Living in China: Stories and Photographs: Hong Hu: Chibi: 3 Gorges Dam: Beijing: Shenzhen: Nanjing
I Stole the Show!
Shaolin Performance in Hong Hu
Recently my son came to visit me here in China, and after one week, confessed that none of the things I had written him about living in China, had done justice to the actual experience. He was particularly shocked at the intensity of interest in foreigners that many people display. The following is just a little demonstration of how much scrutiny a foreigner can expect. I have rightly entitled it: “I stole the show!”
Shaolin Monks.
Last night the Shaolin monks came to town. They put on various demonstrations of the things that they can do. One man had his arm pierced with a metal rod and then proceeded to lift a big bucket of water (which was just hanging from the rod) and then began to swing it around and around.
Another dislocated himself in order to fit into a little hoop. He provided various demonstrations of this. Another one stuck a metal rod in his throat, positioning the other end of the rod on a long board, which was being held by volunteers from the audience. He actually managed to knock them off their feet. Then they called for extra volunteers and they were determined not to let him do a repeat. They succeeded. He applied so much pressure, that he actually bent the rod into a 'U' shape. Another couple of gentlemen were lain on swords, one monk on top of the other, with the topmost one holding a huge slab of rock which was pounded with a sledgehammer until the rock split. This was accomplished without injury.
But the focus of my story is what happened before the show started, and again at intermission. After paying our six yuan entrance fee (about AUD $1.10), we asked if we could take photos, and were assured that it was permitted.
Upon entering the cinema wherein the show was to take place, I saw that all the monks were seated in the back rows (understandable when you see the conditions backstage). The cinema at this time was about three-quarters full, and the audience were sitting patiently awaiting the start of the show.
Being so close to the monks, I lined up a shot of the head monk and his friends. He then called me over and gave me a traditional greeting, which was then followed by a western handshake, which continued on as a ‘Chinese holding of hands’. I stayed with him for about five minutes, and then excusing myself, I turned to look for my companions.
As I proceeded to walk down the aisle toward the front of the cinema, I could not help but notice that everyone was now standing, facing the back of the theatre. I assumed that they were as enthralled with the monks as I. However, when I turned left to cross to the other side of the auditorium, all heads turned to follow my progress, and as I headed down the far wall, they all bodily turned to watch me. So being famous as I am (in Hong Hu), I gave a little royal wave and called out 'Good Evening'. I felt like the Queen! (I said THE Queen!)
But the story doesn’t end here. During the show I left my seat and went into the aisle by the wall, to get some clearer shots. Instead of watching the performance, so many many people were turned in my direction. Finally I began to motion to them to face the front and watch the show. I was ‘Stealing the Show’ away from the performers.
At intermission, during which time the monks offered various items for sale, my brother and I both left our seats to stand by the wall. We wanted to take some more shots of the assembly. This action resulted in an immediate rush by patrons to get a closer look at us, to talk, and look at our digitally recorded photos. So heavy became the throng, that finally a monk came and asked us to sit down, because the crowd was blocking the aisle and patrons wishing to buy the monks wares could not get through. So once again we were stealing the show. Such is the effect on a people who have never seen a foreigner, and no foreigner can imagine it. It is something that can only be appreciated through personal experience.
Now although I felt guilty about ‘stealing the show’, I have to say that the real showstopper was the final act of the night. They set up a little folding table in the middle of the stage, and set upon it an ordinary clear glass bottle. The head monk with whom I had preciously spoken, then commenced a series of ritual ‘Kung Fu’ manoeuvres, the last of which was this rolling around of the hands, just like you see in the Chinese kung fu movies. He waved his hands around and around and finally lashed out at the bottle. It promptly exploded! The thing of it is of course that he was standing a good two metres away from it at the time, and short of using a gun, (and I could see off stage and there was no gun), there was no way that this explosion was a trick.
So there you have it. Just another little adventure in China.
R.P.BenDedek is from Brisbane Australia and is the author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' at http://www.kingscalendar.com His academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
He writes photographic 'Stories from China' and social editorial commentaries, both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing newspaper columnist. He currently teaches Conversational English in China and in addition to his English Lessons at KingsCalendar, he has created specific sites for Students of English.
I envy your up close and personal with the Shaoiln Monks! I have long been an admirer of their discipline and dedication and wish, as a westener that I could watch these Monks perform. You are a rarer sight tho and I had the same experience of feeling like The Queen when I visited a small village in Papua New guinea in the 60's. I was rushed and stared and and as I drove past the people I felt the Royal wave was all that was missing, I didn't like the feeling at all but it is had being the oddity in any culture,a lesson for us all! Thank you for another interesting story and insight into this intrigueing place. Wish I was there!
I really appreciate your many comments Jude. Nothing quite prepares you for this 'microscopic' public examination.
In the west we take multi-ethnic societies for granted. When we think of Chinese people it is usually from the perspective of having observed them as they are in the west, or else we think of them from some 'anti-communistic' western perspective.
But they really have lead very sheltered lives, irrespective of how 'western' they may appear in their day to day lives.
Even where I live, I still get stares. Sometimes I would like to scream "Haven't you gotten used to seeing me by now?"
The other day I was walking down a back lane when I heard some screaming behind me. I turned around and it was coming from two girls on a bike. They rode up to me, and staring directly at me, continued to scream and jabber on in Chinese. They they crashed into another bicycle rider. I kept walking.
Thirty seconds later they were at it again and this time ran into a parked vehicle.
Then they were nearly hit by a motorcycle and another bicycle rider in quick succession.
Finally I yelled at the top of my voice, "Be Careful". They were so frightened by this that they turned away and rode off.
I could just see them getting killed, and I would be to blame. It's not the first time this has happened. A motorcyclist ran his bike off the rode and into a cement walled garden bed. He smashed up the bike pretty badly, and everyone who saw it just laughed at him. He could have been killed. It is quite common place for people to be so distracted that they walk into walls and each other.
I know it sounds cruel but let them crash and let them learn!!
Although it would explain why here in Australia they are the worst drivers and the rudest pedestrians. I live in the heart of the city and found many Chinese reside in the vicinity for university and English studies so you experience everyday their lack of skill/concentration/confidence/judgementon the road and even just simply crossing the roads!! It is actually quite funny after you get use to it. Like watching this Chinese man trying to change lanes in peak hour traffic, he indicates, slows down to about 30km/ph in a 70km zone and there are 30 cars behind him and the car in the next lane is giving way to him but he doesn’t move. Waiting, waiting, finally the driver takes off and the Chinese man decides to merge and side swipes him, causing an accident and such a delay. It was funny in a 'glad it wasnt me' way We see it all the time, although that’s not to say westerners aren’t bad drivers its just that Chinese are significantly worse. Its funny how they even manage to get a license in the first place!!
You should see them drive here. Two lanes of traffic (one each way) and there are 3 cars coming toward you and one on his way past you. Lanes and rules belong in the 'it doesn't matter' basket. There are only two road rules. 1. There are no rules. 2. Rule one must be obeyed.
