The Lion Dances Wrongly

The lion dance is a traditional performance with deep cultural significance, primarily found in Chinese culture and other Asian communities. Usually deploy during Lunar New Year, Business Opening and commencement of events/ celebration. Its other purposes include:

1. Cultural Celebration: Often performed during festivals like Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and other important events, it symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and happiness.

2. Warding Off Evil Spirits: The loud drums, cymbals, and vigorous movements are believed to scare away evil spirits and negative energy, bringing protection and blessings.

3. Bringing Good Fortune: The lion is seen as a guardian creature, and its dance is thought to attract good luck and success for businesses, families, and communities.

4. Community Bonding: It fosters unity and cultural pride, often involving local groups or martial arts schools in its performance.

5. Entertainment: And lastly, its vibrant costumes, acrobatic movements, and rhythmic music, the lion dance is a captivating spectacle enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

So, how can lion dance bring good luck or simply just some noisy entertainment? This need us to related back to the traditional Chinese Metaphysic concept which correspondences with the 4 season and 24 solar terms. The concept of 春生, 夏长, 秋收, 冬藏 (Chūn shēng, xià zhǎng, qiū shōu, dōng cáng) that describes the natural cycle of the seasons and their corresponding activities. It reflects the harmony between human life and nature, deeply rooted in Chinese agricultural society and philosophy.

1. 春生 (Chūn shēng) – Spring: Growth and Renewal. Spring is the season of rebirth and new beginnings. Plants sprout, and life awakens after winter. 
  
2. 夏长 (Xià zhǎng) – Summer: Flourishing and Growth. Summer is the season of vigorous growth. Plants and crops thrive under the warm sun. Farmers focus on nurturing and protecting their crops during this time. 

3. 秋收 (Qiū shōu) – Autumn: Harvest and Reaping. Autumn is the season of harvest, when the fruits of labor are collected. A time of gratitude and celebration for the bounty provided by nature. 

4. 冬藏 (Dōng cáng) – Winter: Storage and Rest. Winter is the season of rest and conservation. Crops are stored, and the land lies dormant. Symbolically, it represents introspection, preservation, and patience.

At an energetic level, when the lion dancer dances the swift and powerful acrobatics moves combined with the loud drums, cymbals and gongs. We could all agree that these are movement (kinetic) and sound energy. As well as the possibility of light energy (reflected from the bright costume). What these does is that it activate/ stir up the dormant, quiet and introspective qi that has settled for the past 3 months of winter. Resounding the start of new cycle ~ 春生 (Chūn shēng).

This is similar to the little stuffs or lucky charms older generation people place around the house for good luck or the use of energy stones or water to activate the wealth, relationship and nobleman.

As such, before the lion actually dance, we would prefer the lion to be moving in the wealth, career, relationship, nobleman or academia star area instead of punishment, 3-killings, calamity and sickness star area. Triggering the auspicious qi instead of the negative ones.

The annual flying stars or the 12 generals of Grand Duke is a convenient and effective blueprint tools to pinpoint these sectors so as to put the lion in the right place for the right purpose.