Lions in Technicolor
Updated: Feb 10, 2021
Ever wondered why there are different colours for the lions? Did you know some of them represent different historical figures? Read on to find out more!
There are 3 main lions, The Auspicious Lion (Liu Bei), The Awakened Lion (Kwuan Yu) and The Fighting Lion (Zhang Fei) from the Three Kingdoms era. The colours of the lions are based on the three characters’ skin colour, the values they represent and they each hold their own symbolism.
There are 3 'sub' lions, that together with Zhang Fei and Kuan Yu make the 5 tiger warriors. Yes, we're confused too.
However, many modern lions are in bright, eye-catching colour combinations (even neon!) that do not yet have any deeper symbolism.
Main lions
Liu Bei - The Auspicious Lion 瑞獅 (Rui Shi)
Liu Bei was the founding Emperor of the Shu-Han dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period (Britannica, 2021).
This lion's imperial yellow colour represents the colour of the Emperor and his wisdom. The white beard and details symbolise his wisdom and seniority.
On the collar are three coins to denote wisdom, benevolence, and bravery (智、仁、勇- zhi, ren, yong) and to show he is the eldest of the three brothers. The auspicious lion is said to represent extravagance and will bring peace(slfk, 2013).
Kuan Yu- The Awakened Lion 醒獅 （Xing Shi)
Its red colour symbolises General Kwan’s righteousness, loyalty and bravery. On the collar are two coins to denote wisdom and bravery as well as his standing as the second brother.
The awakened lion is said to be the military god of wealth which will bring fortune, blessings and good wealth(slfk, 2013).
Zhang Fei - The Fighting Lion 鬥獅 (Dou Shih)
Its black colour symbolises youth, straightforward, and rebellious nature all of which were traits of Zhang Fei.
The fighting lion represents teamwork and bravery and is used when different troops want to challenge one another or during competitions (slfk, 2013).
It has a short stubby black beard, red coloured glass eyes, cauliflower ears, and canine-like fangs. The tail is coloured black and white with bells adorning the body that served as a warning, much like a snake and its rattler (Beyond the Dance 2013, 2013b). In addition, bells were believed to have powers over the spiritual world as well.
Sub-lions
Zhao Yun - The Heroic Lion/Loyal Lion 忠獅（Zhong Shih)
This lion is known as the heroic lion and loyal lion as Zhao Yun risked his life riding through Cao Cao’s million-man army and rescued Liu Bei’s infant and fought his way back out. He is also very loyal to Liu Bei and fought alongside him for 30 years(Beyond the Dance 2013, 2013b).
Its green colour comes from the saying 青青茺岁月(qingqingchongsuiyue) which means that he is in his youth and he will be very successful in life as per the saying 英雄出少年(yingxiongchushaonian) which means that he will become a young, heroic man(slfk, 2013). The lion has a green tail with black beard and fur and an iron horn.
Huang Zhong - The Righteous Lion 敬獅（Jing Shih)
Huang Zhong is a highly respectable figure as he fought in the war while he was in his seventies, it shows that he is old and strong, and in Chinese 老当益壮(laodangyizhuang). Its orangey-yellow colour symbolises his bravery, courage and the fact that he is a highly respectable figure. This lion usually has white beard and fur.
This lion is rarely seen as it is usually gifted from one respectable and experienced master to another. When the lion is seen in a performance, word will spread and it signifies that the people will witness the appearance of a highly respectable person (slfk, 2013).
Ma Chao - The Filial Lion 孝獅 (Xiao Shih)
It’s white colour represents the white band that Ma Chao wore around his arm while fighting in war against Cao Cao. It signifies that he was mourning for his father and brother who were killed by Cao Cao.
The lion is fully white in colour and a veil hangs from its horn. The filial lion is also known as the funeral lion and is never used except for the funeral of the master of the troop or someone important in the troop. It would be burned right after the funeral, as it is inauspicious to have it around.
Today, the funeral lion can be used to celebrate the life of the deceased as a way to mourn and remember them. It is also said that it would watch over the casket of the deceased and protect the family members of the deceased (slfk, 2013).
Bonus friend!
The Big Head Buddha is the character guiding the lion, with comical actions. He is often seen with a fan, and will tease the lion while interacting with the audience. His figure is based on Buddha Gautama.
Legend has it that there was once a vicious lion that was eating and killing villagers near the mountain, one day Buddha Gautama came and brought the lion away and saved the villagers. Hence, the Big Head Buddha takes his figure and guides the lion during the performance (Zhihu user, 2015).
References
Beyond the Dance 2013. (2013, June 11). History of the lion dance. https://beyondthedance2013.wordpress.com/dance_history/
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2021, January 1). Liu Bei. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Liu-Bei
slfk. (2013, December 21). Nan shi de zhong lei[Types of Southern Lion]. Blogger. http://slfk123hotmailcom.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-post_7381.html
Zhihu user. (2015, August 1). Wu shi pang bian de da you wa wa jiao shen me [Name of the big head buddha beside lions]. Zhihu. https://www.zhihu.com/question/21235122
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