FEBRUARY 2021
PASSAGE
LU N A R NE W Y E A R
with Asia Society Texas Center
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
CONTENTS
// 02
LUNAR NEW YEAR 2021: A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION
// 04
LUNAR NEW YEAR STORIES: CHINESE TRADITIONS
// 06
ZODIAC GUIDE
// 08
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
// 46
FAMILY ACTIVITY: PAPER ROLL OX CRAFT
// 48
SPOTLIGHT: HUAXING ARTS GROUP
// 50
SPOTLIGHT: SHAOLIN KUNG FU ACADEMY
// 53
VENDOR HIGHLIGHTS
CONTENTS AND CREDITS
Contributors JOHNNY CHAU, YEAR OF THE PIG REBECCA BECERRA, YEAR OF THE DOG CHRIS DUNN, YEAR OF THE RABBIT KAITLYN ELLISON, YEAR OF THE RABBIT JENNIFER KAPRAL, YEAR OF THE DOG VEHISHTA KAIKOBAD, YEAR OF THE OX CATHY PODELL, YEAR OF THE SNAKE STEPHANIE TODD-WONG, YEAR OF THE DRAGON WITH SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY ASIA SOCIETY INTERNS:
AANIYAH ALEXANDAR
PRAVDEEP BANWAIT
JUSTAN CORMIER
GIA HERNANDEZ
YEAR OF THE SHEEP
YEAR OF THE SHEEP
YEAR OF THE HORSE
YEAR OF THE SHEEP
Houston Academy for International Studies
Houston Academy for International Studies
Houston Academy for International Studies
Sponsors PRESENTING PARTNER
ART CONTEST PARTNER
1
Houston Academy for International Studies
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Lunar New Year 2021: A Virtual Celebration
Lunar New Year has gone virtual! In addition to the exciting stories and images you'll find in the following pages, join Asia Society Texas Center online in welcoming the Year of the Ox with performances, art and craft activities, and food inspired by Lunar New Year traditions across Asia!
2
A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION
ARTS AND CRAFTS • Learn to make a traditional red envelope, a gift of good fortune given on Lunar New Year! •
Make an Ox hat with Huaxing Performing Arts Group.
•
Create Ox art following a demonstration by teaching artist Vehishta Kaikobad.
•
Watch a Chinese calligraphy demonstration by Huaxing Arts Group.
•
Celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival marks the end of the Lunar New Year festivities. Create your own lantern to celebrate at home!
FOOD • •
Dumplings are a traditional Lunar New Year food! Watch as a Houston family shares their dumpling-making traditions. See how Kuen Noodle House in Bellaire Asiatown makes handpulled noodles, eaten for good luck during the Lunar New Year.
STORYTIME • Listen to a storytime of Brandon Makes Jiao Zi by author Eugenia Chu. •
Learn about the Lunar New Year story of the Jade Emperor with this storytime of Ruby's Chinese New Year.
•
Hear the story Celebrating the Lantern Festival to learn about this holiday marking the end of the Lunar New Year in China!
PERFORMANCE • The Lion Dance is traditionally performed on occasions such as Lunar New Year to bring good luck! Dance to the beat of our Lion Dance performance, by Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy. •
Get up and move to a handkerchief and fan dance demonstration by Huaxing Performing Arts Group.
VIDEO TOUR • Visit the Teo Chew Temple, a Buddhist temple in Bellaire Asiatown, and learn about the significance of the altars and symbols.
