Top 6 Films to Get to Know Chinese Culture (II)

Written by Yuqing Yang

I hope the previous blog has already given you some insight into Chinese culture and history, so here is the other half!

~ Modern family relations (Family Drama) ~

推手 (Tui Shou; Pushing Hands)

It is one and first of Lee Ang’s “Father Knows Best” trilogy together with the other two movies – The Wedding Banquet (1993) and Eat Drink Man Woman (1994). The story is about an old Chinese Taiji teacher emigrating from Beijing to live with his son, American daughter-in-law, and grandson in New York. The title of the film is a pun. Pushing hands is part of Taiji routine, for which two persons have to learn to exercise and balance their power. It also perfectly parallels with the family relations between father and son, old and young, and East and West. Since the story is limited to a family, every detail and cultural subtlety has been taken care of. The content judging from personal, philosophical, and cultural perspectives is extremely rich.

~ Justice in a new era (Western/Comedy) ~

让子弹飞(Rang Zi Dan Fei; Let The Bullets Fly)

It’s an action comedy written and directed by Jiang Wen. Set in 1920s in Sichuan, a battle of courage and wits between bandits and corrupted governors takes place. The cast includes all well-known names of the Asian film industry like Chow Yun-fat, Ge You and Carina Lau. It is an ambitious project taken in China not only because of its unfriendly implication towards government also because of its western movie genre. Even till now, it is still one of its kind.

~ Love in big cities ~

重庆森林 (Chong Qing Sen Lin; Chungking Express)

It is a romantic movie written and directed by the Hokng Kong director Wong Kar-wai. The film stars Takeshi Kaneshiro, Faye Wong, Tony Leung and Valerie Chow, exclusively pillars of Hong Kong entertainment industry. It consists of two separate stories about police officers’ breakups and encounters with drug smuggler and bar worker in Hong Kong. It is interesting that the title has nothing to do with the city Chongqing, merely referring to the concrete jungle main characters get stuck in. This movie perfectly captures fleeting moments in big and modern cities. Many of the actor’s lines have become catchphrases in the new generation and are still widely used and cited.

I hope you would like some of them, and please let me know by commenting below if you want to get more recommendations or any thoughts you have!

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Top 6 Films to Get to Know Chinese Culture (I)

Written by Yuqing Yang

When talking about Chinese films, first ones came to your mind might be Kung Fu and Hong Kong crime movies. Surely, they can’t be all what the Chinese style is about. From mythical ancient China to modern industrialized China, filmmakers have tried to capture these moments in all possible forms. Below is a list of films that will help you understand hopefully more about the Chinese culture and its aesthetics.

~ Ancient legends and mythologies (Animated Film) ~

大鱼海棠 (Da Yu Hai Tang; Big Fish and Begonia) – 2017

To any fan of Ghibli films, the beautiful scenes in Big Fish and Begonia might bear a resemblance to those from Hayao Miyazaki. The movie itself, however, draws inspirations Zhuang Zi’s philosophy, the ancient texts such as Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing) and In Search of the Supernatural (Soushenji). Set in a mystical undersea world, the magic-powered residents have to complete a coming-of-age ritual by transforming into a fish and traveling around the human world. The main character, Chun, is no exception. But she has involved herself in such an accident that she has to shoulder a responsibility to redeem a human soul. This movie is China’s best-animated film in recent years.

One scene with the traditional architecture *tulou* (giant earthen round houses typical in Fujian Province)

~ Thousand years of kingship and traditions (Historical Movies) ~

末代皇帝(Mo Dai Huang Di; The Last Emperor) – 1987

Don’t let the historical category put you off. The Last Emperor is a biopic directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, and it focuses on the life of China’s last emperor, Puyi Henry since he was three. It faithfully captures the end of China’s kingship that lasts thousands of years. Living under the rule of the emperor slowly has become an inseparable part of Chinese consciousness. In this movie, the mysterious life of Son of Heaven in an apocalyptic time has revealed itself gradually in front of the audience. This movie is about a transitional moment, a bygone age, and a kind of mentality. It has won nine Oscars in 1988, including Best Director and Best Picture.

The bright yellow that symbolizes the royal blood.

