LION DANCE

The Chinese Lion Dance goes back some one thousand years. The first record of the performance of an early form of the Lion Dance dates to the early Ch’in and Han Dynasties (Third Century B.C.)
If well-performed, the lion dance is believed to bring luck and happiness.
The lions express joy and happiness. The busiest time for the lion dancers is traditionally Chinese New Year. From the fourth day to the fifteenth of the New Year, lion dance groups would tour from village to village in traditional China.
The Lion Dance also plays an important role in the consecration of temples and other building, at business openings, planting and harvest times, official celebrations, and religious rites.
During these ceremonies for opening of new businesses Lion dancers will visit the store front of the business to "choy chang" (採青 lit. picking the greens). The business would tie a red envelope filled with money to a head of lettuce and hang it high above the front door. The lion will approach the lettuce like a curious cat, consume the lettuce and spit out the leaves but not the money. The lion dance is supposed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the dancers receive the money as reward. Other types of "greens" (青) may also be used to challenge the troupe, for instance using oranges. The orange will be pealed and laid out as a chinese characters. People are trying to read the meaning and usually play the figures the “read” in lotteries hoping to win the big price.