Where does the traditional Spring Festival custom of dragon dancing come from?

Where does the traditional Spring Festival custom of dragon dancing come from?
Spring Festival customs such as dragon dancing originated from traditional dances in China. In ancient times, dragon and lion dances were part of the major festivals of the year. Do you know the origin and meaning of the dragon dance? So if you want to know more about the 2018 Spring Festival, then continue to wander in the 2018 Spring Festival special topic on the Fortune Teller website! The dragon lantern dance originated in the Han Dynasty. The image of the dragon was created by the ancients to express their good wishes. The ancients called the dragon, phoenix, unicorn and turtle the Four Spirits. Among them, the dragon is particularly graceful and agile, high-spirited and vigorous, combining both hardness and softness.
As early as the Shang and Yin dynasties, dragon patterns could be found on bronze ware and bone carvings. By the Zhou Dynasty, the dragon patterns on bronze ware had become more complete. Although the Lantern Festival began in the early Han Dynasty and flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, the custom of dragon dancing should be a legacy of "sacrificing to heaven" from the Yin and Zhou dynasties. Dragons appeared in historical documents very early on, and "playing with dragon lanterns" implies praying for good weather, peace and prosperity for the country and the people, which is the so-called "praying for a good year."
The dragon was revered as a symbol of good luck by the ancients and appeared in various celebrations and sacrifices. People would perform dragon dances to pray for the dragon’s blessing. When people began to dance with colorful dragons tied with bamboo poles and decorated with silk for fun, its sacrificial nature began to quietly fade away, and it gradually became a traditional dance art of the Han nationality with a variety of performance techniques.
The ancient Chinese people created the image of the dragon to express their good wishes. According to legend, the ancients called the dragon, phoenix, unicorn and turtle the four spirits. The shape is beautiful, colorful, and the lines are both hard and soft. A unique artistic brilliance shines in the river of history. As early as the Shang and Yin dynasties, dragon patterns could be found on bronze ware and bone carvings; by the Zhou Dynasty, the dragon patterns on bronze ware had gradually become complete. "Dragon lantern performance" was already quite common among the people in the Han Dynasty. In the "community fire" and "dance troupe" performances during the Tang and Song dynasties, "dragon lantern performance" was already a common form of performance. In the Song Dynasty, Wu Zimu wrote in the Dreams of the Southern Song Dynasty: In Lin'an (now Hangzhou), the temporary capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, "On the night of the Lantern Festival...grass was tied into a dragon, and a green curtain was used to cover the grass, with thousands of candles densely placed, which looked like a pair of winding dragons. In ancient times, people regarded the "dragon" as the embodiment of good luck and represented the wish for good weather and good harvests. Therefore, they used dragon dancing to pray for the protection of the dragon god in order to obtain good weather and good harvests in all seasons. People dance with colorful dragons tied with bamboo or iron and covered with silk or cloth for fun and to express their joy. After continuous processing and manufacturing by folk artists, "dragon lantern dance" has developed into a folk dance art with perfect form, considerable performance skills and romantic colors, which is deeply loved by the masses.
China is the hometown of the dragon, and the Chinese nation considers itself the descendants of the dragon. The dragon is the first of the five auspicious beasts, and dragon culture is the most important totem culture of the Chinese nation. Since ancient times, there have been countless legends about dragons, and the dragon has become a spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation's unremitting self-improvement. With the development of the times, dragon lantern dance has regained its vitality and has become a grand and warm artistic activity for enterprises, institutions and mass organizations to sing praises to the motherland and celebrate happy life.
The dragon lantern is also called "dragon dance". It is about 20 meters long and 60-70 centimeters in diameter. The inside is made into a circle with iron wire, and a light bulb or candle is installed on it. The outside is wrapped with gauze and painted. The dragon dancers consist of dozens of people. One person in the front uses an embroidered ball to fight the dragon, while the others all hold dragons and perform actions such as "Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl", "Two Dragons Emerging from the Water", "Fire Dragon Soaring into the Sky", and "Pan Dragons Making Trouble in the Sea".
The dragon lantern is a traditional festival lantern of the Han nationality and some ethnic minorities. Popular in. It is said that dragons represent good luck, and therefore people hold dragon dances during the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, lantern festivals, temple fairs and harvest years. It is usually made of bamboo, wood, paper or cloth, with varying numbers of sections, but always odd. Its image can be divided into "fire dragon" and "green dragon" according to its color. "White Dragon", "Yellow Dragon", and the one that can burn candles in each section is called a "Dragon Lantern". During the Spring Festival, there is a custom of "playing with dragon lanterns" in many cities and towns in my country.
"Dragon Lantern Dance" is also called "Dancing with Dragon" or "Dragon Lantern Dance". It is a folk dance popular in my country.

<<:  What day is the ninth day of the first lunar month? What are the things to pay attention to on the ninth day of the first lunar month?

>>:  What zodiac sign is the ninth day of the first lunar month in 2018? Is the boy’s personality good?

Recommend

What solar term is Grain Rain? What are the customs of Grain Rain?

Grain Rain is approaching and the weather is gradu...

What is the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the beginning of spring in 2018? Is the beginning of spring an auspicious day?

Chinese people like to pay attention to good luck ...

Where is the God of Wealth on December 24th of the lunar calendar in 2020?

Where is the God of Wealth on December 24th of th...

Analysis of the fortune of a baby girl born on the 9th day of the 11th lunar month in 2021

The eight characters are arranged and combined in ...

Is it okay to get married the day before the Lantern Festival in 2020? Why do we have to play with lanterns during the Lantern Festival?

Introduction: Marriage is one of the important mat...

Is it okay to worship ancestors on the second day of the second lunar month in 2020? Dragon Raising its Head Custom

Is it okay to worship ancestors on the second day ...

Is it not appropriate to start construction the day before the beginning of spring in 2021? Is the beginning of spring in 2021 on the 59th day of the lunar calendar?

Introduction: Generally, it is necessary to choose...

Is it appropriate to get engaged the day before Frost Descent in 2019? What are the climatic characteristics of Frost Descent?

Introduction: Engagement generally requires choosi...

Is the sixth day of the fourth lunar month in 2020 an auspicious day to start renovations?

Introduction: Generally, it is necessary to choose...

Is it a good idea to pray on the 25th day of the ninth lunar month in 2018?

Is it a good idea to pray on the 25th day of the n...

Is it a good idea to pick up the car on the 18th day of the first lunar month in 2020? Is it an auspicious day to pick up the car?

Is it a good idea to pick up the car on the 18th ...

What is the origin of New Year’s Day?

What is the origin of New Year's Day as the fi...

Is it appropriate to get a haircut on the 20th day of the 10th lunar month in 2017?

Everyone has his or her own love of beauty, and ha...

Is it not possible to move house on the beginning of winter on October 12, 2019 in the lunar calendar? Is it auspicious or unlucky to move house on the beginning of winter?

Home is very important to us. People in the folks ...

What kind of Feng Shui fish is good for people born in the Year of the Sheep? Feng Shui of raising fish for people born in the Year of the Sheep

Everyone has his or her own zodiac sign, so every...