The Lion Dance is one of the most widely spread folk dance in China. Lion is the king of animals. In Chinese tradition, lion is regarded as a mascot, which can bring good luck. The Lion Dancehas a long history with records of more than 2,000 years ago. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Lion Dancewas already introduced into the royal family of the dynasty.

In the Lion Dance, two people act as a lion; one waving the lion head and the other waving the lion body and tail; or one performer acts as a cub. Another person is needed to hold a silk ball to play with the lion.

The performance is divided intoWenshi(civil lion) andWushi(martial lion) types.Wenshidepicts the images of a lion, which is docile and funny. It scratches, licks or dozes off. In some areas, the lion player wears a mask. For instance, there arethe Luohan (Arhat) Playing with Lionin Sichuan and Hunan provinces andthe Laughing Monk Playing with Lionin Shaanxi Province.

Wushiportrays the power of the lion. Besides the usual jumping, falling and tumbling, performers will also show their excellent techniques by climbing upon a high table or by stepping on five wooden stakes. For instance, theGaotai(High Terrace)Lion Dance of Sichuan Province has to be performed on seven high tables, which makes the performance highly difficult. In recent years, the Lion Dance in Beijing combined the advantages of others to become a new style.

Skill is the most important thing while performing the Lion Dance. After more than 2,000 years of development, there are various Lion Dances. It's one of most popular programs of dance and acrobatics troupes today.