Maqiao Hand-hold Lion Dance
Address ： Cultural and Sports Programs Development Center, Maqiao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai
Address ： Cultural and Sports Programs Development Center, Maqiao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai
Protecting Organization：
Cultural and Sports Programs Development Center, Maqiao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai
Introduction：
The unique Hand-hold Lion Dance was quite different from other lion dances. It dates back 300 to 400 years in Maqiao, Minhang District.
As the old streets in Maqiao were narrow, and the eaves along the streets low, dancers used hand-hold lions to create a distinct dance that blends colored lamp dance, acrobatics, and other elements, showcasing a high level of skill.
There are three performance styles of the Hand-hold Lion Dance, i.e., civil lion, military lion and lion-watching.
Street performances are mostly improvised.
Details：
Maqiao Hand-hold Lion Dance
Maqiao’s Hand-hold Lion Dance, also known as the “Diaoshi Dance” and “Lion Lamp,” is primarily seen in Maqiao, Beiqiao and the Old Minhang in Minhang District, Yexie and Xinqiao in Songjiang District, Pukou in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province and some parts of Zhejiang Province. It is generally performed on a square at the Chinese New Year Lantern Fair, the Lantern Festival and deity processions, as well as on festive holidays. According to folk artists, the Hand-hold Lion Dance, originating from the Lion Lamp, dates back 300 to 400 years in the Maqiao area. During the Lantern Festival celebration in Maqiao, people would parade along the streets holding a lamp. As the streets in the town were narrow and crowded with spectators, lamp holders would use a bamboo pole to support and lift the lion lamp, so they could dance around joyfully. This tradition gradually gave rise to the Hand-hold Lion Dance as an ingenious local folk dance. Maqiao residents took this dance to the streets of neighboring towns, enabling it to spread around. The unique Hand-hold Lion Dance was quite different from other lion dances, thus becoming a distinct folk dance. It is first characterized by the props. Hand-hold lions generally have four colors, i.e., green, blue, red and white, and three sizes, i.e., large, medium and small ones. These hand-hold lions are made of bamboo, hemp and colored paper (or spun silk), with their head and tail tied to a bamboo pole and a patch of colored silk (or spun silk) connecting the two ends to form the lion body. A candle or light bulb can be installed inside the ball, head, tail or body. The entire colored artwork looks like a real lion, its long beard flowing, its face concave, eyes bulging, nose short and wide, and mouth square, its fore paws holding a ball and hindlegs swinging freely. Given the weight of a lion lamp, ranging from 0.5 kilograms to 15 kilograms, lion holders are required to be versed in dancing and have a strong physique and exceptional stamina. The Hand-hold Lion Dance performance has no fixed formula. Instead, it is mostly improvised during a street performance. Nevertheless, it in general simulates the real lion to reflect the meek look of a “civil lion” and the fierce character of a “military lion,” while incorporating people’s joy in the dance. The streets in Maqiao were narrow and eaves along the streets low, hand-hold lion dance performers were prone to crashing, which gave rise to such performance gaits and techniques as horizontal shifting based on “low squatting steps,” three steps forward and three backward, and circling the lion closer to oneself. In its evolutionary process, the Hand-hold Lion Dance gradually absorbed such basic skills as rolling and stumbling like a dancing loong, shaping a performance style that blends the lion dance’s rough, powerful side and graceful side while valuing nuanced expressions. The Hand-hold Lion Dance is generally accompanied by the sound of percussion instruments, including drums, gongs and cymbals. The performers would improvise their movements to the beats of the music. Commonly used music scores include Qitouji, Santouji, Snake Shedding Its Skin (Shetuoqiao) and Flowing Water (Liushui), among other percussion musical pieces, all with enthusiastic, bright, fast and fluent paces.
*The above information is subject to the official release by the venue, and this platform is for reference only.
Protecting Organization
Cultural and Sports Programs Development Center, Maqiao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai
Introduction
The unique Hand-hold Lion Dance was quite different from other lion dances. It dates back 300 to 400 years in Maqiao, Minhang District.
As the old streets in Maqiao were narrow, and the eaves along the streets low, dancers used hand-hold lions to create a distinct dance that blends colored lamp dance, acrobatics, and other elements, showcasing a high level of skill.
There are three performance styles of the Hand-hold Lion Dance, i.e., civil lion, military lion and lion-watching.
Street performances are mostly improvised.
Details
Maqiao Hand-hold Lion Dance
Maqiao’s Hand-hold Lion Dance, also known as the “Diaoshi Dance” and “Lion Lamp,” is primarily seen in Maqiao, Beiqiao and the Old Minhang in Minhang District, Yexie and Xinqiao in Songjiang District, Pukou in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province and some parts of Zhejiang Province. It is generally performed on a square at the Chinese New Year Lantern Fair, the Lantern Festival and deity processions, as well as on festive holidays. According to folk artists, the Hand-hold Lion Dance, originating from the Lion Lamp, dates back 300 to 400 years in the Maqiao area. During the Lantern Festival celebration in Maqiao, people would parade along the streets holding a lamp. As the streets in the town were narrow and crowded with spectators, lamp holders would use a bamboo pole to support and lift the lion lamp, so they could dance around joyfully. This tradition gradually gave rise to the Hand-hold Lion Dance as an ingenious local folk dance. Maqiao residents took this dance to the streets of neighboring towns, enabling it to spread around. The unique Hand-hold Lion Dance was quite different from other lion dances, thus becoming a distinct folk dance. It is first characterized by the props. Hand-hold lions generally have four colors, i.e., green, blue, red and white, and three sizes, i.e., large, medium and small ones. These hand-hold lions are made of bamboo, hemp and colored paper (or spun silk), with their head and tail tied to a bamboo pole and a patch of colored silk (or spun silk) connecting the two ends to form the lion body. A candle or light bulb can be installed inside the ball, head, tail or body. The entire colored artwork looks like a real lion, its long beard flowing, its face concave, eyes bulging, nose short and wide, and mouth square, its fore paws holding a ball and hindlegs swinging freely. Given the weight of a lion lamp, ranging from 0.5 kilograms to 15 kilograms, lion holders are required to be versed in dancing and have a strong physique and exceptional stamina. The Hand-hold Lion Dance performance has no fixed formula. Instead, it is mostly improvised during a street performance. Nevertheless, it in general simulates the real lion to reflect the meek look of a “civil lion” and the fierce character of a “military lion,” while incorporating people’s joy in the dance. The streets in Maqiao were narrow and eaves along the streets low, hand-hold lion dance performers were prone to crashing, which gave rise to such performance gaits and techniques as horizontal shifting based on “low squatting steps,” three steps forward and three backward, and circling the lion closer to oneself. In its evolutionary process, the Hand-hold Lion Dance gradually absorbed such basic skills as rolling and stumbling like a dancing loong, shaping a performance style that blends the lion dance’s rough, powerful side and graceful side while valuing nuanced expressions. The Hand-hold Lion Dance is generally accompanied by the sound of percussion instruments, including drums, gongs and cymbals. The performers would improvise their movements to the beats of the music. Commonly used music scores include Qitouji, Santouji, Snake Shedding Its Skin (Shetuoqiao) and Flowing Water (Liushui), among other percussion musical pieces, all with enthusiastic, bright, fast and fluent paces.
*The above information is subject to the official release by the venue, and this platform is for reference only.
