A question that many artists ask themselves is "what is my work about?" Finding your voice is a journey that all creatives must embark on, and in my opinion, it is one of the most important things you learn to do in your creative practice.
Right now I am feeling an intense pull towards cultural identity as an Chinese Canadian. I am a first generation immigrant, my parents and I immigrated when I was five. I lost my ability to speak Cantonese and Mandarin, and I can't read Chinese characters either. I "might as well" be a Canadian Born Chinese (CBC). And unfortunately, my family lacks a lot of the connections to the wider Chinese community in Calgary. As our lives have gotten busier and our lives change, we have had less time for practicing cultural traditions.
Lately I have been on a journey to reclaim those connections to my cultural identity, to investigate it beyond a category I check the box on in the census.
In my art I've talked about culture through food and holiday traditions, but an icon of Chinese Canadian culture I haven't explored yet is the Lion Dance.
I have cherished memories of seeing the Lion Dance at Lunar New Years, usually at a T&T Supermarket. As a small child the lions were always so monumental. They were brightly coloured, the dance was a dynamic frenzy, the sound of the drums resonated deeply in my bones, the loud popping of firecrackers accompanied the drums, and I found it so amusing when the lion would chomp up a head of lettuce. And of course, the lucky candy that they would throw to the waiting children in the crowd (that was always my sister's favourite part).
Lions performing at the Marlborough T&T in Calgary (lovingly called the "old T&T") in 2007. Photo from the author.
Even though these performances were a memorable tradition, I haven't been to one since I was a kid. So many aspects of it are still a mystery to me, aspects that I am now yearning to learn about.
I set out on a journey to find out more, and answer the questions I had. Why is this tradition so important to the Chinese Canadian community? How does it bring us together? How did our elders bring the dance here when they moved to Canada, and how has the tradition evolved? Why is the Lion Dance important to me?
Lions, New Lands, and the Search for Gold
Firstly, I dug into the investigations that past scholars have conducted on the Lion Dance for some historical background. Helanor B. Feltham's essay "Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting" was central to a lot of that research.
Material culture is a manifestation of culture through production and bringing material things into the world. Objects reflect the beliefs and values of the individual that made them, and thus the wider social context they live in. Feltham argues that the Lion Dance is one such example. It became one of the most iconic symbols of cultural identity for diasporic Chinese communities in the late 1800s to 1900s. (106)
Lions are divine, bring prosperity, and have the power to protect people and places. They usually come in pairs, and tend to guard spaces of transition (Feltham 111), a theme that comes up when we discuss the importance of the dance to diasporic communities. After lion imagery was introduced to China through the Silk Roads, they quickly became a part of the cultural zeitgeist and were widely used to guard villages and rural homes (109, 111).
Stories and myths surrounding lions and the origin of the Lion Dance strengthened the importance of the tradition, notably in the coastal areas of southern China. There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of local variations of lion stories.
A monster terrorizes a town every year, so the villagers come up with a dance in an intimidating lion costume to scare it off and protect the town. A Buddhist monk wakes a lion up from his nap at a shrine, they play and he teases the lion with a head of lettuce. When the lion chomps up the lettuce, it goes everywhere, representing showering the audience with good fortune.
From including or excluding characters, to completely different settings and conflicts, there are many colourful lion myths that can be tied to the Lion Dance. They all usually include the lion doing something to protect something or bring prosperity. (113).
Performed by martial arts practioners, the Lion Dance became a crucial custom performed at major festivals and events within the community. (117) Martial arts schools were often important in the protection of rural towns, and are also affiliated with different revolutionary/resistance movements throughout history. Thus the Lion Dance has strong connections to tradition, but also defiance. (106, 117)
From one of the sources Feltham consulted, one interpretation of the symbolism of a Southern Lion are as follows: The colours yellow, black, green, red and white represent the five cardinal directions. The horn usually found on the lion's forehead represents a phoenix, the ears and tail are from the unicorn, and the long beard is from the Chinese dragon. The lion's forehead is also adorned with a mirror, which repels evil spirits. Evil spirits move in straight lines, so the lion confuses them by having a zigzag step. Placed all together, these symbols "cure sickness, bless marriages, and guard against misfortune." (114)
So, visually at least, it's like the lion is a Chinese Chimera!
