The Tao of Chinese Wisdom Bags
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CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Friday, May 24, 2019 | 11 Creative heads The Tao of Chinese wisdom bags. Is this to spread awareness Editor’s Note: Miranda Chin belongs to about environmental pollution? When I was developing this piece, the 2011 Hong Kong’s rst generation of modern dance choreographers. In an exclusive tsunami in Japan took place. It made me interview Chin tells China Daily Hong conscious of the fact that water can also kill Kong why the marriage of dance and tai people. In The Highest State of Good — Water, chi makes an ideal vehicle for building I show the destruction and death of living greater awareness of Chinese culture. organisms on earth and how they remain mingled with the debris until the next cycle of regeneration begins. Shall we begin by talking about your magnum opus — the seven- What would you expect people episode Wuji series, which is the with no previous exposure to tra- distilled essence of Chinese wis- ditional Chinese wisdom or mar- dom as found in ancient classi- tial arts to take away from your cal texts, martial art traditions shows? and medical science, expressed Modern dance is about presenting a piece through dance? How did it all and leaving it at that, to let the audience do begin? their own thinking. In 2000, when I heard the news that However, if some of the audiences like China was going to host the 2008 Olym- what they see and get intrigued, it’s easy to pic Games, I was very excited. I decided I look up the internet for more information. I would mark each of the seven years count- am happy to stimulate their curiosity. ing down to the 2008 Olympic Games by There are many things in my dance pieces producing new work based on an element the audiences may not understand. Then I of Chinese culture. Miranda Chin do not fully understand some of these ideas DIRECTOR, MIRANDA CHIN Since tai chi is a symbol of Chinese cul- either. I take things from the surface of these DANCE COMPANY ture, I decided to compose a dance series ROY LIU / CHINA DAILY vast sources of knowledge and use that mate- based on it. I had no background in tai chi rial to create dance productions. though. I had been trained in Chinese dance I had huge confrontations with tai chi in Hong Kong and at Beijing Dance Acad- The Chinese word “wuji” trans- series is the same. First our dancers present ed in the May 26 show. For instance, there masters, as they have set ideas about tai chi emy. Then I went to study modern dance lates as “limitless infinite”. The the new composition, followed by a demon- will be a Spanish fl amenco dancer in red, and don’t like the fact that I am trying to in New York. idea resonates across several stration of the original traditional movement foot-tapping to represent the tick-tock of the stretch its boundaries and make something So I decided to learn from tai chi masters. ancient Chinese classical philo- that inspired the composition, and then the human heart. new out of it. First I went to the Wudang Mountains in sophical texts, from Dao De Jing dancers choose a few traditional movements Even elderly people who practice tai chi Hubei and then to Chen Jia Gou (in Henan, to the Taoist Zhuangzhi to the performed by the master and improvise One of your most-lauded produc- in the morning don’t seem to get what I am where tai chi boxing originated) to meet Confucianist Xunzi. How does based on them. tions, The Highest State of Good trying to do, while younger audiences think tai chi masters. The first episode of my the word apply to your own dance — Water — an extract from which tai chi is for old people to appreciate. Wuji series is an exposition of the source philosophy? Would you like to explain how tra- also figures in May 26 show — is So my idea is to use the May 26 show as of tai chi. It demonstrates how martial art After eight years of engaging with the ditional Chinese medical wisdom inspired by Laozi’s book of Tao- a means to convey the message that these originated in the mountains as people living theme I realized tai chi is not about fi ght- has informed your works? ist philosophy, Dao De Jing. What things exist in Chinese culture. If schools and there needed to protect themselves from ing, rather it is about developing a healthy In traditional Chinese medical science, idea have you borrowed from this other institutions are interested, I am happy the wild animals, whose attacking styles are lifestyle and dietary habits. spring is associated with energy which comes classic text from 4th century BC? to hold lecture-demonstrations for them. copied in the martial art moves. I think it is possible to get a sense of the from the liver. The heart is related to summer, In chapter eight of Dao De Jing, it is sug- For the second episode, I traveled to Qin- Chinese notion of