Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s3.t1.1

v2.c11.s3.t1.1

Lion Dance of Five Orientations (*Wufang shiziwu*), one of the eight musical dances for standing playing of the Tang Dynasty, was a large-scale musical dancing played by groups and also called Peaceful Music. According to Du You’s *Tondian* • Music VI, “Peaceful Music also meant the Lion Dance of Five Orientations. The image of lion, a beast, came from India and Sri Lanka in the southwest, wearing clothes made by sewing furs, players were imitating the gestures and movements of lions: two people would hold a rope, pretending to be training the lions; players would act as lions with different fur colours according to orientations. A group of others would sing the praise of peace, frolicking along with the dancers, the clothing being all like those in Kunlun.” The *Old Book of Tang·Musical Record* had similar descriptions. According to *Folk Music Collections*, “instruments include Bili, flute, pabam, four-colour drum, Kakko, Jilou drum and drama includes the dancing of five orientations with five zhang in height and five colours in clothing. Twelve people, called lion men, played one lion, wearing the red forehead ribbons, painted clothes and holding the red whisks and the music and dance on praising peace was played.