Brought to you by Hung Gar Kung Fu
LED Lions At Chinese Ceremonial Arch. Chinese New Year Celebrations, Liverpool 2019. Filmed By James O’Hanlon.
Chinese New Year Celebrations, Liverpool 2020. Film By James O’Hanlon.
As a Kung Fu school, Hug Gar Kung Fu have been involved in the Chinese New Year celebrations since 1975 until the present day. This is their busiest time of year, where they get to perform all over the UK to audiences young and old.
As legend goes, the reason behind the performance is to ‘banish the winter monster’ and bring good luck and prosperity to the community, especially the restaurants and businesses that are visited on this special day. The firecrackers are set off to scare away evil spirits as well as the large drums, cymbals and gongs that accompany the lion dance. The ‘Winter Monster’ or Nian was said to come out of hiding to feed on men and animals. It was said to be scared of the colour red. So on Chinese New Year, they perform the lion dance to scare him away with the dancing and the noise of the instruments and firecrackers.
Legend also has it that the Chinese mythical lion was a real animal, which the villagers would encourage to come and help them scare away Nian by feeding them lettuce and greens. This is the reason why business owners still feed the lion a lettuce or spring vegetable to this day, along with a ‘lucky’ red envelope.
Happy Year of the Dragon & Gung Hey Fat Choy!
Photo Credit: Ant Clausen
