Trip the light dynastic– Five millennia come alive at the Chinese New Year Spectacular

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG, the Montreal Mirror, Canada, Jan 10, 2008-

“The Year of the Rat symbolizes new beginnings and change,” says Francis Madore, spokesperson for, no, not Barack Obama, but for “not-for-profit, independent, Chinese-language television” company New Tang Dynasty TV, which is presenting the Chinese New Year Spectacular at Place des Arts this week (though the actual Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 7 this year).

(photo by the Montreal Mirror)

“The legend says that at the time of the new year, the Buddha called upon all the animals to meet him, so he could assign them roles. Only 12 showed up, and each was given a year, so people born in that year would get the characteristics of that animal. People born under the year of the rat tend to be leaders, pioneers, conquerors. They’re usually charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and of course hardworking, like you know the rat is.”

The charm quotient of rats could be debated, but the dedication of the Divine Performing Arts Troupe, composed largely of Chinese émigrés and ex-pats, is unquestionable. Among the most successful touring shows in the world, the Spectacular strives to revive five millennia of Chinese art and history without fudging the specifics.

“The movements of the dancers, the costumes they wear, the backdrops—every detail is weighed and studied so that they’re as authentic as possible,” says Madore.

“The Chinese people themselves have been disconnected from this ancient culture, which was governed by dynasties. Each dynasty had a specific culture, depending on the emperor. These are people who had high beliefs in gods and adhered to high standards of morality, and they believe that’s what enabled them to develop these rich, glorious civilizations of ancient China. Now, with the Cultural Revolution and even in historical textbooks, all this information has been altered or removed. So it’s really interesting for both Chinese and Western audiences.”

The show touches on the Tang, Qing and Song dynasties, says Madore, “and on top of that, it goes into depicting some ethnic groups that prevailed in China. For example, there’s the traditional Mongolian cup dance, where the ladies carry cups with actual milk in them on their heads. The Manchurian ethnicity is also depicted, and the Tibetans.”

Madore adds a final but not inconsequential note, an unsurprising one given the Falun Dafa Association’s collaboration on the show. “The 5,000 years of Chinese history that are covered are from the ancient times, but also modern times. Some scenes depict the human-rights issues in China in the last 50 years, so there’s something to learn there too.”

At Place des Arts (Montreal, Canada) Tuesday to Thursday, Jan. 15–17, 2008,
7:30 p.m. (also 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 16), $38–$158, all ages

- Original report from the Montreal Mirror

Plum Blossoms, First of Four Noblemen, in Chinese Arts

By Tony Dai, to NTDTV-

Plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum were adored by the ancient Chinese literati and artisans, and referred to as the “Four Noblemen.” This was because they were used to portray noble characteristics, such as pureness, humbleness, and uprightness.

The first “nobleman” is plum blossom which begins blooming in the harshness of winter and continues into early spring.  It is seen as bringing vigor and vitality to the world.

The dance “Plum Blossom” in the 2006 Chinese New Year Global Gala truly brought the spirit of this flower to the stage.  The performance captured the essential nature of plum blossoms, “a fragrance coming from the bitterness and coldness they experience.”

The dance themes included: blossoming, braving snow, and heralding the arrival of the spring. Gracefully movements were used by the dancers to depict the peaceful blossoming of plum flowers in the cold winter. Suddenly, a thunderstorm appeared blowing fierce cold winds. The heart of the story is displayed as the dancers represented the inner strength and unyielding courage of plum blossoms. Then, the storm stopped and the sunshine finally burst forth.  After experiencing the ordeal, the plum blossoms became even more beautiful.

The beauty of plum blossoms are not just due to their color or that it is the only flower blossoming in the winter. It is also because each gentle petal has grown through the cruelty of the winter storm, and represents the essence of the process of growth.

In the traditional Chinese style of writing, the character for plum blossom was endowed with unique inner meanings and expressed the virtues of courage, strength, and taking fame and wealth lightly. It is said that an artist who creates a fine portrait of plum blossoms should have the noble characters of plum blossoms.  So, when painting this flower an artist strives to express their unyielding courage and noble character. Many painters in China love to draw plum blossoms, but not everyone of them does it well.

