12/15/2024 "Burning Fire Lion" Eye Opening, 開光 (Kāi Guāng), Ceremony - Chinese Arts Alliance of Nash

It’s a rare occasion for CAAN to welcome a new lion costume to the group, so we held a special ceremony for our new friend!
The eye-dotting ceremony, or 開光 (Kāi Guāng), is a sacred tradition in Chinese lion dance that marks the awakening of a new lion. During this ritual, the lion’s eyes, ears, mouth, and other key parts are dotted with red ink, symbolizing life, awareness, and spirit. This act transforms the lion from an inanimate object into a lively being, ready to bring luck, ward off evil, and perform its cultural duty.
Often the ceremony is conducted by a respected elder, leader, or guest of honor, so we had CAAN’s artistic director Jen-Jen Lin and long time lion dancer & coach Justin Chatman to perform the dotting. It’s a powerful moment that connects us to the long standing legacy of lion dancing and reminds us of the deep significance of this art in celebrating Chinese heritage.
It was so exciting to showcase this tradition to our young lion dancers by talking about the almost 20 year history of CAAN’s lion dance team, members sharing their hope and vision for the future, and finishing the celebration with a performance.
Director: Jen-Jen Lin
Coach: Justin Chatman
Senior Lion dancers: Anne Oppenheimer, Keri Friedman, JianMei Perkins
Student lion dancers: Saul Sharfstein, Eileen Yi, Michael Lyn, Linda Sharbel
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photo & video: Annibelle Chatman
video making: Jen-Jen Lin
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