The Cantonese lion head: the process of making a lion head in Guangzhou

Abstract

The lion dance is a traditional form of Chinese culture with thousands of years of history. From the historical record, the lion dance tradition was started in the Han Dynasty. Similar to the dragon dance, the lion dance is a spiritual activity. It is a symbol that brings good fortune to people. Nowadays, the tradition is practiced in China, particularly in Guangdong Province (廣東省), Fujian Province (福建省) and spread by the Cantonese, together with good fortune, to Asia, the United States and Canada, and even to Mexico and Europe. Wherever there are Chinese, people perform the lion dance to express joy and happiness.

However, after years and events, with such a rapid development, the crafts industry of making lion heads is facing a variety of challenges in China. This dissertation aims to document the crafts, especially the Southern lion head in Guangzhou (廣州). With particular focus on the craftwork of Mr. Zhong Jiachao (鐘嘉超),the Inheritor of Intangible Cultural Heritage awarded by Guangdong Province Government for his work on lion heads, is famous with his craftwork of building lion heads in Guangzhou and overseas.

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide the technical background for the future conservation of the tradition via the documentation and analysis of the heritage significance of making the lion heads. As a cultural tradition, the craftsmanship of the making of lion heads is an intangible heritage to express tangible and intangible socio-historical value within Chinese communities. It aims to conserve the crafts, and to revive and rejuvenate such folk art via the investigation on the lion dance and lion heads.