Lion Costumes laid out at the Marlborough T&T, Calgary, 2007. Photo from the author.
There is a Northern style of Lion Dance, but it has many differences from the Southern Lion Dance. The lions are more furry, and the leggings are connected to the rest of the costume. It is believed to have originated in the Northern Wei (386-533 AD) period, and traditionally had performers wearing wooden masks. The Northern Lion Dance often involves more performers, where the Southern Lion Dance can be performed solo.
Southern Lions are louder, more flashy and their moves are more spectacular. The legs are separate from the body, and because of the acrobatics involved, dancers often switch out to prevent overexertion. (112)
Jinlong Culture & Performing Arts Ltd. "Northern Lion Dance (from 2020 Chinese New Year Extravaganza)".YouTube. Uploaded on 12 Febuary, 2021.
The vast majority of migrants from those southern Chinese towns were the young men who practiced martial arts, protected their hometowns, and performed the lion dance. They moved to Southeast Asia, America, Canada, and Australia in hopes of bringing prosperity back home to their families (123). Migrants often faced profound alienation in their new settlements, and in many places, were outright rejected due to xenophobia and racism. Helped by their background in martial arts schools and protection of the community, these migrants often formed organizations in their new settlements to support new Chinese migrants, preserve language and culture, and serve as a political liaison between the community and the officials of the place they migrated to. The preservation and continuity of the Lion Dance was important to protect the community, bring prosperity, and defy erasure (124-126).
Although the tradition has evolved, contemporary martial arts clubs and diasporic communities still place a lot of importance on the Lion Dance. The lion heads are still primarily produced in Foshan, Guangzhou, although the materials for construction have advanced (128).
The Lion Dance has become immediately recognizable by the general public, while still marking seasons and festivals, and they still bless grand openings and life events (129). The tradition has expanded beyond being practiced mainly within the Chinese community, to other cultural events and secular events. It is indisputable that the Lion Dance has an important role in developing and preserving Chinese cultures in diasporic communities (130). It is a symbol of struggle, survival, and hope (132).
A "New Ethnicity"
I still really wanted to find a source talking about a Canada-specific context, and found the article "Performing Chineseness: Chinese Lion Dance in Newfoundland" by Mu Li. Isn't it wonderful when you find exactly what you were looking for in your research?
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Chinese community is small, yet is also the second largest visible minority group. The Lion Dance is integral to how members of the community negotiate historical authenticity and personal authenticity, where those two concepts merge and appear to conflict. (290)
The Lion Dance is a part of developing a "New Ethnicity" for the later generations who choose to reconnect and claim aspects of cultural identity from their ancestors. (291)
The multitude of life experiences, contexts, and personal interpretations are in constant conversation. Questions of "authentic" Chinese culture lead to the development of unique versions of Chineseness. The result is not just a blend of "western" and Chinese identity, but a new identity with its own traditions with new cultural markers through adaptation and re-negotiation. (291, 307).
Supporting the findings in Feltham's essay, the majority of the Chinese community in Newfoundland is from southern China. They established the Chinese Association of Newfoundland in 1976, and the introduction of the Lion Dance was embraced by the community. The first instruments and costumes were brought over from Hong Kong, and to this day they still use the same drum, gong, and cymbals in their performances. (293)
An interesting variation of the symbolism ascribed to the lions is that different colour combinations represent warrior characters from the novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Each warrior has a specific virtue, thus the lion costume comes to embody that virtue. (294, 295)
Kim Hong, whom Li interviewed, said that the goal of the lion dance is to show people what Chinese culture is, and especially to introduce the younger generation to their heritage. (295)
Through passing the tradition down to younger generations, we see clearly how the Lion Dance has been innovated and adapted. It is a tool of education and a bridge between young people and their elders. And each young person has their own motivation for participating – not everyone has the goal of restoring the traditional meanings or purity of the practice, and that's okay! Others find that it is the martial arts and competitive sport aspect that draws them to lion dancing, and others simply find it a fun hobby.
