Saturday, June 28, 2008
"Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting"
Last weekend we went to see a performance of Chinese Kung Fu, or as the Chinese say "Gong Fu." It was an impressive spectacle. The plot was enthralling, the guys were incredibly jacked, and the special effects were frightening. But there were a few parts of the performance that surprised me (aka 沒想到). First, there was very little actual fighting, most of the performance was dancing. As you can see from the photo, they often used elaborate props like umbrellas, drums or plants as opposed to weapons. Because of the popularized song by Carl Douglas, most people think of Kung Fu as fighting, but it more has to do with getting in touch with the inner "qi force". Second, there was a legit plot to the performance, that followed an ancient Chinese poem. I just didin't realize there was a going to be a plot. Third, the lead of the show was a 10 year old boy. Because you are more flexible when young, I guess this is an advantage. The kid was amazing, but I think a lot of the Americans were thinking child labor. All in all, it was a great performance, so thanks to Liu laoshi for the tickets, and for giving us a better understanding of what Kung Fu actually is.
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Is it child labor when Haley Joel Osment does the Sixth Sense? I wouldn't worry about a kid in a play. Maybe I'm an optimist.
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