"Great Kung Fu Masters come from Shaolin temple, and those from Shaolin never meet a rival."
Shaolin Kung Fu,
the combination of Zen and Martial;
Shaolin Kung Fu,
the soul of virtue
A brand-new Chinese martial arts spectacle
The first Chinese production that has been shown in New York Broadway
INTRODUCTION
Among a myriad of Chinese martial arts, Shaolin KungFu, with over 1500 years of history, enjoys the longest history, with most complete and the largest system.
Soul of Shaolin is a breathtaking new Chinese martial arts spectacle that tells the story of a boy named Hui Guang who is separated from his mother by war. Hui Guang is found and taken in by the legendary monks of the Shaolin temple and raised among them. As he becomes a man, Hui Guang becomes an accomplished master of Shaolin Kung Fu and embarks on a spectacular journey of self-discovery.
Soul of Shaolin features 33 Chinese nationals highly skilled in Shaolin Kung Fu, the astounding martial art featured in such blockbuster films as Fearless (starring international superstar Jet Li) and Shaolin Soccer.
Soul of Shaolin is a large-scale dance drama which tells you a whole story by kungfu performance, it shows a variety of boxing, war instrument, inner-power and fighting routines in a new-brand art style. This amazing show blends the fantastic display of Shaolin Kung Fu with the rich history and tradition of the Chinese people. Created by world-class artists from Chinese theatre, opera and ballet, Soul of Shaolin is dazzling entertainment your whole family will remember forever.
TOUR PERFORMANCES
Since its creation and rehearsal in 2006, it has been performed for nearly 200 times at home and abroad, 3 times in Europe and 150 times in America. It received high praise when the show was performed in Sydney, Macao and during the Beijing Olympics. Soul of Shaolin, this new Chinese martial arts spectacle, will tour again domestic cities after its performing in New York Broadway early this year, making an inaugural Chinese production on Broadway.
Together with the choice skills of Shaolin martial art, some episodes of the series have been performed during quite a number of major international events hosted in China, such as the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, the closing ceremony of the Shanghai stop of 2008 Formula 1 Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix, and the opening ceremony of the XVIII International Federation of Translators (FIT) World Congress in Shanghai in August, 2008.
SYNOPSIS
Preface
Shaolin Kung-fu got its name from its cradle land-Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain about over 1500 years ago. Shaolin Kung-fu is famous all over the world with around 2000 monks and over 500 monks who could play Kung-fu in its heyday. The Kung-fu monks have made contribution and won the morale in history.
Scene I Rescuing orphan
The flames of war were raging everywhere, plunging people into utter miscry and suffering. Miao Xing, the head of Shaolin Temple, led his men to fight against bullies and to hope to bring peace to civilian. During the fight of the war, a woman fell into the hands of gangsters. She hid her baby in the grass and jumped down a cliff. Na Luo, a one-arm Kung Fu monk from Shaolin Temple, saved the baby and found a broken piece of jade identifying his origin in the swaddles.
Scene II Learning in Shaolin Temple
Time Flew. The baby grew up under the care of the monks. He was given the Buddhist name Hui Guang and began to learn Kung Fu from Na Luo. Having grown up and become a great Kung Fu master, Miao Xing, the head of the temple, decided to return the broken jade to Hui Guang and tell him his origin.
Scene III Kung Fu
The monks sweated under burning sun, practicing Kung Fu. They demonstrate Kung Fu skills everywhere in their daily life. One day a monk get drunk and made trouble, Hui Guang tried to stop him but fails. Hui Guang had to involve the fighting with the drunken monk and then beat him down onto the ground. The head of temple, Na Luo, blamed Hui Guang, but he refused to confess his fault. Hui Guang was being punished to reflect his wrong in the hole, in the end he realized that the virtue is the spirit of Shaolin Kung Fu.
Scene IV Encounter mother
On a crowded street, Hui Guang's mother is still alive, in order to looking for her son, she makes living by begging. Some hooligans come and molest her. She fights against them in danger. Hui Guang, just passing by, gives hand rescuing her mother out of danger. Without notice by Hui Guang, the jade falls onto the ground and being picked up by his mother. Mother recognized this jade, with mixed feeling, she follow Hui Guang secretly try to find her own son.
Scene V Looking for Her Son
The monks are practicing Kung Fu under the moonlight. Covering her face, Hui Guang's mother sneaks into the Tablet Forest of Shaolin Temple and hide herself. On the way back to the temple, Hui Guang sees a black shadow (her mother) moving in the Tablet Forest. He captures her. The head of temple and Na Luo come out and interrogate her. The whole things come to obvious. The reunion brings mixed feelings of joy and sorrow to mother and son. The mother asks to take Hui Guang with her. The head of temple refused by saying that, as the temple rules required, only if Hui Guang can fights his way out, then he can be allowed to secularize.
Scene XI Home Return
Hui Guang fights his way out of the temple in fighting process. Na Luo is the last one block on his way. In the crucial moment, the mercy of Na Luo let him give way to Hui Guang, to make him return to his mother. A happy reunion comes. With extremely grateful and tears in eyes, mother and the son farewell to Shaolin.