~ Striving towards modernity (tragedy)~

活着 (Huo Zhe; To Live) – 1994

The film was directed by Zhang Yimou and staged by Gong Li and Ge You. it is based on the novel by the same title; the story traces the life of a married couple throughout chaotic years from the 1940s to 70s under Mao Zedong’s rule. The main character, Xu Fugui (Ge You), is born in a rich family, but he gambles the family property away. Fugui accidentally conscripts himself into the army and participates in Chinese Civil War, but upon his return, Fugui becomes handicapped. Soon it is already Cultural Revolution, Fugui’s son, Youqing, exhausts from hard labor and dies in an accident. Misfortunes as such keep taking place all the way into Fugui’s last years. Throughout the movie, it is hard to distinguish personal and political tragedies, but the ending is unspeakably powerful and fulfilling.

(Full movie with English subtitles)

If you haven’t found anything special yet, make sure to check Part II!

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Not Just Sunflower Seeds – Hidden Culture Behind China Contemporary Arts by Ai Weiwei

Written by Yuqing Yang

It is well known that the artist Ai Weiwei is a Chinese dissident, an activist for humanity. Most of his works are seen as a rebellion towards the Chinese government. This is typical Ai Weiwei perceived under a projected European understanding. The hidden cultural context behind his works is largely ignored.

Ai Weiwei, 2012, photo Gao Yuan, courtesy of neugerriemschneider

Ai Weiwei was born in 1957, and his father Ai Qing was a famous poet. Ai Weiwei was young when his father was forced into hard labor during the cultural revolution, and this experience marks the generations of strives for artist freedom in his family. Ai Weiwei also recognizes this kind of creativity in adversities in one of his interviews with BBC.

However, the audience in the West has generally ignored his cultural upbringing. The work Sunflower Seeds would be a perfect art work to reflect such cultural insights. Sunflower Seeds simply is made of one hundred million porcelain pieces in shape pf sunflower seeds, which are ubiquitous in Chinese daily lives. As Ai Weiwei further explains, “sunflower seeds are the most common object in China, no matter where you are, or poor, or rich, in remote areas or in the city.” His work is undoubtedly closely related to the Chinese people.

As shown in the documentary film made for Sunflower Seeds, this huge amount of porcelain sunflowers was handmade by 1,600 craftsmen in Jingdezhen, a renowned town for its traditional porcelain production over 1,700 years. This is the hidden story behind Sunflower Seeds. The cohesive and enduring Chinese culture is embodied by the cooperation and compassion among the skilled workers and hand-making in a communal environment. That is why Sunflower Seeds is indeed “a piece of art which contains one hundred million pieces of art.”

Ai Weiwei has observed the relationships between individuals and entirety during the production process. During the cultural revolution, it was common to see Chairman Mao surrounded by sunflowers as sunflowers were the symbol of people. The people were identical and characterless. However, when producing porcelain sunflower seeds, everybody took a different role; while producing at home, some tended the children, some cooked the meals. Together they formed a harmonious community.

Porcelain, as a medium that connects thousand years of Chinese history, is also a cultural symbol here. Sunflower Seeds is likewise more of a cultural art work instead of a political one. It is another side of the “Made in China” phenomenon.

Sunflower Seeds (detail), 2010. Ai Weiwei (b.1957). Temporary installation at the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern, London.

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Mr. Sea, Living Porcelain Sculpture — Bold Experiment by China’s Artist Geng Xue

Written by Yuqing Yang

Geng Xue is a rising young multi-media artist born in 1980s in China. She majored in sculpture and graduated from China’s most privileged Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2007. Geng Xue never ceases to innovate and experience with new media such as water color painting, filming, but her favorite medium is still ceramics. She manages to create a new world and a new sense of aesthetic with ceramics.

Different from last few generations of artists, her intention in choosing ceramics is to demonstrate many hidden aesthetic sides of porcelains. Drawing inspirations from ancient Chinese mythologies and classical stories, Geng Xue constructs a context for her works. The rare combination of translucent porcelains and dream-like classics somehow creates infinite room for imagination and leaves the audience in a fantasy world.

