Mephisto Waltzes, Weinberg, Sylvie’s Bolero

煢煢

半圓形的天頂被一層月華光澤的膜緊緻地拉扯住，像一只充滿著水的氣球，虛擬著生腥的焦慮與一種無所事事的、完完全全脫離精神性的美與憂鬱。那個午后，是薄如蟬翼且裹上銀粉的新生的卵，適於討論命理與禪。雲以敏捷的腳步滑行於透明且虛弱的藍，泡沫似的溫順與漠然。青春其實是極度缺乏生命力的。在旺盛與浮躁之中貪慕假象的匱乏，而後需索從不曾或缺的旺盛；在柔弱的本質中渴求堅強與信仰，之後因對於軟弱愚蠢的不自覺與惑於自我宣稱的虛偽堅強而尋覓所謂謙恭溫潤的中庸。青春是僅只存活於對純粹的堅持下、一種具備了美卻不易碎的浪費。如果死的優雅與精神性建構了藝術中闡釋生命的美學，則生不過是為襯托死的一種附屬的存在。但是生命卻是無法磨滅的，即使蒼白而無意義，卻無止盡地散發出猩紅的血的氣味。印度神濕婆在宇宙的輪迴當中毀滅自己所創造的鏡花水月，而後使之重生，不斷重複操縱著生與死的轉輪；祂是否也感受到生命中那種匱乏虛弱的美，以及死亡中屬於生之投影的愛與信念？藍所象徵的嫌惡與非難，以清澈且充滿靈性的美存在於自然界的蒼穹。隅隅獨行的生，幾人在腐臭中仍吟哦走了調的聖詩，又幾人能擺脫所有倫常的帷幕而誠摯地憎恨與厭惡？然而這一切的思索總似時間過度充裕的青春所編織的蛛網，純白得美麗亦膚淺得軟弱。當青春終於被擺脫後，生命開始進入下一段對死複雜的戀慕和禁忌，與對消逝的水光緬懷的遺憾。





奔馬

夢先於現實。
而純粹
似花，似血，似詩
，似枯腐前消逝的生。


Runaway Horses (Realistically Synaesthetic Purity)

Dreams, a priori, then reality.
And purity
Resembles a flower, resembles blood, resembles poetry,
Resembles life, a priori, disappearing before decay.

I am lost for words when confronted (and blessed) with such exquisite magnificence—how she tames, commands, and most importantly, marries the movements with and brings out the near-noumenal essence of Ravel’s mesmerising music... I am lost for words, except that I shall miss this feral diamond—beyond doubt, one of the greatest artists of our time—and I am grateful that I have had the privilege of seeing her on stage several times, in Europe and Asia, including a performance from her bittersweet farewell tour.

Watching Sylvie dance, watching her move—it is love and fire and electricity. Thank you Sylvie, for all that you have shared with us, for all that you have given us.

❤

cxii

That Love is all there is,
Is all we know of Love;
It is enough, the freight should be
Proportioned to the groove.

～Emily Dickinson (1830–86), from Part Five of The Single Hound: Poems of a Lifetime by Emily Dickinson, Boston, Little, Brown, and Company, 1914.

偽，muteness of a Chinese jar。

哥窯自縊後結晶了胭脂蜜：

Being broken by an inferior essence, a failed poem of pretense is made even more poetic than the knees of an antiquarian butterfly.

—“a violent slap of the exquisite” (a melody from the New Aristocrats manifesto)

Very drawn to artist Lukas Wegwerth's series of ceramic works “Crystallisation” displayed at Maison & Objet, Paris—
“The sure, sweet cement, lime and glue of love”* oozing out of celadon crazing of yore... (*Robert Herrick, The Kiss)

All I may, if small,
Do it not display
Larger for the Totalness —
’Tis Economy

To bestow a World
And withhold a Star —
Utmost, is Munificence —
Less, tho’ larger, poor.

～Emily Dickinson, from The Single Hound: Poems of a Lifetime (CXIII.)

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before—more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.”

—Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

“From my rotting body,
flowers shall grow
and I am in them
and that is eternity.”

—Edvard Munch

The Moments of Dominion

That happen on the Soul

And leave it with a Discontent

Too exquisite—to tell—

～Emily Dickinson

Troisième Symphonie de Gustav Mahler
Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris (Nolwenn Daniel & Christophe Duquenne, Mélanie Hurel & Alessio Carbone)
Deuxième Mouvement: Printemps
Choréographie de John Neumeier

Revelation

III: Emily

                              your long legs

                              built

                              to carry high

                              the small head

                              your

                              grandfather

                              knows

                              if he knows

                              anything

                              gives

                              the dance as

                              your genius

                              the cleft in

                              your

                              chin’s curl

                              permitting 

                              may it

                              carry you far

～final part of the poem “3 Stances” by William Carlos Williams, from his book Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems

my Muse, my legend of love: Svetlana Zakharova (linked to Macbeth performance with Andrei Uvarov), Prima Ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet
Светлана Захарова

untitled musing

“Des Esseintes also derived a specious pleasure from handling this minuscule booklet, with its covers of Japanese felt as white as milk curds, fastened by two silk cords, one Chinese pink, the other black. Concealed behind the binding, the black braid met the pink braid which, like some licentious handmaid, added a whisper of powder, a suggestion of modern Japanese rouge, to the antique whiteness, the artless flesh-tints of the book; it would itself round the pink, intertwining its sombre colour with the light one in a dainty bow, and introducing a discreet hint of that regret, a vague threat of that sadness which follow in the wake of burnt-out passion and satiated sensual frenzy.” 

(Joris-Karl Huysmans, À rebours, trans. by Margaret Mauldon)

常玉畫作：雙裸女，1929年。
Sanyu, Two Pink Nudes, oil on canvas, 1929 (via Ravenel Art)

“However, by delving into his own mind, he first of all grasped that, to appeal to him, a work must possess that aura of strangeness which Edgar Allan Poe required; but he readily ventured further along that path, demanding over-subtle creations of the intellect and complex deliquescences of language; what he wanted was a disturbing ambivalence he could muse about, until he chose to make it either vaguer or more precise, according to his state of mind at that particular moment. In a word, he wanted a work of art both for what it intrinsically was and for what it potentially allowed him to impart to it; he wanted to go forward with it and because of it, as if aided by an acolyte, as if transported in a vehicle, into a sphere where sublimated feelings would induce in him a state of turmoil which was unexpected, and the causes of which he would, over a long period, try—though quite in vain—to analyse.” (ibid)

常玉畫作：鏡前母與子，1930年代。
Sanyu, Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, oil on canvas, 1930s (via Sotheby's HK)

我的生命中一無所有，我只是一個畫家。對於我的作品，我認為毋須賦予任何解釋，當觀賞我的作品時，應該清楚瞭解我所要表達的... 只是一個簡單的概念。～常玉
“I have nothing in my life, I am merely a painter. Regarding my works, I do not think explanations are necessary. When looking at my paintings, one should understand with clarity, what I am trying to express... is but a simple concept.” —Sanyu






Death and ecstasy... “[Art] is about connecting with human beings emotionally, not intellectually.” (Tamara Rojo)

Wim Wenders’ “Pina”

I finally had a chance to watch Wim Wenders’ documentary film “Pina,” a tribute to the legendary German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch, and a personal close friend of Wenders’. It is perhaps the best dance documentary I have ever seen.

