One of the last Hakka Lion dance masters in Taiwan and his apprentices help pass down the tradition to keep it alive.
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00:00 Not the southern Chinese lion dance you usually see at festivals, this is the traditional
00:08 Hakka lion dance. This art form is also from China, but here in Taiwan, it's on the verge
00:15 of disappearing.
00:16 To keep this tradition alive, Liu Wen-jen, one of the last Hakka masters in northern
00:21 Taiwan, is doing his best to train new Hakka lion performers of all ages.
00:26 "I've been teaching for almost 45 years. I've been teaching for over 45 years. I've
00:33 taught for over 45 years. I've taught for over 45 years.
00:38 Despite decades of dedication to the tradition, for Master Liu, passing on his art is still
00:44 a challenge. The Hakka lion dance was banned during the Japanese colonial era because it
00:49 was considered a form of martial art. Performers were forced to train in secret, leading to
00:54 a drop in the number of practitioners. Today, those who still practice it are mainly from
00:59 the older generations."
01:00 "I came to learn from Master Liu. He said it was good to learn the lion dance here.
01:07 I'm so old, I can't learn this. I thought it was fun, but it's actually fun, it's
01:14 good for your health."
01:15 "The first thing is to have good physical strength. The second is to have coordination.
01:20 The third is to have stamina. The fourth is to be patient. I'm just playing and dancing."
01:26 There aren't many chances to perform this vanishing art form, so Master Liu's apprentices
01:31 train for fun, a major feat considering how hard it is.
01:37 Many say that the Hakka lion hit is very difficult to perform with. It requires a lot of strength
01:42 to control, and one can weigh up to 24 kilograms. According to Master Liu, the most challenging
01:47 part is to be able to hold up throughout the performance.
01:51 To address the weight issue, Master Liu developed smaller, lighter Hakka lion hits, making it
01:56 easier for both younger and older people to handle. The smaller version can weigh just
02:01 a few kilograms.
02:02 "The younger people now may be lighter and smaller, but they may not be able to hold
02:08 up."
02:20 And his innovation has been a big help for his younger students from high schools around
02:25 Taoyuan in northern Taiwan.
02:26 "I happen to be Hakka, and I'm interested in the school's club."
02:32 "I'm a stone, and I don't usually get to experience this. I find it quite tiring,
02:39 but I like it."
02:47 Master Liu has been working with schools for over a decade, but only a few started Hakka
02:52 lion dance clubs, making it challenging for Liu to pass down his skills to the next generation.
02:57 "It's really hard for us to promote our own strength. We want to implement it to the
03:05 school level. If our government can provide some funding to the schools to promote Hakka
03:16 lion dance, it would be a great help. If the government doesn't value us, it will be
03:22 a great loss for Hakka lion dance."
03:32 With a profound sense of responsibility for the tradition, Master Liu hopes teaching the
03:37 Hakka lion dance will ensure future generations also take up the mantle.
03:42 Kama Xu, Klein Wong and Sunny Chi for Taiwan Plus.
03:45 (glass shattering)
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