There are many versions about the origin of the cat-headed lion dance. There are two main theories: one is that the Hakka people brought it when they migrated to Lingnan from the Central Plains; the other is that the Cantonese people created it by absorbing the culture of the Central Plains. However, as far as the inspection situation in Shitan Town, Qingxin District, Qingyuan City is concerned, both opinions are true. There are 22 village committees in Shitan Town. Each village committee has no less than two cat-headed lion teams. There are no less than 40 or 50 cat-headed lion teams in the whole town. Its breadth is self-evident. Investigating its root system, it is not only the introduction of cat-headed lions by the Hakka people during their migration, but also the gradual transformation of cat-headed lions by themselves. Most of the residents in the Binjiang Mountain area of ??Qingxin District, Qingyuan City are Hakka. Its Hakka language, its genealogy records, its living customs and beliefs can all be confirmed. From this perspective, it is reasonable to say that the cat-headed lion was introduced from the Central Plains by the Hakka people.
The cat-headed lion has many names. In the Guangning, Huaiji and adjacent villages, this kind of lion is called "mountain lion", and its name evolved from the worship of mountain gods. The cat-headed lion in Shitan Town, Qingxin District, Qingyuan City is also known as the "Toothed Lion". However, whether it is the shape of the lion's head, the dance movements, or the drumbeats of the band, they are all very similar. They should be the same type of lion, with different folk names.
In February 2009, a "lion leader" led a cat-headed lion to perform in Shitan Town, Qingxin District, Qingyuan City.