To paraphrase Pina Bausch herself, “The aim of dance is to evoke certain things, certain emotions. Even literature can only evoke things...”

Pina, a prophet, a dreamer, and above all, a brave lover. She constantly asked her dancers this question, “What are you longing for? Where does all this yearning come from?” And this continues to be pursued in all her pieces. For me, what makes Pina Bausch’s work extraordinary is the co-existence and co-dependence of spirituality and ardour/love of life, always intensely interwoven but beautifully liberated from each other. It is utterly not of this world, and yet all about this world, all about this life. Beauty, sorrow, joy, loneliness, humour, strength... These are but some of the essential hues which paint her all-encompassing canvases of dance, but beyond dance—transcendent.

May this heartrendingly but humorously moving film by Wim Wenders bring freedom, weightlessness, and a sense of sacredness to Pina—all the qualities in her inexplicably wonderful work and being.

To Pina with Love ♥ 
(Pina Bausch, 1967, by Walter Vogel)

“Never let go of the fiery sadness called desire—” 
(Patti Smith)

*For more on this film, please see here and here.

Madame Xiang from Nine Songs 九歌之湘夫人

湘夫人 Madame Xiang

She-shaman princess in a stone boat
in winged dragon-boat
awning of fig-vine
sweet flag paddles magnolia rudder
Rides to that Island, to that Bright Island, abode of light
Swinging her mesmere lamp, her incense burner on a gold chain
She drops her thumb-ring in the Sea
And turning, and turning, stretches her body burning
toward me
(though she told me, told me
she was not
free)
And flying dragons sweep her far away
from me
I gallop my horse in the morning
through the lowlands by the river

(*translation from unknown source, via)

湘君：
君不行兮夷猶，蹇誰留兮中洲？
美要眇兮宜修，沛吾乘兮桂舟。
令沅湘兮無波，使江水兮安流！
望夫君兮未來，吹參差兮誰思！
駕飛龍兮北徵，邅吾道兮洞庭。
薜荔柏兮蕙綢，蓀橈兮蘭旌。
望涔陽兮極浦，橫大江兮揚靈。
揚靈兮未極，女嬋媛兮為余太息。
橫流涕兮潺湲，隱思君兮陫側。
桂櫂兮蘭枻，斲冰兮積雪。
採薜荔兮水中，搴芙蓉兮木末。
心不同兮媒勞，恩不甚兮輕絕。
石瀨兮淺淺，飛龍兮翩翩。
交不忠兮怨長，期不信兮告余以不閒。
鼂騁騖兮江臯，夕弭節兮北渚。
鳥次兮屋上，水周兮堂下。
捐余玦兮江中，遺余佩兮醴浦。
採芳洲兮杜若，將以遺兮下女。
旹不可兮再得，聊逍遙兮容與。


湘夫人：
帝子降兮北渚，目眇眇兮愁予。
嫋嫋兮秋風，洞庭波兮木葉下。
白薠兮騁望，與佳期兮夕張。
鳥萃兮蘋中，罾何為兮木上。
沅有茝兮醴有蘭，思公子兮未敢言。
荒忽兮遠望，觀流水兮潺湲。
麋何食兮庭中？蛟何為兮水裔？
朝馳余馬兮江臯，夕濟兮西澨。
聞佳人兮召予，將騰駕兮偕逝。
築室兮水中，葺之兮荷蓋。
蓀壁兮紫壇，播芳椒兮成堂。
桂棟兮蘭橑，辛夷楣兮葯房。
罔薜荔兮為帷，擗蕙櫋兮既張。
白玉兮為鎮，疏石蘭兮為芳。
芷葺兮荷屋，繚之兮杜衡。
合百草兮實庭，建芳馨兮廡門。
九嶷繽兮並迎，靈之來兮如雲。
捐余袂兮江中，遺余褋兮醴浦。
搴汀洲兮杜若，將㠯遺兮遠者。
時不可兮驟得，聊逍遙兮容與。

image & text below via Xue Xue Colors, Taiwan

Sweet nostalgia: this beautiful photo brings back such precious memories... It was my first experience of seeing Cloud Gate Dance Theatre live on-stage (back when I was thirteen years of age), and Nine Songs was to become Lin Hwai-Min's work which left the deepest impression on me.


屈原的《九歌》敬天地，祭鬼神，歌頌愛情，悼念國殤，是萬民的禱告。
舞劇以屈原的原作作為想像力的跳板，呈現一場劇場儀式。


然則，神祇從未降臨。

由國際舞台設計大師李名覺操刀，取材自出生於嘉義的國寶級畫家
林玉山先生的《蓮池》，
2012年雲門技術團隊全力重建。(images via Cloud Gate Dance Theatre)

*image via

1993年8月10日　台北國家戲劇院首演

雲門二十週年紀念作《九歌》，由屈原的《九歌》出發，發展出融合古今、荷花與燭光、神話與詩的舞作。《九歌》曾在美國華盛頓甘迺迪中心、紐約下一波藝術節、澳洲雪尼奧林匹克藝術節以及歐洲各大城演出，受到國際舞評人一致推崇與觀眾的喜愛。


圖像介紹

編舞家林懷民的舞作《九歌》（1993），二度邀請國際舞台設大師設計。以台灣前輩畫家林玉山早期作品「蓮池」為稿底，再切割為直或橫的布幕，經接合、分離、交錯、昇降等變化運用，令舞台呈現華麗莊嚴又簡潔明快的風格。舞台前的荷花池與舞作中豐美的意象相互呼應，在八百盞燈火綴成的點點燈河中落幕。
1996年，《九歌》的舞台設計獲紐約舞蹈與表演藝術獎，並在隔年的「1997李名覺舞台設計回顧展」中展出。


Know more about Cloud Gate's Nine Songs inspired by Qu Yuan's cycle of poems Jiu Ge written some 2,400 years ago, in this gorgeous microsite here.



*楚辭 Chu Ci on the Chinese Text Project*


And the poetic, onirique experience of re-/discovering a dried scarlet rose (or a delicate, exquisite veined leaf) amidst the yellowed pages of a beloved old book... Chen Jialing's lotus flower.

Ｌotus, by Chen Jialing, *image courtesy of Sotheby's, Hong Kong.

長恨歌: Song of Everlasting Sorrow

"Now from his breast into his eyes the ache

of longing mounted, and he wept at last,

his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms,

longed for as the sunwarmed earth is longed for by a swimmer

spent in rough water where his ship went down

under Poseidon's blows, gale winds and tons of sea.