These are all examples of the "personal authenticity" that each individual brings to their interpretation and relationship to their cultural identity. (302, 303, 305)
"A Weird Dance"
Next I started looking for mentions of the Lion Dance in newspapers and historical newspapers, and lo and behold! The entirety of the Calgary Herald is archived online. I wanted to find evidence of the Lion Dance having a presence in Calgary, how that changed over time, and find out who was involved in promoting Chinese culture.
An August 1945 article in the Calgary Herald - titled "A Weird Dance" - describes the Lion as "grotesque" "mystic", the rhythm as "confused" and "strange", and using words like "writhe" and "gyrate" to describe the dance ("August 17, 1945").
I had to laugh at the absurdity of it. This short article definitely shows its age, but it was nevertheless a testament to the power of the Lion Dance to captivate an audience outside of the Chinese community.
The way the Lion Dance (and by extension, the Chinese Calgarian community), is written about shows the progress from morbid curiosity to a cherished and appreciated part of the cultural mosaic of the city.
In 1968, the Sein Lok Society did a performance to welcome home the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium. ("December 2 1968"). An article by Claudia Cattano in the paper in 1986 describes some of the origins and significance of the Lion Dance in a decidedly more tasteful and respectful way. The Chinese Masonic Athletic Club performed the Lion Dance. ("February 10, 1986").
Members of the Chinatown community in front of a parade float. Year of the Dragon, 1976.
Before the 1980s, articles about Lunar New Year or the Lion Dance were few and far between. The mid 1980s to the early 2000s yielded more results, as the presence and acknowledgement of the Chinese Calgarian community increased – in no small part due to the Lunar New Year Festival. Participation and attendance of the festivities is open to the public, and encouragement for everyone to join in has been the goal as far back as I can find through these articles.
Peggy Leung, who was interviewed for a 1991 article, stresses the importance of the Lunar New Year festival as a way to encourage younger generations to connect to their culture and their elders. She also says that the Festival "creates understanding between peoples". The article describes the festival as a joyous celebration of cultural heritage, and the Jing Wo Martial Arts and Athletics Association is named as the performers of the Lion Dance that year. ("February 14, 1991")
Other organizations, such as Edmonton's Ji Hong Tai Chi College, The Canadian Shaolin Honan Wu Shu Association, Tek Guan Martial Arts, and Chinatown Lion Dance Association, are all mentioned as participating in New Years celebrations throughout the newspapers I am referencing. They all contributed (and some continue to) the survival of the Lion Dance in Calgary. ("January 24, 2001"; "January 18, 2004"; "January 22, 2004"; "January 26, 2006").
The trend that I observed was away from writing "about" us, towards listening to us and crediting knowledge to community members. The emphasis is often on how valuable these traditions are, how preserving them and coming together as a community is important as more people with Chinese heritage move here.
In a February 2000 article for the newspaper, people are interviewed to speak to the importance of Chinese New Year to our community. It is fittingly titled "Calgary's Chinese have adapted age old customs to a new time and place". They talk about traditions like gathering together the entire family for a large meal, kids receiving lucky red envelopes from their elders, and lighting firecrackers. The article acknowledges the difficulty of maintaining the Lunar New Years traditions when it's not recognized as a national holiday in Canada. Being able to celebrate with community members is the only antidote to isolation and total assimilation – something which the foundation of the Calgary Chinese Cultural Center in 1992 helped to prevent. ("February 2, 2000")
The Jing Wo Martial Arts and Athletics Association once again performed that year. Association President Ming Lee and director Peter Lau were interviewed for the article as well. ("February 2, 2000").