3
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Lunar New Year Stories:
Chinese Traditions Beginning with the first new moon of the year, Lunar New Year starts on February 12 in 2021. The holiday is celebrated across many Asian countries and cultures and is rooted in wishes for health, good fortune, and time with family. In China, these traditions have been celebrated for thousands of years—but how did they come to be?
by Gia Hernandez
4
LUNAR NEW YEAR STORIES
CELEBRATING WITH FOOD
It starts with the legend of Nian. According to an ancient Chinese legend, a hideous beast named Nian (年) meaning year, secluded itself under the mountains until the new moon following the winter solstice, when it would emerge to terrorize local villages, hunting for both people and livestock. The villagers dreaded the arrival of the new moon for years, until they discovered the monster’s weaknesses: the color red, loud noises, and fire. After this discovery, the villagers equipped themselves with red attire, loud instruments such as drums and gongs, and of course, fireworks, to scare away the beast. From that point on, the arrival of the new moon became a celebration that lasted for weeks, with each day featuring a different way to celebrate the importance of being together. Lunar New Year is associated with the Chinese lunar calendar (hence its name), the origins of which have been traced back to the 14th century B.C. during the Shang Dynasty. It is quite distinct from western calendars, as it is based on astronomical events, particularly lunar and solar phases. Because of this astronomical connection, the date of the Lunar New Year celebration varies annually.
Throughout Lunar New Year, special foods are eaten for symbolic reasons. The symbolism can come from how a food looks, its name, or even how it is made. One common reason a certain food might be eaten during the holiday is because it resembles family togetherness or a plentiful stock of food, such as eating fish or chicken in their entirety. Another reason is a wish for prosperity, so many enjoy foods that resemble currency as a sign that this will bring wealth. Spring rolls and dumplings are a great example, as they resemble gold bars and ancient ingots. Another common choice are sweets, including candy, dried fruit, and sweet rice balls, as they represent a sweet life. There are many more examples, which vary by region and by family tradition, so Lunar New Year is a great reason to explore some amazing food!
The first day of Lunar New Year is called Yuan Dan (元旦) and revolves around visiting the eldest members of the family to wish them a happy new year. You’ll also see lion and dragon dances throughout the day. The next couple of days are focused on celebrating the birthdays of specific animals of the Chinese Zodiac, including the rooster on the first day, the dog on the second day, the pig on the third, the horse on the sixth, etc. This lasts until the eighth day, when another family reunion dinner is held and prayers to the Jade Emperor begin at midnight, as the ninth day is his birthday. Finally, we have the 15th day, when the Lantern Festival is celebrated as families use lanterns to guide ill spirits away from home.
How long the holiday is celebrated varies from country to ountry. In China, the holiday, also known as the Spring Festival, lasts 15 days—from the first new moon to the first full moon of the lunar month. What exactly happens during those 15 days? Following weeks of cleaning and preparation for the new year, celebrations truly begin on the night before the holiday, With 15 days of manifesting health, with New Year Eve focusing on feasting good fortune, and family, this holiday is with the family, presenting lucky red appreciated to the moon and back! envelopes to the children, and staying up late to enjoy fireworks at midnight.
5
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
ZODIAC GUIDE
The Chinese Zodiac features 12 animals who rotate each year, in sync with the lunar calendar. The origin mythology tells of a great race between all of the animals, with the sequence of the 12 animals in the zodiac reflecting how they placed in the race— the rat is first, the ox second, and onward.
RAT
OX
1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Rats are great at making friends! Those born in the Year of the Rat are optimistic and intelligent but can sometimes be timid or stubborn.
Oxen are people you can count on. Those born in the Year of the Ox are hard workers who often solve problems logically but can also be overly cautious.
DRAGON
SNAKE
1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Dragons are passionate about everything they do! Those born in the Year of the Dragon are strong and independent but can give up easily when challenged.
Snakes are quick thinkers. Those born in the Year of the Snake are smart and talented but can sometimes be possessive or indifferent towards their loved ones.
MONKEY
ROOSTER
1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Monkeys are always up for an adventure. Those born in the Year of the Monkey are active and quickwitted but they can also be arrogant or impatient.
6
Roosters are popular and honest with their words. Those born in the Year of the Rooster are forward-thinking but can sometimes be selfish or critical.
LUNAR NEW YEAR STORIES
Each animal is associated with certain characteristics and has unique traits that reflect those born in their year. While these characteristics can get incredibly in-depth, we're sharing just a sample of some of the essential personality traits.
TIGER
RABBIT
1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Tigers are naturalborn leaders! Those born in the Year of the Tiger are courageous and love a good challenge but can oftentimes be overconfident and rebellious.
