We didn't awaken a lion this year.. but we did a dragon. I thought I'd share that since not many people get to see it, but I think it's pretty similar to the lion ceremony. We first had the dragon dancers stretch out the dragon in front of sifu's office. Then the instrument players started a 'roll' (the sound you play when the lions are sleeping and starting to wake up). Sifu then 'bai san' to the tables for the ancestors and Guan Gong. I think the next step was to cut the ribbon that held the mouth closed. After that, sifu took a jar of red paint (traditionally was chicken blood I believe) and dotted the eyes then drew a stripe down the tongue. He then continued the lines around the spiral shaped cheeks, up around the ears, down along the whole body (about 60 feet!) on both sides, and managed to drip a little paint on most of the people holding the dragon up! Then the dragon did three bows to our three tables and that was it. I recall that the ceremony for the lions is pretty similar, except the lions have a mirror on their forhead that is dotted with the red paint and a ribbon gets tied around the horn.

Geoff

Hi- i'm not totally certain of all the aspects of the Hoi Gong ceremony, but my Si fu has imparted much of it to me.

The lion is awakened by the Hoi gong ceremony wherein the spirit of heaven is brought down into the lion through this ceremony.

While the Lion waits, the eyes are dotted with red to open its eyes to see. then the ears are dotted so that the lion will hear, then the mouth is dotted so as to allow the lion to use its mouth, then the horn is dotted and all down the back of the lion is dotted as well as the mirror on its head.

The ribbon is tied around the lions horn (not sure why, perhaps to seal teh new life within it? just guessing here)

as the hoi gong ceremony is completed the Lion is slowly brought to life with its new spirit within.

That is all the basic knowledge i have of the Hoi Gong ceremony. perhaps Si Fu will post more in depth information for us all? Si Fu Kam?

bye for now
david

Geoff,

The lion blessing/awakening ceremony is similiar to your dragon ceremony. It goes through the same process. In the beginning, the lion's mouth is padlocked and his eyes are closed shut. They are all placed in front of our ancestors hall. Usually, we have a high priest that summons the heavens above about this activity by reading chants and playing his little drum and handheld gong. In front of his table are some flowers, fruits, chinese joss candles, joss papers, chinese charms, rice, money, cinnibar, ancient coins, etc. All of these are offered to the gods above. After his chanting, the priest would use blood from a live rooster's comb or cinnibar, which is much easier, and apply it on to the lion's mirror to give it life. His mouth are unlocked and his eye lids are opened and the battery operated lights in the eye sockets are turned on. He uses the cinnibar and paints the head, cheeks, mouth, back, tail, etc. all over the lion. The priest would use a joss candle and makes his movements to let the lion know that he is alive. After that, a red ribbon is tied on to it's horn to signify that the lion is tamed by its owner. Two lucky charm papers are pasted on the back of his head. Now, the lion comes alive. The lion would bow to the alter three times and turn around to bow to the audience to welcome them. We would prepare a plate of food for the lion consisting of lettuce, peanuts, lucky candy, tangerine, and a cup of iced tea. The reason for this is that the lion spirit has traveled a long journey and is hungry and thirsty. We feed the lion and in return, he is faithful to our club and will do good deeds while he is on earth. That is about all there is to our club's lion blessings. Every club have different methods so I cannot speak about how other clubs does it.

Aloha from Hawaii,
Ernie

Hi

Something about the dragon blessing in our style Qwan Ki Do/Quan Khi Dao (chinese/vietnamese martial art). Like in many other vietnamese schools we don't call it liondance. We call to the lionhead dragon or unicorn. I know some you will write me again and say that it's call mua lan (southern) or mua su tu (nothern). But we call it dargondance and say to this vu lan. Dragon/lionhead would only blessed by the grandmaster of Qwan Ki Do/Quan Khi Dao grandmaster Pham Xuan Tong. For the ceremony is follow:

The master is sitting in front of the altar with a picture of his Master. The first cup of choum (chinese rose alcohol mei kuai liu) is in memorien for his master and would set on the altar. The second cup belongs to the master. And for each member of the dancinggroup who plays the new dragon/lion get one cup of choum. After drinking the choum with the treetime turning of the cups the ceremony will begin. In a piece of ginger we make a hole and filled with blood of a rooster or with redfriutcolor (the same powder like for chinese roasted duck). The red is mixt with choum. Why ginger, red powder or blood and choum (alcohol). Ginger represent the earth, the steam of the alcohol the heaven and the red the blood for the new dragon/lion. With a brush, the mouth, the ears, the nose, eyes and at last the horn will be touched with the red mixture. The master ask his died master if he admits the new dragon/lion in the tradition of the school and gives the new dragon a name. The eyes are closed in beginning and will open after painting with red mixture and around the horn is a red ribbon. After the blessing the dragon dance for his first time and brings luck. But after the blessing, touching the horn by female is forbidden!!! (Please no comment we talked about this)

