The glitter of gold and the crash of percussion will help local residents celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year after the fact, as the Honan Shaolin Association presents its ceremonial Dragon Dance on Feb. 4 at CrossIron Mills.
Members of the Honan Shaolin Association have been performing the Dragon Dance in the region since its first martial arts school was founded in Calgary in 1984. Passed down from Honan Shaolin instructor Master Wu to his students after he immigrated to North America from Shanghai over 50 years ago, current Shaolin Honan Association president Ken Leung says the Dragon Dance is intended to help gather community members together.
“It’s a good question,” Leung stated rhetorically; “Why do we run around with a big, giant puppet? The dragon is a symbol brought out on special occasions to bring the community together, and this is exactly how Master Wu taught … He taught a multitude of different ethnicities. And we (at Honan Shaolin Association) have done the same here. The Dragon Dance is about inclusion, and going out to the community to help celebrate.”
Unlike Europe's more ominous depictions of the dragon, Leung said in China, the dragon is a symbol that is intended to ward off evil and bring good luck.
“The dragon is composed of many different animals,” he explained. “What people have done is taken various attributes like the head of a camel, the snout of an ox, the beard of a goat, the eyes of a demon, the ears of an ox, the tongue, neck and body of a serpent. It has claws, of course, like the eagle, and then the underbelly of a clam– the scales of a carp. That kind of thing … Chinese people believe they are the people of the dragon.”
Leung said the dragon symbol was also traditionally associated with the former Emperors of China – especially the five-clawed, golden one depicted in the Honan Shaolin Association Dragon Dance. It’s a symbol which harks back to the ancient roots of Shaolin in those earlier imperial days.
“Along with the martial arts came the tradition of maintaining the Dragon Dance,” stated Leung. “The Dragon Dance is part of our training, but in terms of the tradition in China, it goes way back.”
Leung described how the colourful and exuberant dance will work at CrossIron Mills next Saturday.
“The dragon is always trying to chase the pearl,” he explained. “We are trying to corral or capture the pearl for good luck. Asians actually want to come and touch the dragon because they think it will bring them good luck.
“We are going to perform a dance, move around the mall, and we will make a lot of noise with percussion instruments.”
The Honan Shaolin Association’s Dragon Dance will be held in the Wind Court at CrossIron Mills starting at 2 p.m. on Feb. 4.
In the Chinese Lunar calender, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit. The new year was officially celebrated on Jan. 22.