Few men can keep alive through a big surf

to crawl, clotted with brine, on kindly beaches

in joy, in joy, knowing the abyss behind:

and so she too rejoiced, her gaze upon her husband,

her white arms round him pressed as though forever."

~ from, The Odyssey

Homer

translated by Robert Fitzgerald

My friend Leanne's lovely post on 楊貴妃 Yang Guifei has inspired me to re-read Tang poet Bai Juyi's The Song of Everlasting Sorrow (長恨歌), a poetic narrative of the mournful love story of Tang Emperor Hsuan Tzung 唐玄宗 (Xuanzong) and his beloved imperial consort Yang Yu-Huan 楊玉環 (Yang Guifei), and the emperor's perpetual grief and regret at the eventual loss of his love. Yang Guifei is known as 羞花 (xiu hua - literally meaning "shames flowers"), and considered first of the Four Great Beauties of China. 「西施沉魚, 昭君落雁, 貂嬋閉月, 貴妃羞花。」(Xi Shi sinks fish, Wang Zhaojun drops birds, Diaochan closes the moon, Yang Guifei shames flowers.)

In response to Leanne's beautiful post that I enjoyed reading so much, I wrote a rather long comment (see below, after the poem), which rarely happens even in my own blog! I included it here as I write so little these days - where has the writer in me gone...? (A writer friend used to say to me, "Did you choose to write? Or did writing choose you?") At the moment I suppose I am more of a "micro-blog" and visual/sensory type when it comes to recording my daily inspiration... Nevertheless, thank you, all the peonies of Chang'an...


太真外傳 (唱詞)
故事見唐白居易《長恨歌》。梅蘭芳在1925至1926年間根據《長生殿》傳奇改編為京劇，分為四本。自《入選》至《夢會》凡十餘折，蔚為大觀。此劇音樂由徐蘭沅、王少卿精心設計，創造了不少新的板式與唱腔並編配了許多京崑曲牌。




白居易〈長恨歌〉
{see two versions of the translation in English here & here}

漢皇重色思傾國，御宇多年求不得。
楊家有女初長成，養在深閏人未識。
天生麗質難自棄，一朝選在君王側。
回眸一笑百媚生，六宮粉黛無顏色。
春寒賜浴華清池，溫泉水滑洗凝脂；
待兒扶起嬌無力，始是新承恩澤時。
雲鬢花顏金步搖，芙蓉帳暖度春宵；
春宵苦短日高起，從此君王不早朝。
承歡侍宴無閑暇，春從春遊夜專夜。
後宮佳麗三千人，三千寵愛在一身。
金屋妝成嬌侍夜，玉樓宴罷醉和春。
姊妹弟兄皆列士，可憐光彩生門戶。
遂令天下父母心，不重生男重生女。
驪宮高處入青雲，仙樂風飄處處聞。
緩歌慢舞凝絲竹，盡日君王看不足。
漁陽鼙鼓動地來，驚破霓裳羽衣曲。
九重城闕煙塵生，千乘萬騎西南行。
翠華搖搖行復止，西出都門百餘里；
六軍不發無奈何？宛轉蛾眉馬前死。
花鈿委地無人收，翠翹金雀玉搔頭。
君王掩面救不得，回看血淚相和流。
黃埃散漫風蕭素，雲棧縈紆登劍閣。
峨嵋山下少人行，旌旗無光日色薄。
蜀江水碧蜀山青，聖主朝朝暮暮情。
行宮見月傷心色，夜雨聞鈴腸斷聲。

天旋地轉迥龍馭，到此躊躇不能去。
馬嵬坡下泥土中，不見玉顏空死處。
君臣相顧盡霑衣，東望都門信馬歸。
歸來池苑皆依舊，太液芙蓉未央柳；
芙蓉如面柳如眉，對此如何不淚垂？
春風桃李花開日，秋雨梧桐葉落時。
西宮南內多秋草，落葉滿階紅不掃。
梨園子弟白髮新，椒房阿監青娥老。
夕殿螢飛思悄然，孤燈挑盡未成眠。
遲遲鐘鼓初長夜，耿耿星河欲曙天。
鴛鴦瓦冷霜華重，翡翠衾寒誰與共？
悠悠生死別經年，魂魄不曾來入夢。
臨邛道士鴻都客，能以精誠致魂魄；
為感君王輾轉思，遂教方士殷勤覓。
排空馭氣奔如電，升天入地求之遍；
上窮碧落下黃泉，兩處茫茫皆不見。
忽聞海上有仙山，山在虛無縹緲間。
樓閣玲瓏五雲起，其中綽約多仙子。
中有一人字太真，雪膚花貌參差是。
金闕西廂叩玉扃，轉教小玉報雙成。
聞道漢家天子使，九華帳裡夢魂驚；
攬衣推枕起徘徊，珠箔銀屏迤邐開。
雲鬢半偏新睡覺，花冠不整下堂來。
風吹仙袂飄飄舉，猶似霓裳羽衣舞。
玉容寂寞淚闌干，梨花一枝春帶雨。

含情凝睇謝君王，一別音容兩渺茫。
昭陽殿裡恩愛絕，蓬萊宮中日月長。
回頭下望人寰處，不見長安見塵霧。
唯將舊物表深情，鈿合金釵寄將去。
釵留一股合一扇，釵擘黃金合分鈿。
但教心似金鈿堅，天上人間會相見。
臨別殷勤重寄詞，詞中有誓兩心知，
七月七日長生殿，夜半無人私語時：
在天願作比翼鳥，在地願為連理枝。
天長地久有時盡，此恨綿綿無絕期。

*                    *                    *

The story of Xuanzong and Guifei, as well as Bai Juyi's Song of Unending Sorrow, are said to have inspired the Japanese Heian literary gem - The Tale of Genji (源氏物語 Genji Monogatari).

*                    *                    *

(Here is my comment in response to Leanne's post on 楊貴妃...)

The preservation of Tang dances in Japanese court also interests me very much. In fact Dr. Liu Feng-Xue (founder and artistic director of Neo-Classic Dance Company 新古典舞團, and the first Chinese dance historian/ scholar/ artist/ choreographer to receive a PhD) devotes a large part of her career reconstructing ancient Chinese court music and dance, including getting special permission to study in the royal court of Japan and learning Labannotation from scratch to record the pieces etc. Neo-Classic is premiering Dr. Liu's new work in October, another reconstruction of ancient dance/music - I must be back in Taipei to attend!

I love Dr. Liu's works and have a special affection for Neo-Classic as that was where I learned ballet since 5! I mentioned these in a blog post 唐詩樂舞 Beauty of Tang: Music, Dance and Poetry. (A reader later introduced me to an amazing artist Elyse Ashe Lord. Perhaps you know her work already? If not I highly recommend checking out her paintings...!)

Another gem I adore, Han Tang Yuefu 漢唐樂府, might also interest you - I have almost all their DVDs and CDs. Such beauty... Sigh. I can listen to the music and watch the dances all day long.