Reto

Hello All

I have one huge question:

All these Hoi Gong ceremonies is similar to what I've been doing, yet Why are you using rooster/chicken blood?? I always thought the lion or dragon or what-ever is being used is considered holy, so whats the deal with the chicken/rooster blood? Doesn't it make unholy then?? All I understand is that you are not supposed to use blood, but if you believe in Kwan Yin you are supposed to use "pearl powder". Hence the vegetarian part and the no killing of life-forms part, etc etc. Unless, from what I take, this is the difference between taoist and buddhist view!!

Shel

Anybody want to fly out to the Arabian Gulf for a job? Sounds like they may take care of expenses, but I'm not sure.

>X-From_: wizcraft@emirates.net.ae Tue Dec 05 05:09:49 2000
>Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000 17:11:37 +0400
>From: Wizcraft Dubai
>Subject: Lion Dancers reqd. in DUBAI
>
> Dear Chris, We introduce ourselves as an Events Management company
>based in Dubai ( U.A.E ) - The arabian gulf. One of our clients is
>opening a huge Shopping Mall over here for which we have proposed a
>walking procession from the sea shore till the mall. It is suggested
>that we have a among many other performances a LION DANCE troupe
>accompanying the procession in it's full glory. We will have Russian
>dancers, Bavarian dancers, Fire Eaters etc. also in the procession . We
>require 4 lion Dancers for the same. If its possible could you kindly
>revert and inform us if you could supply us with these dancers. We would
>need to know costs, no. of people travelling and from where + any special
>hotel etc. requirements that they would have. regards Mr. AJAY RAO
>Wizcraft International Entertainment P.O.Box 30780 Dubai U.A.E. e-mail :
>wizcraft@emirates.net.ae ajayin@hotmail.com

I believe it comes from Ma Fu Yi, known as "A-sat" the Number 7 lay-disciple at Shaolin who turned traitor. One story I know is that he was beheaded by friends of Shaolin after the destruction of the temple by Ching government troops. In later years, the act of beheading a rooster when testifying was to show that you were telling the truth. Sort of, "may I be so treated if I am telling a lie," kind of thing.

The blood of the rooster signifies the sacrifice of honor. This is from the Hung Gar history--there are many symbols and secrets that only in recent years have brought to the attention of the public since they usually identified Ming loyalists whose lives were in danger during the early years of Manchu occupation and eventually became "traditions" in secret societies like the Hung Men, or Heaven, Earth, Man Society (triad).

chuck

Hi Laine,

I actually wrote that Bucksam Kong's lion dance came from Hung Gar. I assumed this because he is a student of Lum Jo's. Thanks for clearing up that his lion dance comes from Choy Li Fut.

Stephen

Hi Laine,

Yes, Hung Gar has a long lineage of Lion Dance. Frank Yee spells Hung Gar like Hung Ga, but it is the same style. All down from the real Wong Fei Hong.

Stephen

Well, technically pearl powder, coming from pearls, coming fron oysters, kills oysters. Not really vegetarian but who's really nitpicking?

Andy

Oops.. this is a bit off topic.. but with all the knowledgable people here, someone might know. I have seen some buddhists who normally eat vegetarian meals, occasionaly eat oysters, but very rarely. Does anyone know why it would be acceptable to a Buddhist to eat oysters? As I understand Buddah never said "thou shall not eat meat", but they are vegetarian because it is respect for life.

please reply privately to keep the list on topic.. thanks!

g

Whether you are chinese or vietnamese, mua lan is not dragon dancing. it is lion dancing. Only those who misinformed would call lion dancing "dragon dancing." vu lan would still be correct but not dragon dancing. a dragon is totally different.

The reason why there arent many vietnamese "schools" that call it lion dancing is because they either just speak VIetnamese and/or are unaware of the actual term for it and take up the term from those who mistaken identified it with dragon dancing. PLus think about it, what's dragon? con rong right? than why isn't it called mua rong (for the lions)? because mua rong is something totally different.

Albert

Hi Student David and All,

David, Ernie and Geoff have given a good outline of the Hoi Gong ceremony. The purpose, as explained by my teacher Lee, Lo-Si, is to bring down the Spirit of the Lion from Heaven to inhabit the body of the new Lion. The purpose of the Red Ribbon is given in the following myth: The Lion is a Heavenly creature and frolicked the Heavens being very mischievous and creating a great deal of trouble. The Jade Emperor became furious (you know how Monarchs can be...heh, heh) with the Lion and cut the Lions head off (yuck)and threw the Lion's head and body down to earth. Kwan Yin the Goddess of mercy, seeing the Lion in such a poor state took mercy upon him and decided to help him...so she took an enchanted red ribbon and secured his head back onto his body, bringing him back to life. The Lion was so grateful that he vowed to never be mischievous again and to only do good and bring good fortune to all. The red ribbon could also scare Demons and evil spirits away and thus the Lion was imbued with special powers as well. However, the Lion did not yet have all his strength, so Kwan Yin sends him to a Buddha who grew a special herb called 'Ling Chi' that would restore all of the Lion's strength. However, the Buddha did not quite trust the Lion and refused to give him the herb...so the Lion waited in the tall grass until the Buddha fell asleep...then the Lion performed a ritual of Bai Si and bowed three times - once to Heaven. once to Earth and once to Humans to get their blessings...then he ate so much of the Ling Chi that he felt drowsy and fell asleep...when he awakens the Lion feels all of his strength and power renewed and with the added power of the Red Ribbon, the Lion Bows another three times and returns to Heaven to be accepted by the Jade Emperor...so the Red ribbon represents courage, honor and also represents a tamed Lion who will only do good deeds and bring joy and good fortune to Humans...so when a new Lion is brought to life he must be tamed (and imbued with special power) and so a Red Ribbon is tied to his horn.

All the Best!
'Kam' - Wes Cameron, si-fu

in regards to the blessing of the lion head, should we change the fur after the blessing or before? what is correct?

Fellow Lion Dancers,

Besides the posts on Hoi Gong (Lion/Dragon blessing Ceremony that David, Ernie, Geoff, and Shaolin West, had talked about. Another thing for the Hoi Gong Ceremony is, according to the tradition (Hoi Gong). If a kung fu club were to bring in a new lion head/dragon head. And they play it in the streets or anyplace, before having the lion/dragon head blessed. It'll bring misfortune and badluck. But if they take out the new lion/dragon head out in the streets or any place, after the lion/dragon had been blessed then, it'll bring goodluck and good fortune. So, it's very important to have the Hoi Gong for the new Lion/Dragon head, just wanted to share this knowledge with all you people. And after, the Hoi Gong, lion/dragon dancing has taken place and everything is all done. Then the sifu, students or members of the kung fu club or kwoon. In their own time can be reinforcing the new lion/dragon head anyway they wish. Take care, bye. Because, when the new lion/dragon is given life, spirit, and soul. It awakens to immortal life, when the lion can't be used anymore for a performance, the members or students, sifu of the kung fu club or kwoon will either used the lion head for lion dance practice or have another ceremony. I don't know what they call this ceremony, but in the chinese tradition, whenever a lion can't be used for lion dance practice or can't be no longer useful. The kung club usually takes the lion to a place where they burn the lion head in a ceramic type of oven. Because, burning the lion head is a way of paying respect to something sacred. I think they have a ceremony first, as they burn the head. Excuse, me if I'm going in on another topic. But this topic just slided into my head. Or, reconstructing the lion head, instead of reinvesting in another head. But kung fu club or kwoon sometimes have their own way of dealing with lion head that can no longer be useful.

Laine

The red ribbon is a symbol of accomplishment as described in the story of Kwan Yin and the beheading.

The rooster is a tradition deriving from shaman practices. Chinese believe the rooster is the embodiment of the positive yang element which represents life and generating force.

There are also 5 virtues to the rooster:
1) Its crown is a mark of its literary spirit.
2) It is courageous as it fights in frontal position.
3) Benevolent, always calling out to the hens while scratching the ground to share his food.
4) Faithful, always crows at dawn, thus chasing away the powers of darkness.
5) Rooster blood "chi hung" closely resembles "chi hsiung", the abolition of evil.

This is stuff out of Dr. Hu's bppk.

