Southern Lion Dance implies auspiciousness 南獅起舞送吉祥

夏夢芝

南獅藝術，源遠流長。傳承舞獅藝術，我們都是舞獅人。

Southern Lion Dance， called Sing Shi in Cantonese， a traditional folk art， originated from the Ming Dynasty and enjoyed great popularity in the Pearl River Delta， such as Guangzhou and Foshan. “Sing” implies spiritual auspiciousness in Cantonese.

Foshan， known as the “hometown of martial arts”， is also the home of Southern Lion Dance. Every year in Foshan， people around the world flock in to enjoy this grand visual feast.

Usually， this Cantonese culture blends martial arts， dance， music and so on. Southern Lion Dance requires two performers. One raises the lions head while the other swings its tail. The former stands on the waist or shoulder of the latter to keep the lions movement smooth and flexible. Each vigorous jump and steady step symbolizes power and faith. The climax of this dance takes place in“Cai Qing”， when the lion climbs up or leaps high skillfully to fetch the “red envelop” with lettuce inside hung above， signifying the arrival of fortune and good luck. During“Cai Qing”， drums are beaten intensely and the entire audience burst into loud applause and cheers.

However， Southern Lion Dance is at risk of disappearing. Unable to endure the tough training， most young people turn their back on it， leading to a shrinking number of successors to this art form. As cultural transmitters， not only should we raise peoples awareness of the value of Southern Lion Dance but also we should carry on this tradition and make it shine brilliantly in the years to come.