Rabbits are creative! People born in the Year of the Rabbit are kind-hearted and gracious to everyone they meet but can be stubborn or hesitant.
HORSE
SHEEP
1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Horses are independent thinkers who have natural popularity. Those born in the Year of the Horse are generous and romantic but can also be too extravagant or outspoken.
Sheep are always thinking of others! Those born in the Year of the Sheep have the strengths of being gentle and considerate but they can also be negative or hesitant.
DOG
PIG
1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Dogs enjoy great popularity among friends. Those born in the Year of the Dog are reliable and sincere but can be stubborn or tend to give up easily.
Pigs are always ready to give a helping hand. Those born in the Year of the Pig are sincere, and generous, but can be easily influenced or short-tempered.
7
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Lunar New Year Art Contest In partnership with the HISD Confucius Institute, Asia Society Texas Center presents the digital version of our Annual Lunar New Year Art Contest! Each year in honor of the holiday, the Asia Society Texas Center collaborates with local teachers to have elementary school students produce artwork themed around the Chinese Zodiac. Though we wish we could celebrate these talented students and showcase their artwork in-person, we're excited to present our art contest in Passage, Asia Society's digital and print-ondemand magazine. In 2021, we're highlighting the Year of the Ox with Benbrook Elementary, Garden Oaks Montessori, Kolter Elementary, Mandarin Immersion Magnet School, and The School at St. George Place. Teachers from our five schools have selected the top five pieces of art from their classes to be featured in the following pages. Enjoy, and Happy Year of the Ox!
8
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
ABOUT THE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE The Confucius Institute (CI) at the Houston Independent School District works to promote Chinese language and culture through district-wide cultural celebrations and special events, Sister School relationships, Chinese Bridge programs for students and educators, and instructional development and support for HISD Chinese language teachers. Founded in 2013, the CI is a partnership between HISD, the College Board, and the Office of Chinese Language Council International (the “Hanban”). The HISD Confucius Institute, the only K-12 Confucius Institute in the state of Texas, currently has six campuses that host Confucius Classrooms. These schools receive an annual grant to support campuswide programs, classroom materials, and teacher training as part of their Confucius Classroom program. In addition, HISD is home to the largest PreK-8 Mandarin Immersion school in the U.S. As part of their commitment to educating Global Graduates, the HISD Confucius Institute is instrumental in developing skilled communicators in a competitive national and global field. The institute also provides professional development for Confucius classroom teachers, fosters collaboration within the HISD community for the purpose of strengthening awareness of Chinese heritage and culture, and serves as a resource center for world language teachers.
9
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Benbrook Elementary Tell us a little bit about your program and your students. Judy: Although Benbrook Elementary’s Visual Arts program is fairly new, our scholars are all amazing artists! They learn about artists, different styles of art, and explore various mediums. Integration of core subjects like Language Arts & Reading are implemented to empower them to write and express ideas about their artwork. Benbrook artists have participated in many art contests and continue engaging in active art production and self-expression! Van: My students are inspiring young writers who are eager to learn about writing in different genres. They are filled with excitement when they are able to express their thoughts through writing. Although writing can be challenging, these incredible students are always enthusiastic. They enjoy presenting and recording each other. We even have our own little production team. They make me so proud everyday! What are some of your class’s favorite Lunar New Year traditions? Judy: This is the first year Benbrook artists have participated in Lunar New Year activities through Asia Society’s generosity. Benbrook artists have been so excited to explore new traditions, artifacts, and places around the world! What have your students learned about Lunar New Year from participating in this project? Judy: Our scholars have learned about mythical creatures, the Chinese Zodiac, Asian architecture, and Asian calligraphy painting. We are so fortunate, lucky, and feel so blessed to have such wonderful partnerships with community organizations like Asia Society!
