an “FX 4S P= Bz # Wy Gun Hsite Fah Tsai by Rose Wan ne of the cele- brated cultural events in Vancouver is Chinese New Year. Hundreds of people from various backgrounds flock to Main St. in order to witness the Dragon Dance parades and munch on tra- ditional Chinese cuisine. With such popularity, it seems important that the essence of these traditional Chinese symbols be understood beyond their surface regality. Do people from cultures other than Chinese, or even Canadian born Chinese, truly understand the sig- nificance of the Dragon Dance, the red envelopes or the greeting words of 7& =% # Hf (Gun Hsie Fah Tsai)? Being Chinese and having lived in Taiwan for the first 23 years of my life, | am naturally interested in Chinese legends and Chinese folk art. The art of storytelling is extremely important in forming traditional Chinese culture. Legends are passed through many generations and mainly by word of mouth, thus the stories have simi- larities but also vary in some details. The legends told to me by my elders are very important elements to my Chinese identity. | would like to share with you a piece of my culture... According to this legend, there was a beast called 4: (Nein), who loved to eat people on the first day of the New Year. People were afraid of this beast, so they provid- ed a lot of food to feed him. However, 4 (Nein) was quite greedy so he not only ate all the food but also ate some of the people. Every New Year’s Eve, the vil- lagers would stay home with their families to worship their ancestors and share what was perhaps their final meal together. The parents of the village, because they were always afraid that they would not survive 4F (Nein’s) visit, would give what wealth they had to their chil- dren, and dispersed the money in red envelopes since the colour red was known to frighten 4 (Nein). One day, an old wise man told his village to play drums and gongs and to light firecrackers on the first day of the next New Year, hoping that the noise would scare 42 (Nein) away. He also told the vil- lagers to wear red clothes and dance to show 4£ (Nein) that they were happy and not afraid of him anymore. The New Year came and the vil- lagers did as the old wise man said. 4 (Nein) appeared and was so frightened by the noise and the festivities that he never returned to that village again. The villagers shared their strategy with others and 4 (Nein) has never been seen since. This is why the Chinese Dragon Dance and firecrackers have become central elements in the Chinese New Year celebrations all over China - and Vancouver too. The literal translation of 4 (Nein) is “year” and on the New Year the Chinese say i “E (Gwal Nein), which means ‘passing Nein’ or ‘passing the year’. Red became the lucky colour for the Chinese, and it is customary for parents to give their children red envelopes containing money, called IRR ge $2 «=(Yah Swai Tsain). Everybody greets each other with the saying 7& = # Ff (Gun Hsie Fah Tsai), meaning “congratula- tions on having lucky money”. In some areas of Taiwan, during Chinese New Year, children greet- ing adults with this saying must be given red envelopes filled with money. Another traditional aspect of Chinese New Year involves folk art called 4£ 4 (Nein Hwah). While 4 (Nein) means “year”, ‘di (Hwah) means “painting”; together the words speak of a kind of art that expands on the meaning of Chinese New Year customs. There are three kinds of 4 di (Nein Hwah) - printmaking, paper cut-out and water colour painting. The subjects that “£4 (Nein Hwah) stress are: worshipping gods, counteracting evil forces, lucky symbols, folk tales, and folk customs. An example of 4 ‘3$ (Nein Hwah) that counteracts evil forces is the Money God Painting or Paper Cut-out of Money God. These art pieces are placed on the door to invite the Money God to come in and to keep away any other evil spirits. According to legend the Money God‘s birthday is the second day of the Chinese New Year, and on the fourth day of the New Year the Money God visits families and gives money to them. Thus wor- shipping the Money God at New Year is a common custom especially for business men and women, and this is why Chinese stores and com- panies only open again on the fifth day of the Chinese New Year. Three English books which can be consulted to further understand the Chinese symbols «£ 4% (Nein Hwah) are C.A.S. Williams’ ‘Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives’ (1941), and W.M. Hawley’s ‘Chinese Folk Design’ and ‘Chinese Art Symbols’ (1949, p.22- 32, AR HE FR). To summarize, by studying ££ (Nein Hwah) and the legend of < (Nein), we can better under- stand not only an essential part of Chinese New Year but also some of the symbols important to Chinese culture. I’ve asked many Emily Carr Institute students and instructors what Canadian culture is and a lot of them do not seem to be able to answer this question. This does not mean that Canada has no culture — but it underlines the fact that Canada is an immi- grant country combining many nations of people. Learning to respect and understand each other's cultures is important to forming Canadian culture itself. <@ note: phonetics are Mandarin. , Identities March 1997 / Planet