Chinese Dragon Dance
Danny Xie
Origin
- Han dynasty 180-230 AD
- originally part of farming culture
- used to please ancestors
- dragon said to bring rain and heal and prevent sickness and hunger
- original rain god/dragon gives goodness and abundance
- started by those who showed great belief and respect to dragons
- now in festivals
- made of wood, bamboo, and fabric
Why do the Chinese perform dragon dances?
- bring good luck and prosperity for one year
- ward away evil spirits
background information on Chinese dragons
- 4 types:
- celestial (tian long)- guarded the heavens
- hidden treasure (fu cang long)- guarded treasures
- earth (di long)- controlled waterways
- spirit (shen long)- controlled wind and rain
- dragons said to create cloud with breath
- volcanoes said to be created when dragons came out of the ground to report to heaven
- wise
- great powers
- fertility
- luck
- authority
- life
- source of elements-water, wind, earth, fire
- horns of stag
- head of camel
- ears of cow
- eyes of rabbit
- scales of carp
Dragon Dance
When?
- performed at Chinese new years
- highlight of new years
- lunar calendar
- serpent shaped
- dragon size can vary
- typically 9-15 sections long
- longer creature: more luck
- sometimes rigged to belch smoke from head
- made of fabric, aluminum, plastic
- mainly red, yellow, gold, silver, green
- red-excitement
- green-good harvest
- yellow- dignified empire
- gold/silver-prosperity
- made by joining hoops on each section and attaching head and tail on the ends
- team
- 8-10 mins
- hold poles
- raise and lower dragon
- lift, dip, thrust, sweep head
- must cooperate to timing of drum
- use drum for rhythm and to use loud noise to scare evil spirits and monsters
- sometimes one person holds pearl of wisdom on pole
- dragon follow pearl of wisdom
- symbolizes dragons search for wisdom and knowledge
- patterns such as: cloud cave, whirlpool, tai-chi, threading the money, looking for pearl, encircling the pillar
Chinese New Year Dragon Dance