On October 12th, 2022, Samantha Cristoforetti, an Italian woman astronaut, shared beautiful Chinese scenery, photographed from Space, in her personal social media account, and expressed her feelings in Chinese, Italian and English - “Looking up, I see the immensity of the cosmos; bowing my head, I look at the multitude of the world. The gaze flies, the heart expands, the joy of the senses can reach its peak, indeed, this is true happiness”, receiving countless thumbs-up. It was amazing that the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, which Chinese calligrapher WANG Xizhi wrote 1670 years ago with drunken pleasure, should become a trending hashtag in the 21st century, and that the Chinese ancients’ philosophic thinking about the relationship between man and the universe, between man and nature, and between man and the world should strike a chord with the world in such a cool and romantic manner. The Shanghai Opera House’s newly-produced dance drama commission, Dance of Calligraphy in 353 AD, was just created with inspiration from this timeless, transnational and glamorous Chinese cultural treasure. Through a panoramic display of “the world’s No. 1 cursive handwriting” from its birth to hand-down, the excellent traditional Chinese culture, which has a long history and profound connotation, is shown to the world to carry forward classics and vividly tell the Chinese story of global cultural treasures.
China shines with the beauty of the Orchid Pavilion, which has been inherited for thousands of years. As the first Chinese dance drama commission to provide a panoramic display of how calligraphic works are handed down from ancient times, the dance drama, Dance of Calligraphy in 353 AD, panoramically shows the extraordinary history of “the world’s No. 1 cursive handwriting” from its birth to hand-down. The contemporary audience is hence guided in travelling through the long river of history by means of dance to share feelings with the ancients in the legendary destiny of the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, which was composed more than 1,000 years ago. Dance serves as a carrier to help discover the artistic charm, cultural essence and spiritual connotation of calligraphy; Dance also serves as a window to show how calligraphy, one of the most representative symbols of traditional Chinese culture, evolves creatively and develops innovatively - that’s how emotions find expression in ink and how dance is embodied in emotions. In terms of stage scenery, it’s ultimately beautiful and romantic, with innovative technology used to create a new spatiotemporal stage space to provide the audience with a visual feast that is as exquisite as the landscape of the Yangtse River Delta region. In terms of performance form and dance vocabulary, it is different from the audience’s conventional imagination a dance drama, especially a classical one. The aesthetic ideal, interest and charm presented in the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection are exhibited in handsome, tough but tender male images, giving expression to the Wei-Jin demeanour, which is unique from anything else. This picture of history, created over 1,000 years ago, demonstrates the great creativity of traditional Chinese culture, its unceasing inheritance and continuous innovation.
Dance and calligraphy are of the same origin despite difference in form - Calligraphic elements can be found in dance while dancing posture is visible in calligraphy. Dance is often choreographed with inspiration from calligraphy, whose essence is always shown to the greatest extent. For example, the artistic conception of calligraphy finds full expression in Eight Principles of Yong, a majestic group dance. In dance dramas, calligraphic elements are also, tactfully, kept visible where possible. When drinking and chanting poems at the distinguished assembly of the Orchid Pavilion, WANG Xizhi enjoyed the beauty of present moments, which was reminiscent of his personal experience and national circumstances, so that he poured everything, from his respect for life to his care about the present, adoration for freedom and pursuit of life worth, into the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, vitalising it.
Executive Presenter: ZHANG Songhua
Executive Producers: ZHAO Lei, XU Zhong, YU Ying
Producer: JI Pingping
Artistic Director: WANG Ge
Director/ Choreographer: WANG Yabin
Script Consultant: CAO Lusheng
Playwright: Fengtan Studio
Composer: LYU Liang
Choreographers: ZHONG Shi, ZHANG Yapeng, ZHANG Fan
Set Designer: SHEN Li
Lighting Designer: REN Dongsheng
Video Projection Designer: HU Tianji
Visual Consultant: CHEN Gufang
Costume Designer: WU Lei
Hair Style Designer: JIA Lei
Cast
WANG Xizhi: SONG Yu/ LI Shengzhao
LI Shimin: ZHANG Aoyue/ LI Shengzhao
Geng (Calligraphy Enthusiast): WEN Geng
Goose: TAN Yimei, SHEN Peiyao
Lady WEI: MIN Yan
XIAO Yi: BO Jiawei
Monk Biancai: SUN Fang
Courtier: PANG Lijia
Supervisor: China Calligraphers Association
Co-Presenters: Shanghai Opera House, Shanghai Jiushi Cultural Communications Co., Ltd.
Producer/ Presenter: Shanghai Opera House
Geng, a modern young man who has a great passion for calligraphy, is staring at the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection by WANG Xizhi, reflecting on the ninth year of Yonghe Regime (353 AD). WANG Xizhi and other refined scholars continuously come to the Orchid Pavilion, located at the northern foot of the Kuaiji Mountain, and enjoy themselves standing in lofty hills covered with flourishing woods and tall bamboo bushes. White geese are swimming on water, looking slim and graceful, inspiring WANG Xizhi to practise his penmanship. He recalls the moments when he practises calligraphy with his master Lady WEI - they abandon themselves to nature, understanding the artistic conception of handwriting. So happy in a drunken state, the drinkers pick up bamboo branches and wield them with abandon. Drunk in handwriting, WANG Xizhi feels as if he were in a fairyland.
