Lion Head
For several hundred years, lion head performances have been an intricate part of many traditional kung fu schools. Hung Gar has moved lion head traditions into its curriculum as have many other southern styles.
We at the Sil Lum pride ourselves in our lion head performances and strive to achieve excellence in our kung fu through these performances. Each of the different components from drum, symbol, gong, Buddha, head, and tail have a very important roll and each require a certain knowledge of the art to truly perform in our shows.
Our lion head performances tend to stay to the beginning of the year and are usually booked for the entire month of February which typically is the Chinese new year. Many of our shows are for restaurants and can be viewed publicly but some are held for private parties like the Asian elders, the Asian chamber of commerce, and other private social events.
Lion Head History
Many hundred years ago china lived in fear. The local villages were tormented by evil spirits and demons. At the beginning of every lunar new year it would worsen as all the daemons and evil spirits would come in full force.
The emperor at the time saw his people suffering and found a solution. He had heard of a beast to the west. The fiercest creature to ever live called a lion. These lions were fabled as “Kings of the jungle.” He ordered his finest artists to create a lion based on the description given to them and make it so it would scare the move evil of demons or spirits away. It had a horn to show its power, a mirror to scare demons with their own reflection, and blessed with the lucky color of red.
On the following new lunar year teams of lions were sent out to the villages with loud drums, gongs, and symbols following the lions as they went through the villages scaring these daemons away. The villagers threw fire crackers into the street to stir up the demons to come see the lions and be afraid.
After the lions went through the entire village blessing all the houses and businesses the people would give the lion Sum Yen or lucky money in even numbers to bring good fortune to their own families and to wish that emperor a long and prosperous life.
