Chinese Name: 黃厚銘
Born: 1962
Birthplace: Yunlin County (Central Taiwan)
Did You Know That…?
The traditional performing art “White Crane Lion Dance” (白鶴獅陣) originated from Beigang Township (北港鎮) of Yunlin County and was registered as local intangible cultural heritage in 2019.
Huang Hou-ming was born in 1962 in the Beigang Township of Yunlin County. Mentored by his father Huang Ching-tu (黃清塗), he started to learn folk arts at a young age, including the White Crane Lion Dance (白鶴獅陣), traditional paper sculpture (紙糊工藝), and the Hunting-Crane Kung Fu (食鶴拳). The former two are invaluable cultural legacies that his father left behind.
Treasuring his father’s lifelong dedication, Huang Hou-ming is devoted to the transmission of those arts and crafts. He leads the Beigang Lao Tu Lion Dance Academy (北港老塗獅武舘) by teaching the traditional lion dance footwork and its accompaniment music, and paper sculpture craft. Besides participating in the Beigang Mazu Festival every year, the academy is also frequently invited to perform in various local festivals. Through partnering with the public and private sectors, Huang Hou-ming contributes to social welfare and works towards cultural sustainability.
Huang Hou-ming has tirelessly worked to promote the White Crane Lion Dance. Besides guiding his students in traditional martial arts, Hunting-Crane Kung Fu, the Lion Dance formation, and the making of paper sculptures for the Lion Dance, he also actively participates in cultural activities and performances organized by the government. Furthermore, he also teaches in schools and local communities, hoping that the traditional culture that he cherished can be passed down to many generations to come.
The White Crane Lion Dance consists of the white crane, the lion, and the lion ghost (獅鬼)—a supernatural being that can tame the lion. Making the costumes for these characters is time-consuming, but it is what ties the members of the Beigang Lao Tu Lion Dance Academy together. The academy is focused on making costumes for the White Crane Lion Dance, and they aspire to protect and transmit the cultural heritage.
According to Huang Hou-ming, the technique of making these costumes is traditionally passed down by the master himself to his students only, and each academy would have its own unique characteristics and details. Due to the decline of the tradition, he hopes to emphasize the importance of the preservation of these techniques.
Huang Hou-ming mentioned that he and his students have been working on the promotion of the White Crane Lion Dance in the Beigang area for a long time, and they organize summer camps with the local community annually to attract young people. It is only through more exposure that traditional martial arts academies and their crafts can be kept alive, he added.
(Photo credit: Department of Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Yunlin County Government)