Monkey Story

Turns out I was wrong about the Chinese Acrobatics. It was tonight, not yesterday, not that it matters much to anyone over there. It matters to me though, because without that, I would have done exactly nothing today.

There was an exhibition for some big party officials today, but they wouldn't let me in. At first, I had no idea why this might be, since the nice Police Officers didn't speak English, and I don't speak Chinese. However, someone soon explained to me that it was because I wasn't technically one of the Chinese Scholars the event is for. Even when Dr. Chen tried to talk me in, it didn't work. Then he tried to tell me to sneak in, but I refused, since one of my major goals for this trip is not getting arrested.

So, they had to exhibit without me, so I sat in the hotel room and read. Not that I don't enjoy reading, but I did that most of the day. Dr. Chen mentioned a few days ago that there was no reason someone couldn't get their graduate degree in one year, as long as they got their thesis done. So, I also started in on what might eventually become my thesis. Or just some paper I try to get published.

Anyways, after sitting around and doing nothing all day, I was pretty excited to go see some acrobatics. The name of the show was "Monkey Story: Journey to the West" and I don't think I'm overstating it to say that it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Now I know I say that a lot, about a lot of things ranging from webpages to haircuts, but this is no hyperbole. I came in expecting some neat tricks, I came out with my jaw on the floor.

The basic story (which I only found out afterwards, because the introductory text and programme were both in Chinese) is there is a monkey with super powers who joins a monk and some other animals on a journey to India to recover the Sutras from Vulture Peak. Along the way they encounter various mythical demons and creatures who want to eat the monkey's flesh, because they think it will make them immortal. They eventually get there, and it is over.

So, the story is not very innovative, but I didn't understand it anyhow so it wasn't important. These acrobats were doing everything you ever imagined possible, and then more. Perhaps you thought you were good at something. You were wrong. These guys were good at everything ever invented, including (but not limited to) juggling, basketball, flying and puppets. It is one thing to walk across a tightrope, and maybe to stand on one foot on it. It is another thing entirely to bounce off a rubber pole held 5 feet off the floor, do a flip forwards and sideways, and then land back on that pole.

Everything about the show was incredible, from the costumes to the sets to the acrobats themselves. At one point they had a staff fight on stage in midair. I just don't see how you can get any cooler than that. The show lasted about an hour and a half, and I wanted it to go on and on forever. I couldn't understand anything about plot, character or theme, which are the three things I usually look for in a story. But it didn't matter because it was so very beautiful to look at. No WONDER Chinese cinema looks so amazing. They have a long history of making pretty things. The West may have Shakespeare, but China has this, and I would put them on par. They are entirely different approaches to art, but this was at least as deeply moving as a well done Shakespeare, and I know a thing or two about well done Shakespeare.

So, if you ever have a chance to see Chinese acrobats do a show, take it. It is worth any price to see. I took some pictures, and a movie at the end, but it really doesn't get across the sheer impossibility of what these people are doing.