Some Special Green in Lion Dance

The setting of the ‘Green’ (青) in Lion Dance performance have many types and patterns, for related opening ceremony or Chinese New Year, the ‘Green’ (青) for Chinese restaurant was commonly set in ‘Crab Green’ --蟹青, which related to their business (Crab is one of the popular Chinese Cuisine).For Supermarket wise, we use “Five Luck Coming to You” (五福临门), for rice merchandiser or warehouse companies which not welcoming the rats that always spoilt their good stocks, we usually using “Snake Green” (蛇青) because rats always scared snakes.

There are lot more unique Greens in lion dance performance which you should be seldom seen them.

This is ‘Cheers with the Deity’ (八仙敬酒)Encounter the Hero under the Moon (月下访英雄)One of the very unique and hardly seen Green --- “9 Segment Formation” (九子连环青)

Advance Level Lion Dance

In advance level of lion dance performance, means more interesting stuffs to be seen, thus the props using in lion dance performance will be more complex. The most common performance was lion dancing on the wooden poles, in Chinese is called 梅花桩 which means ‘Poles of Plum Blossom. It was commonly seen in the present lion dance competitions.

Chinese pottery chair is one of the prop.

On Chinese bench.
Even on n Chinese Claypot! Haahaa! I will tell you the story about lion dance in Chinese Claypot in my future posting.
The even more advance level: Using combinations of different props!

Plucking the Green in Lion Dance . 采青

To make the performance of plucking the green in lion dance much more interesting, the ‘Green’ (or the “food” for the lion) had been designed in various formations. The design of the ‘Green’s formation is also used to test the skills of the lion dancers. There were many type of ‘Green’ Formations and given in many different names.
"五福临门青"(Five Prosperity Green)is one of the common Green formations in various commercial events.
"仙人指路青"(Deity's Guidance Green)
"蜈蚣青"(Centipede Green)
"北斗七星阵" (Seven Northern Stars Formation)

Plucking the Green in Lion Dance . 采青

Usually, after the lion dance performance for either Chinese New Year or opening ceremony, the related party will pay us the fees, other than events booking.

In traditional and standard lion dance way, the payment will put in the Chinese Red package (红包袋) and tie with green vegetables and then put them on the floor or hang them on bamboo .
All of us see this ‘Lion’ as a live animal; hence we let it ‘eat’ its ‘food’ in an animal’s habit, which was the reason. At the end of the performance, the lion will ‘eat’ it ‘food’, the name given of this ‘food’ is called “青” in Chinese Character, in English is called “Green” while we translate directly.

In pure stage lion dance performances we may not see the lion do any ‘food eating action’, but it will happen commonly during Chinese New Year events and Opening Ceremony.

The ‘food eating action’ in lion dance performance in Chinese word is called “采青”, means “Plucking the Green”, we believe this will bring lucks to everyone especially the related parties.

Chinese Electronic Fire Cracker / Fire Works

When mentioning about the Lunar New Year, the older generation will recalled fire crackers. I mentioned the word ‘recalled’ as real fire crackers are no longer allowed to sparkle off in Singapore. This banned have not been lifted since it was spelled out many years ago.

Last year, the government had lifted the banned and allow real fire crackers to glitter in some major events, but strict rules and regulation have to be adhere to and approval of consent must be seek from the relevant authority.

Thus, Electronic Fire Crackers have become the substitute for real fire cracker to twinkle during the Lunar New Year or any other auspicious ocassions.

Getai Show for New Year Eve . 歌台秀

Organised a ‘Getai Show’（歌台秀） for Aljunied GRC countdown party last week.

Getai show is one of the unique events in Singapore. It usually sparks off during the Chinese Ghost Festival (or the 7th month of the Lunar calandar). The dying Getai came into life (all thanks to our Singapore's renowned film director Mr Royston Tan) after the Singapore movie ‘881’ which describe singers and related performers in Getai shows.
Our host,Li Pei Fen 李佩芬(Singapore's best female singer 2009, great singer who sings 8 languages, host) and Comedian Han Xing.
Pong Pong Girls.Cold fireworks adds as an extra ambience for the countdown."二姑“蔡平开!Another Emcee for the night!

Big Head Doll with Lion Dance

In carnival type of events, lion dancing performance will be walk together with wealth god and big head doll. Big head doll which is a lion dance member that worn a big head mask with a smiling face that holding a Chinese fan and playing a role that like a clown to create some atmosphere in the event.