China should be on the bucket list of everyone; the entire world should see China.
The country of Qing and Ming was at the top of my to-visit countries, so when I got the opportunity to travel there, I took it up with both hands.
I was privileged to see it last month, and my visit there was nothing short of an exhilarating adventure.
First, we ventured through the bustling cities and peaceful villages, appreciating the seamless blend of ancient culture and cutting-edge technology.
From the well-mapped urban designs to the impeccable transport systems, everything seemed to operate like clockwork. But as a film director, one experience stood out: the Shaolin Zen Music Ritual, a performance that left me speechless.
Imagine this: an ancient temple shrouded in mist, where the silence is broken by the rhythmic beat of drums and the graceful movements of Shaolin monks performing kung fu in perfect synchronisation with music, light, and dance. This wasn’t just a performance.
James Smart and Arnold Magenyi at a Shaolin Temple in China.
Photo credit: Pool
It was everything: a blend of tradition and modernity wrapped in a visual spectacle.
The choreography was jaw-dropping; having been a Kungfu fan from the old days with my old man, having this experience on a live set was fantastic.
The Kungfu guys leaped and flipped through the air so fast that you’d think gravity didn’t apply to them. And it wasn’t just about the physical prowess. It was storytelling through movement. Each kick, each spin told a story of discipline, history, and spirituality.
Trust me, my colleague James Smart, and I tried these moves, and our muscles complained. The lights created an ethereal glow, transforming the space into something otherworldly. The choreography blended seamlessly with the music, taking the performance to a transcendent level.
As the final note of the Zen ritual echoed through the valley, I sat there in awe, contemplating how technology, discipline, and culture could fuse so perfectly in one breathtaking performance.
It was a mind-blowing experience that inspired me to push the Kenyan film and theatre space to a new level. We will try Hapa Kwa ground.
For the Chinese, culture is expressed; it is spiritual and commercial. The extent to which they have expanded the language of culture to fit our modern times is nothing short of genius.
The Shaolin culture could have been long gone without the careful attention and funding the state offers, a big lesson to the continent and Kenya in particular.
I wonder how we can bring art and culture into a modern world that serves our deep human needs for connection, explanation and, of course, entertainment.
Inspired by the vibrant cultural scene, Arnold Magenyi reflects on the importance of art and culture in modern society
Photo credit: Pool
And, so, sitting there in the open theatres, being transported to worlds unknown by lights, direction, and diction of culture and language I barely understood, I have come out of that experience inspired by the endless possibilities and the potential we are sitting on.
China has always been a place of wonder, but this was next-level cinema.
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Publish date : 2024-10-03 05:49:43
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