Left: Geng Xue’s biography; Right: a representative work of Geng Xue – *Cadifu’s Mother*, 2012

Geng Xue has held solo exhibitions over the globe. In one of her solo exhibitions at Klein Sun Gallery, New York – Mount Sumeru (the center of physical and spiritual universes in Buddhist cosmology), most of the sculptures feature different body parts such hands and heads as part of their ethereal surroundings. In this surreal world, porcelain as the main medium conveys a sense of both fluidity and flexibility.

With previous achievements, Geng Xue goes on and creates the first porcelain film “Mr. Sea” (海公子Hai Gongzi in Chinese). It is a revolutionary combination of film and porcelain. The original Chinese story it is based upon was from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio written in 1740, a collection that creates an eerie world full of miraculous happenings.

Geng Xue intends to emphasize the dreamlike quality of a scholar’s erotic encounter with a snake spirit on a remote island in such an uncanny and strange literal context. She combines it perfectly with the coldness and fluidity of ceramics and the camera movement.

One scene from *Mr.Sea;* “It is not merely a ghost story.” Commented by Geng Xue

Geng Xue believes in a kind of inherent quality of ceramics, which she calls 瓷性 cixing. And the ancient Chinese literature with well-built aesthetics is the ideal channel to embody this nature of ceramics. In the artist’s understanding, the literary beauty consists of half other-worldliness and half elegance, which are the very essence of the Chinese culture.

Check out the following video for a full trailer of the porcelain film, “Mr. Sea”!

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The History of Chinese Ceramics in 5 Minutes

Written by Yuqing Yang

The most well-known Chinese porcelain in the West is the blue-and-white porcelain. Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin has a “Porcelain Cabinet” decorated by the finest blue-and-white porcelains. Not so many people, however, are familiar with other forms of Chinese ceramics. In this case, you are missing out on a lot, because they should surprise you even more! So let’s embark on a time travel and explore this timeless beauty in history!

6BC62EC0-8136-492F-A26B-A720D367DAE2 — The Porcelain Cabinet in Charlottenbug, Berlin, completed in 1706

To get to know the development of ceramics, the first question is – how were they made in the first place? The basic formula for ceramics is stones + high temperature (above 1200 ℃ ) + glaze, all of which would not be achieved without advanced industrial developments. For example, in early times such as Shang and Western Zhou dynasties (c. 1600 – 771 BC), the semi-celadons discovered only had some basic characteristics of modern ceramics.

After 1600-1700 years of trials and errors, in Eastern Han period (25 – 220 AC), the area called Shangyu (上虞) located in eastern China became the origin of modern ceramics. These ceramics were better manufactured and characterized by a layer of glass-like celadon glaze.

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In Song dynasty (960–1279 AC), the ceramic production reached its peak, and the techniques varied region from region. Among all, there were five main kilns (窑) – Jun, Ge, Guan, Ru and Ding. Each of them produced ceramics of its own distinct style. For example, the potteries from Jun kiln were known for their changing colors and nature-and-animal-like appearances, and those from Ru kiln usually had light-colored glazes.

7D857893-4987-44C9-AA2F-5F178BF2C262 — Lotus-like warming bowl from Ru Kiln

BB6E993E-20E0-4322-8622-F897C8F5AC0A — Rose begonia-like purple-glazed flowerpot from Jun Kiln

Since the ancient time, ceramics had gone through phases of glazing. Eventually, not only the color spectrum was expanded rapidly, colors could also be painted both under and over the glaze. For instance, in Ming dynasty (1368 –1644 AC), the famous blue-and-white porcelain for decoration was colored under the glaze.

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With the previous achievements, in Qing dynasty (1616 – 1912 AC), another material, enamel, was introduced in the manufacturing process from abroad. The patterns and images on these Faience ceramics usually came from poems and paintings. Every detail was taken great care of by the most talented painters residing in the imperial palace. These porcelains were mostly small objects such as bowls, plates, tea sets, etc., which were indeed the first-rate Chinese ceramics in history.

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So how do you like this brief introduction of ceramics? Let me know by commenting below! If you still want to know more about this fascinating history, you can surely benefit from the following video:

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Mount Emei: Chinese Culture, Nature, and Kung Fu Hub

Highlight: Mount Emei is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China, which is reflected by the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone Buddha in the world.