I really enjoyed reading the English translations of the Chinese poetry, and must re-read these poems one of these days... I am a lover of Li Bai - when I was a kid it was a drag having to memorise and recite all these classics, but now I realise they do stay with me in my heart (not just poetry, philosophy as well), even though one can no longer recite them! It's fascinating to know that the story of 玄宗 and 楊貴妃 might have influenced 源氏物語, as people tend to associate Tale of Genji to Dream of the Red Mansion, I suppose. I remember when I went to a special exhibition at Kyoto National Museum, I stood in front of a large screen depicting The Tale of Genji, forever. I think I was trying to absorb as much of that quiet yet glorious beauty as I possibly could. A while ago there was a small (yet well-curated) exhibition of noh masks, costumes, manuscripts etc. in Tokyo - it was magical, with quiet gagaku playing in the background at that wonderful little gallery... I miss it.

And the Oedipus Complex (or the reverse) you hinted at the end of this article... How universal and yet how different it is between the East and the West. The stories you mentioned here, and the poems, give me a sense of 無奈, 悵然若失 (I can never seem to find the right words for these in English). These are similar emotions I felt after watching one of my favourite films "In the Mood for Love." A kind of tranquil/peaceful sadness, but perhaps even more heartrending...

I also posted Tamasaburo's Yokihi in my blog post Adieu ma concubine! We do share such similar interests. :) I will search for his Peony Pavilion on YouTube. Do you know Tamasaburo performed Peony Pavilion at the last Hong Kong Arts Festival? Shame I missed it...!! My love for kunqu is even deeper than Peking opera, and Peony Pavilion and Peach Blossom Fan are my favourite.

On a slightly different note, I went to see 北京當代芭蕾舞團 Beijing Dance Theatre's Golden Lotus (adapted from 金瓶梅) at the Hong Kong Arts Festival this year. The choreographer Wang Yuanyuan (王媛媛) also did the full-length ballet drama Raise the Red Lantern, with Zhang Yimou's direction & stage design. Ballet being one of my "core passions," her Raise the Red Lantern is the single best ballet I have ever seen, perhaps as it is very close to my heart (a combination of ballet and Chinese opera - what a dream for me!). Wang Yuanyuan is seriously talented.

Just would like to say again how much I love this post!

Ting-Jen xx

*                    *                    *

I will leave you here with a few lines of beautiful poetry exchanged between Genji and Fujitsubo, also from Leanne's post...

"Through the waving, dancing sleeves could you see a heart
So stormy that it wished but to be still?"

"Of waving Chinese sleeves I cannot speak.
Each step, each motion, touched me to the heart."

屋漏痕之美: The Beauty of Water Stains on the Wall

‎Water Stains on the Wall is Mr. Lin Hwai-Min's fourth piece inspired by the aesthetics, spirit, beauty and philosophy behind the art of Chinese calligraphy and writing (after the breathtaking Cursive Trilogy: Cursive, Cursive II and Mad Cursive). Inhabiting a rather different sphere—"air" (clouds were his original source of inspiration in the creative process of Water Stains on the Wall, and images of clouds are used lavishly and beautifully in the stage design of this piece), for me, Water Stains on the Wall is perfection, transcendence, magnificence, the purest form of poetry and consciousness. I think I might be even more in love with it than with Moon Water, which, up until now, is my favourite piece in Mr. Lin Hwai-Min's oeuvre and what started my profound love affair with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre...

It was a magical evening, when I saw ethereal yet exquisitely powerful swans gliding in space with perfectly controlled 氣 ("chi" or "prana"). The dancers' breathing was as beautiful as a calligraphic work, as the movements and music themselves...

水痕 夏雲 飛鳥與驚蛇

唐朝，代宗大曆7年，西元772年，狂草大師懷素，在洛陽拜謁書法界的老前輩顏真卿。

顏真卿問他，對書法有什麼見解。

懷素說，他觀察到夏天的雲彩變化萬千，有如峻奇的山峰，經常揣摩學習，寫起字來「其痛快處如飛鳥出林，驚蛇入草，又遇坼壁之路，一一自然。」

顏真卿問：「何如屋漏痕？」

據說，懷素欣然起座，握住顏真卿的手說：「得之矣。」

傳說的另一個版本說，35歲的「狂僧」懷素激動地抱住顏真卿的腳，吼道：「賊！」

《屋漏痕》是滲入牆壁的雨水，逐漸在壁上浮現的痕跡。

也有人說，《屋漏痕》是穿透窗戶或屋舍裂縫，投到房裡的斑剝日光。

這個書法史上的軼事讓我著迷。水痕，漏光，乃至懷素提到的夏雲，飛鳥，驚蛇，都是大自然的狀態。

醞釀多年，我決定以《屋漏痕》為題編舞，看看自己能不能觸及那「一一自然」的境界。

文／林懷民 (雲門舞集創辦人暨藝術總監)

「行草三部曲」之後，林懷民再與古代書魂邂逅，打造奇幻山水《屋漏痕》。

雲門舞作《九歌》的荷花、《流浪者之歌》的黃金稻米、《水月》的流水、《花語》飄舞的粉色花瓣，是林懷民的大自然物語，《屋漏痕》再以自然為素材，移山引水進劇場。

傾斜8度的白色舞台，雲影飄移，舞者是水墨精靈，是身手矯健的俠客，雲裡雲外飛騰，飄忽如夏天的雲，虛靈如白壁上的水痕，雲峰霧海處舞影躍動，用身體繪出一幅奇幻壯麗的潑墨山水，在陡峭如山的斜坡上。

*{此段轉載自雲門舞集官網; images and the above paragraph: via Cloud Gate's official website of Water Stains on the Wall.}

Water Stains on the Wall rehearsal (see also here), and choreographer/ artistic director Lin Hwai-Min talks about this piece.

台北天空日落日岀屋漏痕
Water stains on the wall, Taipei skies at dusk & dawn...

Taipei: My City, My Home (updated)

Points of Interest in Taipei:
old houses, scholars’ dens, art spaces, tea culture & gardens etc.

Taipei is by far one of the most dynamically artistic and cultural cities in the world, with its own distinctive and profound heritage. I have compiled a list of places of interest in this wonderful city where I grew up and am becoming more and more fond of.

