Buzz
Every winter, as the lunar new year approaches, lion dancers bring their energy to the streets, hopping and twisting to the thunderous rhythm of drums and the clash of cymbals. This mesmerizing performance is meant to invite good fortune and success, and is a key part of celebrations like the Lunar New Year, birthdays, and weddings wherever Chinese communities have settled across the globe. Here are nine fascinating details you might not know about this ancient art form.
1. The presence of lions in Chinese culture originates from Central Asia and Persia.
Lions were never native to China, so how did they become such a prominent symbol? Their association with Chinese culture began during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE), when the Silk Road was formed to connect China with Europe. Along this trade route, emissaries from Persia and Central Asian regions often presented lions as gifts to the Chinese emperor. The lion's imperial status spread from the courts to the common people. Additionally, lions hold a significant place in Buddhist mythology, which began to influence China in the late Han Dynasty.
2. The lion dance has been practiced for over a millennium.
One Hundred Children Playing in the Spring (百子嬉春图页), a 12th-century painting from the Song Dynasty illustrating a lion dance. | Wikimedia Commons // Public DomainOnce lions became a part of popular culture, the animal was likely woven into existing traditions of animal performances. Historical accounts from the Three Kingdoms period (220–289 CE) mention people donning lion costumes during Buddhist celebrations, and by the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), the lion dance had evolved into an established court ritual.
3. Various regional styles of lion dance exist, each with its own unique flavor.
While the lion dance has its roots in China, it has spread throughout East Asia, with each region adding its own unique local variations
In China, the lion dance is generally divided into Northern and Southern styles. The Northern lion is red and yellow with a thick, shaggy fringe, and is typically performed by a male and female, sometimes with small cubs. The Southern lion, originating from Guangdong province, is the most widely recognized internationally. It often features fur trim and a vibrant range of colors, and is further split into the futsan and hoksan styles. The futsan style is meant to appear more aggressive, while the hoksan style is playful and cat-like.
4. The lion dance was once banned in Hong Kong after rival gangs hid weapons in their costumes.
During the Cultural Revolution, the lion dance was deemed primitive and largely erased from mainland China. However, it continued to thrive in Hong Kong, where students practiced it in martial arts schools. Since the lion dance shares many basic postures and movements with kung fu, it became a way for schools to display their skills and compete against other martial arts academies.
Things took a violent turn when martial arts schools started to align with Hong Kong’s triads, a notorious local crime syndicate. Rival gangs hid weapons, such as knives, inside their costumes to attack one another, turning the lion dance into a cover for territorial disputes. This led to a temporary ban in Hong Kong during the 1970s and ‘80s. Today, after some image restoration, the lion dance is once again a widely celebrated tradition—though you need a permit to perform it.
5. The lion dance has a prominent role in several Jet Li films.
For a combination of lion dance and martial arts in action, check out Jet Li’s Once Upon a Time in China III (1992) and Once Upon a Time in China IV (1993), where the Southern Chinese style of lion dance is integral to the storyline. To see the Northern style, watch Shaolin Temple II (1984) and Martial Arts of Shaolin (1986). If you’re a Jackie Chan enthusiast, his 1980 film The Young Master kicks off with a legendary lion dance battle.
6. Women were historically prohibited from performing the lion dance.
Martial arts schools were traditionally male-only environments, so women were typically excluded from participating in the lion dance. However, as the structure of martial arts fraternities has evolved, dance troupes have become more inclusive, with many now welcoming women into their groups. Today, there are numerous women-led lion dance teams around the world.
7. The lion dance has made its way into the Guinness World Records.
In January 2011, the Hong Kong Dragon and Lion Festival Preparatory Committee held an extravagant event featuring 1111 lions and a total of 2222 performers, dancing through the streets of Hong Kong to celebrate the Lunar New Year. This became the largest paired lion dance in history.
Later that same year, another record was achieved when 3971 schoolchildren in Taiwan each wore a lion costume and performed the world’s largest singly operated lion dance show.
8. The Chinese Malaysians pioneered the extreme sport of high pole lion dancing.
Historically, the lion dance was performed on the ground or in small obstacle courses, with lions jumping onto chairs, balance beams, or upside-down vases, showcasing balance and athleticism. This evolved when Chinese Malaysians began performing on high wooden stilts. In the early '90s, this turned into a standardized competition on metal poles, ranging from 4 to 8 feet in height, giving birth to the high pole lion dance as a sport.
Performances are judged on a 10-point scale. To impress the judges, teams must choreograph a 7-to-10-minute routine involving leaps between poles while executing acrobatic stunts. The most prestigious international competition has taken place every two years at Malaysia's Resorts World Genting since 1994. During the 2018 competition, 36 teams from 16 countries participated.
9. The lion dance is undergoing a modern transformation.
Chinese Malaysians are not the only ones reimagining this ancient tradition. Performers in Singapore and Hong Kong have blended LED lights, EDM, and hip-hop into their routines. In Hong Kong, Kwok’s Kung Fu and Dragon Lion Dance Team presents a dazzling performance with hip-hop dancers dressed in Tron-inspired outfits, grooving alongside vibrant Chinese lions synchronized to EDM beats.
This story was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for 2022.
