Chinese New Year lion dance and firecrackers
The tradition of setting off firecrackers goes back thousands of years even before the invention of gunpowder. Originally burning dry bamboo was used to scare away wild beasts especially the mythical beast known as the ‘nian’ in Mandarin and ‘ni’ in the Chaozhou dialect that appeared at yearly intervals and came to mean “year”. The creature feared the loud sound and kept away from the people. With the advent of gunpowder it was used to fill bamboo tubes and lit to produce loud explosions. The custom of touching off firecrackers for New Year was passed down and the tradition has lasted to the present day.
In the lion dance two performers dressed in traditional lion costumes mimic the movements of a lion. There are three styles of dance; Northern, Southern and Taiwanese. The northern style is very acrobatic and physical, it was a traditional form of entertainment in the Imperial court and elsewhere. The southern version is more symbolic and was used to ward off ghosts and bring good luck. Finally, the Taiwanese style has many links with martial arts such as Kung Fu. Dances are performed accompanied by drums, gongs and cymbals to provide the beat to synchronize the dancing. The lion symbol originated many years ago and is said to be the result of a monk praying to the gods for help who was told the lion, the king of all beasts, would protect the people from harm.
The lion dance and also the popular dragon parade are very well-liked throughout the Chinese community and can be seen at events and festivals especially at New Year. Skillful troupes of acrobats and performers can be seen entertaining crowds around the world.