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 | Spirit of the Lion Dance
by Richard Fischer |
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From Adoption TODAY, December/January 2001 issue
The heart of the Lion beats in the sounding of the drum, beckoning to all that the Lion Dance has begun!
The dancers enter the room where the anxious crowd waits. Excitement intensifies as the Lion draws near, displaying precision footwork and acrobatic leaps. Young and old alike delight in the sight and sound of this most recognizable cultural spectacle from ancient China.
Is this animated Chinese character friend or foe?
A quick glance around the room to the faces of the gathered crowd tells me that this is indeed a friend, and soon, I too am swaying to the beat of the drum, wishing that I could join in this exciting dance. But the Lion Dance moves with the power and grace most can only dream to possess.
As if by magic, the room is filled with the spirit and romance of China.
The ancient legend behind this mystical man-creature teaches us that many generations ago, a peculiar animal appeared in the Kuantung province of China on the eve of the New Year. Since the New Year is a time for celebration, the residents did not want to be troubled by the strange creature. The people decided to construct a fierce-looking animal of their own with which to chase away the intruder. They formed the head with a bamboo frame, covered it with painted paper and sewed triangles of cloth together to make the body.
Then, during the following New Year celebration, two-man teams with drums, cymbals and gongs roamed the province to scare the nien shou away, hoping it would never return.
The legend developed through the centuries. Now the Lion’s performance chases away evil spirits and brings good luck and fortune to all who welcome him.
The Lion in front of me is proud and resplendent in its shimmering skin of silk and bright paint. The impressive performance continues with a grace and ease that masks the dancers’ intense concentration, enormous physical effort and countless hours of preparation.
After an experience like this, it would be difficult to even imagine an important cultural celebration such as Chinese New Year without a visit from the Lion Dancers.
So who are these athletes of the dance who make our modern day performances possible?
We can learn more about them by stepping back in time. Close your eyes now and follow the sound of voices back to ancient China…
Listen to commands given forcefully in Chinese. In the background, the muffled sounds of shuffling feet and labored breathing fill the room. Are these the sounds of ceremonial artists in practice, or could they be warriors of the emperor?
… Open your eyes and the image changes. We are standing in the workout room of a suburban community center, in Boulder, Colorado, and the sounds of ancestral China are coming from our children.
In unison, they move to the directives of their Kung Fu Master, for here it is the spirit of Kung Fu that gives life to the Lion Dance.
To better understand how this duo of Kung Fu and Lion Dance share the same performers, one must first rid the mind of Bruce Lee films and Hollywood images that only depict Kung Fu as a martial art. While many of us consider self-defense as the ultimate goal of any martial art, the study of Kung Fu is much more than mere fighting. Although Kung Fu’s origins are rooted in the practice of military self-defense, first taught by the Emperor Huang Ti around the year 2600 BC, Taoist and Buddhist religions added the philosophy of self-improvement to it. Kung Fu became much more than simple self-defense.
It is truly an art, which seeks to develop the body, mind, character, and soul of the practitioner. Kung Fu philosophy does not teach that one should seek to overcome other men. Rather, it teaches that a person must look inside oneself to learn control of thoughts and emotions.
Balance is the key to the movement and to execution of Kung Fu technique. The concept of balance reflects the harmony between Heaven and Earth. A student of the art can only achieve this concept of balance through learning to focus thoughts, concentrate and empty the mind of distractions.
It is interesting to note that the literal translation of Kung Fu in Chinese has nothing to do with the description of a martial art. Kung Fu is best translated as “due diligence, power, success and patience,” which can be achieved in any endeavor through a long succession of concentrated practices. A person could theoretically achieve Kung Fu as an artist, with brush or clay, pursuing the best of his or her abilities, progressing and continuing to learn through those efforts.
From 2600 BC to today, this ancient art of China teaching respect, harmony, fairness and self-reliance has been handed down from Master to pupil in an unending chain of dedication to the art.
Nowhere is this dedication more evident than in the life and practice of Shifu H. Solow, Kung Fu Master, in Boulder, Colo. It’s Sunday afternoon and his studio is one of numerous locations throughout the Denver metro area where Chinese Cultural Schools are now in session. Many of the students are adoptees from China whose parents recognize the importance of regular lessons in language, customs, music and dance. In many classes, both parents and children become students, the entire family eagerly sharing the Kung Fu lessons.
The athletic moves and physical endurance required to perform the Lion Dance are best suited to a team of individuals with strength and conditioning training, making a perfect match with Kung Fu practitioners. The tests of skill and agility set the stage for personal achievement and competition between teams. From the sidelines it almost seems easy, more like a game, but inside beats the heart and soul of the lion.
It doesn’t take long to realize that, for advocates like Solow, the rigorous schedule of classes and personal participation far exceed the description of hobby or recreational athletics.
Solow was the first non-Chinese man to be awarded, in 1978, the title of Shifu in the Hung Mei Pai system of Kung Fu. In researching the ancient practice of Kung Fu and the contemporary demonstration of the Lion Dance, Solow’s name was repeated over and over to me as the person most honored by our local Chinese community to teach and perform the disciplines.
In a comment meant to honor Solow, Pin Ding, a dedicated student and parent, exclaimed, “Shifu Solow is an egg — white on the outside, and yellow on the inside. We think he is more Chinese than he is white!” While this might seem out of line to some, it was an honest attempt to acknowledge Solow’s expertise and dedication to the cultural heritage of Ding’s native China.
Ding went on, extolling the cultural and personal virtues of Solow’s programs. “My son has learned valuable lessons from Kung Fu that carry over to other areas of his personal and scholastic activities. In Kung Fu as in life, one continues to grow and learn. In China, we place a great deal of emphasis on the importance of education and a superior level of knowledge. My son has learned that patience and due diligence will bring great rewards in life.”
In the Victory Garden as in the Boulder community center, the magic of the ancients carries on. Thanks to tireless performers like Shifu H. Solow and his students of Shaolin Hung Mei Pai Kung Fu, the legend of the Lion Dance is given life.
The Shaolin Hung Mei Pai Kung Fu Association is a non-profit organization, funding itself exclusively through the proceeds from performances. The organization strives to bridge the gap between East and West by exposing the community to Chinese traditions. Shaolin Hung Mei Pai has been honored to have performed for: the Boulder Asian Festival, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Chinese Children Adoption International, Denver Center of Performing Arts and others.
Contact them at: www.shaolinhungmeipai.com.
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