Shi Zhongren, a monk during the Song Dynasty, was well known for his plum blossoms paintings on thin silk using black ink. It is believed that the reason he painted plum blossom well was because he was a cultivator with a noble personality.

The master of painting this flower was Wang Mian, an artist in the Yuan Dynasty.  Wang stated that paintings were poems with no words, and poems were paintings with words. Different from Shi’s style with a few branches and plum flowers, Wang’s paintings contained many branches and plum flowers, expressing uprightness and enthusiasm.

Other artists in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were also famous for their paintings of plum blossoms. Their painting styles may vary considerably, but they shared one similarity  noble characters.

[- Author Tony Dai is an art collector, critic, and writer.]

China: “Shenzhou” - “The Divine Land”

Names tell a tale, they say.  Of the many names for China over the centuries, one stands out for all that it promises to tell: “Shenzhou” - “The Divine Land.”

Stretching across the canvas of Chinese history is a profound inclination, apparent in fields as diverse as urban planning and internal medicine, towards a world beyond, to a greater higher presence.

The very earliest works of Chinese art, drawn with remarkble care, depict godly figures and acts of veneration. In the earliest dynastic times, rulers considered heaven’s will fundamental to the well-being and integrity of the state.

The earliest extant Chinese writing, carved into tortoise shells, was solely devoted to discerning the will of a greater spiritual power. Entire cities were laid out so as to align with a higher, invisible order.

Chinese fiction and the novel, meanwhile, were born of Buddhist moral tales. Chinese metallurgy was interfused with, and often driven by, Daoist visions of alchemically transmuting the body into divine substance.

In almost every facet of China’s traditional culture can be found a wish to align human activity and thought with that of a greater spiritual presence or order, called variously “Dao” (the way), “Fa” (the law), “Tian” (heaven), “Shen” (god), or “Li” (principle).

This applied to carpentry and architecture, the martial arts, poetry and painting, astronomy, acupuncture, the festival calendar, and even military strategy, to name a few.

Hardly any aspect of China’s classical culture can be understood absent this. For this is the cultural legacy of “Shenzhou” - China - “The Divine Land.”

( From: NTDTV website,  The Divine Land )

Related:
-  The Mystery of Chinese Culture & Art

The Mystery of Chinese Culture & Art

The following story can help to shed some light on the mystery:

Once there was an art dealer who had a painting that depicted a young farm boy leading a horse across a bridge. The boy was facing the horse, his body leaning back, and he looked like he was exerting great effort.

One day a buyer came in and had to have this painting. However, he didn’t have enough money on him to buy this rather expensive artwork right away. So he asked the dealer to hold the painting for him while he went home to get the funds.

As the seller took the painting down, he noticed it was missing the rope the boy should have been using to lead the horse. Without much thought, he picked up an ink brush and added a rope to fix this apparent flaw in the painting.

When the buyer came back and saw the new rope, he was terribly upset. He told the dealer: “I was only willing to spend so much on this painting because of the rope that wasn’t seen but could still be felt!” 

Asian-themed performances like NTDTV’s Holiday Wonders or the Chinese New Year Spectacular offer an entirely new experience for many Westerners, partly because they are so different from the more typical, narrative-driven, performing art forms. They ask something different from the audience – a slight shift in expectations, a shift in sensibility.

The appreciation for what is implied rather than what is in plain sight sets Asian art apart from Western art. Traditional Chinese dance, for example, is less precise and strict in form than its Western counterpart, ballet. It is because it attempts to evoke a different sort of feeling. Like a glass of claret with its subtle undertones, this kind of dance leaves room for the imagination while leaving a lasting impression.

The more something is described in a concrete way, the smaller the range it covers. For example, the phrase “hot water” describes not only water but its temperature, so although “hot water” is more specific than “water,” it precludes “warm water,” “cold water,” and other kinds of water and is therefore more limited. Perhaps this is why so much of Chinese art seems to speak in generalities. Ink landscape paintings with their broad brush strokes and wide swaths intentionally left blank are particularly hard for the Western eye to grasp. These paintings can often seem vague and unclear, but to the discerning viewer, each brush stroke speaks volumes.

