Chapter 10
Hi everyone,
Did you figure out what we will be seeing?
Not yet? Yes, it was a hard question. We
are heading off to the High Street to see
the famous Lion Dance.
Approaching the city centre, we can hear
some traditional Chinese music being
played. Wow, it is very crowded! We try to
go at the front to get a better view and
take some photos. A pair of lions, each
held by two strong men, are dancing in the
middle and occasionally fight against each
other.
“Frank, their dance reminds me of a
martial art.” Russie says.
“Oh, that’s because the dance has evolved
from Kung Fu,” I explain.
Did you know?
According to the Chinese folklore, there was a
monster in the early Ming Dynasty which was
harming people in Guangdong's Foshan City.
Later, the people decided to make a paper lion
with a single horn on its head. The dance was
accompanied by music being played on drums,
gongs, and cymbals. People would let off
firecrackers to scare away the monster. From
then on, the lion with a single horn became the
mascot against evil spirits.
Suddenly we hear a loud bang. It turns out
that someone has let off some firecrack-
ers… I can overhear children screaming,
obviously scared by the loud noise.
I see Russie is taking some notes. “What
are you writing, teacher?” I ask curiously.
“Oh, I want to write about this fascinating
tradition in the e-zine, Frank.” Russie tells
me. “I am impressed by the richness of the
lion’s expression, its unique footwork, and
the vigorous drumming style.”
“Russie, can you see the lions are swivel-
ling their eyes? They look so real, don’t
they?”
“It is marvellous, Frank. Did you spot the
tiny bells attached to the lion’s tail? They
accompany the music created by the
drums, cymbals, and gongs.
Soon the dance finishes and we take a taxi
to get to our hotel. Tomorrow will be an-
other busy day for us because we are go-
ing to White Cloud Mountain. But before
we hit the hay, we do some research about
the mountain. It turns out that it got its
name from the wreath of airy circles of
clouds after a spring rain. It is supposed to
be a fantastic place to relax.
Of course, I am aware that I need to pre-
pare for our hiking outing so before I go to
bed, I take out my walking boots, a rain-
coat and a torch. I know that Russie has
got some sandwiches so I think we are pre-
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