China, Malaysia take lion dance to new heights

Younger generations and artistic masters in China and Malaysia have been sparing no efforts to carry forward and innovate lion dance, an ancient tradition captivating audience across Asia.

The lion dance, with hundreds of years of history, has been transforming from a festival celebrating performance to a competitive spectacle.

China and Malaysia have signed an agreement to jointly nominate the lion dance for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The lion dance has become a much-loved artistic form in Malaysia, with not only Chinese young people, but also Malay youths joining local lion dance associations.

"So I saw Faris, my lion head (partner), and I asked him, 'do you want to try jumping?' He said he was scared. I told him, 'don't be scared,' but actually, I was scared too. My goal is to go overseas to perform or compete," said Muhamad Syahmi Hafiz, a Malay lion dancer.

Malaysia is considered the birthplace of the high-flying lion dance style, with figures like Siow Ho-phiew, Chinese lion dance and lion head-making master in Malaysia, playing key roles in its evolution.

Siow believes that in addition to its acrobatic displays, lion dance is also symbolic of peace and prosperity.

"The most important is that in lion dance, I can express the spirits through painting. When we do lion dancing, actually it's a symbol that the country is peaceful, without wars," he said.

Though Malaysia has developed its own distinctive style, the deep connection to its Chinese origins remains evident, with every lion dance in different parts of the country tells different stories.

In a 600-year-old village in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, lion dance master Gong Guidong, who is also the deputy director of the city's lion and dragon dance association, has been busy teaching the art to younger generations.

The lion dance there is rooted in southern martial arts and emphasizes storytelling.

"In second grade, Master Gong introduced lion dance to my school. As a kid, I was fascinated by its majesty. Over time, lion dance taught me etiquette, teamwork, and the joy of following my passion," said Wu Jiajun, a 22-year-old lion dance performer who won his first provincial competition at the age of 10.

According to Gong, though lion dances are more and more popular across the world, there are still challenges for the younger generations to view it as their career.

"The biggest challenge is society's lack of understanding. Many parents ask, how much can you really earn from lion dancing? But it's about more than money - it's 2,000 years of tradition. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage recognition will help elevate it to a more official and global platform," said Gong.

With China and Malaysia joining hands to preserve and promote the lion dance, this century-old tradition is poised to reach new heights.

China, Malaysia take lion dance to new heights

A major port in northern Venezuela came under U.S. airstrikes in the early hours of January 3, which caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, destroyed critical medical supplies in a warehouse, and severely impacted centuries-old cultural heritage sites, according to local residents.

The La Guaira Port, a vital hub for imports that support daily life in the region, was heavily damaged during the attack.

Large quantities of medical supplies stored at the port were destroyed. A historic cultural building dating back for some 300 years was also badly damaged by the bombardment.

Residents living near the port recalled the terrifying scenes as explosions shook nearby neighborhoods.

Humberto Bolivar, who lives in a community separated from the port by only a main road, said the blast waves shattered his home's windows, while stray shrapnel struck the water tank on his roof. According to reports, three missiles were fired at the port that night.

Bolivar said that beyond material losses, he is most concerned about the psychological impact on his children, who remain too frightened to leave their home days after the attack.

"The United States invaded our country. The children were frightened. This is not good for them, because it leaves some children with psychological trauma. They do not want to go to school or leave the house, because they are afraid that something worse might happen. We truly do not want this to happen to our country," he said.

Apart from civilian facilities, local cultural heritage site was also affected.

The La Guaira state government building, a structure with nearly 300 years of history and once served as the site of Venezuela's first national customs office, was struck by the force of the explosions.

Windows of the building were shattered, and furniture scattered across the floor.

"As people of La Guaira, we feel deep pain. Our cultural heritage has been bombed. We are living in constant anxiety and suffering, and life can no longer be the same as it was before," said a local named Henry Cumares.

The U.S. side has claimed the airstrikes targeted warehouses allegedly used to store narcotics. However, locals refuted such accusation.

"According to what Donald Trump said, they bombed this place using the excuse that the warehouses here were used to store drugs at the port. But based on the video released by our governor, these warehouses that were burned contained medicine for kidney patients and foods. Many people depend on these supplies to survive. I think the bombing is extremely despicable," said a local resident named Alejandro Capriles.

US strike hits Venezuelan port, wrecking medical supplies, heritage building