Lion dances aren’t just for people of Chinese descent – other Asian countries, such as Vietnam, also celebrate with lion dances for weddings, small business openings, and other monumental occasions.
With years of colonial influence in the area, the traditional Chinese art of lion dance has made its way to Vietnam and is still popular there to this day. For Vietnamese communities around the world (including in Vancouver), lion dance is still seen as a traditional and exciting cultural artform.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the history of the Vietnamese lion dance, as well as how to book one in Vancouver.
History of lion dance in Vietnam
In Vietnam, lion dance is known as múa lân or múa sư tử. There are a lot of similarities between the Chinese lion and Vietnamese lion because of historical Chinese influence in the country.
A lot of the artform of Vietnamese lion dance takes inspiration from the Chinese styles such as Fut San (佛山). This is the same style that is practiced at Chau Luen Athletics. Some other differences include slightly different designs of lions, regional differences throughout Vietnam, and the inclusion of a person playing Ông Địa, or “God of the Earth”. This character is similar in appearance to the Chinese Big Headed Buddha (大頭佛).
Why are lion dances performed in Vietnam?
Similar to Chinese beliefs, lion dances are said to bring good fortune, prosperity, and blessings for those in attendance. Evil spirits are chased away by the energetic moves of the lions and the loud beat from the percussion team. On major holidays, including the celebrations for Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, the community gathers to watch the most talented teams show off their acrobatic performances.
When are lion dances performed in Vietnam?
You’ll most likely see a lion dance performed at major events, including:
Tết (Lunar New Year),
Tết Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival),
other Vietnamese festivals,
weddings, and
grand opening of businesses.
This list isn’t exhaustive, so you may see other major events with a lion dance team booked to perform.
Booking a Vietnamese lion dance in Vancouver
Though not many of the members of Chau Luen Athletics are Vietnamese, we are happy to perform lion dances for Vietnamese events and celebrations. In addition to our Chinese and English scrolls, we have multiple scrolls in Vietnamese that our lions can present to you or your community. These include:
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới (New Year’s)
Trăm Năm Hạnh Phúc (weddings)
Đại Cát Đại Lợi (grand openings for businesses)
These can be mixed and matched with our English or Chinese scroll options for a fully customizable show that is sure to bring both blessings and excitement from your audience.
Ready to book your own lion dance?
If you’re interested in booking a lion dance for your upcoming wedding, business opening, or cultural celebration, we’ve made it easy. Our lion dance booking process has a reputation for being the easiest, most seamless, and overall best in all of Vancouver.
With an experienced operations team to go along with some of the most talented performers in Canada, you’ll have all your questions answered and have an excellent idea of what your customized lion dance performance will look like after the first call.
So if you’re ready, follow the link in the button below and one of our staff members will get back to you right away!
Vietnamese lion dance FAQ
What is a Vietnamese lion dance?
A Vietnamese lion dance (múa lân or múa sư tử) is a traditional art form that takes inspiration from Chinese lion dance. These dances are performed to usher in good luck, drive away evil spirits, and to entertain those attending festivals, weddings, or business openings.
Is lion dance Vietnamese or Chinese?
Vietnam has its own version of lion dance similar to the traditional Chinese style. These often descend from the Fut San (佛山) school of lion dance, but have their own regional flair.
What does the Vietnamese lion dance costume look like?
A Vietnamese lion has two performers, one in the bamboo and papier-mâché head, which has blinking eyes, an openable mouth, fluffy fur, mirror, and a horn. The other is in the long “tail” portion that extends to represent the torso and rear end of the lion. Like Chinese lions, they can be of any colour, but often include bright, vibrant colours like red, yellow, and white.
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