*This post is being constantly updated - please check back often. Also, most websites/links have an English and/or Japanese version, so do click away and explore!*

滿溢著藝術氣息的師大夜市一隅

《學者故居》 Scholars' Dens

林語堂故居 The Lin Yutang House (台北市仰德大道二段141號, Tel: 02-2861-3003) *See a beautiful photo album of Lin Yutang's residence.
殷海光故居 Yin Foo-Sun's Residence (臺北市大安區溫州街18巷16弄一之一號) {A good blog/reference site of many interesting old buildings}
李國鼎故居 Li Guo-Ding's Residence (臺北市中正區泰安街2巷3號, Tel: 02-2393-5991 要先預約) See also here.
錢穆故居 The Ch'ien Mu House (臺北市士林區臨溪路72號, Tel: 02-2880-5809)
嚴家淦故居 Yen Jia-Gan Residence (台北市中正區重慶南路二段2號、4號) *目前暫不開放參觀

溫州街小巷, 近殷海光學者故居

《老建築》 Old Buildings and Houses

台北賓館 Taipei Guest House (台北市凱達格蘭大道); 參觀資訊 http://tgh.mofa.gov.tw/ {Great photography on this blog.}
撫臺街洋樓 (台北市延平南路26號, Tel: 02-2314-5190) - No official website, but here's a wonderful blog full of info on old buildings.
市長官邸藝文沙龍 The Mayor's Residence Arts Salon (台北市徐州路46號, Tel: 02-2396-8198)
台北市中山堂 (臺北市延平南路98號, Tel: 02-2381-3137)
西門紅樓 The Red House (台北市萬華區成都路10號, Tel: 02-2311-9380)
牯嶺街小劇場 (台北市中正區牯嶺街5 巷2 號, Tel: 02-2391-9393)
台北故事館 Taipei Story House (台北市中山北路三段181-1號, Tel: 02-2596-1898)
台北之家/ 光點台北 Taipei House/ Spot Taipei (台北市中山北路二段18號, Tel: 02-2511-7786)
朝北醫院 (台北市萬華區西園路一段181號) *目前只能看外觀
古城老街區 (台北市中正區延平南路)
臺北縣立淡水古蹟博物館 Dansui Historic Sites, Taipei County (臺北縣淡水鎮中正路28巷1號, Tel：02 2623 1001)
北投溫泉博物館 Beitou Hotspring Museum (臺北市北投區中山路二號, Tel: 02-2893-9981)
台灣民俗北投文物館 Taiwan Folk Arts Museum (臺北市北投區幽雅路32號, Tel: 02-2891-2318)
吟松閣老溫泉旅館 (台北市北投區幽雅路21號, Tel: 02-28912063)
《玫瑰古蹟》蔡瑞月舞蹈研究社 Tsai Jui-Yueh Dance Institute (臺北市中山北路二段48巷10號, Tel: 02-2523-7547)
*士林官邸 (台北市福林路60號, {士林區中山北路5段460巷1號, 福林路口東南側}, Tel: 02-2881-2512, 02-2881-2912) Where the annual chrysanthemum exhibition is held: 士林官邸菊展.

殷海光故居門口

《博物館/藝廊/表演藝術中心》 Museums, Galleires & Spaces for Performance Arts

國立歷史博物館 National Museum of History (臺北市南海路49號, Tel: 02-2361-0270) *新網頁好美; 記得順道參觀植物園
國立台灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum (臺北市中正區100襄陽路2號, 二二八和平公園內; 02-2382-2699)
紀州庵新館 (台北市中正區同安街107號, Tel: 02-2364-0651)
上古藝術館 Sogo Art (台北市建國南路一段160號B1, 忠孝東路口; Tel: 02-2711-3577)
佛光緣美術館 Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery (台北市信義區松隆路327號十樓之一, Tel: :02-2760-0222)
楊英風美術館 Yu Yu Yuan Museum (台北市重慶南路二段31號, Tel：02-23961966)
岩筆模 MBmore (台北市捷運中山站地下書街B39, 近R9出口)
南海藝廊 Nanhai Gallery, National Taipei University of Education (台北市重慶南路二段19巷3號, Tel: 02-2392-5080)
台北戲棚 Taipei Eye (台北市中山北路二段113號, 錦州街入口; Tel: 02-2568-2677)
台北偶戲館 Puppetry Art Centre of Taipei (台北市松山區市民大道五段99號2樓, Tel: 02-2528-9553)
台北市立美術館 Taipei Fine Arts Museum (臺北市中山北路三段181號, Tel: 02 25957656)
台北當代藝術館 Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (台北市大同區長安西路39號, Tel: 02-2552-3721轉301)
瑩瑋藝術翡翠文化博物館 Museum of Jade Art (臺北市104中山區建國北路一段96號1樓)
台北服飾文化館 Taipei Costume and Culture Centre (台北市萬華區西園路二段9號, Tel: 02-2304-4088)
中正紀念堂展場 National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
國父紀念館展場 (國父史蹟紀念館) National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
兩廳院: 國家戲劇院/ 國家音樂廳 National Theatre & Concert Hall
國立故宮博物院 National Palace Museum, Taipei (Always worth a visit, in any case...)
市長官邸藝文沙龍 The Mayor's Residence Arts Salon (台北市徐州路46號, Tel：02-2396-8198)
臺北縣立鶯歌陶瓷博物館 Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum (台北縣鶯歌鎮文化路200號, Tel: 02-8677-2727)
華山1914創意文化園區 Huashan 1914 Creative Park (台北市中正區八德路一段1號/ Tel: 02-2358-1914)
草山國際藝術村 Grass Mountain Artist Village (台北市北投區湖底路92 號, Tel：02-2862-2404)
台北國際藝術村 Taipei Artist Village (台北市北平東路7號, Tel：02-3393-7377)
凱達格蘭文化館 Ketagalang Culture Centre (台北市北投區中山路3-1號/ Tel: 02-2898-6500)
梅庭 The Plum Garden, Beitou (台北市北投區中山路6號, Tel: 02-2897-2647)
表演36房 Performing Arts School 36 (台北市文山區木新路二段156之1號, Tel: 02-2939-3088)
芝山文化生態綠園 Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden (台北市雨聲街120號, Tel: 02-8866-6258)
臺北市電影主題公園 Taipei Cinema Park (臺北市康定路19號, Tel: 02-2312-3717)
台北數位藝術中心 Digital Art Centre, Taipei (台北市士林區福華路180號, Tel: 02-7736-0708)
台北探索館 Discovery Centre of Taipei (臺北市市府路一號, Tel: 1999 {外縣市 02-27574547} 轉4547)

*Below four outside Taipei ~
國立台灣文學館 National Museum of Taiwanese Literature (台南市中西區中正路1號, Tel: 06-221-7201)
國立台灣美術館 (台中市西區五權西路一段2號, Tel: 04-2372-3552)
泰郁美學堂 Taiyu Beaux Arts Salon (嘉義市600大雅路二段452號, Tel: 05-278 5864)
國立傳統藝術中心 Centre for Traditional Arts (宜蘭縣五結鄉季新村五濱路二段201號, Tel: 03-970-5815). Two lovely exhibitions - 情結古今蝶戀花: 明&愚編飾創作展 "An Encounter with Colourful Butterflies and Flowers: Ming & Yu Design Collection" {see also 珠寶設計 古玩生香 Ming & Yu Jewellery Design}; 路轉青山巧手遇: 傳藝刺繡特展 "An Encounter with Ingenious Hands: A Special Exhibition of Traditional Embroidery."

Spot Taipei 光點/台北之家 is the former residence of the American ambassador to Taiwan (long long ago...), now an hauteur/art cinema, bookstore & cafe in one. David and I adore the al fresco cafe - ah, the resplendence of trees...