of the Arts 35 =4 NEIN HWAH by Suzanne Holland “| have met brave women who are exploring the outer edge of human possibili- ty, with no history to guide them, and with the courage to make themselves vulnerable. That | find moving beyond the words to express it.” -Gloria Steinem Women in View ANNUAL REPORT 1995 — 96 festival called Women in View is taking place in Vancouver. | went and spoke with one of the founders of the project, Kate Weiss. | was mainly interested in finding out how such an event comes into existence, because these things do not mate- rialize out of nowhere. Nine years ago in Vancouver, Women in View was founded by eight women as a place where women could initiate theatre. Their initiative would eventually expand to include women in all types of performance disciplines. These women were interested in working innovatively and experimentally and often combined different art forms. Thus, the festival has became a multidisciplinary event. At the time of the first festival in 1989, theatre in general reflected very little about women’s visions and ideas about what it is like to be a human being. There were women working in the performance field as actors and stage managers, but very little work had been written by women. “| think that theatre really reflects the human condition,” says Weiss. “Hopefully we want that vision of the human condition to be articulated by women as well as men .” The fact that this festival and others like it exist, gives women a reason to create work. Women have always written, but a fes- tival such as Women in View can help moti- vate them to organize something. This is important in terms of public access. The festival was formerly showcased at the Firehall Arts Centre, but has since moved on to Commercial Drive. Weiss states, “We used to use about 5 or 6 venues and we can’t afford to do this anymore, so it’s nice to have one large venue like the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. We can also use the Wise Hall around the corner, and there are lots of cafés in the area for poetry readings.” Weiss continues, “There's an interest in the festival as a whole... so a new play has a better chance of bringing in an audience, BED AAR (ROSE WAN) whereas a new play (on its own) would just stick out by itself. We also hope that people will go see something they know and then maybe look into something that they don’t know, seeing as they're around for the festi- val anyway. They come to see the cabaret, which is very popular, then they'll go and see a play and maybe come back to see another play. That kind of balance has worked really well for us”. This year's Women in View Festival high- lighted work by First Nations women, and focussed on a theme of courageous women in our community. s@s (WW Identities a nT AS = ae x Gun Hsie Fah Tsai by Rose Wan ‘always afraid that they would not cut-out and watercolour painting, Survive % (Nein) vist, would give The subjects that & (Nein rneof the cele. What wealth they had to their chil--_ Hwah stress are: worshipping Fess cere dren, and dispersed the money in gods, counteracting evil forces, aSg5 red envelopes since the colour red lucky symbols, folktales, and folk Narco ‘was known to frighten (Nein). customs oe new. ‘One day, an old wise man told. An example of St (Nein Chinese Nev hisvillage to play drums and gongs wah) that counteracts evil forces. pect, {and to light firecrackers on the first isthe Money God Painting or Paper day of the next New Year hoping that the noise would scare (Wein) away. He aso told the vile lagers to wear red clothes and ‘dance to show ff: (Nein) that they ‘were happy and not afraid of him anymore “The New Year came and the vil lagers di asthe old wise man sai. 4 (Nein) appeared and was so {rightened by the noise and the. festivities that he never returned to that village again. The vilagers. shared their strategy with others and “ (Nein) has never been seen various backgrounds feck to Main Sin order to witness he Dragon Dance parades and munch on a tional chines un, Wt such opulaiy i seanslnporeant fat the eaerce ofthese waaionl Chinese symbols be understood beyond tei surface regal, Do Detpe tom cultures tbe han Ghinearor an Caneor bor Chinese tuy understand the sg sian ofthe Dragon Dance the Ted envelopes ore greeting words of fe HF B21 (Gun Hie Ponsa? Being Chinese and having ved in Tanon Yor the fst 23 yous of ty ie an rata interested in Chinese legends and Chinese folk Te art of stonteling is extremely important informing {tadtonal Chines cutre Legends are passed through many ererations Sid mabiyby word of ‘rout thus the tories have sin ial bu so vary some dei “he legends told o me by my elders srevery important elrnents tomy cine tent. | woul ke toantre wi yous pec ot my cone ‘According to this legend there vasa beat caled 1 icin) whe \ored to eat people on the fist doy ofthe New Year People were atald of tisbeast 9 they prov tc alot of food to feed hin Hever 42 (Nei was cute greasy she not ony atc al the od tt ato ate some ofthe people Trry New Years Eve the vi Inger Would iy Home with tet {emis to wort ther ancestors ad dare wat wes perhaps ee final men together fe parents of the age Because they were ‘This is