Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
The mythology and grandeur of China is on display each lunar year when large, ostentatious figures with dragon and lion heads this Lunar New Year dance around the homes and businesses of people of the Asian culture in the belief of attracting good fortune and warding off evil spirits that could fill the coming year with decay.
The Lion Dance is the most popular folk dance in China. Its origin comes from the Tang Dynasty ?618 to 906 A.D.? and it is believed that its aim was to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
This dance, together with the Dragon Dance, is very important in all traditional festivals, especially in the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
Although these dances are often performed together, they are different, because for the Dragon Dance at least a dozen dancers are needed, while for the Lion Dance only two are needed: one to hold the head and one more to handle the body, which often are practitioners of kung-fu, as they must be very agile because they perform a lot of acrobatic movements during the performance.
Around the world, these dances have become very popular and have evolved both in their movements and in the materials with which the costumes are made.
The typical colors for the Lion costume are red, which represents courage, green, which represents friendship and goodwill, and gold, which represents vitality and a dynamic spirit. On the forehead, the mythical animal ?Nian? carries a mirror, with the purpose that the evil spirits are frightened and withdraw when they see their own image reflected.
During the Chinese New Year celebrations, the lion dances to the rhythm of drums, gongs and cymbals and parades through the streets bringing good fortune to all who meet him.
Performances are held in shops, restaurants and businesses, which hang from the ceiling a head of lettuce or some vegetables with a red envelope inside, which contains money. The lion collects the "harvest" during the dance and usually "eats" the money and spits out the lettuce, scattering the fresh leaves to spread good luck.
The Dragon Dance is a highlight of the Lunar New Year celebrations. The Chinese Dragon represents wisdom, power and wealth and is a very important aspect of Chinese culture.
Like the Lion, the Dragon is considered to drive away evil spirits and take bad luck with them.
Dragons vary in length, as some reach up to 100 meters long, which is not unusual, especially when you think that the longer the figure is, the luckier the New Year will bring.
This time, to celebrate the close of the New Year, we will be celebrating big in Redwood City. Saturday, February 20th at 5pm at the following link: peninsula360press.com/lunarnewyear2021
Don't miss it!
