Power of dance: Awakening consciousness of lost relics

Culture forms the bedrock of a nation; and is a bridge that connects the past with the future. We wish to awaken a wider consciousness of Chinese culture so that more individuals will recognize the vital importance of cultural heritage and its preservation.

Photo of Zhu Jun, director of the dance production "Ding, A Symbol of Strength", during an exclusive interview with Guangming Online.

Our creative journey began with a simple yet profound mission – using dance as a medium to draw attention to Chinese relics, raise awareness of relics lost, and evoke a deeper resonance with their profound cultural significance. With the combined efforts of our team and Director Yuan Na, we studied the issue of relics scattered overseas and explored the diverse means of mainstreaming such a topic: film, music, literature, and more. We chose dance, for it is the language we are most fluent with. Our ambition was to create a work of dance that not only reflects Chinese culture, but also reaches audiences far and wide, enabling them to appreciate the profound depth of Chinese civilization and inspiring awareness and efforts to return lost relics to their homeland.

Our creation was inspired by the Wang Ziwu Ding. When I first encountered this artifact, I was struck by the sense of power and symbolic weight it exudes. More than a mere emblem of national strength, it embodies millennia of history and culture. Thus, we chose three male dancers to represent this artifact and show its shape and form through our performance. The costumes and headpieces drew inspirations from the intricate patterns of the Ding, so that each dancer mirrors the unique features of this relic. Though once dazzling in color, time has washed off the surface and revealed its original green patina of bronze. We captured this transformation in our choreography to evoke the Ding’s millennia of history and its inherent gravitas.

Photo of the dance production "Ding, A Symbol of Strength". (Photo provided to Guangming Online)

Throughout the creation process, our team worked in perfect harmony, each contributing their expertise – from field research to concept design, we had been inspiring and refining each other’s ideas. My role as a choreographer was to infuse the movements with the essence of the Wang Ziwu Ding. For instance, the dancers’ steps and hand gestures were designed to mirror the Ding’s mouth, base, and body, while the lifting movements symbolize its strength and stability. The opening sequence of our dance was meant to evoke the atmosphere of a museum exhibit, where the three dancers stand still, and use their bodies to form the shape of the Ding. As the dance progresses – from slow, deliberate movements to a dramatic crescendo – it conveys the profound history carried by the Wang Ziwu Ding and its contemporary symbolism as a beacon of prosperity. For us, the Wang Ziwu Ding is not merely an artifact – it embodies the enduring spirit of Chinese culture, a testament to the resilience and brilliance of the Chinese people over five millennia.

Photo of the dance production "Ding, A Symbol of Strength". (Photo provided to Guangming Online)

Cultural preservation is not only our responsibility; it serves also as a means for the world to better understand China. Through our study of these artifacts, we gained a deeper comprehension of their historical and cultural significance, a knowledge that we passed on to the audience through our art. Our hope is that by spreading this culture through dance, we can introduce China’s rich heritage to the world, allowing people from all corners of the globe to appreciate and embrace it. This, we believe, will not only attract them to come to China as tourists, but also inspire them to take meaningful steps towards returning lost relics to their rightful place. Relics are not just markers of history; they are bridges of culture. When they return home, they not only complete China’s cultural tapestry, but also enrich the global mosaic of cultural diversity.

Contributed by Wu Jun, director of the dance production “Ding, A Symbol of Strength”.