溫州街巷弄裡的殷海光學者故居

《品茗》 Tea Culture/ Teahouses

小慢 Xiaoman (台北市泰順街16巷39號, Tel: 02 2365 0017) - It immediately became my favourite teahouse in Taipei after only one tea session, perhaps even in the whole world. One of the most beautiful places in Taipei, and so close to where I live! (See more photos & Facebook page...)
紫藤廬 Wisteria House (台北市新生南路三段16巷1號, Tel：02 2363 7375 & 02-2363 9459); see also the Facebook official page of Wisteria House.
爾雅書馨一庭之廣生食品行 (台北市泰順街38巷25號, Tel：02 2363 3414) - Reminiscent of the nostalgic old Shanghai, visiting this teahouse is always on our to-do list whenever David and I come to Taipei. The owner used to have a fascinating and gorgeous antique shop nearby, where we discovered loads of treasures, but it seems to have closed down. Click here and here for more photos and information (in Chinese).
紅樓茶坊 Cho West Cha at The Red House Theatre (台北市萬華區成都路10號, Tel: 02-2311-9380)
撫臺街洋樓「午後茶韻」 (台北市延平南路26號, Tel: 02-2314-5190)
布拉格 There's No Place Like Café Prague (台北市泰順街40巷30號, Tel: 02 2369 7722)
明星咖啡館 Astoria Café (台北市中正區武昌街一段7號2樓, Tel: 02 2381 5589)
中山堂堡壘咖啡 Fortress Café (台北市延平南路98號2樓, Tel: 02 2381 3137)
二條通 綠島小夜曲 The Island (台北市中山北路1段33巷1號, Tel: 02 2531 4594)
采采食茶文化 Cha Cha Thé (台北市復興南路一段219巷23號, Tel: 02 8773 1818/ 台北市敦化南路一段132號, Tel: 02 8773 5838)
老樹咖啡 Oldtree Café (台北市中正區新生南路一段60號, Tel: 02 2351 6463)
朵兒咖啡館 Daughters' Café (台北市松山區富錦街393號, Tel: 02 8787 2425)

《Reference Websites》

台北市古典建築
台灣古蹟列表 (on Wikipedia)
台灣美術館及博物館
台北市政府文化局 Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government
文化快遞 Taipei Culture Express
文化資產 Taipei Cultural Heritage Sites
*藝遊網*
台北旅遊網 Taipei Travel Net
節氣與農諺 {臺灣節慶之美}
2010 臺北古蹟日 ~ 花現臺北城 嬉遊古蹟
國立臺灣工藝研究發展中心 National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (南投縣542草屯鎮中正路573號, Tel：049-233-4141)
AIR Taipei 藝術進駐
學學文創志業 Xue Xue Institute (台北市內湖區堤頂大道二段207號, Tel：0800-068-089)

*Musical landscapes for this post - Igor Stravinsky's Agon.

The Legend of Love

Irma Nioradze in The Legend of Love

A ballet in three acts
Music by Arif Melikov
Choreography by Yury Grigorovich (1961)
Libretto by Nazim Khikmet
World premiere: 23 March 1961, Kirov Theatre, Leningrad
Running time 3 hours 5 minutes
The Performance has two intermissions


Bolshoi Ballet's performance of The Legend of Love (1990)
Maria Bylova - Mekhmene Bahnu
Alla Mihalchenko - Shyrin
Irek Mukhamedov - Ferkhad
Gediminas Taranda - Vizier



Synopsis

Act I
Scene 1

A chamber in the palace of Queen Mekhmeneh Bahnu. Her younger sister, Princess Shyrin, is suffering from a deadly illness. The Queen´s heart is heavy with grief. Her attendants and the Vizier are in despair.
Warriors usher in a stranger, who claims he can cure the Princess. Mekhmeneh Bahnu throws gold at his feet, but the stranger refuses to accept it. The Queen offers her crown as a reward if he cures Shyrin. The stranger rejects this too. He demands that Mekhmeneh sacrifice her beauty to save her sister´s life. The Queen consents.
The stranger restores Shyrin to health. She rises from her death-bed; Mekhmeneh´s face, however, is so disfigured and ugly that Shyrin merely stares at her sister without recognising her.


Scene 2

The garden near Princess Shyrin´s palace. Some artists, including the young Ferkhad, are decorating an arch.
Mekhmeneh Bahnu and Shyrin enter the garden, accompanied by their attendants. They have come to see the new palace. The sisters are struck by Ferkhad´s handsome features and are unable to take their eyes off him.
The procession moves on. Ferkhad remains alone, engrossed in his work. Suddenly, Shyrin calls to him. The young people are irresistibly drawn to each other. Ferkhad, however, learns that the maiden to whom he has given his heart is Princess Shyrin. It is therefore hopeless for him, a humble painter, to dream of ever winning her.

Svetlana Zakharova in The Legend of Love

Act II
Scene 1

The people are standing around a spring which has run dry. They will have to cut through a high mountain in order to open up a channel for the stream of water – a task way beyond any human effort. Water is brought from afar, but only for the inhabitants of the palace.


Scene 2

The Queen is tormented by her passion for Ferkhad. The jesters fail to divert her. She realises what a huge sacrifice she has made for the sake of her sister. Mekhmeneh Bahnu is young, she longs for passion, but now she is ugly and Ferkhad will not love her.


Scene 3

Ferkhad´s devotion has made Princess Shyrin supremely happy. The young man makes his way into her chamber. Their love culminates in a perfect union of their two fervent hearts.
Shyrin cannot bear the thought of leaving Ferkhad. The Princess resolves to leave the palace and without hesitation follows her beloved.
The Vizier learns of Shyrin´s flight, and brings the unwelcome tidings to the Queen. In a fit of rage, Mekhmeneh gives an order that her ungrateful sister should be seized and brought back.
Warriors overtake Ferkhad and Shyrin.
The Princess entreats her sister not to separate her from Ferkhad. The Queen is beside herself with anger and mortified pride.
She challenges Ferkhad to complete an impossible task – he must cut a channel through the mountain to let the waters of the upland streams flow down into the valley. Only then may Shyrin be his wife.

Ulyana Lopatkina in The Legend of Love


Act III
Scene 1

It is night. Ferkhad is in the mountains, alone. He fancies that he has already cut through the rock and that a little stream of water is running slowly out of the opening. He imagines he sees his beloved in the flowing water.


Scene 2

Mekhmeneh Bahnu has lost her peace of mind. She loves Ferkhad to distraction. She thinks of him day and night. In her imagination, she has regained her beauty; Ferkhad loves her and she is happy at last!
Shyrin runs into the chamber, shattering her dreams. The Princess cannot live without her beloved; she implores the Queen to go with her into the mountains to find Ferkhad.


