From the unearthed Feng Lion Ye in Yanfu Temple, Jiurishan, Quanzhou, which was built in Western Jin , to the ball lion playing in Yongquan Temple in Gushan, Fuzhou; from the wooden New Year painting "Fucai Lion" in Zhangzhou , to the "Rui Lion" window flower of Zherong paper-cutting; from the lion formation and lion dance that is popular in southern Fujian, to the "Fu Lion" volunteer service teams active in the front line of the fight against the epidemic in Quanzhou , Ningde and other places... The image of the lion is everywhere in Fujian and has become a unique cultural landscape of the land of Fujian, bringing happiness and beauty to people, and adding confidence and strength.
Stone Lion in Weiyuan Tower, Quanzhou (photo by Chen Yingjie)
Crossing mountains and seas Lion Club Fujian land
Lion, the earliest "auspicious beast" from Western Regions , accompanied by the camel bells of Silk Road , traveling through far away deserts, and was introduced to China in the form of a "tribute lion" in the Han Dynasty, and was regarded as a symbol of auspiciousness. "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Biography of the Western Regions" records that in the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty, "In the first year of the He period of the Eastern Han Dynasty (87 AD), "the Yuezhi Kingdom sent envoys to help and pull out the lions." After the Song and Yuan dynasties, lions entered the southeastern coast of our country through the ancient Maritime Silk Road.
Lion culture entered Fujian during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and immigrated to Fujian with the Central Plains. At the same time, as an important starting point and birthplace of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, ports such as Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, and Xiamen have become transit stations for the exchange and dissemination of Chinese and foreign lion cultures with the development of foreign trade. Fu Hongji, a poet from Quanzhou in the Qing Dynasty, once left a good sentence "Re-translated by the ladder, the divine beasts are known to be in the wilderness, and the land is in the same place." The word "joy" is full of blessings and joy; the word "joy" expresses the joy of empathy and the pleasure of sharing happiness.
Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple Hindu Spirites (photo by Chen Yingjie)
,000 years, lions have been transported by long-distance Silk Road on land or transported by high-mast giant ships on the Maritime Silk Road. The image and culture of the lion have gradually become Chinese and taken root, becoming a traditional Chinese spirit beast that runs alongside the dragon, phoenix, and Qilin . After the lion culture was introduced to Fujian, it has been immersed in regional cultures such as Mindu culture, southern Fujian culture, and Hakka culture. The image of a lion roaring in the wilderness and looking down on everything has become more peaceful, gentle, cute, adding many traditional auspicious symbols, and gradually evolved into auspicious beasts that can drive away evil and bring blessings and protect one side.
Stone lion in Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou (photo by Chen Yingjie)
The lion's body and blessing soul complement each other
The praise and love of stone lions is very common in Fujian. Especially in Quanzhou, there are more than 900 place names with "little", and "little" is spread all over the palaces, temples, streets and alleys, roads and bridges, which shows the love of the people in Quanzhou for lions.
Stone Lion of Luoyang Bridge (photo by Chen Yingjie)
Fuzhou Gushan Yongquan Temple Ball Lion (Propaganda Department of Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee Photo provided)
Among the people, there is a familiar folk song : "Touch the head of a stone lion, you don't have to worry for a lifetime; touch the back of a stone lion, you can live for generations; touch the mouth of a stone lion, a couple will not quarrel; touch the butt of a stone lion, you will never get sick; touch the beginning to the end, and the source of wealth will be as abundant as flowing water." Between the lines, people's simple wish of wishing to be filled with blessings from the lion, praying for good luck, happiness and well-being.
The overall shape of "Hancai Lion" represents people's desire to pursue a better life (photo by Chen Yingjie)
Stone lion with bonsai (photo by Chen Yingjie)
From the stone lions of all dynasties displayed in the Shishi Museum , the process of the continuous evolution of the lion's image can be clearly seen.For example, during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the stone lion had its forelimbs and its head was raised to its chest, with extraordinary courage and majestic spirit; in the Song Dynasty, the stone lion began to be accompanied by auspicious objects such as hydrangea, Ruyi , bells, gourds, copper coins, auspicious clouds, etc., which added a bit of blessing color to the point of being mighty; in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the stone lion further developed into secularization, and some stone lions at the doors of some houses were smiling brightly, especially the "turning lion" of Hui'an stone carving sages, Li Zhou , presenting a cheerful, friendly and enthusiastic cuteness. The lively Southern has entered the stage of history, leading the way with the mighty and powerful traditional Northern .
