Feb 13, 2009
I WATCHED this year's Chingay Parade and came away disappointed. I found it hard to believe that a once distinctively ebullient Chinese New Year parade had morphed into an incongruously glitzy gala, utterly divorced from its original spirit and character.
If my memory serves me right, the Chingay Parade was introduced because the Government wanted to revive the festive spirit which was dampened after firecrackers were banned during Chinese New Year in the early 1970s.
The parade then was truly filled with a colourful, festive air. There were Chinese traditional dances, Chinese acrobats, Chinese opera, lion and dragon dances.
Today, such characteristic Chinese New Year staples feature only nominally at the parade. There was no dragon or flag-bearing dances and even the trademark lion dance was sacrificed. Much of this year's Chingay was unrelated to Chinese New Year: Items such as a Christmas-themed float and a finale that bore no resemblance to the roots of the Chingay Parade. In fact, the grandiose finale featured a contingent of grotesque characters such as demons and ghosts, which resembled Halloween more than it did Chinese New Year.
Furthermore, the organisers failed to recognise the irony in including demons and ghosts which are taboo for such an auspicious festival as Chinese New Year.
It would have been more meaningful if the parade had featured a traditional theme such as describing how Chinese New Year is celebrated. With 5,000 years of culture to mine, there should not be a shortage of imaginative offerings.
If the purpose of Chingay today is to boost tourism, I am sure tourists will be eager to discover more about Chinese culture in this part of the world, rather than sample an attempt at mimicking a Disney parade.
Nge Tuck Long
[I was thinking that this was going to be a rant by a indignant traditionalist but if what he wrote is true - no lion or dragon dance, and no flag tossing. And Demons and ghosts in the finale, then yes, I agree with him. But I wonder if part of the reason is that there are few or even no performers for these arts anymore? Where would people practice? Who wants their kids to grow up as acrobats?
We may have to hire foreign talent. And then the complaint will be that we have to use foreign talent.
Alternatively, we need to have a National Lion Dance School. Or it should be part of the Sports School?]
I WATCHED this year's Chingay Parade and came away disappointed. I found it hard to believe that a once distinctively ebullient Chinese New Year parade had morphed into an incongruously glitzy gala, utterly divorced from its original spirit and character.
If my memory serves me right, the Chingay Parade was introduced because the Government wanted to revive the festive spirit which was dampened after firecrackers were banned during Chinese New Year in the early 1970s.
The parade then was truly filled with a colourful, festive air. There were Chinese traditional dances, Chinese acrobats, Chinese opera, lion and dragon dances.
Today, such characteristic Chinese New Year staples feature only nominally at the parade. There was no dragon or flag-bearing dances and even the trademark lion dance was sacrificed. Much of this year's Chingay was unrelated to Chinese New Year: Items such as a Christmas-themed float and a finale that bore no resemblance to the roots of the Chingay Parade. In fact, the grandiose finale featured a contingent of grotesque characters such as demons and ghosts, which resembled Halloween more than it did Chinese New Year.
Furthermore, the organisers failed to recognise the irony in including demons and ghosts which are taboo for such an auspicious festival as Chinese New Year.
It would have been more meaningful if the parade had featured a traditional theme such as describing how Chinese New Year is celebrated. With 5,000 years of culture to mine, there should not be a shortage of imaginative offerings.
If the purpose of Chingay today is to boost tourism, I am sure tourists will be eager to discover more about Chinese culture in this part of the world, rather than sample an attempt at mimicking a Disney parade.
Nge Tuck Long
[I was thinking that this was going to be a rant by a indignant traditionalist but if what he wrote is true - no lion or dragon dance, and no flag tossing. And Demons and ghosts in the finale, then yes, I agree with him. But I wonder if part of the reason is that there are few or even no performers for these arts anymore? Where would people practice? Who wants their kids to grow up as acrobats?
We may have to hire foreign talent. And then the complaint will be that we have to use foreign talent.
Alternatively, we need to have a National Lion Dance School. Or it should be part of the Sports School?]
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