THE HEAD MASTER

In a workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Master Siow Ho Phiew has spent decades handcrafting lion heads the traditional way — weaving rattan, layering bamboo paper, and painting each face by hand. But for Siow, the craft is only half the story. A self-taught master who built Wan Seng Hang Dragon & Lion Arts from nothing, Siow believes lion dance is more than cultural festivity — it is faith, artistry and a force that unites people across race and religion. As demand for his lion heads grows globally, his greatest ambition remains closer to home: to pass the craft to the next generation and secure lion dance its rightful place in Malaysia's cultural identity.