While they are still in a trance, the war is raging everywhere. WANG Xizhi turns his writing brush into a sword, but he fails to save fleeting lives. At the distinguished assembly, the men of literature and writing take up the wine cup and express their feelings. Taking up his brush, WANG Xizhi wields it to write the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection. The young man Geng strides forward and sees XIAO Yi gaining the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection by cheating with it then presented to LI Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang. LI Shimin calls his men together to study the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, which thus becomes famous as “the world’s No. 1 cursive handwriting”. Looking at this time-honoured masterpiece, the young man Geng cannot help sighing with emotion at the implication and inheritance of the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection.
Preface
Bamboo sways with its shadow, while orchids emit fragrance. Elegant music from the guqin echoes and lingers.
The modern young man Geng, who holds a great passion for calligraphy, tours the Kuaiji Mountain. Reaching the Orchid Pavilion, he sees and touches nothing else but the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, “the world’s No. 1 cursive handwriting”.
Spring water gurgles, with lanterns floating on it. At the very moment, the young man Geng cannot help having all sorts of feelings to well up in his mind, reflecting on the ninth year of Yonghe Regime together with the best part in the preface.
Act I Free Rein to Sights and Thoughts
Time goes by, making everything look real and unreal.
It’s sunny and breezy on the third day of the lunar March of the ninth year of the Yonghe Regime. At the Orchid Pavilion, located at the northern foot of Kuaiji Mountain, lying in lofty hills covered with flourishing woods and tall bamboo bushes, refined scholars, old and young, are gathering together for a distinguished assembly. WANG Xizhi recites poetry and composes verses along with others, all drinking to his heart’s content with great excitement.
Boozing beside a winding stream, surrounded by fragrant orchids, goblets floating on water, and white geese swimming on water, with all in great jubilation and bliss.
Act II A Transient Visitor in Life
Lying paralyzed by drink among hills and waters, WANG Xizhi gazes upon the sky, remembering how Lady WEI enlightens him on calligraphy.
One point stroke, like a rock falling from a high mountain, implies something bursting apart; one horizontal stroke, like a cloud stretching thousands of miles, implies a broad mind; one vertical stroke, like a ten thousand-year-old withered vine, implies perseverance; one stroke to the left, like a pointed rhinoceros horn, implies a sharp blade; One turning stroke, like a fully-bent crossbow, implies mighty strength; one stroke to the right, like rolling waves, implies something soothing; one hook stroke, like a crossbow string, implies resilience.
When he practises calligraphy at the pond, the ink seeps into water, blackening the hills and woods. Watching the master and the disciple abandon themselves to nature to feel after the artistic conception of handwriting, the young man Geng remains in a trance as if deep in thought, pondering over calligraphy, born of nature.
Act III Complete Indulgence
The distinguished assembly brims with clamours and drunken scholars. They pick up bamboo branches and wave them with abandon.
The bamboo branch in the hand, now like a writing brush, then like a sword, exists as a combination of inflexibility, looking incomparably graceful.
WANG Xizhi, who demonstrates a greater passion for his beloved goose, gets intoxicated in the world of calligraphy, dancing with his handwriting.
A fairyland seems to appear as the sun bursts out of the clouds.
Act IV Death and Life Matter Too
When he is still bemazed, WANG Xizhi has the brush in his hand turned into a sword. The war breaks out everywhere, causing social turmoil, with all past events, which have faded just like a puff of smoke, returning to the mind.
Suddenly, the sword drops from his hand, awakening him from his memory. Looking around, he sees the men of letters drinking and chatting happily at the distinguished assembly, which is dipped in the aroma of wine and the fragrance of orchids.
Standing still between Earth and the sky, WANG Xizhi reflects on his life, and takes up his brush to write the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection.
Act V Resignation to Destiny
“Looking up at the vast universe” and “overlooking the productive world”, different people “show interest in different things”, “some preferring to stay in peace and the others enjoying crowds”. Those around him appreciate the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, deeply touched by its content. Seeing the masterpiece disappear into the depths of history with WANG Xizhi and many others surrounding it, the young man Geng cannot help moving forward to chase after it.
Now LI Shimin seeks every means to look for the collection, which he has long dreamt of obtaining, but he always fails in the mission, thus feeling much melancholy. The ministers, including XIAO Yi, seem deep in thought.
In the Yongxin Temple, Monk Biancai takes out the authentic version, and studies it with XIAO Yi all through the night. XIAO Yi takes away the collection by cheating.
Act VI A Future Look at the Present
In the throne hall, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection is hung up grandly. Staring at it in silence, LI Shimin has some inner feelings. He calls the ministers together to copy, leaving many vivid copies for the descendants, making “the world’s No. 1 cursive handwriting” far-famed and well-known to every future generation.
Epilogue Great Happiness
In the ninth year of the Yonghe Regime, WANG Xizhi writes the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection, showing admiration for Heavy and Earth, sighing at life and death, and cherishing the beautiful things. During the Zhenguan Period, LI Shimin tries every means to look for the masterpiece. Valuing scholarship, he treasures it and calls sages together to make it known to the world.
Staying in the long river of history, the young man Geng sighs with emotion at the fleeting time.
The land of China, embellished with green hills and clear waters, is a place of eternal peace and great happiness!