Just got back to Beijing from Shanghai last night. Thanks to my super girlfriend, Leafy, I went to Tan Dun’s concert at the beautiful Shanghai Grand Theatre. The entire performance was dedicated to two major themes, water percussion and orchestra and paper percussion and orchestra. Inspired by organic elements from nature, Tan Dun creatively and cleverly incorporated water and paper into the production of what he calls the ‘organic music‘. It is pretty mind blowing how many different ways these simple elements in life can be used to make sounds, and very different sounds. How to use the water, what to use the water with, movement in the water, or simply exploring the different ways of water drip can create very different sound effects. It is enlightening and inspirational.
Aside from the pure creative and technical inspiration, I especially enjoyed his narrative and photo slide show on his journey to find the source of paper making in a small village in GuiZhou. I went to a similar village just a few weeks ago, also in the same area. It is both refreshing and self-comforting to know that there are still places and people that live life the authentic way they know, without the pollution from modern developments. The process of making paper is amazing. It’s both an art and a skill that most of us don’t think about nor appreciate. I’m glad Tan Dun found inspiration in such simple yet beautiful things in life. The many different ways of using paper as an instrument has also excited the teacher in me, hopefully one day, I can share these simple instruments in the classroom. 
Tan Dun Concert in Shanghai October 22, 2007
Running along side the Forbidden City October 14, 2007
I finally got the chance to run the perimeter of the Forbidden City a few days ago. It was so crowded, but very amusing. Even though I’ve been inside a handful of times, I still get completely sucked in by its incredible beauty every time I’m near it. Maybe is its massiveness or the mysterious stories hidden behind those tall forbidden red walls, I simply can’t resist the strong desire to just stare at it and allow it all to sync in for at least a moment in time. Under those golden tiles and behind the intricacy of the wooden window frames, hundreds of years of glory, shame and mystery were held within. How could I not surrender to its beauty, its magic, and allow my imagination to run wild?
I’m back online! October 9, 2007
After two weeks of traveling around China, I’m finally back in Beijing and back online. To my surprise I am suddenly able to access my blog in China despite numerous fruitless attempts in the past. I guess the ‘good news’ about China’s tight online control is that it is constantly changing, one day my site address does not fit the great firewall requirement, the next day it does; in either case, no apparent reason will be provided. I am just happy that the fickle ’system’ is working in my favor for the time being.
With much more to come…
