Brown's lion dance team was founded in 1996 when Tse Kit Chan '98 brought a lion head with him from his former high school. Another lion head, a set of cymbals and a drum were donated by the An-Liang Association of Rhode Island. The next lion head was a Fat San rainbow-style head from Hong Kong which was brought to Brown by the committee of Chinese Students Association 1996-1997. The next addition to Brown's collection of lion heads is a Hok San gold lion which was purchased by the 1997-1998 committee of CSA. Our gratitude goes to Shu-Yi Oei '99 for bringing it all the way from Singapore in her luggage. In 2001, the team received a Hok San red lion as a gift from the Marin County Chinese Cultural Association thanks to Chris Yee '04 and his Sifu Ben Chuck. The troupe started off small, performing only at events on the Brown campus. As the team's ranks grew, the skill and the numbers of events increased as well. Our reputation soon spread far and wide and now we perform all over New England. In 2003 we were able to purchase a custom made head from Malaysia again through the generosity of the Marin Chinese Cultural Association.
The lion is made up of two dancers, one handling the head and one handling the body. While the second dancer imitates the body of the lion, the first dancer can operate the eyes, ears, and mouth to evoke facial expressions. The lion dances to the beat created by the ensemble of large drums, cymbals, and gongs. A teaser may also take part in the performance by teasing the lion with a fan or a large ball.
Lion dance has been a part of Chinese culture for thousands of years dating back to the Han Dynasty (205 B.C. to 220 A.D.) where it was primarily performed during religious festivals. Today, it continues to be performed at special events such as Chinese New Year, weddings, and the opening of businesses where it is believed to bring luck, happiness, and good fortune.
The lion is a special and highly revered creature in Chinese culture. The origin of lion dance and its performance during Chinese New Years comes from the legend of the Nien.
A long time ago, there lived a creature called the Nien. It was a deadly beast that ate both man and beast. People sought different animals for help but neither the fox nor the tiger was a match for the creature. In desperation, people called upon the lion for assistance. The lion came face to face with the Nien and came away victorious, while the wounded monster scuffled away, swearing to return next to avenge his defeat.
The following year, the Nien returned as he had vowed. However, the lion was unavaliable for he had been given the duty to guard the Emperor's gates. The people thought up a clever ruse by building themselves an image of the lion out of cloth and bamboo. With two men inside the fake lion, they approached the Nien and danced and roared at the intruding beast. The Nien, frightened by the lion that roared and danced before him, fled.
Since then, lion dances are held on the eve of every Chinese New Year to frighten the evil away and bring luck and happiness to the coming year. Chinese lion dances are also performed at weddings, grand openings, graduation ceremonies, buddhist ceremonies, birthdays, and exhibition shows. Would you like a lion dance performance? Contact Liondance@brown.edu.