The same holds for the Chinese language — known for being extraordinarily concise and yet also rich and descriptive precisely because it is so succinct. Indeed, many Chinese words and proverbs contain concepts that could take paragraphs to explain in another language.

The NTDTV holiday shows seem to have struck a balance between the more refined traditional dance forms and the simple pleasures of rousing music, impressive large scale dances with dozens of dancers moving in synch, and, of course, gorgeous costumes and backdrops.

The shows offer enough new flavors to be intriguing without being overly foreign. The more subtle elements may be lost on many in the audience, but their presence nonetheless enriches the entire performance for everyone.

Ultimately, stories of grace and virtue told through song and dance will speak to us all forever. ( Original from NTDTV website )

Story, Meaning and Tradition of the Chinese New Year

Year- “Nian”,  name of a strange beast

Passing of Nian- “Guo Nina”

Celebraing the Chinese New Year- Celebraing the Passing of the strange beast Nian

In ancient China there was a strange beast called “nian” with a long head and sharp horn and it was extremely fierce. “Nian” dwelled deep in the sea the whole year, but on every New Year’s Eve it would climb onto the shore to devour livestock and harm humans. Because of it, on every New Year’s Eve, all the villagers would take their old and young deep into the mountains to hide from harm from “nian.”

On New Year’s eve one year, as the people were all busy collecting their possessions in preparation for their retreat to the mountains, a grey haired man appeared in the village. He asked an old woman to allow him to stay in her home for just one night and assured her that he would certainly chase away the beast. No one believed him. The old woman urged him to go to the mountains with the other people to hide. The old man steadfastly refused. Seeing that he could not be persuaded, the villagers departed without him.

When the beast arrived at the village to wreck havoc as usual, it was met with a sudden sound of exploding firecrackers. “Nian” was shivering all over and dared not proceed any further as it was most frightened by red color, flames, and explosive sounds. At that moment the large door opened wide and the old man, wearing red clothes, laughed heartily. “Nian” was startled. It turned pale, turned tail and fled!

On the next day, as the people returned from deep in the mountains, they found the village intact and safe. They suddenly realized what had happened. The old man was a deity who had come to help the people drive away the beast “nian”. They also found the three precious items that the old man had brought to chase the beast away. From then on, on every New Year’s eve, every family would hang up red banners, set off fire crackers, and light their lamps the whole night through, awaiting the New Year. The custom spread far and wide and became a grand traditional celebration of the “passing of nian” (”nian” in Chinese means “year”) for the Chinese people.

Chinese people refer to the period of time from the twenty-third day to the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month right before the Chinese New Year as the “small nian”. Every family is supposed to clean their surroundings in preparation to receive the New Year.

Besides cleaning the surroundings, each Chinese family is also supposed to make the New Year’s purchases for the upcoming festival, including chickens, ducks, fish and meat, fruits, and sweets. Every family also prepares presents to bring along when they visit their friends and relatives. They also buy new clothes for the children.

In the evening of New Year’s Eve, the whole family gathers together. In Northern China, dumplings are eaten. The Chinese word for dumpling, “jiao” and the Chinese word for “together” are homophonic (same sounding), so the dumplings symbolize the family being all together and happy. At the same time, “jiao” also means the coming of the New Year. In Southern China, people eat the sweet New Year cake (made from glutinous rice flour), which symbolizes sweet life and making advancement during the New Year (in Chinese, the Chinese word for “cake” and “making advancement” have the same “gao” sound). At the stroke of twelve at midnight, every family starts lighting firecrackers!

On the first day of the New Year, people wear their new clothes and wish their elders a happy New Year. When the children wish the elders a happy New Year, they receive some money for the New Year. On the second and third days, people visit their friends and relatives to wish them a happy New Year.

The streets during the New Year period in China are generally thronged with people. At some places there are special events such as lion dances, dragon dances, flower markets, and temple fairs.

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, which is the day of the Lantern Festival, the Chinese New Year celebrations are considered to be over.