Scene 3

Hope has brought the people to the mountains. If Ferkhad accomplishes his task, their suffering will end. Every blow of Ferkhad´s pickaxe resounds in the people´s hearts.
Mekhmeneh Bahnu and Shyrin arrive. Ferkhad is overjoyed – Shyrin has come and will remain with him. Mekhmeneh, however, is cunning; she promises not to part the lovers only on the condition that Ferkhad gives up his work, throws down his pickaxe and leaves with Shyrin. Ferkhad knows that this is impossible, as he cannot betray the hopes of the people. Shyrin understands this too. They bid each other farewell, to part forever.
Ferkhad stays with the thankful people whose happiness is dearer to him than Love itself.

{*Text reference: The Mariinsky Theatre}

唐詩樂舞 Beauty of Tang: Music, Dance & Poetry

美人舞如蓮花旋，世人有眼應未見。
高堂滿地紅氍毹，試舞一曲天下無。
此曲胡人傳入漢，諸客見之驚且歎。
曼臉嬌娥纖復穠，輕羅金縷花蔥蘢。
回裾轉袖若飛雪，左旋右旋生旋風。
琵琶橫笛和未匝，花門山頭黃雲合。
忽作出塞入塞聲，白草胡沙寒颯颯。
翻身入破如有神，前見後見回回新。
始知諸曲不可比，「採蓮」、「落梅」徒聒耳。
世人學舞只是舞，姿態豈能得如此。

~岑參《田使君美人如蓮花舞北鋋歌》

唐代舞俑 {images via 唐代舞蹈}

張萱繪「虢國夫人游春圖」（摹本）

Spring Outing of the Tang Court, by Zhang Xuan (713-755)

宴樂舞是唐朝在宮廷演出的音樂及舞蹈，分為大曲、中曲及小曲，用以歌頌皇帝，在規模上等同於今日的交響樂，每一曲所需要的演奏長度大約在兩小時以上。

這種宮廷樂舞，是源自於北魏時代不斷吸收外來文化的結果，包括回教、佛教、薩滿教、道教於長安，經過三個世紀的激盪及融匯，最後以儒家的舞蹈美學呈現在大唐盛世玄宗的時代。

劉鳳學說，這些樂舞創作幾乎完全出自於唐人之手，因襲外人的時期已經結束。當時宮廷內已擁有上萬名的樂舞工作者，在長安及洛陽各設有左、右教坊，並有宜春院、梨園等樂舞教育及演出機構，再加上太常寺的雅樂、鼓吹樂，便呈現出雅俗並存的樂舞教育、樂舞演出及樂舞管理制度。

可惜安史之亂以後，這些樂舞文化遺產逐漸流失，所幸當時日本由於仰慕中國文化，曾經先後派遣留學生來中國學習唐朝文化，因此，至今日本及韓國仍然保存大量唐代樂舞的文獻及演出。 {文獻參考: 大紀元}

Tang dynasty court performance (618-907 A. D.) incorporated the influences of Islam, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. During the time of Emperor Tang Hsuen Tsung (712-755 A. D.), there were over 300 pieces of court music and dances for regular performance and over 10,000 practitioners training and performing. Despite its abundant activity, the music and dance of the Tang court, as well as the complete system of education, evaluation and administrative management were lost during the rebellion of An Lu-Shan (安祿山) from 755 to 763 A.D. and the subsequent anti-foreigner and old-literary style revival movements lead by Han Yu (768-824 A.D.). {via}

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新古典舞團劉鳳學博士之唐樂舞重建

Dr. Liu Feng-Shueh's reconstruction of Tang music and dance

{**images & text references via}

“In 'Tang Court Music and Dance,' ... Dr. Liu combined her experience as a modern-dance choreographer with her extensive knowledge as a dance scholar and notation expert. Highly distilled and formal, they speak of power or order with philosophical concepts implied through codified movements and spatial harmony."

~Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times, (2002)

“It’s very grand, but very slow... of the pieces presented are Tang court music, these slow moving pieces go for a kind of pure aesthetic... This is a rare opportunity to see what Chinese music might have been like one thousand years ago, one that makes very few concessions to modern sensibilities.”

~Taipei Times (2002)

春鶯囀（大曲）/ The Singing of Spring Orioles (Grand Piece)

《春鶯囀》是唐代(618～907A.D.)宮廷讌樂，教坊大曲曲目之一。據《樂府詩集》：「高宗曉音律，聞風葉鳥聲，皆蹈以應節。嘗晨坐，聞鶯聲，命歌工白明達寫之為春鶯囀。後亦為舞曲。」又《教坊錄》對此曲樂器之使用也有較詳細之說明。此樂舞傳至日本後又稱為《梅花春鶯囀》，又一名稱《天常寶壽樂》。日本第九、十二、十三世紀文獻有此樂舞譜記載。劉鳳學係根據敦煌文獻及日本古文獻，並參考今中外學者，如Dr. Picken等之研究重建此樂及舞。

舞蹈音樂結構：1.遊聲 2.序 3.颯踏 4.入破 5.鳥聲 6.急聲舞。

The Singing of Spring Orioles is one of the grandest pieces of Tang (618~907 A.D.) court music. According to a description in the Yuefushiji (The Collection of Songs and Poems): “Tang Kao Tsung, the third Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, knew music and rhythm well. When hearing the wind blow and birds sing, he could dance with their rhythms. When he was sitting in the morning, he heard the orioles sing. The musician Bai Ming Da was then assigned to write The Singing of Spring Orioles. The music was later used for dance.” There was also a full description in the Jiaofanglu (the register of the institution for the training of musicians, singers and dancers in Tang Dynasty) describing the use of musical instruments in this piece. The name of the piece was also altered to Mei Hwa Chun Ying Chuan (The Plum Tree Blossoms and the Singing of Spring Orioles), or Tien Chan Bao Shou Yueh after being brought to Japan.

The music and dance notation was also registered in Japanese literature in the 9th, 12th and 13th centuries. The music and dance of this piece have been reconstructed by Dr. Liu, Feng-shueh, whose work was based on the inscriptions at Tunhwang, the ancient Japanese documents and the research and studies of Dr. Picken.

蘇合香（大曲）/ Liquidambar (Grand Piece)

《蘇合香》原係印度樂舞；因印度阿育王服食蘇合香草藥而病癒，作此樂舞以示感恩。傳至中國後，被納入「教坊」曲目，係軟舞型式，由日本遣唐舞生和邇部傳至日本。

舞蹈音樂結構：1.序 2.破 3.急

The Grand Piece, Liquidambar, was originated in India. Indian King Ashoka commissioned this grand piece of dance and music in order to express his gratitude after the herbal medicine Liquidambar helped cure him of his illness. It was later brought to China and introduced into Jiaofanglu (registry of the conservatoire for dance and music in Tang Dynasty). Japanese dancer Manibeno Simatsuko learned this Grand Piece in Tang China and afterwards brought it back to Japan.

唐代的紫檀五弦琵琶「螺鈿紫檀五絃琵琶」，日本奈良正倉院收藏。A five-stringed pipa (wuxian), or biwa, from the Tang Dynasty. {images via}

唐代彩陶婦女像 / Tang figurine of a lady - coloured pottery

A terracotta figurine of a woman, 7th~8th century; during the Tang era, female hosts prepared feasts, tea parties, and played drinking games with their guests.

