The drums have sounded! The grand biennial event, Kaohsiung Lion Dance Championship 2025, returns in full force with its dual-stage water and land competitions. Today (Nov. 15), ten elite lion dance teams from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan faced off at the Kaohsiung Municipal International Swimming Pool, performing breathtaking routines atop 5.5-meter-high poles rising from deep water, all vying for the highest score. The final showdown for the Lion King title will take place tomorrow (Nov. 16) at the Kaohsiung Arena!

On the opening day of the water-and-land competition, the event seamlessly blended folk tradition with creative innovation. The Miaoxuan Dance Troupe opened the program with a brand-new performance, “Aquatic Land Boat and Tiger Lord Guardian Ritual,” earning enthusiastic applause from the audience. Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai attended the opening ceremony along with Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh, Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Kang Yu-cheng, City Councilors Tang Yung-yu and Kuo Chien-meng, and representatives from several public offices. Together, they conducted a traditional blessing ritual to pray for smooth and successful performances by all teams, as well as peace and good health for all attendees.

The lion dancers’ dynamic pole-jumping routines filled the venue with cheers, with Mayor Chen applauding nonstop. The halftime program featured an elegant performance by the Chinese Taipei Artistic Swimming Association, showcasing mermaid choreography and artistic swimming sequences. The powerful majesty of the lion dance combined with the graceful fluidity of the water performance created a stunning visual and auditory feast.

In addition to the intense competition, the Kaohsiung Museum of History launched a special “Social Welfare Cultural Support Initiative” for young lion dancers. Longtime supporters of local educational and cultural development — Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation, Radiant Education Foundation, Cijin Tianhou Temple, and Fudingjin Bao'an Temple — sponsored the participation of student lion dance teams from Yongfang Elementary School in Daliao District, Minzu Elementary School’s Dragon-Phoenix Lion Dance Team in Sanmin District, and Shihu Elementary School’s Special Education Class. Their on-site experience of an international lion dance tournament aims to help preserve and promote Kaohsiung’s lion dance culture.

Together with the Genting World Lion Dance Championship in Malaysia and the MGM International Lion Dance Championship in Macau, the Kaohsiung Lion Dance Championship is recognized as one of the world’s top three international lion dance competitions. After a six-year hiatus, the aquatic pole competition finally returns to the global stage. Featuring the world’s only deep-water pole array and water-based pole islands, the event demands extraordinary teamwork, technical mastery, and mental resilience — along with the ability to overcome water reflection and glare — to achieve top scores.

The much-anticipated Lion King Final will take place tomorrow (Nov. 16) at the Kaohsiung Arena. Organizers remind the public that a limited number of tickets are still available. All are invited to seize the opportunity to witness the thrill and intensity of the lions soaring through the air — and to experience the excitement of this spectacular biennial celebration in Kaohsiung!

NEWS Reference: https://newstaiwan.net/2025/11/15/379503/