Lion dancers repel evil at 123rd Bok Kai
MARYSVILLE (3/8/03) -- The sun shone, banners waved, gongs bonged and cymbals crashed as Don J. Lee, master of the Shaolin Yau Kung Moon style kung fu lion dancing, pondered the ineffable.
How many firecrackers does it take to drive away evil spirits?
"A brick. We use a brick of these," he said proffering a small red packet of birthday candle-size firecrackers. It was one of many packets from a larger brick-like package.
"Thousands? No, hundreds," he finally decided.
Lee's musings came Saturday at the 123rd annual Bok Kai Parade, where his group -- Lee-Jet-Don Lion Dancers -- were a featured attraction among 74 entries.
The parade honors the Chinese god, Bok Eye, patron saint of water and flood control. It is the most venerable civic event in a town that's had a significant Chinese community since gold rush days.
"It is the oldest parade in the state and the city's most important celebration," said veteran parade-watcher Mitchell Fong, who lives in Sacramento, grew up in Marysville.
The parade this year -- the Year of the Ram by the Chinese zodiac -- also honors Bok Kai, the historic Chinese Temple tucked against the levee at the foot of D Street, now being refurbished as a national landmark.
Lion dancing is one of the more colorful and memorable displays of Chinese culture westerners are likely to see.
Many believe lion dancing originated in China during the Tang dynasty (618-906 CE). Some argue it was the Ching dynasty.
The timing may be in dispute, but the main story is not. It seems an emperor had a nightmare in which a strange animal saved his life.
When the emperor described the beast to his cabinet one of his smarter ministers suggested it was a lion, a ferocious, but kingly beast that lorded over forests far to the west.
The lion soon came to symbolize good luck and a legend grew that dancing lions chased evil spirits away.
Even today lion dancers are an important element in the opening of Chinese events and business, especially during Chinese New Year. Wealthy families have them perform at weddings.
Typically, the "lion" comes to the event or business where the hopeful merchant or celebrant has hung over the door a lucky red envelop stuffed with money and shrouded with lettuce.
Amid a storm of cymbals, gongs and drums the "lion" furiously dances leaping for the envelope, the contents of which is the lion's reward and the measure of good fortune.
"The more money in, the more luck the business gets," Lee said.
Revolutionaries against the Ching Dynasty employed rebel lion dancers to spread their message at festivities around the kingdom. The "head" dancer would yell "choi Ching," meaning "get the Ching" to alert collaborators that he was available for secret messages and would receive money.
In modern times, the shout was changed to "choi chiang" -- "get the green" (or money) -- hence the lettuce, research reveals.
Lion dancing is demanding. It requires strength, agility and acrobatic skills, so dancing groups are most often associated with martial arts schools, as Lee's is. It takes about three years to train a good dancer, according to Lee.
There are several lion dancing "styles" -- broadly divided into Northern China and Southern China styles. Northern style is more aggressive and the lion costumes generally black, symbolizing youth and strength. Southern style is more passive, with gold costume colors symbolizing fortune and wisdom.
"Ours is southern style," said the 59-year-old Lee, who, besides being a kung fu teacher and dancing master, is also employed with the state Department of Veterans Affairs.
There are two dancers, one for the head and one for the tail, or body. The front dancer operates the moveable jaw, eyes and ears of the 30-pound head move. The rear dancer works blind and doubled over under the six-foot tail. Their unison "steps" are all based on standard kung fu moves and stances.
"We try to make the lion's movements as animalistic as possible," Lee explained.
"The drum is the heartbeat of the lion. The drummer directs the energy and pace of the dance," said Lee, whose daughter, Laura, and son, Chris, alternated as drummers Saturday.
Lee grew up in Sacramento and began martial arts in 1957, with judo. He switched to kung fu while teaching survival techniques to downed pilots while in the U.S. Air Force, Lee said.
Lee discovered the Shaolin Yau Kung Moon style in San Francisco in 1989, meeting noted Master Lok Sang Lee of San Francisco, who still plays a role in training the group Lee founded the early 1990s.
