Did you know that the first record of a lion dance being performed in Singapore was in 1904? You can learn this and other interesting facts about lion dance at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre’s exhibition Tradition in Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage.
The special exhibition for the upcoming Chinese New Year showcases the rich history, customs and even contemporary expressions of lion dance in Singapore.
Tradition In Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage
The stars of the Tradition In Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage exhibition are the eight lion heads that are on display in glass cabinets.
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Amongst these are familiar looking Southern lions that we often see when we watch lion dance performances in Singapore.
However, there are some less well-known lion heads on display too.
One is the Fujian Green Lion, which dates back to the Qing dynasty. Its green colour symbolically represents the Qing rulers.
Another is the Hakka Green Lion, which traces back to the Hakka-populated regions of China where distinct variations of the lion dance have emerged.
There is also the Hainan Lion which can be traced back to Singapore’s Guang Wu Club. The troupe combined elements fo traditional Hainanese tiger dance with Foshan lion dance to pioneer the Hainan lion dance.
3 Thematic Zones to Uncover the Past and Present of Lion Dance in Singapore
At the Tradition In Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage exhibition, you can also learn about the origins and customs of lion dance in Singapore. Find out about moments where lion dance has played a part in points of Singapore’s history.
Then learn about how lion dance continues to thrive in present-day Singapore, and how local troupe continue to expand the boundaries of the art form.
You can also get a glimpse of the craft of lion head making with a display of a partially completed lion head made by Singapore’s last lion head craftsman, Henry Ng.
The last section showcases how lion dance has been portrayed in pop-culture with a display a vintage posters as well as limited-edition collectibles such as the Uniplay Fortune (Mer)lion Dance figurine.
The Tradition In Motion: Singapore’s Lion Dance Heritage exhibition is on display at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre’s Concourse on Level 1.
It will run from 11 December 2025 to 30 April 2025, 9 am to 10 pm. Admission is free.
While you are at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, you may to pay a visit to the SINGAPO人 Exhibition in the same building as well.
