Women break tradition in China and participate in the Lion Dance

Shantou. Lin Xinmeng lifts a partner during the Lion’s dance, a groundbreaking gesture in this discipline, traditionally dominated in China by men.

One day I discovered this dance by chance on the street and it seemed beautifulexplains this 18 -year -old girl in the courtyard of a temple of Shantou, in southern China, where he trains with other young people.

The tenacity of the dancers and their ability to execute those movements impressed me. I wanted to be like themhe recounts referring to this dance that combines acrobatics, martial arts and theater.

Symbol of prosperity and protection against evil spirits, is celebrated at weddings or business openings and is essential during the celebrations of the lunar new year.

With a suit composed of a large lion head and a long silk fabric that represents the body, two dancers must work in Tandem to give life to the set: head, saltons, mouth and tail.

The one that is placed behind must lift your partner by the waist to simulate the animal jumping on its hind legs.

This physical effort, combined with patriarchal traditions, kept women away from this discipline for a long time.

We decided to form girls because its presence makes the show more pleasant and allows more people They transmit this intangible heritageexplains Lin Likun, the 31 -year -old group coach.

We always look for ways to innovate, to breathe new vitality to the dance of the lion. It also allows to reflect women’s aspirationsalthough Many abandon it on the wayunderline.

The group, called Lingdong, has approximately 80 members, between 13 and 33 years, mostly high school students, including about 20 girls.

Mixed reactions

Patriarchal values ​​are in decline, but persist in China, especially in the Shantou region.

The participation of women in the dance of the lion generates mainly positive reactionsbut also Mocking and negative reactionssigned len lin.

Some older ones believe that women should stay at home and do domestic tasks. But our generation has a different vision. We believe in equality between men and womenhighlights.

A growing number of Chinese women, between 18 and 40 years old, rejects the rigidity of the traditional obligations imposed by their parents, such as the pressure of marrying before the age of 30 or having a child quickly after the wedding.

The sports icon status of Chinese tennis player Zheng Qinwen, Olympic champion last year in Paris, or the critical success of the Chinese film Her Story (2024), which addresses the role of women in contemporary society, reinforce the confidence of young women.

Some say that a girl can’t direct a lion. But it is my passion and only it is up to me to assume itAfirma Lin Xinmeng.

I want to overcome myself, show that women are not necessarily worse than menhe explains.

To achieve this, perform races, squats and works with weights to execute the most demanding movements, underlining that he sees in the participation of girls in this dance a form of combine male strength and feminine grace.

Another companion, Dong Zidan, has 45 thousand followers in the Douyin social network, where he shares content on the lion’s dance.

I hope to motivate more girls to participate in our customs and to transmit this intangible heritagecomments.

The next project of coach Lin Likun is to have as many girls as boys in his team; Then, create a 100 percent female group, although it is a distant objectivesince society is not ready and it is difficult to recruit women, admits.