"The Monk from Tang Dynasty" 【SPOTLIGHT: A Season of Performing Arts 2024】Tai Kwun - Centre for Heritage and Arts

"It was one thousand four hundred years ago that Xuanzang trudged across the limitless desert in solitude…". Tsai Ming-liang, the filmmaker who established Taiwanese cinema in the global landscape, brings his acclaimed theatre piece to Tai Kwun for its Hong Kong premiere. Previously featured in Brussels, Vienna, Taipei, and Kwangjin, this production will be designed specifically for the outdoor environment of Tai Kwun.

Tsai's meditative work traces the seventeen-year pilgrimage of Xuanzang, the Buddhist monk who journeyed along the Silk Road. Through rich allegorical imagery and physical movements, the performance transcends traditional boundaries, blending installation art, theatre, and painting. The work features the stellar performances of Lee Kang-sheng, Tsai's long term collaborator, and Kao Jun-Honn with the latter physically present to paint on site.

In this exploration of ancient narratives and contemporary spirit, Tsai contrasts the frantic pace of our information-saturated world with hypnotic movements symbolising loneliness and determination. The dichotomy between the two redirects our gaze to the present, seeing time from a new perspective. With minimalist yet stunning staging, colour, and theatrical elements, this interdisciplinary work becomes an ode to silence, inviting solace and a fresh perspective on time as Tsai continues to leave an indelible mark on the global artistic landscape beyond cinema.

Remarks

- Duration: approximately 2 hours
- No interval
- Recommended for ages 6 and above
- Programmes are subject to change without prior notice. Tai Kwun reserves the right to make the final decision regarding the arrangements