, where the lion was the mount of Manjushri, and with the introduction of Buddhism to China, the activity of lion dance was also introduced to China. The lion is a tribute brought back by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty after sending Zhang Qian to the Western Regions, along with peacocks and others.

However, the technique of the lion dance is derived from the "masquerade" of Xiliang, and some people believe that the lion dance was produced in the army in the fifth century and later introduced to the people. Both claims have their own basis, and it is difficult to judge their rights and wrongs today.

This custom originated during the Three Kingdoms period and became popular during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and has a history of more than 1,000 years. Legend has it that in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 534 AD), Emperor Wu made an expedition to Hexi, Gansu Province, and captured as many as 100,000 Hu people. Emperor Wu of Wei ordered the Hu people to perform dances and entertainment.

Hu people carved animal heads with wood, two large and five small, dressed in animal clothes, set eight **, more than 30 warriors, danced in front of the palace. Emperor Wu was very happy, gave the name "Northern Wei Ruishi", and allowed the captives to return to China. The lion dance spread in the north, and later it was called the "Northern Lion".

There are several legends in Chinese folk about the Southern Lion Dance, one of which is that in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), when Emperor Qianlong went down to the south of the Yangtze River, he dreamed of a colorful beast to worship. After returning to Beijing, Emperor Qianlong ordered people to make one according to the image of the Rui beast he saw in his dream, and ordered people to dance every time he danced during festivals and celebrations, which was said to be the peace and security of the country and the people, and the peace and auspiciousness.

Lion dance is divided into northern lion and southern lion

Originally, the northern lion was more popular north of the Yangtze River; The Southern Lion is popular in South China, South China and overseas. In recent years, there have also been dance methods that fuse the two, mainly using the lion of the southern lion and the footwork of the northern lion, which is called"The Southern Lion and the Northern Dance"。

The shape of the northern lion resembles a real lion, the lion's head is relatively simple, and the whole body is covered with golden yellow hair. The pants and shoes of the lion dancers (usually two people dancing together) are covered with fur, and the lion looks like it is already beautiful before dancing. A lion with a red knot on its head is a male lion, and a lion with a green knot is a female.

The northern lion shows flexible movements, which is different from the southern lion's emphasis on power. Dancing is based on fluttering, falling, tumbling, rolling, jumping, rubbing and other actions.

The southern lion, also known as the awakening lion, is more powerful in shape, and pays attention to horse steps when dancing. The southern lion mainly relies on the movements of the dancers to show a powerful lion form, and generally only two people will dance one head. The lion's head is based on the opera mask, with bright colors and exquisite manufacturing; The eyes and mouth can be moved.