In 2004, Desmond Lee, Lion Dance group leader with Jing Wo, talked about how important it is that cultural traditions are promoted, especially for those who were born here and want a connection to their heritage. Additionally, Lion Dancers do not have a rivalry with another popular traditional dance – the Dragon Dance. Ken Leong says the lions and the dragon are playmates – and the metaphor extends to the people celebrating. Everyone is here because we want to collaborate and partake together, no matter our differences. In the past, the small number of Chinese people in Calgary meant that you had nobody to say Gung Hay Fat Choy (Happy New Year) to. But now, the Chinese community is just as much a part of Calgary as anybody else. ("January 22, 2004"; "January 06, 2006").
Lion dancers at the Calgary Stampede Parade, 2007. Photo from the author.
Home Town Lions
Speaking of Jing Wo - now renamed to Jing Wo Cultural Association - I reached out to them to see if they'd be willing to aid with my research. I then met Vivian, a martial artist trained in the lion dance and the current social media/marketing manager for Jing Wo. (Jing Wo's Website, Facebook, and Instagram).
Vivian showed me their studio and brought out a plethora of old photos for me to look at and record.
Jing Wo Cultural Association started out as the Jing Wo Martial Arts and Athletics Association on January 20th, 1984. The main founding members were Ming Lee, Peter Lau, Simon Lo, Ken Yap, Steven Lau, Hubert Chan, and Edmund Leung. They are all called "uncle" by the younger volunteers. Many more of their friends joined and built up the association.
Left to right: Stephen Lau, Hubert Chan, Ming Lee, and Peter Lau holding awards at the Calgary Stampede Parade, 1999.
On their opening day, they had a red guest book that many people signed to wish the organization well in their mission. They keep it as a memento to this day, despite it nearly falling apart.
The guestbook from 1984, with names and signatures of attendees and members. Some messages contain well wishes to the Association. Photos taken by the author, November 14 2023.
Their original mandate was to promote the art of Wu Shu (Kung Fu), and hopefully get it promoted to an Olympic sport. They were also officially connected to the Chin Woo Worldwide Federation, but that connection has been only in name in recent years, as Jing Wo's name and mandate has changed.
Now, the goal of the organization is not solely focused on martial arts training, but all manner of cultural initiatives. They do that primarily through doing Lion Dance performances and training volunteers.
The organization is nonprofit and volunteer based, meaning they don’t charge for performances or for lessons. This allows them to be flexible in their performances, and fosters a community of members that have a great passion for the mission of Jing Wo.
Lessons are held weekly, and are all ages. On the day I visited, Brandon, their current Vice President, was leading the class. It was really cool to see people from different age groups all training together – it embodies the approachability of the Lion Dance that they cultivate. Lots of the parents stayed to watch their kids practice too, which I thought was very encouraging. You know you're doing good work when the parents also care about the activity as much as the kids do.
Practice at the Jing Wo studio. A lion may have a 15 year old head and a 7 year old tail! Photo taken by author, November 14 2023.
I asked Vivian one of my burning questions – who makes the lions? The Lion Dance costumes are still imported from China. I think perhaps from the manufactures in Foshan that Feltham mentioned in her essay.
The first costumes that Jing Wo owned, purchased all the way back in the 80s, hang suspended from the ceiling of the studio.
The three original lions from the 80s. They are sometimes still used for performances. Photos taken by author, November 14 2023.
A big part of keeping the tradition alive is maintaining and restoring the costumes. That way, future generations can continue to use them.
They have "grooming days" where volunteers brush out the fur, remove lint and dust, patch up the paint job, and repair the inside bamboo joints with hot glue and tape. The costumes experience a lot of wear and tear during performances. It is fascinating to me that these costumes, used in such a vigorous dance, are actually quite precious and delicate.
The costumes are not made for the dry climate of Calgary. The paper mâché body and bamboo frame dry out and crack easily due to the lack of moisture in the air. They only last about 2 years in this climate, even with careful maintenance.
Unused costumes are stored in plastic bags to protect them, and they must be handled with care. They are quite heavy, at 10-20 pounds for the head of the lion. I can imagine how dancers get fatigued holding them up during a long performance.
