Lion dance
A dance by two performers in a lion costume to drive off evil and bring luck.
Also: wu shi
The lion dance is a Chinese performance in which two people, one at the head and one at the rear, move a decorated lion costume to the beat of drums, cymbals and gongs. It is staged at Lunar New Year, shop openings and weddings, to bless the place and drive away bad spirits. The lion may reach up to take a lettuce tied with a red envelope, a pun on the word for luck. Troupes train in martial arts, which are used for the high jumps and poses on poles. The dance is also practised throughout Southeast Asia, and in Chinatowns around the world.
Region: East Asia