團亂旋（大曲）/ Whirl Around (Grand Piece)

《團亂旋》又名《團圞旋》，唐教坊曲目之一。應屬軟舞類，據說唐睿宗（684，710~712 A.D.）時代，韋鏗曾隨睿宗巡視承天門，遇大風，韋鏗迎風而倒，邵景乃作詩調侃矮且肥的韋鏗：「飄風忽起團圞旋，倒地還如著腳鎚，莫怪殿上空行事，卻為元非五品才」。傳入日本後名為《團蘭傳》、《后帝樂》、《后帝團亂旋》，劉鳳學係根據1263年日本古文獻而重建。該舞有＜序＞一、二帖，＜颯踏＞一、二帖，＜破＞一、二帖，＜急＞一至七帖。因過長僅演出＜序＞、＜破＞、＜急＞各一帖。

舞蹈音樂結構：1.序 2.破 3.颯踏 4.急

During the reign of Tang Rei Tsung (684~704 A.D.), Wei Keng, an officer of the fifth rank was dizzy and fell down because of the strong wind at Cheng Tien Gate. He was such a short and fat man that Shao Jing wrote a satirical poem to tease him: “The wind suddenly gave rise and made him whirl around.” The name of the piece was altered to Tuan Luan Hsuan, Hou Ti Yueh (The Music of Empress), or Hou Ti Tuan Luan Hsuan (Whirling Around of Empress) after being brought to Japan. Dr. Feng-shueh Liu reconstructed this work according to the ancient Japanese notation dated 1263 A.D.

Figurine of a Woman Playing Polo, Tang coloured pottery.

唐太宗 溫泉銘（局部）/ Fountain Memory, calligraphy of Emperor Taizong on a Tang stele.

皇帝破陣樂（大曲）/ The Emperor Destroys the Formations (Grand Piece)

 

唐大曲《皇帝破陣樂》又名《秦王破陣樂》、《破陣樂》、《破陣子》、《七德舞》、《神功破陣樂》、《小破陣樂》。該樂舞係唐太宗李世民作秦王時，於西元620年大敗劉武周，士兵們在獲勝歡呼時所展現之樂舞。貞觀元年(627A.D.)正月初三，唐太宗歡宴群臣，首次於宮廷表演該樂，七年後太宗親製舞圖：「左圓右方，先偏後伍，魚麗鵝鸛，箕張翼舒，交錯屈伸，首尾回互，以象戰陣之形」。由起居郎呂才(？-665A.D.)、教樂工120人，執戟而舞。並由魏徵(580-643A.D.)、虞世南(558-638A.D.)、褚亮、李百藥(565-648A.D.)改制歌詞。之後，每逢大慶典時必演出該樂。651年並曾用於祭祀。當十部樂制建立時，太常寺太樂屬協律郎張文收(約627-683A.D.)將該樂舞納入第一部讌樂；由四名舞者不執武器而舞。二部樂制建立時，120名持武器而舞之破陣樂屬立部伎，而徒手之四人舞之破陣樂被置於坐部伎。

可惜，此一具有唐朝代表性之破陣樂樂舞譜在國內均已失傳，所幸該時，日本朝野基於仰慕中華文化，先後派遣19次文化使節團來中國，研習律法、建築及樂舞等，其中有外交官、音樂家及舞蹈家粟田真人(？-719A.D.)、吉備真備(693-775A.D.)、尾張連賓主(733-848A.D.)、藤原貞敏(807-867A.D.)等至唐朝學習樂舞。又有天竺僧菩提、林邑僧哲佛，將部分唐樂舞攜至日本，並大力推廣。因此日本至今仍保有唐樂計有96首，含壹越調、平調、雙調、黃鐘調、盤涉調、太食調，分大曲、中曲、小曲三種。有龍笛、笛、箏、琵琶、篳篥、笙、鼓等分譜（該譜均用唐代樂譜符號書寫），及舞譜66首。

破陣樂於西元701年傳入日本，當時日本文武天皇 (697 - 707 A.D.) 依大寶令，在治部省設雅樂寮，保存演出該樂，並將該舞稱為《皇帝破陣舞》。

劉鳳學於1965及1966年在日本宮內廳獲得該舞譜，1983年始得知該樂舞譜已由英國劍橋大學唐樂研究中心譯成五線譜，此舞即係根據上項樂舞譜文獻而重建。

舞蹈結構：1.遊聲 2.序 3.入破一至六帖

The Emperor Destroys the Formations was not the original title of this ancient dance composed to celebrate the victory of the second Tang Emperor, Tang Tai Tsung, (Li Shih-Min) over his rival, Liu Wu-Chou, in 620 A.D. The Chinese title of the piece conveys lines of troops drawn up in battle against the Emperor, and is referred to in English by several other names including The King of Chin Destroys the Formations, the King of Chin being Li Shih-Min’s title before he became the Emperor.

The notation for this piece was unfortunately lost in China, but was preserved in Japan. During the Tang Dynasty, Japanese took great interest in Chinese culture and 19 missions were sent to the Tang court. Students, as well as ambassadors Awatta no Mahito and musician Fugiwara no Sadatoshi, studied the dance. In addition, two Chinese Buddhist priests took several pieces of music and dance to Japan in order to promote Chinese culture, and included this specific one in their collection. In 701, the Japanese Emperor Mommei placed the work in the Gagaku notsukase, the Department of Chinese Music, further preserving it for performance. It was performed several times in the Japanese Imperial Court during the ninth century. The emperor also altered its name to “The Emperor Destroys the Formations.” Thus, 96 sections of the musical notation and 66 sections of the dance notation still remain in the library of the Royal Palace in Japan.

In 1965, Dr. Liu was able to obtain the notation of this dance from Japan and in 1983, the dance she found was reconstructed using staff notation by the Research Center for Tang Music at Cambridge University. The musical notation has been published by the Cambridge Press. This dance is reconstructed according to the above music and dance notation.

周昉 簪花仕女图 / Beauties Wearing Flowers, by Zhou Fang, 8th century, China.

[addendum:] In October 2011, I had the pleasure of enjoying one of the most beautiful and mesmerising performances I have ever attended－the concluding performance of Dr. Liu, Feng-Shueh's reconstruction of Tang dance and music, performed by Neo-Classic Dance Company (where I learned ballet as a child!). The highly stylised, formalistic and exceptionally elegant dance movements are expressed/executed in a slowed manner with such poise and grace. Combined with exquisite live music (all re-constructed and faithful to how it was originally performed in Tang dynasty), the whole experience was meditative yet at the same time intoxicating...♥ I cannot wait for the DVD to come out.

*Links to some wonderful websites on the art, literature and culture of the Tang Dynasty:

The Tang Dynasty at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Paintings of Sui and Tang dynasties

Tang art with video commentary, from Minneapolis Institute of Arts
唐詩欣賞
唐詩樂舞
唐代舞蹈