JUDY FANG
VAN E. JOHNSON
Visual Arts Teacher
4th grade English, Language Arts, Reading Teacher
10
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Christian, 4th grade
11
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Crista, 4th grade
12
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Haylen, 4th grade
13
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Kevin, 4th grade
14
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Lissandra, 5th grade
15
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Garden Oaks Montessori Tell us a little bit about your program and your students. I teach K–8 students in my school, and in my class they learn Art and Chinese. They are highly engaged in class content and absorb knowledge fast. What are some of your class’s favorite Lunar New Year traditions? They love lion dances and dragon dances and participating in Asia Society’s Lunar New Year art contest. What have your students learned about Lunar New Year from participating in this project? They learned about how people celebrate Lunar New Year in Asia, and that the Chinese Zodiac has 12 animals, and everybody quickly located the animal which represented himself or herself. They also learned how to draw ox and coloring skills, thanks to the fantastic instructor Ms. Vehishta!
TIAN DING
Art and Chinese Teacher
16
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Walker, 4th grade
17
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Baxter, 5th grade
18
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Mia, 5th grade
19
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Elise, 6th grade
20
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Eva, 4th grade
21
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Kolter Elementary Tell us a little bit about your program and your students. We have about a third of the school’s students, from Kindergarten to 5th grade, learning Chinese twice a week, 45 minutes each class. What are some of your class’s favorite Lunar New Year traditions? The students love decorating the classroom and school. The 5th grade students prepare and distribute the red envelopes which have fortune cookies inside to whole school. The whole school celebrates with the lion dance and each of my Chinese classes, 1st – 5th grade, try the Chinese New Year’s Eve feast, which include 12 lucky dishes and sweets (there’s also a Chinese New Year breakfast for all the teachers and staff!). What have your students learned about Lunar New Year from participating in this project? The students gather all sorts of knowledge related to Lunar New Year art forms: the symbols related to Lunar New Year and their meanings, why people use red a lot for the celebration, and the legends of Lunar New Year, including the zodiac race and the story of Nian.
WEN CHEN
Chinese B Teacher
22
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Asher, 4th grade
23
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Jenna, 3rd grade
24
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Oliver, 4th grade
25
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Knox, 3rd grade
26
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Lamees, 2nd grade
27
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Kolter Elementary Tell us a little bit about your program and your students. Kolter Chinese program is designed for students of all ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. The purpose of the program is to develop an appreciation and understanding of Chinese language and culture. Students have the opportunity to study the language, culture, customs, art, literature, music, geography, and history of China as well as develop higher-level thinking skills through the use of an integrated curriculum. Students choose to study Chinese language and culture when they are enrolled in 1st through 5th grades. I have years of experience teaching Japanese language and culture at Kolter and have been instrumental in creating and developing the Chinese program. What are some of your class’s favorite Lunar New Year traditions? Students enjoy learning Lunar New Year traditions through handson activities such as making paper lanterns, paper cuttings, drawing zodiac sign of the year and wearing Chinese costumes. Most of all is to taste or making traditional new year food such as dumplings (餃子, jiozi), rice balls（(汤圆, tangyuan), and noodles (面条, mian tiao). What have your students learned about Lunar New Year from participating in this project? Students have learned about Lunar New Year from participating in creating artwork—the Year of Ox. It is said that the Year of the Ox is strong, reliable, fair, and inspires confidence in others. If you want to praise someone, you say “你真牛 (Ni zhen niu),” which means “You are awesome.”
LILING YU
Mandarin Chinese Language and Culture Teacher
28
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Michael, 2nd grade
29
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Natalie, 1st grade
30
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Lila, 2nd grade
31
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Jaza, 5th grade
32
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Nolan, 5th grade
33
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Mandarin Immersion Magnet School Tell us a little bit about your program and your students. MIMS is a HISD-unique campus which aims at promoting the Mandarin dialect and Asian culture learning. Apart from our main focus, we celebrate diversity in our school community. I teach PK4th – 5th graders general art and design courses inspired by art all over the world. My students study in Visual Art, Performance, and Chinese and English language during art class. I currently serve 528 Elementary students at MIMS. What are some of your class’s favorite Lunar New Year traditions? My classes' favorite Lunar New Year tradition is to make the Lunar New Year art in class and participate in the Lunar New Year festival. What have your students learned about Lunar New Year from participating in this project? We learned more about the Lunar New Year celebration held in different countries and then able to compare the purpose and effectiveness of artworks from various times and places, evaluating the artist's use of media and techniques, expression of emotions, or use of symbols. Our students feel proud of themselves being part of the Mandarin culture study community. This project helps students to gain more awareness of culture differences and appreciation of diversity. We need more projects that connect the classroom learning with students' lives. Lunar New Year project brings arts study alive!