Mount Emei is located in China’s Sichuan province in Leshan City. It is a beautiful and scenic area rich with history and nature, designated as a UNESCO world natural and cultural heritage site. Emei Shan, which is what this popular tourist attraction is called in Mandarin, literally means “monkey mountain,” reflecting its most charismatic animal inhabitants. Indeed, the paths and trees leading up to the top of the mountain are often littered with bags the monkeys had pilfered from unsuspecting tourists, and the animals are credited for inspiring the creation of Emei Kung Fu in ancient times.

Spectacular Scenery on the Top of Mount Emei

The path to the top of Mount Emei is long and difficult to climb, and many tourists opt to take a shuttle halfway up the mountain. The top of the mountain features an architectural marvel known as the golden summit- a complex of pagodas and monuments built in the 1^st century AD for Buddhist worship. While admiring the man-made structures at the peak, tourists can look over the edge of the mountain and observe a sea of rolling clouds, keeping the forests mostly hidden below. If tourists arrive early enough, they can observe a spectacular sunrise of varying hues of purple and pink through the clouds. Because of the high altitude, over 3,099m above sea level, the peak of Mount Emei experiences a sub-arctic climate, which differs significantly from the temperature at the base- tourists will need a heavy coat at the top, but will have to discard it on the way down, especially in summer.

Mount Emei and its meaning for Buddhism

Mount Emei is one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China, which is reflected by the Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone Buddha in the world. Towering over 70m tall, the Leshan Buddha is carved from stone face during the Tang Dynasty between 713 and 803, and sits on a bank of a river, facing Mount Emei. The Leshan Giant Buddha is an enormous achievement in both its scale and artistry, and is a well-known and popular tourist attraction in China.

Creation of Emei Kung Fu

Mount Emei is known for its natural and architectural beauty

Aside from showcasing some of China’s most impressive examples of architecture, nature, and religious life, Mount Emei is also the origin of Emei Kung Fu. This form of kung fu was created during China’s Spring and Autumn Period, approximately between 771 to 476 BC, when many scholars and martial artists lived in seclusion on Mount Emei and experimented with new martial arts forms. Emei Kung Fu takes much of its inspiration from monkeys, imitating how the animals flail their arms. In terms of style, Emei kungfu stands between Shaolin and Wudang. Shaolin kungfu emerged and developed in connection with Buddhism, and is characterized by vigorous leaps and falls and sweeping movements. Wudang kungfu is of Taoist origin, and emphasizes the use of gentle movements as opposed to forceful ones. The Emei kungfu style merged the techniques of the two. It advocates the combination of movement and stillness, and of internal and external forces.

Overall, Mount Emei comes highly recommended as a spot to appreciate a special cross section of Chinese history, culture, and natural environment. The scenic mountain hike, interrupted with regular intervals of ancient architectural marvels, will surely be a highlight of any trip to China.

Mount Emei is known as “Monkey Mountain”

Written by Amber @ InteractChina.com

Posted by Yuqing@ InteractChina.com

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What is Qigong

Highlight: Qi represents the “vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe.” and Gong refers to any kind of physical or mental practice.

What is Qigong?

According to the National Qigong Association, “Qigong is an ancient Chinese healthcare system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques and focused intention”. Qi, which is pronounced as “chee” in mandarin, represents the “vital-energy that flows through all things in the universe.” and Gong refers to any kind of physical or mental practice. From a traditional Chinese medicine point of view, Qigong is a way of healing the human body through self-training and adjustment. As Qigong became mainstream, a lot of medical research was carried out to study its benefits, and it has been proven that practicing Qigong can be beneficial to both mental and physical health.

History of Qigong

Qigong is a type of traditional exercise in China for keeping health and fitness. It was first recognized as “Tu Na” around 3000 years ago in ancient China. Tu Na means breathing and the famous philosopher Zhuang Zi explained in his book Nan Hua Jing that breathing until it reaches down to your heel is the secret of being immortal. Later, the Six Healing Sounds of Qigong was invented by Taoism, an ancient religious belief in China. It is a breathing technique that can improve healing and longevity. Another important practice in Qigong is meditation. Meditation was brought to China by Da Mo, the first Buddhist Patriarch Bodhidharma, during the Liang dynasty and it aims to balance the Qi that flows through our body. Meditation can be beneficial to both our minds and bodies. On top of breathing exercises, martial Qigong was created based on the theories and principles of both Taoist and Buddhist. Today, Qigong has developed into a range of exercises that help to heal and energize people and create balance in our body.