why the Chinese Dragon Dance and fiecrackers have become central elements in the Chinese New Year celebrations all lover China ~ and Vancouver too. The literal translation of: (Nein) is "year" and on the New Year the Chinese say 8 (Gwal Nei), ‘which means ‘passing Nein’ or 22, passing the year Red became the lucky colour for ‘the Chinese, andi is customary for parents to give thee children red ‘envelopes containing money, AER IE. (Yah Swai Tain), Everybody greets each other with the saying 48 1% SF JM (Gun Hsle Fah Tsai), meaning *congratula tions on having lucky money". In Some areas of Taiwan, during Chinese New Year, children greet- ing adults with this saying must be given red envelopes filled with ‘money. ‘Another traditional aspect of Chinese New Year involves folk art called “(Nein Hwah), While (Giwah) means “pointing"; together the words speak of a kind of art that expands on the meaning of Chinese New Year customs, There ae three kinds of (Wein Hah) printmaking, paper by Suzanne Holland. have met brave women who are ‘exploring the outer edge of human possibil- ‘ty, with no history to guide them, and with the courage to make themselves winerable, That find moving beyond the words to scien ahes express it” esos St Asta Reo 1985-96 {festival called Women in View is taking place in Vancouver. went land spoke with one of the founders ofthe project, Kate Wess. | was mainly interested in finding out how such an event comes into ‘existence, because these things do not mate: flize out of nowhere, Nine years ago in Vancouver, Women in View was founded by eight women as 2 place where women could initiate theatre ‘Ther initiative would eventually expand to Include women in all types of performance Aisciplines. These women were interested in ‘working innovatively and experimentally and ‘often combined different art forms. Thus, ‘the festival has became a multidsciplinary ‘event. {A the time ofthe first festival in 1989, Cut-out of Money God. These art pieces are placed on the door to Invite the Money God to come in and to keep away any other evil Spirits. According to legend the Money Goss birthday s the second ‘day of the Chinese New Year, and ‘on the fourth day of the New Year ‘the Money God visits families and ‘gives money to them. Thus wor- Shipping the Money God at New ‘Year is 8 common custom especially {for business men and women, and this is why Chinese stores and com- panies only open again on the fifth Since. day of the Chinese New Year. Tee English books which can bbe consulted to further understand the Chinese symbols ff (Nein wah) are CAS. Williams’ ‘Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and ‘Art Motives (194%), and WM, Hawley’ ‘Chinese Fok Design’ and ‘chinese Art Symbols’ (1969, p.22- mH). To summarize, by studying 4% (Nein Hwah) and the legend ‘of % (Nein), we can better under- stand not ony an essential part of led Chinese New Year but also some of ‘the symbols important to Chinese culture. Ive asked many Emily Care Institute students and instructors what Canadian culture is and a lot ‘of them do not seem to be able to ‘answer this question. This does nat mean that Canada hhasno culture - but it underlines the fact that Canada isan imi ‘grant country combining many nations of people. Learning to respect and understand each fothers cultures is important to 1: (Nein) means "year", i forming Canadian culture isl. ‘note: phonetics are Mandarin. March 1997 / Planet of the Arts 35 24 NEIN HWA ‘theatre in general reflected very litle about women’s visions and ideas about what it like to be a human being. There were women working in the performance field 3s. {actors and stage managers, but very litle ‘work had been written by women, “I think that theatre really reflects the human condition,” says Weiss. "Hopefully we ‘want that vison of the human condition to be articulated by women as well as men." ‘The fact that this festival and others ike It exist, gives women a reason to create work: Women have always writen, but a fes- tival such as Women in View can help moti- vate them to organize something. This is Important in terms of public acces, “The festival was formerly showcased at the Firehal Arts Centre, but has since moved (on to Commercial Drive. Weise states, "We Used to use about 5 or 6 venues and we can't afford to do this anymore so it's nice to have ‘one large venue like the Vancouver East ‘Cultural Centre. We can also use the Wise Hall around the corner, and there are lots of ‘cafés inthe area for poetry readings.” Weiss continues, "There's an interest in the festival as a whole... a new play has @ better chance of bringing in an audience, BRHAAR ROSE WAN) The courage project whereas a new play (on its own) would just Stick out by itself. We also hope that people will o see something they know and then ‘maybe look into something that they don't ‘know, seeing as they're around for the festi- val anyway. They come to see the cabaret, hich s very popular then they'll go and see play and maybe come back to see another Play. That kind of balance has worked really Wel for us”. ‘This year’s Women in View Festival high- lighted work by First Nations women, and focussed on a theme of courageous women in our community. ®