YU-TING CHEN
PK4 – 5th Grade Art Teacher
34
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Taylor, 5th grade
35
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Brooke, 4th grade
36
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Liza, 4th grade
37
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Ruby, 5th grade
38
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Carolina, 4th grade
39
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
The School at St. George Place Tell us a little bit about your program and your students. The School of St. George Place (SGP) Elementary School is part of the Houston Independent School district. SGP established their Mandarin Program in 2014 and has been growing for the past 6 years. The Mandarin Program focuses not only on Mandarin language learning, but also on more cultural and traditional experiences. I have created many well-received classroom activities as well as school and districtwide performances to help students experience more Chinese culture. What are some of your class’s favorite Lunar New Year traditions? This is the second year we have encouraged our students to participate in the Asia Society Lunar New Year Art Competition. We celebrate Lunar New Year by organizing school wide student's performances, such as the Dragon Dance, Fan Dance, and other traditional Chinese culture performances. We also have Lunar New Year-themed decorations all around the school, along with four weeks of dedication to learning about Lunar New Year in our curriculum. What have your students learned about Lunar New Year from participating in this project? Through participating in the Lunar New Year Contest, our elementary students were able to express their creativity, learn more about the Chinese Zodiac, and portray their knowledge of the traditions behind Lunar New Year.
BETTY YOU
Mandarin Teacher
40
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Elyse, 4th grade
41
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Amogha, 4th grade
42
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Mariana, 4th grade
43
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Kynnedi, 4th grade
44
LUNAR NEW YEAR ART CONTEST
Fenet, 4th grade
45
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Family Activity
Paper Roll Ox Craft by Gia Hernandez
CRAFT DIRECTIONS In Chinese culture, oxen are valuable, and those born in the Year of the Ox are considered hard workers who are reliable, honest, and smart—but remain humble.
1. Gather your scissors and toilet paper
roll, cut off ¼ of the roll, and give the remaining roll a tiny squeeze—this is so our ox looks wide and strong, but also isn't too flat.
In honor of the Year of the Ox, we’re going to learn how to make an one of our own. Our ox can help us get excited for the holiday—while also being a toy or decorative item!
MATERIALS Toilet Paper Roll Black paint Black Marker Colored Paper
2. Paint your ox black so his colorful features will stand out.
3. While waiting for your paint to dry,
grab your colored paper. Decide which feature you want in each color, and use your marker to draw the horns and eyes on your sheet. Cut out horns and eyes for your ox. For the mouth, draw a small smiley face on another sheet of paper to represent your ox’s nose and mouth, and cut an oval around the smiley face.
Colored Wool Paint brush Glue Scissors
Tip: When cutting your horns, try to aim for cutting the shape of a mustache!
4. When your paint is dry, glue your paper features to your ox.
5. Cut your wool into several strips,
each a bit shorter than an inch. Glue these strips over your paper horns and rearrange if necessary, so we can see your ox’s eyes.
6. Admire the ox you’ve made!
46
FAMILY ACTIVITY
1
2
3
4
5
6 47
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
SPOTLIGHT:
HUAXING ARTS GROUP by Aaniyah Alexander
48
SPOTLIGHT
Huaxing Arts Group has been a long-time partner of the Asia Society, helping us celebrate the Lunar New Year in style. Read below to learn more about Huaxing's focus in showcasing traditional and contemporary dance forms and how they share a diverse range of Chinese traditions to audiences across Houston. Q: Can you tell us a bit about Huaxing and what
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about the types
your organization does? A: Huaxing Arts Group Houston was founded in 2014. It is a civic organization of Chinese Americans in the Greater Houston area. The association has served the greater community through volunteerism and service, as well as promoting Chinese cultural exchange between China and the United States.
of dances you feature, and how are those dances selected or curated? A: China is a multi-ethnic country with different regions. The dance languages, music styles, and costumes are vastly different. We look for dances and performances that showcase the diversities of the Chinese culture and at the same time complement each other. In addition to dance, we have featured instrumental pieces, martial arts, and sand-painting programs, which are highlighted in order to bring the audience and our students rich and wonderful enjoyment.
