Apr 9 / Chinese - Cubans: Taoist Ritual

 

 

Unit: Chinese - Cubans

Theme: Taoist Ritual

 

I

Introduction

Taoism has been an important philosophical influence  on themes, characters, and performance styles cultivated in Cuba after the Chinese migration.

 II

Learning Objectives

• Understand the origin of the Taoist ritual
•  Explain the importance of the Taoist ritual in Chinese opera
• Gain an awareness of the steps of the ritual
• Pay attention to the purpose of the ritual
• Reflect on the work done in class
  

III

Main Lesson

 

 

1

   Chinese Opera

 a)

AI Generated (Check the Sources 1, 2, 3)

 

Chinese opera, particularly Peking Opera, is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, with Taoism serving as a significant source of inspiration and philosophical underpinnings, influencing themes, characters, and performance styles.

Here's a more detailed explanation:

 Philosophical Influence:

Taoism, with its emphasis on yin and yang, wu wei (non-action), and harmony with nature, resonates with the themes and aesthetics of Chinese opera.

Ritual and Performance:

Taoist rituals and ceremonies, including purification rites, have influenced the development of Chinese opera, with some opera performances incorporating elements of Taoist rituals. 

Theatrical Spirits:

Certain theatrical spirits in Chinese opera, like Xianggong Tapeng, are also considered members of the Taoist pantheon, further solidifying the connection between opera and Taoism.  

 

 

b)

 

Puxian Opera

 http://en.chinaculture.org/chineseway/2013-01/28/content_450967.htm

 Xianggong Tapeng is an adaptation of the Daoist altar purification rite to the needs of popular custom and theatrical performance. Xianggong is both a theatrical spirit within Puxian opera and a member of the Taoist pantheon. 

 

In Daoist practice, an altar purification rite involves cleansing the ritual space and oneself through practices like incense burning, chanting, and sometimes vegetarian diets, to create a sacred environment for connecting with the divine.

 A more detailed look:

    Purification of Space:

 Incense: Burning incense, believed to purify the space and alert the deities of the ritual, is a key element.

Chanting and Prayers: Reciting scriptures and specific prayers are used to cleanse the altar and the practitioners.

Water: Sprinkling purified water is another method of cleansing the altar and participants.

Purification of Self:

 Fasting and Vegetarian Diet: Some Daoist traditions involve fasting and consuming a vegetarian diet as a form of purification before religious events.

Inner Tranquility: Maintaining inner peace and tranquility is considered essential for a successful ritual.

Ritual Washing: Practices like washing the face and limbs while reciting prayers are also used for purification.

Altar Setup and Objects:

Incense Burner: The incense burner is a central object, representing the connection to the spiritual realm.

Candle: A candle symbolizes warmth and energy, often used during meditation and rituals.

Statues/Images: Daoist altars often feature statues or images of deities or symbols like the yin-yang, reflecting the practitioner's spiritual focus.

Other Elements:

 Bell: A small brass bell is sometimes used to purify the room with its sound.

Flowers and Fruits: Fresh seasonal flowers and fruits are often placed on the altar as offerings.

Daoist Rosary: A Daoist rosary can be used for chanting mantras.

Respect and Reverence:

Clean and Quiet Space: The area where the altar is placed should be kept clean and quiet.

Respectful Behavior: Practitioners should be respectful and speak in calm tones in front of the altar.

No Shoes: Removing shoes before entering the shrine area is a common practice.

 

Bottom of Form

 

 c)

 

Performance Style:

The stylized movements, costumes, and makeup in Chinese opera are rooted in traditional Chinese culture, which is heavily influenced by Taoism and other philosophical schools like Confucianism and Buddhism. 

 

Musical Elements:

Traditional Chinese instruments, used in opera music, also have roots in Taoist ritual music. 

 

Examples:

    Puxian Opera: This type of opera, in particular, draws heavily on Daoist themes and rituals.

Tang-ki Spirit Medium Worship: This ritual, where mediums take on the roles of gods, borrows gestures and movements from opera, and is judged against a theatrical yardstick.

Peking Opera: This well-known style of opera uses dialogue, singing, pantomime, dancing, and martial arts, all of which are influenced by Chinese culture and Taoism.

 

Shen Yun:

This Chinese classical dance, which is influenced by traditional Chinese opera, also reflects the nation's spirits and masculinity, which is also influenced by Taoism. 

 

 

2

 

 Ritual and Relationship in the Daoist Practice

(8:28 - 17:08)

 

3

 

Taoist Ritual and Popular Cults of Southeast China

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Taoist_Ritual_and_Popular_Cults_of_South/cz8ABAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Guang+Dong+cult&pg=PA7&printsec=frontcover

Kenneth Dean

Sources and Methodology (Pages 7 - 9)

Dean, Kenneth (1995). Taoist Ritual ad Popular Cults of Southeast China. Princeton University Press

 

4

Cuba Contemporanea 

 https://www.google.com/books/edition/Cuba_contemporanea/rwEwAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Taoismo+en+Cuba&pg=PA299&printsec=frontcover

"Pero no tiene la culpa Yuan Shi-kai del taoismo-budistico, ni de la supersticion, ni del hipnotismo confuaciano-mencista..." (Page 300).

 5

 A Journey Through the Subconscious

https://www.taiwan-panorama.com/Articles/Details?Guid=d668da35-6011-4fa2-9564-eee5b131bf51&langId=3&CatId=11&srsltid=AfmBOorz-acA4mo510GqXydVqKjRSO-qwK3ImrcqgJAjc00LNVq91-sj 

 What seem like "strange powers obtained through invoking the gods" are not that difficult to explain using modern science. "Spells are a kind of sound wave vibration. The body's organs and brain functions also create electric waves. If waves from an outside power source are in harmony with the waves created within a person's body, it can help to increase the effectiveness of acupuncture or medicines." Chen says that patients should first be brought into a hypnotic state in order to open up their channels for accepting energy waves. The various spells and incantations used to calm those who have seen ghosts are most effective with small children, because their nervous systems' electro-mag-netic waves are relatively free from the interference of civilization and the environment, and so children are more receptive to outside magnetic fields.

 

6

Article

Controvertido Confucio by Pang Pu 

 https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000051775_spa

 

IV

A Note to Remember

Confucio predicaba la voluntad del cielo," se oponia a las reformas in creia en los espiritus y divinidades. De ahi que haya quienes estimen que el pensamiento confuciano no es mas que una metafisica idealista.

 

V

 Case Studies

 

 1

 

 

2

What you need to know about the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival

 

 VI

Activity

 

VII

Journaling

 

VIII

Glossary

hagiography: A hagiography is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a preacher, priest, founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions.

taoismo-budistico

hipnotismo-confuciano-mencista

 

IX

Sources

1. Lijuan Zhang (2014). The Relationship between Daoist Rituals and Theatrical Performance: The Case of Xianggong Tapeng in Puxian Theater. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/5/4/1001 

 2. Philosophical Speculation in Traditional Chinese Opera. https://www.scielo.br/j/trans/a/qrc8ffRdFztgvzVNvCYf5jn/

3. Swed, Mark (2020). The Tao of Turandot.  https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-09-02/how-to-listen-puccini-turandot-nessum-dorma

 

X

Student's Work