Wokingham Town Centre was packed out on Sunday 29th January as people flocked to watch the Chinese New Year celebrations. One of the highlights of the day which brought communities together was a Lion Dance performed by Pak-Mei Lion Dance Troupe. Those that watched the performance may have been intrigued to watch Town Major Councillor Maria Gee feeding the lion during the dance.The lion dance is a traditional Chinese dance performed on big occasions, such as the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) for good luck, as it is believed that the lion is an auspicious animal.
Watch the Lion Dance and Wokingham Town Major
Lettuce Is Lucky
The tradition stems from the language. In Chinese and Cantonese, a word for leafy greens sounds a lot like a word for becoming wealthy. When the lion eats the lettuce and spits it back out at the business owners and audience, it symbolizes blessing them with wealth and prosperity in the new year. A red envelope, also given to bring prosperity at Chinese New Year, is often hidden in the leafy greens to pay the dancers for their performance. The whole tradition is called 採青 cai qing, “picking the greens.”
Learn more at Chinahighlights.com