Lion dance amazes Chinese temple crowd
By James Kon

Lion dance performance at the "Tua Pi Kong" temple in the Capital	Drummer sets the beat of the lion dance
Member of the Lion Dance Troupe in the thick of the action	Chinese man prays at the temple
Colourful occasion is reflected in the festive mood of a spectator
A member of the public greets the Lion by putting "Ang Pau" in his mouth	Three of the lions prepare to greet Chinese New Year celebrants
Lion performs on stilts

As part of the tradition on the first day of the Chinese New Year, members of the Chinese community would visit the temple to pray as well as to witness celebratory performances.

The Chinese community in Brunei is no exception. Hundreds of ethnic Chinese residents visited the "Tua Pi Kong" temple in the Capital early yesterday morning to pray for good fortune as well as to watch a live performance of the lion dance.

At around 9 am, the Lion Dance Troupe from the Chung Hwa Middle School arrived at the temple to greet hundreds of spectators.

The four lions then went around the temple greeting several members of the public. Celebrants especially children were delighted to be able to catch a rare sight of the lion as these events only happen once a year.

Some also took the opportunity to put "Ang Pau" into the mouth of the lion in the hopes of getting good fortune for the year ahead.

Among the spectators were also western tourists and residents who were interested in catching a glimpse of how the Chinese community in Brunei celebrates Chinese New Year.

One of the lions proceeded to perform a few acts on stilts before the spectators. People were amazed at the lively action as well as the spellbinding moves that the lion could accomplish on the stilts. The performance was accompanied with the rhythmic music of drums and gongs.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin