"Xin nein kuai le; gong xi fa cai...!"

The Chinese Lion is a mythological creature of Buddhist lore whom can find its roots as far as the Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE). Legend has it that the Tang Dynasty emperor had a strange dream one night where an odd creature, in which he had never laid eyes upon before, saved his life and carried him to safety. The next morning, the emperor described his reverie to his ministers and advisers, wondering what this creature was and what the dream meant. One of the ministers explained that the strange creature resembled an African animal called a "Lion," which was not indigenous to China. The emperor, desiring to see this "lion" while awake, ordered them to create a model of it in order to thank the creature for its heroic act.

In China, besides dragon dance, the Traditional Lion Dance is popular performance for three thousand years during the Chinese Lunar New Year (or Nian), the August Moon Festival, weddings, store openings, or other auspicious occasions. Lion performers are kung fu practitioners. Every kind of move has a specific musical rhythm. The music follows the moves of the lion: the drum follows the lion, the cymbals and the gong follow the drum player. The Lion (also known as Nian) came to symbolise good luck, happiness, prosperity, majesty, strength, wisdom, courage, and has the ability to ward away evil spirits. Each Lion possesses their own history, symbolism, and personality.

This is a playful, joyous Southern Chinese Lion, or Cantonese Lion, a young adult male, untamed. Every Lunar New Year, my favourite holiday, I draw an auspicious Chinese Lion as a tradition. Happy and Prosperous New Year of the Rooster! This is my year — COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!

(The phrase xin nein kuai le; gong xi fa cai translates to "Happy (Chinese) New Year; wishing you prosperity" in Mandarin Chinese.)

Medium - 2B mechanical pencil.

Southern Chinese Lion © Diane N. Tran.