Fujian rotating lion is tilted and head-raising (photo by Chen Yingjie)
The Shishi City Museum collects a pair of stone lion statues of the Qing Dynasty, which is the representative work of the Southern Lion. Its carving skills are exquisite, the structure is symmetrical, round and smooth, and the lines are bright and undulating, sharp and fresh, making it a treasure of the museum. This pair of stone lions is one male and one female, with a natural expression, looking around and affectionate, which is in line with the traditional concept of "harmony of yin and yang" and "harmony and tranquility". When a lion holds a hydrangea in his hand, it means that happiness is all in control. It also uses the homophonic sound of hydrangea to express the meaning of "respond to all requests". The lioness holds a ribbon in her hand, which means "a good luck", which means the bright and joyful hall. The other end of the ribbon connects a naughty and cute little lion, symbolizing the harmony between mother and son and the prolonged descendants.
Shishi City Museum Town Lion (Male Lion) (Shishi City Museum Photo provided)
Shishi City Museum Town Lion (Female Lion) (Shishi City Museum Photo provided)
In this pair of stone lions full of warm and happy mood, artists abstract and sublimate people's pursuit and yearning for happiness, and then make the abstract concept concrete and become auspicious symbols decorated on the lion through homophonic and meaning. After years of immersion and artistic processing, the stone lion has embraced more and more people's hopes and wishes for beauty.
Quanzhou Hui'an stone carving master Stone lion collected by Jiang Huimin (photo by Chen Yingjie)
Red brick Quangang brick carving stone lion (Chen Yingjie Photo)
Not only that, from temples, ancestral halls, temples, palaces, cemeteries, to small houses, eaves, stone railings, and bridge piers; whether it is the lion guarding the gateway, the "Stone Gandang" on the streets and alleys, or the "Fengfeng Lion" squatting on the roof; whether it is the Fuzhou Shoushan stone carving "Tong Lion", or the Putian wood carving and Dehua white porcelain "Auspicious Lion" ornaments, there are many figures of lions who have strong meaning of praying for blessings and blessings in Fujian ancient and modern architecture, intangible cultural heritage skills, folk activities, and daily lives of ordinary people, there are many figures of lions who bow and guard them.
Various lion heads and stone Gandang (Shishi City Museum Photo provided)
Fuzhou Shoushan Stone Carving: "Tuan Lion" cultural plays handpiece, meaning safe reunion for the whole family (photo provided by the interviewee)
Putian Wood Carving: Lychee Wood "Rui Lion" Ornaments (photo provided by the interviewee)
Dehua White Porcelain Fu Lion Incense Burner (photo provided by the interviewee)
Fujian is the only province in the country named after the word "Fu". The people of Fujian inherit and interpret the "Fu" culture in various forms. When the "liu" culture meets the "fu" culture, it follows the customs of the countryside, takes root, and forms a unique "fu lion" image, creating a unique "liu body and blessed soul".
Putian horn sculpture: cute lion ornaments (photo provided by the interviewee)
Moreover, under the influence of Fujian's historical traditions, regional culture, and folk customs, the image of the lion has been given increasingly obvious secularization and anthropomorphic characteristics. In people's minds, lions are not only auspicious beasts that welcome good fortune, but also loyal friends and docile and cute playmates. The anthropomorphic "lion" has become a "pet" that accompany Fujian people in their daily lives.
Minnan Lion-headed fish body lime statue (photo by Chen Yingjie)
Red brick brick carving stone lion in Quangang (photo by Chen Yingjie)
Wind lion Witness The common customs of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait
In southern Fujian stone lions, there is a type of stone lion with special characteristics, and they are respected as "Wind Lion Master".