Types of Qigong and Benefits

Qigong can be divided into four categories, namely health, medical, spiritual and martial. Health Qigong, which normally involves supine or seated meditation, breathing exercises and gentle movements, can help to ease stress and raise confidence. Medical Qigong refers to the way to treat patients by using energy manipulation, herbal remedies and Chinese massage techniques. It needs to be done by a qualified Qigong practitioner and is proven to strengthen the immune system, nervous system and internal organs. Other benefits of medical Qigong are regulating hormones, reducing pain and relieving stress. Spiritual Qigong is religion-based and combines seated or moving meditation and prayer. The purpose of Spiritual Qigong differs in religions but it is often to achieve harmony and self-awareness. The last type is martial qigong, which is practiced to strengthen skills in martial arts such as speed, power, flexibility, balance and coordination. It can also help to improve performance in other sports like football or swimming.

Written by Bota @ InteractChina.com

Posted by Yuqing@ InteractChina.com

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The Five Elements of Taijiquan

Highlight: Taijiquan practice has gained worldwide popularity and has been compared to the “yoga of China”, in that many health benefits for both the mind and body are gained through the practice.

Taijiquan is commonly referred to in the Western world as the practice of “tai chi”, which translates into “supreme ultimate boxing” in the martial arts realm. It is seen as an art for defence training, and holds many health benefits for those who practice it. The conceptual practice links to both Taoist and Confucian backgrounds, and the popular taijitu symbol of the fusion of the yin and yang.

The 5 elements of Taijiquan

Though it is characterized for its slow movements, there are several traditions of Taijiquan that involve faster and medium paces, and all involve a total of five elements: taolu, neigong, qigong, tuishou, and sanshou. Taolu refers to hand and weapon routines, neigong to breathing and movement, qigong to awareness and meditation, tuishou to response and reactions, and sanshou to self-defence. The practice has gained worldwide popularity and has been compared to the “yoga of China”, in that many health benefits for both the mind and body are gained through the practice.

Derived movement from Taijiquan

Various martial arts styles are derived from the original Taijiquan (born in Chen Village of China), including the slow-movement version coined “needle in cotton” that has been adopted by a branch of Lama Pai. Taijiquan popularity trends have led to thecreation of books, movies, and pamphlets that disseminate knowledge and expertise on the practice, even when several of the techniques or adaptations deviate from original historic routes. One thing is for sure, though: Taijiquan is one of China’s biggest cultural exports to the Western world, and it is continuously propagated both as a martial art and as a vehicle for mental and physical health alike.

Written by Monica @ InteractChina.com

Posted by Yuqing@ InteractChina.com

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Winter Kung Fu Camps for Kids

Lots of kids have a break from school over winter, here are a few options for winter break Kung Fu camp to build their martial arts skills!

Tai Chi Kung Fu Montreal is hosting two sessions of Kung Fu day camp for kids during the winter, the first session is between December 27^th-30^th, and the second session is between January 2^nd-6^th. Camp is from 9am-4:30pm, with daycare hours available before and after camp. Kids of all Kung Fu skill levels are welcome to join!

One Martial Arts is hosting an award-winning winter day camp for kids between the ages of 4.5-12. Kids will be able to participate in Kung Fu instruction and other fun activities like dodge ball and arts and crafts. This camp make it its explicit mission to “teach your child valuable life skills such as focus, confidence, teamwork, respect, manners, discipline and fitness are way cool.”

MT.Kim Martial Arts runs the first Martial Arts Camp to be founded in Central Virginia and caters to children age 4-12 with an offering of half-day and full-day camps during winter, spring, and summer breaks. Kids will have plenty of opportunity to learn Kung Fu, and also be offered exciting field trips to local parks, pools, and theaters.

Written by Amber @ InteractChina.com

Posted by Yuqing@ InteractChina.com

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