harmony, universalism tying up with the idea of emotional excesses. gested that human beings adapt the proper- Interviewed by Chitralekha Basu gcheng Mountain in Sichuan, where I met and inclusivity through watching the Wuji Autumn, which brings sadness, is related to ties of water. Water moves downward, pour- the grandmaster Liu Suibin. We discussed dance series. the lungs. Winter — a period of restful inac- ing down on those in need of sustenance. the correlation between mysticism and tivity — is related to the kidneys. It’s the time Also water adapts to the container it is kept dance which informs the second episode The grandmaster Liu Suibin will to conserve one’s energy. Each of the seasons in. So the idea here is to be easygoing, open IF YOU GO Wuji: Miranda Chin’s Martial Arts Dance of the Wuji series. I also incorporated the share the stage with dancers at is denoted by a color — spring is represented to the views of other people and receptive Presented by Miranda Chin Dance art of face mask changing, a well-known Miranda Chin Dance Company’s by green, summer by red, autumn by white like the sea. Company Ltd feature of Sichuan operas, in Wuji 2. upcoming show in Hong Kong on and winter by black. It is said that consuming Date: May 26, 7.30 pm Likewise each subsequent episode has May 26. How does this play out on food of the color matching the season keeps The dancers in this piece wear cos- Venue: Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, been the result of a great deal of research stage? one healthy. tumes that look like they are made Kowloon and traveling. The format for each chapter in the Wuji All of these ideas are visually represent- of washed-up garbage disposal www.mcdc.com.hk Our pick of city events from May 24 to June 2 Stars of Canto opera A brush with raw genius A trio of Cantonese opera virtuosos will sing the romantic love story, Dream of the Red Chamber, based on Cao Xueqin’s 18th-century novel — widely hailed as a lit- Personal notes and fragments of documents intricately erary classic. The one-night-only performance celebrates the 30th anniversary of The Open University Hong Kong and features Tse Kwok-cheung, Li Qiuyuan and layered behind painted grids form some of the detailed and Jiang Wenduan along with a cast of young performers. painstakingly crafted works of the American artist McArthur Binion, for the first time on show in Asia. Eschewing the norms Dream of the Red Chamber of the art world and pushing back against categorization of his Organized by The Open University of Hong Kong work, Binion emphasizes the unashamedly personal nature Date: June 1, 7:30 pm Venue: Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre, 88 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui of his multimedia work, which builds on his background of www.ouhk.edu.hk/OU30_CantoneseOpera2019 growing up in a poor family in the south of the United States, the influence of music on his work, and his belief in the importance of discipline and the work ethic. “Whatever genius I have, I want that to come out pure — all Beats for good me,” he says. The twin exhibitions in Hong Kong show past and Local and international singers and musicians perform in aid of SENsational, a new works from the artist’s 50-year career. social enterprise creating equal work opportunities for differently abled people. The jazz and pop music program blending East and West styles includes jazz musician Anthony Fernandez performing arrangements by Bollywood producer Sajjad Ali. Watch out for rhythmic folk and modern songs presented in at least six different IF YOU GO Indian languages. McArthur Binion — New: Work (Hong Kong) and Raaga & Rhythm: Music Without Borders Hand:Work:II Performed by In Harmony Arts & Culture and the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Presented by: Massimo de Carlo and Lehmann Maupin Kong Dates: New: Work (Hong Kong) until Aug 23; Hand:Work:II Date: May 30, 7 pm until July 6 Venue: Hong Kong Jockey Club Auditorium, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Venues: Massimo de Carlo, 3/F and Lehmann Maupin 4/F, at 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central www.hkticketing.com www.massimodecarlo.com and www.lehmannmaupin.com If you have an exciting event in the pipeline and would like to see it here in What’s the Buzz, do write in to [email protected] Film Review Welcome relief from lazy stereotypes By ELIZABETH KERR tive of sorts, documenting what is sport poppies on November 11, and turing into a keen satirist), freshly variously known as the Great War, an equally stark one of just how unemployed after a fake news- They Shall Not Grow Old More than Avengers or magical The War to End All Wars, or simply many of us don’t know the signifi - shilling media mogul purchases his genies, what we could all use right World War I, told largely from the cance of that tradition.