"I wanted to pass the tradition to the young people and to make others aware of Chinese culture," Lee said. He currently has about 15 to 20 students, with the ages ranging from seven to 18. See Sac Bee
MARYSVILLE (3/8/03) -- The sun shone, banners waved, gongs bonged and cymbals crashed as Don J. Lee, master of the Shaolin Yau Kung Moon style kung fu lion dancing, pondered the ineffable.
How many firecrackers does it take to drive away evil spirits?
"A brick. We use a brick of these," he said proffering a small red packet of birthday candle-size firecrackers. It was one of many packets from a larger brick-like package.
"Thousands? No, hundreds," he finally decided.
Lee's musings came Saturday at the 123rd annual Bok Kai Parade, where his group -- Lee-Jet-Don Lion Dancers -- were a featured attraction among 74 entries.
The parade honors the Chinese god, Bok Eye, patron saint of water and flood control. It is the most venerable civic event in a town that's had a significant Chinese community since gold rush days.
"It is the oldest parade in the state and the city's most important celebration," said veteran parade-watcher Mitchell Fong, who lives in Sacramento, grew up in Marysville.
The parade this year -- the Year of the Ram by the Chinese zodiac -- also honors Bok Kai, the historic Chinese Temple tucked against the levee at the foot of D Street, now being refurbished as a national landmark.
Lion dancing is one of the more colorful and memorable displays of Chinese culture westerners are likely to see.
Many believe lion dancing originated in China during the Tang dynasty (618-906 CE). Some argue it was the Ching dynasty.
The timing may be in dispute, but the main story is not. It seems an emperor had a nightmare in which a strange animal saved his life.
When the emperor described the beast to his cabinet one of his smarter ministers suggested it was a lion, a ferocious, but kingly beast that lorded over forests far to the west.
The lion soon came to symbolize good luck and a legend grew that dancing lions chased evil spirits away.
Even today lion dancers are an important element in the opening of Chinese events and business, especially during Chinese New Year. Wealthy families have them perform at weddings.
Typically, the "lion" comes to the event or business where the hopeful merchant or celebrant has hung over the door a lucky red envelop stuffed with money and shrouded with lettuce.
Amid a storm of cymbals, gongs and drums the "lion" furiously dances leaping for the envelope, the contents of which is the lion's reward and the measure of good fortune.
"The more money in, the more luck the business gets," Lee said.
Revolutionaries against the Ching Dynasty employed rebel lion dancers to spread their message at festivities around the kingdom. The "head" dancer would yell "choi Ching," meaning "get the Ching" to alert collaborators that he was available for secret messages and would receive money.
In modern times, the shout was changed to "choi chiang" -- "get the green" (or money) -- hence the lettuce, research reveals.
Lion dancing is demanding. It requires strength, agility and acrobatic skills, so dancing groups are most often associated with martial arts schools, as Lee's is. It takes about three years to train a good dancer, according to Lee.
There are several lion dancing "styles" -- broadly divided into Northern China and Southern China styles. Northern style is more aggressive and the lion costumes generally black, symbolizing youth and strength. Southern style is more passive, with gold costume colors symbolizing fortune and wisdom.
"Ours is southern style," said the 59-year-old Lee, who, besides being a kung fu teacher and dancing master, is also employed with the state Department of Veterans Affairs.
There are two dancers, one for the head and one for the tail, or body. The front dancer operates the moveable jaw, eyes and ears of the 30-pound head move. The rear dancer works blind and doubled over under the six-foot tail. Their unison "steps" are all based on standard kung fu moves and stances.
"We try to make the lion's movements as animalistic as possible," Lee explained.
"The drum is the heartbeat of the lion. The drummer directs the energy and pace of the dance," said Lee, whose daughter, Laura, and son, Chris, alternated as drummers Saturday.
Lee grew up in Sacramento and began martial arts in 1957, with judo. He switched to kung fu while teaching survival techniques to downed pilots while in the U.S. Air Force, Lee said.
Lee discovered the Shaolin Yau Kung Moon style in San Francisco in 1989, meeting noted Master Lok Sang Lee of San Francisco, who still plays a role in training the group Lee founded the early 1990s.
"I wanted to pass the tradition to the young people and to make others aware of Chinese culture," Lee said. He currently has about 15 to 20 students, with the ages ranging from seven to 18. See Sac Bee
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