In December 2007, China's National Center for the Performing Arts had its official opening. While Chinese officials proclaimed it as the "biggest" performing arts centre in the world and "twice as large as the Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington", they are encountering significant challenges finding performances to put into the place.
Overlooking Chinese architects, as is often the case with China's large scale projects, the Chinese regime went with French architect Paul Andreu. The new building, resembling a large glass/metal blue and grey egg floating in the middle of a man made lake, features a long glass enclosed entry tunnel running below the lake into the building.
Considering that a terminal designed by Mr. Andreu at Paris's Charles de Gaulle International Airport had its roof collapse under its own weight, the preferred mode of entry to the Arts Centre may prove to be a gondola through a side door.
Ordered built by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime, the building was initially scheduled to open in 2003. However, the project faced multiple delays through work stoppages and reviews and has gone many tens of millions of dollars over budget.
At the long awaited opening ceremony the centre's director, Chen Ping, made clear the underlying function of the supposed cultural facility, calling it "a concrete example of China's rising soft power and comprehensive national strength". Theatre, anyone?
The comment is not surprising, considering that "culture" since the CCP took control of China in 1949 has been reduced to a function of propaganda aimed at solidifying control of China, inspiring loyalty to the CCP, and creating a perception that China and the CCP are one and the same.
During the "Cultural Revolution" from 1966-1976 the CCP openly stated their intent to eradicate China's 5000 years of traditional culture. Thousands of temples, countless artifacts, paintings, sculptures, works of literature, and cultural buildings were systematically destroyed.
This vast and profound, divinely inspired culture, with its strong emphasis on morality and spiritual reverence has no place in the CCP's atheist doctrine and is viewed as a threat by the CCP and its need for ideological control.
Deputy director for the Centre for Performing Arts, Wang Zhengming, commented in a New York Times article on the difficulty with filling the performance schedule, "It's troublesome because opera and ballet are really imported art forms. We're better in ballet, but our most famous works are the red classics from 40 years ago. Opera is a bigger problem because the most popular classics and new works are all from overseas."
Of the Chinese performers who will appear on stage, almost all will be performing culture from the West. One sadly comical exception is the People's Liberation Army Air Force Dance Ensemble reviving "Sister Jiang," a "classic" ballet of early Socialism.
China has one of the richest cultures known in human history. Presumably an expert on Chinese culture, why would Mr. Wang be at a loss for what to present in the inaugural season of what the CCP calls China's top performing arts venue? Why would he have to rely on "imported art forms"? Why does his perception of the best of Chinese culture stretch back only 40 years to stilted presentations churned out by CCP propagandists?
Mr. Wang, along with the majority of Chinese today, is a victim of the CCP's evisceration and distortion of China's culture. Unable to completely eradicate 5000 years of culture, the CCP undertook to distort, recreate, and re-present China's traditional culture to make it conform to their ideological needs.
They have changed historical facts, extracted aspects not in line with CCP ideology, diminished heroic feats inspired by spiritual conscience, lauded deeds of brutal Chinese rulers, and diminished the spiritual essence that is the core of China's traditional past.
They have raped China's culture and it is a crime of the very soul. Culture provides the principles, morals, and spiritual foundations from which the fabric of society is woven. It provides a sense of self and national identity.
The CCP has mired China in its own communist culture of violence, deception, vicious competitiveness, disloyalty, dishonesty and a greed for success and self-preservation at any expense to others. Dogmatic atheism eliminates a sense of spiritual obligation and a feeling of benevolence toward others.
In China today, the CCP has become the unquestionable, ultimate authority, extinguishing the quest for spirituality and replacing god.
There is, however, a resurrection underway. A revival of China's traditional culture in the form of a lavish, large scale theatrical production presented by New York based NTDTV and created by the performance group, Divine Performing Arts. The performers train and prepare year round as they immerse themselves in China's traditional culture. They are currently on a global tour.
NTDTV spokesperson Carrie Hung commented, "It's tragic that China's culture has been taken from the Chinese people. Through our performances we're giving it back."
In her interactions with audience members after the show, Ms Hung added, "Many Chinese living overseas and Chinese who see the show when traveling outside China have been deeply moved. When they also see the enthusiastic response of Western audience members and the huge success of the show there's a feeling of pride in being Chinese. It's wonderful to see their invigorated spirits and smiling faces."
This awakening of Chinese people to their traditional roots poses a dilemma for the CCP, which has undertaken an international effort to stop performances and discourage people from attending the shows. However, they have only succeeded in raising more awareness of the show and filling more seats with those who are wondering what all the fuss is about.
Chinese are reconnecting with their culture and the international community is learning what the real China is all about. Those who see this show are not only watching an internationally acclaimed lavish performance, but are also witnessing history in the making.
The Divine Performing Arts "Chinese New Year Spectacular" will play at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Canada on Jan. 13-14. For more information, visit http://Bestchineseshows.com
Michael Mahonen is a winner of the Gemini Award (Canada's Emmy) for acting. His first feature film as writer/director, Sandstorm, has won 29 awards at international film festivals. He is currently writing a script about the persecution of Falun Gong along with another script for an independent feature film.
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