Cute lion heads, deafening gongs and drums, an excited crowd—these are all part of the lion dances you often see during Chinese holidays.
The lion dance has been performed for more than 2,000 years. Chinese people believe that lions can drive away bad things and bring good luck.
Wang Rentao, 41, has been performing the lion dance for 28 years. He was born in Zhongkeng Village in Dongguan, Guangdong. Wang watched villagers perform it when he was young. “It’s a tradition with a long history here and the love for the lion dance is in everyone’s blood,”Wang said.
He is now the head of the village’s lion dance team. In 2019, the team took part in the celebration of the 70th birthday of New China at Tian’anmen Square. Wang was very proud of the team’s achievements.
The team is famous for dancing on quincuncial piles (梅花桩), one of the most difficult lion dance skills. Performers jump from one pile to another at a height of about 2.5 meters. The piles are about 1.8 meters away from each other. When performing, performers need to have enough team spirit, which can also show the unity of the people.
“The training is really hard. Performers need to have a great base of kung fu skills first. Even with that, they can fall from the piles and get hurt.” Wang said. “It can take many years to learn this skill.”
The lion dance is popular not just in China, but in overseas Chinese communities. Many overseas Chinese see the lion as a symbol of China. The lion dance reminds them of the culture of their homeland.
【小题1】What can you see in the lion dances during Chinese holidays?【小题2】Why do Chinese people like lion dancing?
【小题3】What did Wang Rentao do in 2019 at Tian’anmen Square?
【小题4】Say something about another form of celebration of Chinese culture on a traditional festival. (30 words or more)
