Lion dance competition is held in Guangzhou.

On July 13, lion dance teams from major cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Johor, Malaysia, captivated a large crowd of tourists and lion dance enthusiasts at the Central Pavilion Square of Guangzhou Cultural Center. The high-stakes lion dance competition showcased skills even more intense than the summer heat.

Youth lion dance teams from Guangzhou, Foshan, Hong Kong, and Macao participated in the competition, with a special invitation extended to elite teams from Malaysia by Guangzhou Dragon and Lion Dance Association.

Accompanied by the thunderous beats of drums and gongs, the agile "lions" performed on various heights of plum blossom poles, each move brimming with elegance and vitality. Spectators erupted in awe and applause each time a "young lion" completed a series of fluid and high-difficulty maneuvers on the poles.

The event left Raphael, a lion dance enthusiast from Italy, in awe. He traveled to Guangzhou with his team from Weisong School, a martial arts school in Italy founded by the Chinese, specifically to participate in this lion dance activity. "I've been fascinated by Chinese kung fu movies since childhood," Raphael told reporters.

"I started learning dragon dance, lion dance, and fish dance at the martial arts school when I was ten. I have performed lion and dragon dances on the streets during Chinese New Year in Italy and Belgium. These performances not only showcase the charm of Chinese culture but also bring people joy," Raphael said.

Lion dance competition is held in Guangzhou.

After fierce competition, the Feiyang Dragon-Lion Dance Troupe from Guangzhou Baiyun Loong and Lion Dance Association won the championship of the high-stakes lion dance contest. The Lingnan Dragon-Lion Dance Troupe from Foshan and NamWah Kangkar Pulai Johor, Malaysia, took second and third places respectively.

Guangdong lion dance and Malaysian lion dance share the same roots. Guangdong lion dance is one of China's first national-level intangible cultural heritage representative projects, widely practiced in overseas Chinese communities. "High-stakes lion dance" is a national-level intangible cultural heritage representative project in Malaysia and a traditional cultural practice among local Chinese.

Teoh Boon Fooi, the chairman of NamWah Kangkar Pulai Johor, Malaysia, noted that there is a broad popular foundation for lion dance and other intangible cultural heritage projects in both China and Malaysia. The two countries have maintained frequent grassroots exchanges, with deep friendships and long-standing ties between lion dance teams in Johor, Malaysia, and Guangzhou, Guangdong.

He expressed the hope that the joint heritage application by China and Malaysia for the lion dance would greatly promote lasting friendship between the two countries and help the lion dance tradition transcend ethnic boundaries, reaching a broader audience.

Zhao Weibin, the chairman of Guangzhou Dragon and Lion Dance Association, remarked that this high-stakes lion dance skill exchange allowed all lion dance enthusiasts to experience the charm and spiritual essence of traditional Chinese culture firsthand. It is expected to further strengthen cultural exchanges in the GBA, deepen emotional connections among overseas Chinese, and promote cultural mutual learning and integration among different countries.