Laine and other fellow lion dancers,

In reference to the disposition of the lion when it really outlives it usefullness either for practice or whatever, I can speak for our club, Lung Kong Physical Culture Club. We usually return the lion spirit back to heaven by burning it at a temple's furnace. Since it came with much fanfare, we usually offer incense and joss candles at the temple where it is burned to be accompanied back to heaven as a form of thanks for all the goodness and happiness it brought while on earth. Since there are no furnaces large enough to put the whole lion head inside, we usually cut it up into quarters first. It may be disrespectful but according to the priest, if that's the only way you can burn it legally and fit inside the furnace door, so be it. How does the other clubs do it????

Ernie

Ernie:

We use the furnace at the Palolo Chinese Home. We have the taoist ceremony, close the eyes, remove the shields, and so forth; then we place them in the furnace. The furnace is large enough to fit the entire #1 head and even the drum.

sherman

Hi Albert

I knew that you would correct me. I wrote that we called in our style Qwan Ki Do/Quan Khi Dao to lion dancing Vu Lan and mean unicorn- or dragondancing. So this is not a fact for misunderstanding, this is just the way we do it in our style. So please respect it. I know the differents between nothern lion , southern lion , dragon, unicorn...

Reto

Great story, Kam, Sifu. I had heard the first part but not the second part with the Buddha.

There isn't much more to add as all of you have said more then I know. One point to add, we use ginger and Cinnabar to "paint" the lion. The ginger is "hot" and adds life to lion. We find a piece of ginger that looks like a person (head, arms, legs) and dig a hole in the center. (not all the way through). Using the juice from the ginger, we mix the cinnabar and this is our paint. I can't remember if there was a reason we use cinnabar.

One other thing, we paint all the parts like everyone and have a chant before we paint each piece. (1 for the heavean (paint) 2 for the spirit (paint), etc) Unfortunately, I forget the actual words and we say them in cantonese.

Finally, the ceremony does not have to be done in front of ancestors. We have done it for grand openings and civic events where the VIP wanted the added "blessing."

Stephen

I don't think you understand me. I'm vietnamese, my first team was a vietnamese school. Your style is vietnamese/chinese in origin. But the english terms has nothing to do with your style. Qwan Ki Do is martial art's style, not a language. dargon dancing is with poles with more than 2 people. Vu Lan/Mua Lan is with two people and the REAL english term that is use for it is lion dancing. It is a fact of misunderstanding by those before you. I respect the way of nearly every martial arts school. but this is has nothing to do with "the ways" of a martial arts school and everything to do with the way you use language.

Albert

So what should I do if my group has been using a lion without having previously performed a hoi gong ceremony? Is there like an additional ceremony we should do?

Andy

One more question on the topic... I heard one of you guys say that you never dance before the hoi gong ceremony. What are the implications of not having performed the ceremony before using the head in performance?

Andy

Hi All,

Yes a new Lion definitely cannot be used until it has gone through the Hoi Gong Ceremony, but I think someone on the list mentioned awhile back that some of the athletic clubs using Lions in contemporary competitions do not go through the ceremony, but I am not sure on this point. Many clubs, including my Kwoon, keep all Lions that can no longer be used and store them on a wall up high out of respect for the good luck, prosperity and peace the Lion had brought over the years of its performing. My Lo-Si, said that if you significantly rebuild a Lion so that it has so many new parts to it or significantly change it's art work...then a Hoi Gong Ceremony must be held before the Lion can be used, because it is now the same as a new Lion and the Lion's Spirit must be brought down from Heaven to inhabit the Lions body . We did this when my student and I rebuilt a lion we had received and used from the Lee's Association in Vancouver, B.C, which got older from use and needed rebuilding along with new art work.

All the Best!
'Kam' - Wes Cameron, si-fu

According to some of the stories and traditions that has been said, you have technicaly been spreading bad luck. But i think you can decide for yourself whether you believe in the tradition or follow the tradition or not. it is up to you on what you decide to do with your team.

Hi Sherman,

I have not heard of also burning the drum...can you elaborate on this please, as I would like to know more about it. What I know about the drum... is that the Drum represents the si-fu's position and it's sound is the Tiger's Roar.

'Kam' -Wes Cameron, si-fu

Hi Andy,

Not that I know of...I think you would just perform the Hoi Gong Ceremony...but maybe there is some ceremony I am not aware of or a little something that would be added to the Hoi Gong Ceremony in this case.

All the Best,
'Kam' - Wes Cameron, si-fu