history, and are in the process of retrieving these lost legacies. Understandably, there seems to be a certain eagerness to prove that our
tradition hasn’t lost its original shimmer. As a result, a lot of the effort
in promoting tradition seems to be focused on formalities. I would
suggest slowing down, and reaching a state of serenity before we can
hear the true essence and calling of our rich heritage. In my view, it is
also impractical to promote traditional art through mass-produced
mainstream media.
Q: Are traditional art forms difficult to relay to an international
audience? How would you promote Kun Qu, for instance, to an
international audience?
A: An interactive performance style presentation, similar to the cultural salon at Keystone, would be ideal. It requires the audience to
explore another’s tradition by connecting to one’s own cultural background. It is not only about presentation, but also about performance.
For instance, I remember the first time I performed on an interna-
tional stage; I was not confident. During a performance of Macbeth
in the UK, I felt uneasy because of the utter silence of the audience; I
thought maybe it was not good enough. But, between the acts when
lights went dim, and at the final curtain call I was immensely humbled
by the thunderlike applause that filled the Royal National Theatre.
I still remember the amount of rose petals that embraced all the performers when we came out for curtain call. I thought it was a brief
formality and would stop soon, but the shower of rose petals just kept
going, until the whole stage was completely buried in them. The high
respect we received from the audience was enough to move us to
tears. The director of the theatre said the flowers were a demonstration of the highest acclaims for our performance. Gradually, I started
to understand and appreciate other cultures too. Then during curtain
call, I would keep smiling and looking back into every pair of eyes in
the audience with my truest willingness to communicate. Tradition
and art does not end with a performance; it continues after.
WWW.KEYSTONEACADEMY.CN
65