(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Performing Arts, which was warmly welcomed by the Taiwanese people in April 2007, will come to Taiwan again in March 2008. It will perform 20 shows in four cities in Taiwan, and more than 50 thousand people will watch their performances. The ticket selling started on December 5, and 10 thousand tickets were sold out in Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taipei on the first day.
The Divine Performing Arts in Radio City, New York, 2007
Chang Ruilan, the general secretary of New Tang Dynasty International Culture Association-the organizer of the shows-said that the tickets for the shows in Taipei were already sold out in three hours. The Divine Performing Arts will have two shows in Taichung, and 8000 people will watch those shows. 80% of the tickets in Taichung were sold out. 30% of the tickets in Kaohsiung, where five shows will be held, and 25% of the tickets in Tainan, where four shows will be held, were sold out.
The Divine Performing Arts manifests the traditional Chinese culture with Chinese dances. It consists of 150 members. Its performances were widely welcomed by audience around the world. On December 18, the Divine Performing Arts will hold the "Holiday Wonders" in New York.
Internationally Renowned Artist: "The Divine Performing Arts Is the Best Production I Have Seen in Sixty Years"
Internationally renowned artist of ink and wash painting, Li Chi-mao, is also a specialist on antiques, calligraphy and painting auctions, and appraisals. Mr. Li said, "I taught in the Taiwan Art School from 1950 to 1990. Many art troupes have contacted me. The performance of the Divine Performing Arts is the best I have seen in 60 years, because the content of the performance presented Chinese philosophy and the harmony between the heavens and humanity.
Li Chi-mao, Professor of Taiwan Arts School and artist
Mr. Li shared his understanding of the performance from different points of view. He said, "Some [performances] stress religion, some Confucianism, and some Daoism. But the Divine Performing Arts comprehensively includes all systems in the culture. From an artistic point of view, it reaches the realm of 'Truth-Compassion-Forbearance.' The performance includes songs, music, and drama, including all the Chinese moral elements of 'loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, love, faith, righteousness, kindness, and peace. It has rich connotations and causes people to think. Children don't like to listen to stories about Chinese ancient morality, but they absorb it after watching the performance. Adults and children all like to watch the show. Who made it? Very wise. I admire it."
He continued, "In addition, the dramas like Yue Fei and Mulan have not been performed in Taiwan since 1945. It is hard to imagine that such dramas are being shown in today's world. Children should see them to understand the meanings. The dramas presented Chinese traditional culture, which is great, and showed well its peaceful nature. Other performance troupes generally focus on a single aspect. The Divine Performing Arts includes music, drama, poems, dancing, and painting. It is hard to do all of that."
Central Standing Committee Member Praises the Program
Ms. Chiang Fang-chih praises the Divine Performing Arts in promoting Chinese traditional culture through art.
Kuomintang Central Standing Committee member Ms. Chiang Fang-chih, the third daughter-in-law of Chiang Ching-guo, [the son of Chiang Kai-shek and former President of Taiwan] said after watching the performance, "The cultural connotation that the programs presented showed the diversity of Chinese culture. The various cultures were presented beautifully."
She praised the Divine Performing Arts in promotion of Chinese culture through art. Each dancer performed well and had a gentle smile. She was impressed most with the program "Candlelight Vigil". "The whole world should have light, hope and direction. The program not only was artful, but expressed that the human world must have belief and purpose."
"Chinese culture is truly great," said Ms. Chiang, "Each program was deeply meaningful."
Renowned artist: Praise for the background screen
Yan Mao-chin says, "I understand the intention of the Divine Performing Arts, especially the attention to traditional dance and historical topics. It is very commendable."
Renowned painter Yan Mao-chin praised the costume, background screen, and stage design. He said it was worth the ticket price from his professional point of view. When young, he participated in stage design. He said, "The design of the costumes is very good. The costumes match the actions well." He was impressed most with "White Lotus on Snowy Mountains"
He emphasized, "Many backdrop screens were well designed. For example, in the screen for the soprano, plums were shown. The other program has three celestial maidens on the screen, which was unique."
The screen for the "Herding on the Mongolian Plains" was simple: blue sky with white clouds, some flowers on a vast plain. It coordinated well with the dancing and formed a contrast with the dancers. The language of art is simple."
Last April, many Taiwanese were deeply touched by the performances of the Divine Performing Arts.
Former principal of Chuang Ching Primary School Tsai Hsu-hui and her nine-year-old daughter attended the second performance in Kaohsiung on April 15. Ms. Tsai said that starting from the first performance of "Creation," seeing Buddhas and Bodhisattvas descending to the human world on the backdrop, she was moved to tears. She was unable to express what she felt with any thought or language, but could only describe it as a certain part in the depth of her life was touched.
Ms. Tsai said when listening to the lyrics, "Who am I in the vast heaven and earth, failing to remember how many times I have reincarnated...?" Her eyes were filled with tears again. Her daughter saw her crying, and immediately passed her a tissue, and asked her out of curiosity why she cried. When her daughter turned around, she saw the woman sitting beside her was also crying. Ms. Tsai said, "The reason that I was so touched, is that I understood at that moment the origin of life. It may have touched a certain point in the depth of my soul. After having gone through many reincarnations, I'm still in the maze of the human world. I feel a bit of awakening."
Ms. Tsai said that the Divine Performing Arts contains "divine beauty" that differentiated itself from other performances. At the same time, she also felt a pure energy, cleansing her from the depth of her soul.
Mr. Wu Hongchang, the conductor of the Kaohsiung Traditional Chinese Instrument Orchestra
Mr. Wu Hongchang, the conductor of the Kaohsiung Traditional Chinese Instrument Orchestra, said that he could not hold back his tears during the show. He was amazed by the creativity of the choreographers; they made him proud to be Chinese.
The Divine Performing Arts will hold holiday shows in 50 cities around the world this year. It is estimated that more than 650 thousand people around the world will enjoy their performances.