The maintenance is a craft in itself, from an artist's standpoint. You have to know what makes them work and how to keep them looking brand new. You have to come up with creative solutions to adapt to the materials you have access to.
Lion costumes stored in the practice area. Photo taken by author, November 14 2023.
There is a ceremony used to "awaken" a new lion (Feltham 29), called the "eye dotting ceremony", where the details in the eyes and head down to the tail of the lion are painted. From what Vivian told me, this is to bless the lion, from their head to their toes, as well as grant the people performing the ceremony the good qualities of the lion.
Photos from an eye dotting ceremony.
Old lions are not simply discarded, but burned in a ceremony to pay them due respect and give them a proper send off (Feltham 129), a practice that Jing Wo still observes. Joss paper and burial money are also burned. Burial money and joss paper are used in Chinese funeral customs to send off the deceased with the things they will need in the afterlife.
The costumes are not traditionally given personal names, but are simply referred to by the colours of the fur and body. For example, a lion with red fur and a pink body would be referred to as such. That said, the volunteers at Jing Wo have given affectionate nicknames to their lions based on their colour scheme. Their red and yellow one, Vivian said, they call "condiments" after ketchup and mustard, a black and yellow one is called "bumblebee", and their pink and purple one is called "passionfruit".
Costumes come in different sizes. Vivian showed me the usual adult size, which even now, as an adult myself, seems quite grand. As a child, the lions are massive! But I still feel dwarfed by the sheer magnificence of being face to face with one of the lions. And the flapping of the ears and eyelids are still so, so cute.
Vivian showing me the inside of a lion's head, and showing the mechanisms that move the eyelids, ears, and tail. Video recorded by the author, November 14, 2023.
They have a slightly smaller size, and even smaller children's costumes. At the lesson, there were a few little kids using the little lion heads to practice nearby the teens and adults.
All the members of the troupe are multi-talented. As they are a non-profit volunteer organization, everyone should learn a little bit of everything should another not be available to fill a role. Vivian and Brandon currently find themselves doing the instrumentation a lot, as the various beats are more difficult to learn for newcomers. But they still do performances in the costumes as both the head and the tail.
Speaking of beats, the variety is vast. Different regions and countries tend to have signature ones, but there isn't really a "universal" or "default" one, and beats are not specific to holidays or certain events. Brandon told me there are a few very common ones:
Hoksan is the one most commonly used by Jing Wo's troupe. Hong Kong, Vietnam, Champions (used commonly during lion dance competitions), Futsan (Southern), and 7 Star beat are some others.
Learning and improvising or creating new beats takes a long time, a good sense of rhythm, and planning. There are no hard and fast rules, and beats evolve as new influences and ideas are incorporated.
Over time, Jing Wo has opened up their performances to many different events and possibilities, which is part of why they changed their name to The Jing Wo Cultural Association. Traditionally, Lion Dance performances are done at Lunar New Year, weddings, life events, business openings, and the like. Nowadays, opportunities to perform for different cultures for their holidays and events are readily taken.
One of the most memorable events they performed for was Cathay Pacific Cargo grand opening for their new weekly flight from Calgary to Beijing. The team performed for a huge crowd right on the tarmac, and the plane drove right up next to them, Brandon recalls.
Vivian says that the Calgary Stampede Parade is also usually a highlight for them. It’s a big event, which is great for visibility and representation.
Not long ago, Uncle Peter gathered together a bunch of elders and original members of the association to meet with the new generation. These elders are now moving on to different phases of their lives, moving away or even moving back to China. This meeting was important to pass on the torch, encourage the new generation, and show the elders that Jing Wo is in good hands.
Some important lessons that Brandon recalled from Uncle Ming were:
When you go out into the community, you represent Jing Wo and the wider Chinese community. Maintain a respectable demeanor and uphold the high standards of conduct that Jing Wo has cultivated. "When you wear this uniform, you represent many people, not just yourself".
