As far as Chinese New Year's entertainment goes, New Tang Dynasty Television's Chinese New Year Spectacular is a relatively new kid on the block, having made its debut only three years ago. It can't be described as a variety show, and it's not really a Broadway musical, but it is different to anything else out there.
Before I attended the Spectacular's Canadian debut in Vancouver last month, I had some idea of what to expect, because my Chinese friends were raving about it, plus I had read some promotional materials put out by NTDTV. What they're attempting to do with this traveling show is revive the true Chinese culture which was destroyed by Chairman Mao and his communist successors.
Good old Mao razed temples, burned ancient manuscripts, tortured and killed intellectuals, monks, and anyone else he didn't like. To add insult to injury, he made everyone wear black pyjamas. During his reign, counting famines and everything else, Mao directly or indirectly managed to slaughter more people than the two world wars put together.
Nowadays, the communist party of China uses the Chinese New Year, the biggest celebration of the year for the Chinese, as a way to glorify itself and promote the communist philosophy of fight and class struggle. But Chinese Central TV's four-hour Spring Festival Gala of acrobatics, conjuring acts and comedy skits pales in comparison the Spectacular's elegant portrayal of the best of China's ancient culture.
In other words, it is traditional Chinese culture without the communist rhetoric, which must be a refreshing change for the Chinese?many of whom are no longer aware of what their true culture is, especially those born after the Great Cultural Revolution.
It was refreshing for me, too, but not for that reason. On the morning of the Spectacular, I woke up depressed'an unusual state for me. I didn't even feel like going at all, but I talked myself into it. As I became absorbed in the unusual music, the myriad of colours, the graceful movements of the dancers, I started feeling uplifted. There was a purity about the show, something immaculate and flawless, that made a deep impression on me.
If I have a complaint at all, it would be that there was only one number played by erhuist Xi Xiaochun. The piece she played was so haunting and beautiful that the audience was riveted for every second of it. The erhu is an ancient two-stringed instrument that can produce an amazingly wide range of notes. Apparently, Chinese music aligns with nature in that it is based on the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth.
The theme of the Spectacular is ?Myths and Legends,? and some of the acts draw on ancient legends from the time of Buddha, Dao and Confucius?those wise beings from way back in China's 5,000-year history who taught compassion, virtue and selflessness. China's semi-divine culture comes through in the performances, leaving one with a wonderful feeling of? righteousness.
So, go to the Spectacular, and treat yourself to a unique experience. If you're unable attend the live show, just contact NTDTV and they'll send you a video.
I want to share some of my reasons for sponsoring New Tang Dynasty Television's (NTDTV) Chinese New Year Spectacular. Of course, I am Chinese, and the Chinese New Year is part of my tradition and heritage. I love the colorful costumes, beautiful music and dance depicting ancient myths and legends. It reminds me of stories from my childhood. In addition, the cause, the people involved and the performances themselves have touched me profoundly, they have a healing effect in more than one sense.
Most people in the West don't know that traditional Chinese culture has really been destroyed by the communist regime. What people nowadays get in China is very shallow as it has been stripped of all its deeper inner meaning and is laden with communist party culture. So while there are other Chinese New Year Galas, I find that only NTDTV has been able to recreate a New Year celebration that is truly authentic, and at the same time has a charming multicultural flavor. It is performed in dozens of cities around the world, and people everywhere enjoy it tremendously. It contributes to greater harmony and understanding between people and cultures.
Right now Chinese society is in the process of a great transformation as millions of Chinese have quit from the communist party during the past 24 months. China is facing the abolishment of communism and a return to its rich cultural heritage. I believe that the annual NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular is promoting the spreading of traditional Chinese culture globally and helps speed up the rebirth of traditional values in Mainland China.
Another reason why I sponsor this event is because there is a spiritually uplifting energy in these wonderful music performances. It is actually a healing energy. I am a doctor of Oriental Medicine and also have a western degree in Neuroscience. I practice vibrational energy medicine as my profession, and I am very sensitive to healing vibrations. The pure energy produced during these shows is very powerful. During the entire show, I find my mind, body and soul are deeply resonating with the music waves. I realized that this is not just a show for entertainment, it goes way beyond ordinary art performances.
In my practice I am seeing increasing numbers of people suffering from different kinds of mental and physical problems. I believe they are a result of our fast-moving, competitive, materialistic, and stressful lifestyle which causes imbalances in the autonomic nervous systems and blocking mental, physical and emotional energy pathways. Many people, including teenagers, listen to noisy, meaningless and mind-disturbing music, which I feel are also contributing to psychological problems including ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, and more. Many studies indicate that mental stress and negative emotions can cause physical diseases. This is already a common reality today.
One of the treatment modalities in my practice is sound therapy. It involves a complex process of playing certain sounds and frequencies to a patient and monitoring their brain activity to determine what is most harmonious and beneficial in changing their condition. Many patients, including stroke victims, have responded extremely well and recovered from a variety of serious problems using sound therapy.
From my many years of working with sound and music I can tell what kinds of sound and music promote healing and well-being. I found that the NTDTV performances have such an effect. I have shared the DVD of last year's show with many friends and patients as well.
I plan to close my office on January 9th and take my family to the Los Angeles show at the Kodak Theater. I hope you can see it at a theater near your home. Enjoy the Chinese New Year at its best and have a healing experience! http://shows.ntdtv.com
Both Janet Quinn & Jason Liu are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Janet Quinn has sinced written about articles on various topics from Energy Healing. Janet Quinn is a full-time homemaker and part-time writer with a passion for all things Chinese. For more info about the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular in your area, please visit:. Janet Quinn's top article generates over 720 views. to your Favourites.
Jason Liu has sinced written about articles on various topics from Energy Healing. Jason Liu has a PhD and MD degree in Chinese and Western Medicine. He has a private practice in San Diego, CA.