The Lion Dance is one of the most widespread folk dances in China. The lion is the king of animals. In Chinese tradition, the lion is regarded as a mascot, which can bring good luck. The dance has a recorded history of more than 2,000 years. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Lion Dance was already introduced into the royal family of the dynasty.
In the dance usually two people act as a lion: one waving the lion head and the other waving the lion body and tail; or one performer acts as a cub, while the other holds a silk ball to play with it. They dance in tempo to the musical melody.