Vietnamese model dresses as big-headed doll with washboard abs in lion dance

Teasing the lion in a different way.

Karen Lui| February 01, 2022, 08:56 PM

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Big-headed dolls are a common sight during traditional performances, especially alongside lion dances, during special occasions.

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, a Vietnamese model did a photoshoot dressed up as a big-headed doll while flashing his torso, showing off his impressive physique.

Posing with red lion

On Jan. 30, fitness model Khánh Lâm shared the pictures on Facebook.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

Donning the grinning big-headed doll mask over his face, Khánh completes his look with a red and gold patterned coat, bright red drawstring loose trousers, beige honeycomb slippers, and a rattan fan.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

The coat is left unbuttoned.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

He poses next to a red lion in his pictures.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

He takes off his mask to reveal his face in the last picture.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

Here's a video of him teasing the lion in costume:He shared more pictures with his face revealed in a post on Feb. 1.Khánh had first teased the photoshoot on Jan. 28.

Photo by Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.

Khánh's Facebook post has garnered 937 reactions, 94 comments, and 340 shares.

The pictures have also gone viral on Facebook group, Subtle Asian Traits, amassing over 5,200 reactions and 1,300 comments.

Big-headed doll

Singaporeans may be more familiar with the Chinese version of the big-headed doll known as Big-Headed Buddha (大头佛) who teases the lion in lion dance performances.

The Vietnamese version of this character, which Khánh is dressed as, is Ông Địa, the spirit of the Earth.

Ông Địa appears in the unicorn dances (Vietnamese version of lion dances) during the Vietnamese New Year, Tết.

The spirit is known for its big belly, which is why this particular interpretation with its rock-hard abs has gained attention.

This is not the first time that Bloodflame, the studio that organised this Ông Địa shoot, has gone viral for their pictures.

They were also behind the Korean man who dressed up as Mai An Tiêm, a legendary Vietnamese hero, while posing as a watermelon seller in Vietnam.

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Top images via Khánh Lâm's Facebook page.