Never turn down a performance opportunity because of money. The mission is not to make money or be exclusive, it is to freely share our culture and the things we have to offer.
Finally, never forget your roots. Don't forget where you came from and those that came before you. Progress and change are important, but it's good to balance that with preserving and respecting traditional wisdom.
Vivian and Brandon standing in front of Jing Wo’s official banner. Photo taken by the author, November 14, 2023.
A Traditional Canadian Chinese Way
Ming Lee with his sons, holding the “best cultural entry award” at the Calgary Stampede. Left to right: Desmond (Dez) Lee, Ming Lee, Scotty Lee, Ben Lee, 2007.
Brandon and Vivian were taught by Desmond Lee, whom I had the honor of interviewing. Listening to him talk about his life and Jing Wo's journey was incredible.
When Desmond was in school, there were only three Chinese kids, including him. Although he was involved with Jing Wo, and by extension, Lion Dancing, he just tagged along with his father and his father's friends. It was all he'd ever known, yet he wouldn't start taking it seriously until he was fourteen.
He told me that around this time he became more self-reflective of what his cultural identity was – he was a Chinese Canadian, but what did that mean? Why did his parents want him to go to Chinese school and experience Chinese culture so badly, and what importance did he place on his parent's culture for himself?
Lion Dancing is specifically intriguing to Desmond because it's more accessible to the mainstream. It's festive and eye-catching, making it a great icebreaker for conversations about culture and history. Being around his dad and his uncles doing lion dancing made him realize how valuable it was as a facilitator for cultural exchange.
Desmond was in training until his late 30s, at which time he could be considered a coach. He doesn't feel a strong connection to the title sifu, as for him it denotes classical training that he didn't go through, and a tradition of strict martial arts schools that he doesn't align himself with.
For Desmond, to be a coach, you have to know your craft, be humble, and step up and defend what you believe in and what you're doing. You need to be able to adapt with the times and be accessible to everyone, and not put expectations on your students to be perfect or be the best.
So when he was fourteen, he stepped up to lead the lion dance team. He didn't want the hard work of the founding members to come to an end. Even now, the fear of there being nobody to pass the torch to is constantly felt by many organizations in Chinatown, and that is exactly what Desmond set out to prevent in the early days.
In those days, everything was spread by word of mouth, and Desmond would have 5-6 students at a time. They did cultural events, parades, grand openings, anything they could. They gained exposure in bigger performances and higher profile events. When Queen Elizabeth attended the Alberta Centennial in 2005 at the Saddledome, Jing Wo was part of the ensemble.
The community took notice of the unique way that Jing Wo had been operating – they were accessible, they were a bunch of young guys. Other Lion Dance groups were very strict about tradition, and they were composed of older, classically trained men. The way they did things was quite "lao gao" - crude or crass - smoking and swearing during performances. They clung to the way things were done, and that wasn't very appealing to younger people or their parents. I had a little chuckle at that description - "lao gao" is a Canto spoken colloquialism with no Han character equivalent, but has a very distinct feeling.
Getting into a performance kit is empowering; the kids are representing their club and their community. You welcome the extra responsibility and are honored to take it on. You're showing the audience that you are open to sharing this experience with them. You stand tall, speak politely and respect your audience and the experience. You're humble and you don't put yourself onto a pedestal just because you're a part of a martial arts school.
Jing Wo did not want the group to be just like a daycare for the kids, they wanted to be something that could be fun and engaging for them. Their goal is to be a way for the kids to connect to their parent's culture and their Chinese heritage.
To do that, Jing Wo encouraged the parents to get involved with the organization and the board so that they could give their feedback and contribute to volunteering and organizational events. This way, a much stronger sense of community is built. The students see their experience as being a member of the community, rather than just martial arts training. Desmond says the kids are very self-motivated to do things for the community – when the Bow River flooded in 2013, the volunteers really wanted to go out and help.
Back in the day, Matthew Ngo always loved lion dancing and would film the group all the time. One day, when Desmond and the team were at the Center Street Temple, they approached Matthew and asked him if he would like to join them. Matthew and his parents were surprised, they had always assumed that the group was exclusive! But Matthew was welcomed into the team, and now he's the President of the association.