In southern Fujian, many people who went to sea to fish for a living in ancient times believed that typhoon , hurricane , tornadoes, etc. were all caused by "wind evil". In order to prevent wind damage and resist wind evil, the belief in Feng Shi Ye gradually emerged among the people. Feng Shi Ye believed in customs and was brought to Kinmen and Taiwan Island with the migration of ancestors in southern Fujian, and has maintained its prosperity to this day.
"Kinmen County Chronicles" records: "The wind is bitter, and most villages are in the wind-hiding place. At the intersection of wind roads, there are stone carvings of giant beasts, like apes and twelves, which are like a monkey and a man stands up. It is commonly known as Feng Lion Master, and the clouds can block the wind."
Shishi City Museum's "Feng Lion Master" riding lion in the Qing Dynasty (Photo provided by Shishi City Museum)
Folklorist Zhou Xing has researched that Feng Lion Master in Fujian and Taiwan is the same in the production form. Some Feng Lion Masters in Kinmen, Penghu, Tainan and other places are even directly produced by Jinjiang Cizao Kiln.
Quanzhou is the starting city of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. There was a grand scene of "Ten Continents of the City" in the Tang Dynasty, and maritime trade was endless. At that time, the ocean-going voyage was driven by trade winds. During the round-trip season, the Quanzhou County Governor or the competent official of the maritime ship led his subordinates to the Yanfu Temple at the foot of Jiuri Mountain to hold a ceremony to pray for the sea ships to the rocks in Jiuri Mountain, and the passage was engraved on the rocks in Jiuri Mountain.
Feng Shi Ye of Yanfu Temple, Jiuri Mountain, Nan'an, Quanzhou (Photo provided by Shishi City Museum)
In 2004, in Jiuri Mountain, Nan'an, Quanzhou, it was built in Yanfu Temple in the ninth year of Taikang in the Western Jin Dynasty (288), a tall Feng Shi Ye was unearthed from archaeology. Experts evaluated that it may be a carving from , the fifth generation of . According to the Fengshi Ye unearthed from Yanfu Temple, Chen Pengpeng, a cultural and museum researcher in Quanzhou, speculated that the custom of praying for customs in Quan County may have been formed before the Song Dynasty.
Kingmen Wind Lion Master (Photo provided by Quanzhou Evening News)
Feng Lion produced in Jinjiang Cizhao Kiln (Photo provided by Shishi City Museum)
Feng Lion Master’s belief in customs contains the beautiful wishes of the coastal ancestors to eliminate evil, avoid disasters and pray for blessings. It not only witnesses the inextricable relationship between the folk belief and culture between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, but also shows the courage and wisdom of Fujian ancestors at the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road to explore the blue sea.
ceramic board drawing : Feng Shiye porcelain plate welcome screen (photo provided by the interviewee)
auspicious lion dance gathers people's hearts
Azure Dragon Formation, butterfly Formation, centipede Formation, rattan Formation , Bagua Formation... This is not the martial arts world of Jin Yong novels, but the lion dance world of Minnan people .
Quanzhou 风风 (also known as "little formation") is a typical representative of Fujian Wuliu. The Lion Formation originated in the Song Dynasty and is a traditional sports performance form that integrates military battle formations and martial arts training. There are more than 10 types of circumcision formations. The concept of martial lions "Practice fists to protect yourself, practice lion formations to look at the countryside" carries the beautiful vision of exorcising evil spirits and praying for blessings, and embodies a simple family and country sentiment.
Quanzhou Lion Formation (Photo provided by Shishi City Media Center)
In Fujian traditional festival activities, lion dance is an important content, which contains the joyful meaning of praying for peace and New Year's Day. Fujian lion dance, pendant lion and martial lion. The lion of the literary world emphasizes the form and expression, and the dance method is delicate. The martial lion is powerful and powerful, represented by the lion formations in Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Xiamen, and Liancheng Hakka green lions.
Longyan Hakka dance green lion (Source: China Photography News, Author: Xiangyanghua)
In addition, there are Ningde Huotong line lion manipulated by ropes, Fuzhou Lianjiang Renshan line lion, Fuzhou Yongtai dance paper lion controlled by wooden sticks, Quanzhou Dehua paper lion, Longyan Zhangpingwu Temple tour Nuo lion dance combined with Nuo mask dance, Sanming Yong'an She ethnic group fighting black lion, Nanping Songxi lion lantern combined with lamp dance and other lion dance types, etc.
