Few things are as exciting as a Chinese lion dance, with its drums, gongs, firecrackers, and the energetic movements of the brightly colored "lions." 


The traditional purpose of the lion dance was to ward off undesirable influences and scare away evil spirits—which is why there’s all the noise and is also the reason behind some of the colors. Besides, lions are fierce fighters. Usually, it’s kung-fu studios which put on the lion dances, and so you sometimes get a kung-fu demonstration after the lion dance is over.

The San Francisco Bay Area, with its large and growing Chinese community, is home to many lion dance groups. This particular one comes from Yee’s Martial Arts, located in Hercules, CA.  Founded by Master John Yee (who has taught many celebrities) and still operated by the Yee family, Yee’s Martial Arts has been in West County for nearly 40 years.  

"I started my studio in 1972, after teaching kung-fu at the Richmond Police Department," says Master Yee. "When I had my studio in San Pablo, Bruce Lee was teaching in Oakland, and we used to get together for tea in the afternoons, after we finished."

Master Yee also explains that in China, they only teach lion dance to people who are learning kung-fu, but in the U.S., there are some places which will teach it to anyone.

"I like it best when the lion dancers also know kung-fu, because I think their moves look better," commented Mater Yee. "It takes about a year to learn it."

Yee’s Martial Arts has lion dance classes for its kung-fu students only. Master Yee, himself, started studying kung-fu from a Shao-lin monk when he was as a child growing up in China.

Almost every "opening" in the Chinese community is celebrated by a lion dance: the "opening," or beginning, of the lunar (Chinese) New Year; the opening of a business; the beginning of a marriage…. Lion dances bring good luck and add a note of festivities to the occasion.