In terms of passing the torch, Desmond put together a succession plan for his students to take over, from coaching, to finances, to running the board. A strong team was formed and Desmond knows the organization is in good hands. Desmond rejected the tradition of passing down the association to his own son. Jing Wo has always belonged to the community, not to a specific family.
Matthew, Brandon, Vivian and everyone else - they are in this because they truly love it and see the value in preserving the Lion Dance.
Lion Dancers performing with Dragon Dancers from their sister organization, the
Honan Shaolin Association (the twisting gold and blue costume in the back). Year of the Snake, 2013.
I asked Desmond what important milestones Jing Wo has reached.
Community awareness and engagement is a big one, especially since it was all spread through word of mouth. The community knows who they are and what they're about and think of them first when they think of Lion Dancing.
Harmony with other Lion Dance and martial arts groups in the city is another one. Traditionally, there is a lot of competition and animosity between groups – if you saw another group out on the street you would avoid them to avoid getting into a fight. But one day, when Desmond was 16, he began to wonder why there was this implied conflict. Rocky Chow was about Desmond's age - he was the leader of a Pak Mei Lion Dance group. The two groups crossed paths one day while in Chinatown for performances. They were both in lion costumes and instead of getting into aggressive stances, they did a foot shake as a sign of goodwill.
The way Desmond told the story, I felt like I could see the scene play out in my mind – the tension breaking when the two boys recognized the other as an ally, not an enemy.
Ever since then the relationships between the various groups in Chinatown improved, and there is a spirit of solidarity now. If one group can't do a performance, they will reach out to another to let them know of the opportunity, and they help each other. The different groups also get together to do large performances, and when they do, they come together under the banner of the Community of Chinatown. They got together to try to break the Guiness world record of most lions in one building a couple years ago. They got up to 70 lions! This is possible due to the non-profit and community nature of a lot of these groups.
The spirit of collaboration between the various martial arts schools is inspiring. They are able to find common ground in the goal of promoting Chinese culture and community building rather than competing.
I also wanted to know what performances Desmond did that were particularly memorable to him.
He thought for a minute, and remembered one he did somewhere near Kelowna, it was a centennial to celebrate the Gold Mountain festival for the Chinese who migrated during the gold rush. He met a man named Ben Lee, the oldest Canadian Born Chinese he'd ever met. Desmond was 16 at the time, and Ben was in his 70s. Desmond talks about how amazing it was to talk to someone of that generation yet had a CBC experience.
The town had a museum, where they stored the first lion costume ever in BC. Desmond did the performance with that first ever lion, and he was honored to partake in that piece of history. It was mind-blowing for him, a young kid who didn't subscribe to tradition, to be trusted with a 100 year old lion. Ben knew how important it was to grant Desmond that opportunity – and that is what solidified his faith that Jing Wo was on the right path. This blessing was a sign that he was going to do okay.
It just goes to show how having a passion for something and being open to intergenerational conversations can take you far.
At the end of our interview, Desmond stressed that he would sooner mourn the loss of a bridge between generations than the Lion Dance itself. While talking to him, the thing that made the biggest impression on me was the dedication to maintaining a link between the child and their parents. We have many cultural traditions that we can pass on – but if we lose or forget them, the real tragedy is that we have one less way to connect to our parents, grandparents and our community.
We have to allow traditions to change with the times. We have to be flexible because our contexts and culture are always changing.
"It's hard to be proud of something if … it has no connection to you and your experience or a sense of ownership." - Desmond Lee, 2023.
As more people are born into this newer generation, that link to the "homeland" or the "ancient Chinese culture" is lost, and there is almost a complete disconnect or irrelevance for many CBCs. Li describes in Newfoundland's Chinese community how younger people are not as interested in the "historical authenticity" of the traditions, and how many young trainees don't know anything about the history.