In Huotong's line lion performance, the action of the lion flying left and right towards the stage is called "leap through the mountains". The large amplitude and fast speed of its movement are amazing. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Sanming Yong'an She ethnic group fights black lions (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Fujian lion dance is still far away from overseas, becoming an indispensable highlight for Chinese and overseas Chinese to celebrate the traditional festival and hold major events. The strong rural atmosphere inspires Fujianese at home and abroad to watch over and help each other and care about their hometowns, and also shows the unique charm of China's excellent traditional culture overseas.
Inheritance and development Benefit the people
Those who have faith will receive the blessing of keeping their trust.
When talking about lion culture, we have to mention the only provincial county-level city in China named after "liu" - Shishi City . Since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, a mighty stone lion has quietly squatted in front of Fengli Temple in Shishi City. For thousands of years, people from Shishi have often agreed to meet in Fengli Temple's "Shishi" place. Over time, a mutually trusted agreement evolved into a place name, transformed into a spiritual symbol of integrity first and hard work and enterprising.
Shi Shishi in front of Fengli Temple (Photo provided by Shishi City Media Center)
Struggle itself is a kind of happiness.
At the entrance of Shishi City, there is a "Oriental Lion" with a mighty and vibrant look. This "Shishi City Carving" donated by patriotic overseas Chinese in the Philippines, symbolizing the Shishi people's broad mind, broad horizons, and pioneering and innovative, and willing to fight and dare to win.
Shishi City Biao (photo by Chen Yingjie)
In Quanzhou, lion culture has always been a symbol of responsibility, hard work and struggle, reflecting the spiritual characteristics of Quanzhou people who dare to be the first in the world and love to fight will win. It is also one of the most important cultural personalities of this city. It is precisely with this kind of responsibility, courage to overcome difficulties and enterprising spirit of becoming more and more courageous in setbacks that we have led Quanzhou, the hometown of overseas Chinese to explore and forge ahead, and created the "Jinjiang Experience" and "Quanzhou Model", becoming one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic regions in Fujian Province and even the country.
The emotional sustenance of "praying for blessings" has been turned into practical actions to "benefit".
From March to April this year, a local COVID-19 epidemic occurred in Fujian. In Quanzhou, Ningde and other places, medical teams, volunteer teams and vanguard teams named "Fu Shi" have emerged. At the critical moment of the epidemic, they stood up and rushed to the front line, demonstrating the value pursuit of putting people first and life first, and demonstrating the feat of protecting the people and protecting the safety of their homes with the spirit of Fu Shi, and making positive contributions to winning the annihilation war of the epidemic. Some lion culture experts lamented: "The blessed lion culture vividly interprets the truth that great love is blessed."
Quanzhou Fushi Medical Team (Source: Minnan.com)
Zherong Paper-cut "Fushi in the Fight against the Epidemic" (Photo provided by Zherong County Party Committee Propaganda Department)
Li Guohong, director of Shishi Museum, has long studied the formation and development of Fushi culture. He believes that "if welcoming good fortune and praying for peace is a beautiful vision for people; then the honest and trustworthy humanistic temperament, mighty and enterprising spirit and boundless love symbolized by the Fushi culture are the deepest pursuits of the people of Fujian."
On March 17, 2013, at the closing meeting of the first session of the 12th National People's Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that Chinese Dream "must rely closely on the people to achieve it, and must continue to benefit the people."On March 27, 2014, at the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "This lion in China has woken up, but it is a peaceful, amiable and civilized lion."
is not indulged in fantasy or pursuing empty voices. The Fushi culture, which integrates the excellent traditional Chinese culture and the spirit of the times, is constantly inheriting and innovating, inspiring people on this hot land to take the lead in trying out and stand at the forefront on the new journey, be open and inclusive, cooperate and develop, work hard and work hard to benefit the people, and become dreamers in the new era.
(Author: Quanzhou Evening News reporter Wu Jiyun Zhuang Jianping Correspondent Li Guohong Nisongyi Wang Juanjuan)
Source: Fujian Learning Platform
