Nature and culture could be strange bedfellows.Yet Nature and culture could also be the perfect match.My recent visit to Yangshuo, about one hour¡¯s drive from Guilin in China, has rekindled my re-interpretation of culture in Nature and Nature in culture.
A ¡°must see¡± itinerary for tourists to China¡¯s inspiring Yangshuo is the outdoor evening light and sound show ¡°Liu Sanjie¡± which is a legendary folklore about a peasant girl¡¯s brave battle against feudalism.Re-interpreted by the talented Zhang Yimou, the renowned Chinese film director of the ¡°Hero¡± and ¡°Raise the Red Lantern¡±, the outdoor show was more than a tourism money-spinner.
Guilin¡¯s idyllic LijiangRiver flowing downstream and rings of rock islands provide the stage.The silhouette of intriguing rock forms serve as a poetic backstage.The body of gentle flowing river water catches the moonlight and provides silvery stage lighting against the pitch-black sky.It is simply magical.
Tourists sat around a rudimentary hill slope-turned-amphitheater.No fanfare, no orchestral overture or thundering fireworks, the opening captured the audience¡¯s attention with a humble procession of white-costumed performers carrying white lights spreading across the span of boundless river water flowing under the eyes of the awe-inspired audience.
The scene changes hue from pitch black and animated with simulation of wave movement in the form of endless bright red ribbon-like mega streamers synchronized by hundreds and thousands of performers.The symbolism: ¡°Night gives way to sunrise.And sunrise gives way to daylight¡±.The following scenes depict the fishermen casting their nets, the bamboo rafters paddling passengers, farmers busy planting rice and ethnic peasants parading their best traditional costumes¡ It is about everyday life, it is about everyday people.In fact, I later found out that most of the performers are actually local fishermen, farmers and bamboo rafters who are given the opportunity to earn a small income.But most important of all, they take pride in showing off a living culture and a living art.
No dialogues, no sopranos, no tenors, no instruments, no preaching and no chanting, the show is unpretentious.Simple lights and pastoral tunes feast the eyes and ears.The only betrayal of modern technology are the giant speakers and spotlights that highlight the silhouette of rock islands and the sounds of rippling water along the river surface.Yangshuo did not aspire to be a WorldCity but its cultural and natural assets have attracted world-class production and visitors.
Today we talk about art and culture as stand alone heritage of appreciation and conservation.Today we spend more money on building structures to house art pieces and cultural relics, but we are not ready to spend money to enhance, sustain and conserve the REAL thing.Why are we not ready to support re-vitalization of indigenous villages, their cultural traditions and natural assets?Why are we tearing down historic buildings to make way for brand new civic centers and art exhibition venues?Why have we traded our cultural heritage for man-made theme park fantasies?
As an anthropology graduate turned environmentalist, I have been privileged to make ecological and cultural ¡°pilgrimages¡± in China as part of my environmental education empowerment lecture tours in the past 15 years.My other memorable eco-cultural enlightenment took place in the heart of the bamboo forest in Anji, Zhejiang, location of the Oscar winning movie¡°Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon¡±.Imagine attending a Nature concert inside the bamboo forest with performers creating tunes out of bamboo instruments?
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Tel: 2528-5588
Nature, Culture and Enlightenment |
Mrs. Mei Ng |
UN Global 500 Laureate |
Director, Friends of the Earth(HK) |
January 6, 2005 |
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