As one of the most widely spread folk dance in China, lion dance is the dance in which performers mimic a lion’s movements in a lion costume. It combines Chinese art, history and kung fu moves.

It has a history of more than a thousand years. The earliest record of the dance dates back to the Han Dynasty (205 B.C. to 220 A.D). It reached its peak during the Tang Dynasty (716-907 A.D.).

In Chinese culture, the dance represents joy and happiness, so it is particularly performed during festivals and celebrations, such as Chinese New Year, the openings of restaurants and weddings, etc.

The dance is performed by two dancers. One handles the head and the other plays the role of the body. According to the styles, the performance is divided into civil lion and martial lion. Civil lion depicts the docile and funny images of a lion, while martial lion portrays the power of a lion.