Lion Dance

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Lion Dance

Applicant: Beijing

Item No.: 108

Project No.: Ⅲ - 5

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional dance

Region: Beijing

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Beijing

Protection unit: Beijing Banknote Printing Co., Ltd

Introduction to lion dance (Taishi in Baizhifang)

Applicant: Beijing

Lion dance, also known as "Lion Dance", "lion lantern", "Lion Dance" and "Lion Dance", is an important part of traditional Chinese acrobatics. Lion dance has a long history. It is popular in the Han nationality areas of China. It frequently appears in the Spring Festival and other festivals and celebrations. Through lively performances, it expresses the good wishes of Chinese people to pray for good luck and eliminate disasters. The forms of lion dance in different parts of China are different, and the regional characteristics are very distinct. It is generally divided into two categories: South lion and north lion. South lion is vigorous and ferocious, and most of them perform difficult skills. North lion is cute, and most of them play.

There are two kinds of lion dances in Beijing, namely "Tai lion" and "Shao lion". The little lion played by one person is called "Shao lion"; the big lion played by one person is called "Tai lion". There are 13 routines and 20 activities in traditional performances, such as "Xiao San Yang", "Chang Wu Xiang", "single group style", "antithesis", "Long Bao Zhu", "Xianglu Jiao", "Qian Qian Zhang Zi", "dry boat driving" and "playing in the water".

Taishi in Baizhifang was originally a form of performance in the Xiangzou Festival. Later, it gradually became independent and became a popular form of folk dance in Beijing. It originated from Taishi old festival in Baizhifang, Xuanwu District, Beijing. It is said that this famous folk Flower Festival was founded in 1740, the fifth year of Qianlong reign in Qing Dynasty. In 1870, Li tingpu and Chen Zihe from Baizhifang area came forward to reorganize Taishi old society, and they successively served as the leaders. Chen Zihe is the fourth grade official of the gunpowder Bureau of the Ministry of industry. He redesigned the shape of the lion referring to the stone lion in front of the gate of Taihe hall in the Forbidden City. The lion's body is about 12 feet long, and its head weighs more than 70 Jin. It is powerful and ferocious. It has a large monument forehead, a turned nostril, a hole in the nest, a bloody mouth, and seven big copper bells hanging on it. Chen also hired a lion dancer named "sieve Liuwu" from yonganqiao, Yongding menli, to teach the performing skills, gather the congregation and take part in the pilgrimage meetings all over the capital.

Since the reorganization of Taishi in the fifth year of tongzhi (1866), the development and inheritance of Taishi in Baizhifang has been clear and orderly. The first generation of lion dancers is "sieve Liu Wu", the second generation is the artist surnamed Lu, the third generation is the son of Lu, the fourth generation is he Jinyu, the former worker of Baizhifang Printing Bureau, the fifth generation is Ding Bingliang, and the sixth generation is the famous Taishi artist and the former Beijing banknote printing factory Liu Dehai, a retired worker, is the seventh generation descendant of Wang Jianwen, a retired worker of Beijing banknote printing factory. In 1956, Liu Dehai's Beijing banknote printing factory set up a lion dance team and purchased a full set of clothing and props. Liu Dehai was in charge of teaching Taishi skills. At present, the main performances of Taishi in Baizhifang are organized and led by Beijing banknote printing factory.

According to the folk legend of "yellow lion and blue lion roar", one yellow lion and one blue lion appear at the same time in the performance of Taishi in Baizhifang, which is fierce and rugged, and has the characteristics of Chinese folk "Northern School" lion dance. Taishi in Baizhifang is the outstanding representative of the lion dance art of the northern school, which embodies the folk customs of Beijing, especially Xuannan, and shows a strong regional cultural characteristics. At present, Taishi in Baizhifang has fallen into the dilemma of aging personnel and lack of successors. It is difficult to survive and needs urgent rescue and protection.