IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Feltham, H. | |
| The Dancing Lions | |
| 2001 Manuscript | |
Chinese New Year came early this year; on the 24th of January the Year of the Snake began, with the usual sound and fury of red-papered fire-works and the ubiquitous Chinese Lion Dance and continued for days, ending with a major parade of dragons, gods and lions. Watching these fabulous and fantastic beasts with their tufted ears, huge, rolling eyes, cheerfully grinning jaws full of white-painted lettuce-eating teeth and not a fang in sight, you can't help but wonder what possible connection there might be between this gloriously exuberant, brightly coloured confection and any actual lion. Nor is the Chinese shizi the only dancing lion of Asia. In Java the spectacular Reog dance, dating back to the Hindu period, mirrors the confrontation between the mllitant and magical King Kelono Sewandono and the equally powerful Singa Barong, King of the Lions of Kediri Jungle and his army of lions and peacocks while in Bali the lion-like Barong, Lord of the jungle and symbol of the forces of good, still confronts the evil witch Rangda in a dance drama dating back to the tenth century. Unlike the Near East, where lions were once commonplace hut are now extinct, lions are not native to China, to Southeast Asia or to any of the many other far Eastern countries such as Korea or Japan, where they also have a special role in ceremony and celebration. Tigers, yes. Tigers, though seriously endangered can still be found in many areas of India, East and Southeast Asia and historically were once even more widely spread. As One of the key symbols of the four directions, tigers play an important part in Asian mythology. But where do the lions come from? |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |