On July 21st, a lecture titled "Inheritance and Promotion of Guangdong Lion Dance" held at Yuexiu Library was given by Zhao Weibin, a provincial representative inheritor of Guangdong lion dance, a national-level intangible cultural heritage, attracting numerous lion dance enthusiasts. Zhao explained that Guangdong lion dance is predominantly popular in cities like Guangzhou, Foshan, and Suixi, and has also spread widely in Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, serving as a cultural bridge for overseas Chinese to reconnect with their roots. He is committed to presenting the intangible cultural heritage of lion dance through art and technology. Zhao has developed over 100 lion dance cultural and creative products that are highly popular among the public. He served as the lion dance director for the dance drama Awakening Lion, utilized 3D printing for lion heads, designed VR and AR lion dance experiences, and in 2020, launched the world's first lion dance sensory robot.
Zhao Weibin, a native of Guangzhou, is the fifth-generation heir of the "Zhao Heritage Atelier" and the son of "Southern Lion King" Zhao Jihong. For over 40 years, he has maintained a career in lion dance. Zhao has taught and passed on his skills to over ten thousand students both domestically and internationally. He has led the Southern Lion Dance Team on visits to over 30 countries worldwide, promoting Chinese dragon and lion dance culture, exchanging performances, and participating in international lion dance competitions, winning over 100 championships and gold awards.
Zhao explained that the history of Guangdong lion dance can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. After the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, as migrants from the Central Plains moved southward, lion dance culture spread to Lingnan. During the Ming Dynasty, lion dance became prevalent in Guangdong as an auspicious symbol used to dispel evil and bring good fortune. Over time, it became a fixture at festivals and major events, thriving and passing down through generations.
The movements often feature Southern-style boxing and stances, performing lion movements such as "opening eyes", "shaking the mane", "licking the body", and "shaking off dust". Key routines include "picking the greens", "drinking from the high platform", "spitting out the ball", and "stepping on the poles". Over time, lion dance performances have evolved from traditional ground-based lions to include bench lions, then progressing to high-platform lions, high-pole lions, and pole-mounted lions. The difficulty of pole-mounted lion performances continues to increase, sometimes involving tightrope walking and flying to jump.
In Zhao's view, the "old" aspect of Guangzhou as an ancient city signifies its deep historical roots and rich cultural heritage. On the other hand, the "new" vitality of modern Guangzhou represents continuous renewal, vibrant resilience, and its leading force in setting trends. He believes that the lion dance embodies the joy, liveliness, positivity, agility, bravery, striving for progress, and innovation that characterize the spirit of Guangzhou.
To explore presenting intangible cultural heritage lion dance through art and technology, Zhao has embarked on numerous initiatives. He has developed over 100 popular lion dance cultural and creative products. He served as the lion dance director for the dance drama "Awakening Lion", providing systematic training for actors. He independently created a children's lion dance integrated with hip-hop dance, which was performed 16 times over three occasions at the Shanghai Children's Art Theatre, all sold out. In 2020, he also launched the world's first lion dance sensory robot. This robot not only has a striking lion dance appearance but also achieves millisecond-level responsiveness to its operator. It can perform various drumming and lion dance movements, perfectly recreating scenes of "Lion King Competition".
Source | Lingnan on the Cloud
