The carrying of short weapons amid the hustle and bustle of a lion dance stems from historical circumstance. When lion dance troupes first came over to Taiwan from China in the 18th century, brigands roamed the island and ethnic tensions often sparked armed melees and riots. For self-defense, villages typically established martial arts halls where local youths learned combat skills.
之所以會在熱鬧的獅陣裡攜帶短兵器，源於 18 世紀獅陣從中國傳入，當時台灣盜匪橫行，加上不同族群之間的械鬥、民變等因素，鄉里間為了抵禦外來侵犯，於是廣設武館，訓練子弟習武以保衛家園。