Q: What are the values of Huaxing and how do
you implement them? A: To enhance the friendship between ethnic groups, sharing cultural elements of diversity and inclusiveness with all Houstonians. The Huaxing Art Group has organized a multitude of large-scale cultural performances with professional standards in recent years. For example, we have jointly hosted the annual Lunar New Year Celebration with Asia Society Texas Center since 2017, and we are glad to see it has become such a popular annual event in the Houston area.
Q: Have you participated in any dance
competitions or exhibitions, and if so, how has that inspired you? A: Yes, our students participated in many local, national and international dance competitions every year, including Dance Showcase, StarQuest, Starpound, Stageone, KAR, KNETX, and others. Most recently, we have received “Outstanding Studio Achievement” at WeShine WDC international Virtual Dance Competition. Participating in competitions allows our students to showcase their talent with other performers and gives us the opportunities to learn and grow. It really inspires us to be better at what we do.
Q: About what age are your participants? What kind of training do the students go through, and what age do you think is best for those interested in dance to begin training? A: The Huaxing Arts Group’s educational base is OAEC Chinese Center of Performing Arts, located at 10600 Richmond Avenue. We offer multiple dance programs for all age groups; students receive professional training starting from children's basic training in concentration, coordination, sense of rhythm, flexibility, technique, choreography, and cultivating a love for dance—which all continue at ageappropriate levels of difficulty. They have opportunities to study all dance styles, including but not limited to, Chinese classical, Chinese folk, ballet, and modern dance. The best age to start dance training is three and a half per our teaching experiences.
Q: What kind of impact have you seen on
the audience you perform for? Is there an age group tends to be the most interested or inspired? A: Our shows are very popular; we do notice the audiences’ understanding of Chinese culture growing. We have received great feedback for all of our age groups, and the five- and six-yearold group seems to be the most popular.
49
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
SPOTLIGHT:
HOUSTON SHAOLIN KUNG FU ACADEMY by Justan Cormier and Pravdeep Banwait
50
SPOTLIGHT
For over 20 years, the Houston Shaolin Kung Fu Academy has shared Chinese cultural traditions throughout the Houston area. In this martial arts center, located in Houston’s Chinatown, a diverse group of students join together to learn the skill and philosophy of martial arts, competing in competitions and winning medals around the world. Now that they've performed Lion Dance at Asia Society's Lunar New Year festival for several years, Shaolin has answered a couple of our questions so we can learn more about their school, lion dance team, and the values that guide all of their activities.
Q: What is the main goal that the Shaolin Kung
“Wude (武德)” can be translated as “martial morality” and is constructed from the words “wu (武),” which means “martial,” and “de (德),” which means morality. Wude deals with two aspects: virtue of deed and virtue of mind. Virtue of deed concerns social relations; virtue of mind is meant to cultivate the inner harmony between the emotional mind (心; xin) and the wisdom mind (慧; hui). The ultimate goal is reaching “no extremity” (無 極; wuji), closely related to the Taoist concept of Wu Wei, where both wisdom and emotion are in harmony with each other.
Fu Academy works to achieve? A: Shaolin Kung Fu Academy is an institution dedicated to spreading traditional Chinese heritage and promoting the exchange of culture between the East and West. The Shaolin Kung Fu Academy has been instructing the people of Houston since 1998; we are located on Sovereign Drive in Chinatown. Our master, Shi Xing Hao, is from the famous Shaolin Temple in China and settled down in Houston after touring with the Shaolin Warrior Monks of Song Shan for many years. The Academy provides a complete system of traditional and competition kung fu, tai chi, kickboxing, self-defense, and lion dance.
