Heart of a Lion

How Chinatown’s Woo Ching White Crane Helps Students Stand Ground

When Adriana Li was a child, the traditional Chinese lion dance made her scared.

But, as an adult, she rediscovered the art and became so enamored by the colorful, vibrant – and often loud – shows that she ended up joining the Woo Ching White Crane Institution in Chinatown about a decade ago. Not only has the club grounded her in her culture – she’s of Chinese and Puerto Rican descent – but she’s now able to pass on the art to other generations.

Woo Ching White Crane; courtesy photo.

Li, 38, is a youth instructor at Woo Ching White Crane. Since the late 1990s, the institution, located at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association on Tyler Street, has remained a cornerstone of the Chinatown community. The organization’s grand master Woo Ching started the school first in China during the 1960s and 1970s, before he carried his vision overseas to Massachusetts. Not only do adults and children learn lion dance and martial arts, but meditation and tai chi classes are also offered. Woo Ching White Crane plays an important role in serving youth, instilling a sense of confidence and empowerment in young minds, said Li. From there, students are often able to book performances at August Moon festivals, the Chinese New Year parade, weddings, corporate events and other celebrations.

Li’s connection to the school started young. Her grandfather was an officer at a Chinatown association, so growing up, she would visit Chinatown every weekend. As an adult, she found her way to Woo Ching White Crane.

“Originally, it stems from a form of Tibetan White Crane and Shaolin kung fu,” said Li, of the roots of what’s taught at Woo Ching White Crane. She said that when the Boston branch first opened, “It was mostly adults, at the time, that were interested in self-defense, learning a fighting form, learning a discipline. It’s since expanded to (include more) youth. We have a ton of kids now that are interested in it, everywhere from age four and up.”

Typically, the school teaches students ages six and up, but younger siblings will “watch and hang out.”

The version of Southern lion dance that’s taught at Woo Ching White Crane comes from Toisan in Guangdong Province. According to Li, the tale that she knows tells of a monster or “evil energy” that would descend from the mountains and wreak havoc. One day, Buddha came down with the Nian, the creature represented by the lion, and it chased away the spirits. The thankful villagers expected to be protected by the creature, but the following year, it was not there. Instead, they banged pots and pans and constructed puppetry that chased away the sinister force. A more commonly told legend relates how the Nian was actually the malevolent figure, and an old man promised that it could be driven out by loud noises, bright light, and the color red.

The Fut San style of lion dance that Woo Ching White Crane teaches is known to use powerful, dynamic movements, in contrast to the more expressive and playful Hok San style. Li described what a typical performance is like, emphasizing the role of music and rhythm.

“The music that we play — with the instruments (being) the drum, the gong and the cymbals — is the heartbeat of the lion, the heartbeat of the performance. It’s not only setting the vibe or mood, it’s giving the creature life. It’s creating that energy,” she said.

Adriana Li

“When the lion pauses, the music pauses. When there’s a drum roll going up and down, the lion’s moving in a certain way. It’s very in tune with what’s happening… The lion is the one leading the entire thing. Whether they’re kissing the door before they enter, to bless the area they’re about to come into, whether they’re getting oranges and lettuce, giving them for good luck to the receivers, it’s really in tune to whatever the lion’s doing.”

In martial arts classes, students work on upper body strength, self-defense strikes, straight punches and other moves. Yet they are not only learning about physical techniques; the art form is also about a mindset.

“It’s really about inner strength, inner balance and the confidence to stand up and take on other difficult challenges in life,” said Li. “The discipline that we have for our kung fu translates to not just doing kung fu, but having our purpose, drive and motivation to doing what we want to do in life, what inspires us the most.”

She added that meditation and the soft movements of tai chi also carry an important mentality for students to discover, who develop an understanding of “being able to flow, being able to move slow, to meditate and focus your mind, to let go of what may be holding you back.”

For Li, Woo Ching White Crane holds special meaning. Growing up, Li was always strongly connected to her Chinese heritage, recalling her grandmother’s cooking and seeing her grandmother’s friends playing mahjong. She remembers that her connection to Chinatown was “the happiest part of childhood.”

Now as an adult, Li said that thanks to Woo Ching White Crane, she can think more clearly and has become more balanced in her life.

“I had more confidence,” said Li, after joining the club. “When I go into things in my life, it means a lot more to me. I can do (things) with my head held higher, and I feel stronger in situations. As a woman, for self-defense, I’m able to say “no” in situations that make me uncomfortable. I’m able to speak up for myself… I’m more aware of protecting myself and prioritizing myself.”

This story was funded in part by Boston 250, a public-private partnership between the City of Boston and private sector partners, including Meet Boston, State Street, The Boston Foundation, John Hancock, Eastern Bank, Liberty Mutual, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and PNC Bank. Learn more at boston250.org.