Feature: lion dance serves a cultural bridge between China, Malaysia

Members of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association do warm-up exercises before performing lion dance in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)
by Xinhua writers Jonathan Tham Yao Ming and Cheng Yiheng
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) — The powerful people-to-people bonds between China and Malaysia take many expressions considering the range of shared cultural and traditional values between both nations.
One of these expressions is the great interest taken by the Malay people of Malaysia in the cultural traditions of the Chinese, particularly in the lion dance, a tradition that emerged over a thousand years in China and has many admirers in modern Malaysia.
Among them is Adzwin Puteri Faizal, a petite Malay girl from Rawang in Selangor state, who is part of a troupe under the locally renowned Yong Jun Lion Dance Association.
With fluid and energetic movements, the 18-year-old Adzwin plays the role of the lion’s tail and moves as one with her partner in the classic springs onto the poles, leaping gracefully, and balancing steadily.
“When my master performed at our school for the first time, I was captivated. They looked so cool. After that, I really wanted to join the lion dance,” she told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Having been part of the troupe for the past five years, Adzwin has honed her skills and built up her experience in the art form along with her teammates comprising Malaysians of other ethnic groups aged between 10 and 18.
Lion dance in Malaysia shares its roots with the Chinese lion dance, specifically from the southern lion dance style. It arrived with Chinese immigrants and took root in Malaysia.
Initially, the lion dance was performed during Chinese festivals and celebrations, but with the blending of Malaysia’s ethnicities and cultures, the lion dance has gradually crossed ethnic and religious boundaries, becoming a beloved cultural activity for all communities, and its cultural value is widely recognized by the public.
Behind Adzwin’s involvement in the lion dance association lies her family’s firm support, mainly through her father Faizal Salehudin’s passion for the lion dance in his youth.
Thirty years ago, when he was still a student, Faizal was also drawn to the lion dance but in those days financial constraints as well as having to travel a long distance prevented him from pursuing his interest.
“It’s a culture. We want to learn about other ethnic groups’ cultures, like those of the Chinese, Indians, or Sikhs, because the charm of culture is universal,” Faizal said.
Now, his daughter has rekindled Faizal’s love for lion dance. As a ride-hailing driver, he takes Adzwin to the training grounds on time every weekend night, accompanying her throughout practice and recording her progress on his smartphone.
Adzwin’s lion dance master, Chan Yong Zhen, started learning lion dance at the age of 16. It has been 17 years since Chan embarked on his journey of immersing himself in this culture. The Yong Jun Lion Dance Association was founded by his father and is now carried on and developed by Chan. In his view, Adzwin is one of the outstanding students he has trained, with her dedication and focus on lion dance being truly moving.
“Don’t underestimate her because she’s a girl; she’s very strong and can lift her partner with ease to complete high-difficulty moves,” said Chan.
“In earlier generations, it was difficult for people from other ethnic groups and women to learn lion dance. But things have changed. The uniqueness and inclusiveness of lion dance have allowed us to build a family here,” he said.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia. According to a joint statement signed by China and Malaysia in June 2024, both countries have agreed to work together on the multinational nomination to inscribe the element of lion dance on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Both sides celebrate lion dance as a form of shared history and jointly promote the safeguarding of the shared heritage. ■

Members of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association rehearse a lion dance in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Lion dance master Chan Yong Zhen (below) of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association demonstrates lion dance skills in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Members of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association pose for a selfie before performing lion dance in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Members of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association pose for a group photo in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Members of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association perform lion dance in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Members of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association watch their master Chan Yong Zhen’s lion dance performance in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Lion dance master Chan Yong Zhen (R) of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association demonstrates lion dance skills in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

Adzwin Puteri Faizal (back) of Yong Jun Lion Dance Association performs lion dance in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, Sept. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)