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 The origins of the Dragon Dance dates back to the Han Dynasty as an integral part of the Chinese farming culture. The Dragon was believed to be a deity that controlled the rain. It would go into the sky at the start of Spring, more specifically the solar vernal equinox, to start the rain. Then, it would descend deep into the sea at the start of Winter (autumn equinox) when rain was superfluous.
The farmers created two festivals to entertain and please the Dragon. The first is known as the Dragon Lantern Festival. This festival was always held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. During the festival, Dragon Dancers would perform to beseech the Dragon to bestow Spring’s rain to farmers. The dancers would light incenses, carry lanterns, and dance throughout the village, around the streams and the farms, and even into the mountains. The lanterns and smoke would show the Dragon its way back to the heavens were it could produce the rain.
The second festival is known as the Dragon Boat Festival. It occurs on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month when rice transplanting finishes and rain is crucial. In this celebration, the farmers partake in boat racing. By doing such, they beseech the sky dragon for a safe prosperous season. In return, the Dragon would provide rain and protect the farmers from evil entities that roamed about.
Over thousands of years since the inception of Dragon Dances, new Dragon Legends have developed and enhanced the symbolic meaning of the Dragon Dance to more than just rain for prosperous crops. It now includes financial and reproductive prosperity, good fortune, racial harmony, and protection from evil elements. To receive a blessing from a Dragon is to ensure a protected and prosperous year.
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