This Lion Dance Photos was a collection I recently took during the Chinese New Year celebration in Penang.
How I love watching the Lion Dance as they are so alive. The photos cannot be anywhere the same. But it is better then nothing. It was a real live experience to get to witness the Lions in action.
The movement of the Lions springing in their invigorating dance always excite me. Listening to the loud drumming, one can get bored as it is noisy and the street packed with people.
It is not rare to see locals as obviously they can not stay away. Such is the power of the Lion Dance drums.
Choose your Penang vacations during Chinese New Year in January, chance are you get to feel this lifetime experience of witnessing the two types of Lions prancing in our Penang streets.
Stalls of Chinese traditional food like Pie Tie and Poh Piah, were sold by stalls erected for the event.
The Lion Dance liven up the street while I had Kuih Pie Tie (a Nyonya cup cake with savory ingredients) and Poh Piah on the seventh day of Chinese New Year 'Everybody's Birthday'.
It was so crowded, packed like sardines where the Northern Lion was practicing the steps how they were going to jump up and down the metal poles.
As I didn't want to miss out other events held concurrently, I must admit I followed the drums, the crowd, where my eyes saw the the sardines packed area, I want to be there to know what was going on.
Types of Lion Dance
The two types of Lion Dances are the Northern style and the older Southern style. Although the lion is not native to China, Buddhists and many others use it to represent courage, energy and wisdom.Lion Dance Photos
In this context, the Chinese consider the lion to be a peaceful creature, unlike the fierce tiger which is native to the middle kingdom.
I have some picture showing the playful Northern Lion Dance getting ready to show their act in Penang during our Chinese New Year event.
The storyline for the playful Northern Lion dance mostly shows a monk waking up the Lion.
How he would encourage the Lion to wake up to do its role in dispensing the greens onto the audience, giving them the blessings of wealth and good fortune.
These symbols combine to cure sickness, bless marriages and guard against misfortune.
Whereas the Southern Lion Dance has become an extension of the Chinese Martial spirit, and is always performed by students of martial arts society.
Following the Lion Dance, you will see forms, or choreographed routines, performed by the Lion Dancers.
The early martial artists, studying in Buddhist temples, imitated the fighting styles of the animals in nature that they observed such as the tiger and the crane. Other styles include the leopard, praying mantis, eagle, snake and dragon.
The forms you will see imitate the movements and characteristics of these animals. Watch how the fiercer Southern Lion blesses one such premises in Penang.
The Chinese consider the lion dance to be a vehicle for dispensing all the good blessings of heaven to the whole community.Lion Dance Photos
It is done not only during the New Year's celebration but also on auspicious occasions, and represents the hopes and aspirations of the Chinese people for all the good things life holds.
Go to Top of Lion Dance Photos Page
Back to My Island Penang Home Page
