The Ettiquette for Lions that Meet Each Other
Hundreds of pilgrims converged in the square in front of the Panchungwei Village, Ta Po District, inthe outskirts of Hongkong this day to pay tribute to the Heavenly Empress's Temple (The Heavenly Empress is the goddess of the sea worshipped by the fishermen in the South China waters.). Sifu Ou Shao Yung also led over a hundred disciples to play Southern lion-dance, chi'i-lin dance and p'i-hsiu dance to mark the occasion. Flags in many colours screened out the sun, and drum-rolling andmusic resounded in the area, forming quite a festive atmosphere.

As Sifu Ou Shao-yung's lion-dancers headed a procession of pilgrims on a path to the temple, they met head-on another procession of lion-dancers also followed by pilgrims. The other lion-dancers were let by an Elder Sifu Chu.

When the two lions met, they saluted each other by bowing three times, which was done by lowering the lions as they are danced. The fact is that the lower you dance a lion, the greater the respect you show to the other lion.

Sifu Ou and Sifu Chu approached each other and saluted each other in military style and greeted each other. As the two sifus were making the overture, both lions danced backward. Then Sifu Ou's lion diverted to a bypass to allow Sifu Chu's lion to pass by and march forward straight to the temple.

Sifu Ou's lion marched to an athletic field to rendezvous with a Southern lion, two Northern lions, ch'i-lins and pi-hsius, all danced by Sifu Ou's disciples.

As Sifu Ou's lion met the other lions, ch'i-lins and p'i-hsius danced by his disciples, the ceremony was much more complicated than what was performed on meeting Sifu Chu's lion just a moment ago. Now the Southern lion, ch'i-lins and p'i-hsius all danced forward to greet Sifu Chu's lion. The animals bowed three times each time the new-comer met an animal. Amid the resounding drum-rolling and music, the two Southern lions danced lower and lower, presenting red visiting cards to each other. That was one of the grand etiquettes of "meeting lions".

After the presentation of the cards, the two lions made a number of friendly postures. They bowed to each other, rubbed each other's face and body, and warmly danced while holding each other in an embrace. The actions were excited, happy and fleet. Now and again, they danced lower and lower until they were close to the ground, to show respect to the other side.

The ceremony of meeting lions continued for 15 minutes before they retreated in dancing steps. That was the end of the meeting of lions. Then they bowed to each other before they moved towards the Heavenly Empress's Temple.

The Lower the Dancing Posture, the Deeper the etiquette
Talking about what is most important in the ceremony of the meeting of two lions, Sifu Ou said by referring to the departure after the meetingof the two lions just performed. He pointed out that both lions had to bow at a stretch as they retreated. It would be impolite if they turned their backs on each other while leaving.

Sifu Ou said: "When two lions meet, they bow to each other for three times, lowering their heads to a very low level." But what if either of the tow lions does not lower its head?

"It will be inviting disaster to do that." said Sifu Ou, "When the other side dances lower and lower, you do not respond and dance higher and higher, it will be like an person who sits unperturbed when another person salutes him. It will lead to soreness to say the least, and a scuffle and injuries in less fortunate circumstances." But Sifu Ou said that there are very few incidents in the Hongkong martial arts circle because of the meetings of lions. Just a few decades back, some pugnacious young men often availed themselves of the meeting of lions to provoke a fight that would usually result in heavy casualties on both sides.

"When one side danced higher and higher during a meeting of lions in the past, the other side naturally could not swallow the insult. A fight would be unavoidable."

In the bygone times, feud between two martial arts gyms was very common. When their lions met in the road, they performed salutation in phoney affection so as to provoke a fight. Sifu Ou said: "When a gym learned that a hostile gym were to play lion-dance, they would make preparations for a fight such as arming themselves with daggers before they danced their lion to waylay the lion of the hostile gym. When the meeting lions rubbed their faces against each other in phoney affection, the players drew the daggers an dsank them into the bodies of their counterparts from point-black range. Of course, that was the case tens of years ago. No one does such foolish things nowadays."

It is a Taboo to Lick the bottoms of a Lion
Even when there is no hostility, some blunders can also lead to a fight. For example the two lions may kiss each other's bdy to show friendliness. But watch out when performing this action. For if a lion should inadvertently lick the other's bottoms, it would be construed as a flirting actionof a lion to a lioness and therefore a serious inslut. The two parties will quarrel and ultimately clash arms, and turn from friends into enemies.

there are less chances for lions to meet nowadays. That is because the authorities forbid lion-dance parade in the streets of the urban districes. In the outskirts, lions still can meet in the roads. But even then, the etiquette has been greatly simplified. For example, when Sifu Ou's lion met that of Sifu Chu, they merely bowed to each other as hurrying friends shake hands with each other and at once part ways.

"In years gone by," said Sifu Ou, "when two lions met, some emulative young men would take the opportunity to test the kung fu of the other side. They danced with the other lion without cease. Unwilling to concede defeat, the other lion would go onwith the ceremony. Thus the two parties compared their strength. It was very toilsome to play a lion with a head weighing dozens of pounds for any prolonged period. Therefore, this test of strength often caused enmity in the future, and sometimes resulted in a fight on the spot."

Parading Lion-Dance is Absolutely Forbidden
The Hong Kong Police banned lion-dance in the street tens of years ago, because hostile gyms often fought in a meeting between lions, sometimes leading to the loss of lives. If a gym wanted to play lion-dance in some place away from the gym, they had to carry the lion and its players in a truck to their destiny, though they were allowed to clash gongs and beat drums in the truck. But then the ban was lifted when lion-dance was played at a festival in the Nineteen Thirties.

But in 1935, the ban was again imposed when a fight on a large scale broke out in a lion-dance.