The Lion Parade
According to traditional Chinese belief, the lion symbolizes courage, stability and superiority and the Lion dance is performed to chase away ghosts and evil spirits. Since monsters, ghosts, evil spirits and giants are afraid of loud noises, a natural complement includes firecrackers along with clashing cymbals, gong and drums. In the dance, the ion’s movement has a specific musical rhythm and uses physical gestures to give it a life-like look.
The true purpose of the Lion dance is to bring prosperity and good fortune to businesses, shops (and households) so they entice lions to their door. Those visited by the lion will have good luck in the year to come. To reward the lion they do, what is called, ‘picking the green’ (called choy chang). The green refers to vegetable leaves, usually lettuce. The lettuce is tied to a piece of string with red lucky money envelopes (called lai cee).
To attract the lions to dance at your establishment, a traditional offering is placed in the red lucky money envelope, which funds the Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club, including their maintenance and purchase of lion costumes, drums and firecrackers.
The string, ideally red if available, is hung above the door of the shop/businesses and the lion ‘eats’ the both the lettuce and the red envelope. The lion ‘chews’ the lettuce while the musicians play a dramatic rolling crescendo then spits out the lettuce. This is a symbolic act of blessing by the lion, the spitting out of the lettuce symbolizes that there will be an abundance of everything in the coming year.
If you would like the lions to visit your shop/business, please hang your string with the lettuce (romaine or the leafy green and red leaf lettuce is easier to tie) and the red envelope on your door frame so that the lion knows to come to your door. You will hear them coming with the drum, gong and cymbals playing!
To prevent the theft of your offering. We advise you to not put up your offerings, till the lion is extremely close (when you can hear the drums, gong and cymbals close by). Please put up a visible signage, stating “THE LION BLESSING WELCOME” up by 12PM. If you are not located on the Fisgard or Fan Tan alley route, to ensure your business is not missed!
新春醒獅遊行拜年
在中國傳統信仰中，獅子像徵著勇敢、穩重和優越，而舞醒獅有驅鬼避邪和帶來好運之作用。由於妖魔鬼怪都害怕大聲喧嘩，因此舞獅時會放鞭炮和打鑼鼓以達到相輔相成的最佳效果。在舞獅時，醒獅的動作會跟着特定的鑼鼓節奏，並用肢體動作展現出獅子栩栩如生的神態。
醒獅拜年採青活動的目的是為商店和家庭帶來繁榮和好運，因此醒獅會由大頭佛引領去每家每戶拜年送上祝福並採青。被醒獅拜訪過的商店和家庭來年會更好運及生意興隆。
如欲醒獅到您的商店採青和送上祝福，只需要用繩子把生菜寓意/諧音【生財】和“利是”(即紅包)懸掛在商店的正門上方，醒獅就會到來。採青期間醒獅會在貴商店前興高采烈地舞動一番寓意龍精虎猛生意興隆，之後會一躍而起把生菜吃掉(謂之採青)，再把生菜咬碎(謂之碎青)，之後再把碎青吐出，寓意遍地生財、萬事如意。
您會聽到醒獅團隊們敲著鑼鼓和鈸緩緩而來。為防止被盜，我們建議您在醒獅團隊將近到達前才懸掛起生菜和利是。如果貴店不在Fisgard或 FanTan Alley路線上，請在中午 12 點之前把“歡迎獅子祝福”的標語張貼在店門的當眼處，以確保我們不會錯過您的商店。
域多利唐人街新春醒獅拜年活動是由非牟利組織【黃相健身會】的歷代新舊成員和義工們百忙中抽空參與，當日採青籌得的“利是”將資助該會用作维修和購買醒獅、鑼鼓、旗幟、鞭炮等等的開支。萬望各大商家大力支持。
Road closures will be in place from 8AM - 5PM for 500 block of Fisgard St. 10:30AM - 4PM for 600 block of Fisgard St. The Fisgard St parkade will remain open. Rolling road closures for 1600 - 1700 block of Fisgard St, as required at VicPD's discretion.