We need to take opportunities to build a "New Ethnicity" for the new generation. If its personally authentic, it doesn't have to stick rigidly to tradition. "Why can't there be a traditional Canadian Chinese way?" Desmond asks. We are able to construct new and negotiate old modes of cultural production according to what feels right to our identity as Chinese Canadians.
More recent photos of Jing Wo lion dancers.
Conclusion
Transition from homeland to a new place, to transitions of custodianship of culture between generations, the symbol of the lion is evident today. It is a testament to the strength and perseverance of our elders and the enthusiasm and pride of us youth that the Lion Dance has survived this long.
If we do not continue to build these bridges between generations, we stand to lose so much of a connection to our roots. Like Desmond said, the younger generation of Canadian Born Chinese feel a kind of distance from their parent's culture than ever before. Combined with the sociopolitical climate of racism and xenophobia that still surrounds us, losing our connection to ethnicity and culture is more than just a concern of historical preservation or resistance to change. To me, that is where the Lion Dance's symbolism of defiance shines. We refuse to be erased or forgotten.
When I started this project, I didn’t expect it to balloon to this size. I’ll admit, I feared that I wouldn't find anything in the literature, but I should have had more faith. Putting all of my research together, I saw the fruits of my labor and more importantly, the labor of those who came before. This has been a riveting journey, and I am so honored to have been welcomed so warmly by the Jing Wo Cultural Association and all its members to write about them. I cannot thank Desmond enough for doing an interview with me, and Brandon and Vivian for letting me poke my nose into every corner of their studio. Our community is stronger when we are open to sharing with each other and others, and its made me feel an appreciation for where I live and the people here like never before.
Making art about my relationship to my cultural identity is expressing my "personal authenticity" as a Chinese Canadian. Just as Desmond's interaction with Ben Lee and that performance inspired him to keep going, so has this experience done for me.
Me with my mom and baby sister at the Marlborough T&T Supermarket, Year of the Pig, 2007.
Photo Gallery
Bibliography
"August 17, 1945 (Page 8 of 20)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Aug 17, 1945, pp. 8. ProQuest,
"December 2, 1968 (Page 7 of 52)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Dec 02, 1968, pp. 7.
ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/december-2-1968-page-7-52/docview/2253630150/se-2.
"February 10, 1986 (Page 17 of 72)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Feb 10, 1986, pp. 17.
ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/february-10-1986-page-17-72/docview/2258691685/se-2.
"February 14, 1991 (Page 48 of 97)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Feb 14, 1991, pp. 48.
ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/february-14-1991-page-48-97/docview/2262905114/se-2.
"February 2, 2000 (Page 76 of 90)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Feb 02, 2000, pp. 76.
ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/february-2-2000-page-76-90/docview/2263123420/se-2.
"January 24, 2001 (Page 19 of 76)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Jan 24, 2001, pp. 19.
ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/january-24-2001-page-19-76/docview/2263316467/se-2.
"January 18, 2004 (Page 54 of 72)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Jan 18, 2004, pp. 54.
ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/january-18-2004-page-54-72/docview/2263624930/se-2.
"January 22, 2004 (Page 4 of 92)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Jan 22, 2004, pp. 4. ProQuest,
"January 26, 2006 (Page 81 of 94)." Calgary Herald (1939-2010), Jan 26, 2006, pp. 81.
ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/january-26-2006-page-81-94/docview/2263591323/se-2.
Feltham, Heleanor B. "Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting". Asian Material Culture. Edited by
Marianne Hulsbosch, Amsterdam University Press, 2009.
Lee, Desmond. Interview. Conducted by Jessica Wu. 20 November 2023.
Li, Mu. "Performing Chineseness: The Lion Dance in Newfoundland". Asian Ethnology, vol. 76, no. 2, 2017, pp. 289–31
Tran, Vivian, Mah, Brandon. Interview and tour of Jing Wo Cultural Association facility.
Conducted by Jessica Wu. 17 November 2023.
Edit history
Dec 12 2023: minor edits to spelling and grammar, uploaded additional images.