If you’ve been to a shopping centre or during a store opening at a Chinese owned business, you probably have seen a lion dance before. Come on la, every time you hear dong dong chiang you already know what to expect. Lots of people, lots of very colourful lions, and a lot of fun. The cultural tradition has been a stalwart favourite of the Malaysian-Chinese community since time immemorial, and is beloved by all.
In fact, it is so beloved, that the tradition of having lion dancers at your business premises to usher in wealth and prosperity has been adopted by many other races in Malaysia as well! After all, who doesn’t like a little bit of luck on their side, right?
So it comes to no surprise, at least in Sarawak, that a Malay-owned restaurant and catering business hired an incredible team of lion dancers to come and perform for them at their storefront, drawing a pretty sizable crowd to watch on with enthusiasm! The video was captured and uploaded to Facebook, where it has gained plenty of fans.
Source: Facebook
Two lions were brought in to dance at the restaurant’s storefront. One yellow, and one black. Did you know that each colour of lion has a different name? The black lion is called the Zhang Fei lion, while the yellow lion is called the Liu Bei lion.
Source: Facebook
For those who don’t know, Zhang Fei is the name of a famous general who served in the Chinese army during the late Eastern Han dynasty, while Liu Bei was a warlord who lived during the same dynastic period.
Source: Facebook
As the lions danced their way into the restaurant and out of it, accompanied by the loud drums and the signature tune of dong dong chiang, we can’t help but feel the festive spirit rise up from within our hearts watching the video! Many were surprised by the spectacle, as the restaurant is Muslim owned, but Sarawak netizens are quick to point out that racial harmony like this is a pretty normal occurrence in East Malaysia! Looks like we have a lot of lessons to learn from Sabah and Sarawak!
Which comes to prove that it doesn’t take a different race to appreciate a different culture, after all. As Malaysians, a little harmony and respect among one another really goes a long way. And it’s fun to learn from each other’s cultural practices too! Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
Also read: 102yo Chinese Grandma Treats 50yo Malay Man As Her Own Grandson, Despite Not Being Related
