Afterword

Know these interesting facts about the lion dance

NORTHERN LION DANCE

Compared to its southern counterpart, the northern lion dance has an extensive history that dates to the Northern Wei Dynasty (359–534 AD). Some historians believe that it was after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty’s expedition to Gansu province that this dance took place, as the Mongol prisoners he had captured performed for the emperor wearing animal skins and hand-carved wooden animal masks.

Performed in pairs to represent the male and female lions, the northern style is vastly different in terms of design as well as its movements. Made to resemble Pekingese or Fu dogs, the northern lion’s head has more angular features compared to its southern counterpart and is usually made from wood that is painted gold. While both male and female northern lions sport red and yellow manes, the differentiating feature is their bows; the male has a red bow on its head, whereas the female is seen with a green one.

More acrobatic and playful in its movements, the northern lion dance is inspired by martial arts.

SOUTHERN LION DANCE