Q: What kinds of students do you find
participate in your classes? Do you find there are multiple languages and cultures within the group of students? A: The Academy provides a complete system of traditional and competition fung fu, tai chi, qi gong, and lion dance. Our kid classes start at four years old; roughly 60 percent of our students have an Asian background, however, the remaining students are from varied backgrounds. African American, Hispanic, European, American, and Asian cultures blend harmoniously in our classes and represent a significant portion of our students and instructors. Additionally, the pandemic has given an international dimension to our school— online students from multiple states in the U.S. and countries in Europe have joined us online since last year. We intend to keep our online classes open even after the pandemic.
Q: Can you tell us more about Shaolin-style
kung fu and where it originates? A: The Shaolin style of wushu, or kung fu, is regarded as one of the first institutionalized Chinese martial arts. The first reference to it is in 610 B.C. The word “wu (武)” means “martial.” Its Chinese character is made of two parts; the first meaning “walk” or “stop” (止; zhǐ) and the second meaning “lance” (戈; gē). This implies that wu is a defensive use of combat, or literally, “stop fighting.” Traditional Chinese schools of martial arts like our Academy and the famous Shaolin Monastery of our Master deal with the study of martial arts not just as a means of self-defense or mental training, but as a system of ethics. 51
PASSAGE / FEBRUARY 2021
Q: What impact do you believe you’ve made on
Houston International Film Festival, Greater Houston Regional Spring Festival Gala, and the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II, as well as the China-America Rhyme from Heart performance, and the Water Cube Cup Chinese Songs Contest for overseas Chinese Houston Competition Awards Ceremony.
your community? What values does the center strive to teach its students? A: Our demonstration team performs at more than 70 events per year, helping our Academy share Chinese heritage with the local community. These events include St. Jude’s Children Hospital Fundraising; private shows for the NBA, the Dynamos, and the Rockets; demonstrations for Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Children’s Museum; local universities including TAMU, UT, Rice, UH, and HCC; and at public events such as iFest, among many other events. We received many awards from our Congresspeople Al Green, Sheila Jackson Lee, and Nick Lampson and Mayors Bill White and Annise Parker for community services from 2007 until now.
Shaolin Academy actively participates in various charity performances, including charity fundraising for St. Jude Children's Cancer Research Hospital, The Yellow Emperor Ode & Mid-Autumn Festival, disaster relief charity concert, Guangyanshe charity concert, National Day flag-raising ceremony, Thanksgiving parade, and Christmas charity performance. Our students have won numerous gold medals at national and international competitions. In 2012, several of our students reached the highest level an athlete can achieve in martial arts: representing the USA Team, they became world champion in Wushu at the Junior World Wushu Championship. Over the past 10 years, our students have accumulated more than 200 gold medals in competition.
Our school is driven by eight tenets: motivation, confidence, discipline, perseverance, respect, community, righteousness, and tolerance. We teach our kids to develop self-confidence, leadership, and team spirit.
Q: How does the lion dancing tradition fit in with
the martial arts that you teach in the school? A: Lion dance displays the spirit of the kung fu school, and it is often performed by kung fu practitioners. No traditional kung fu school is considered complete without a lion dance team. Along with the style, lion dance has been passed down from master to student for centuries. The skills needed for lion dancing include strength, stamina, flexibility, balance, and the ability to visualize and improvise dramatic movements. The heavy lion head requires a dancer with strong shoulders and arms, and the performers' footwork incorporates most of the various kung fu stances and kicks.
Q: What does the ideal future look like for your academy and your lion dancing team?
A: It is a great question, especially in this changing
environment. We have now expanded to reach online students around the globe, which is extremely exciting. This is an avenue we will continue to grow. This year, we celebrate the Chinese New Year differently as well—another opportunity to reinvent ourselves as a Lion Dance Team. But we will continue our demonstrations across Texas as soon as the pandemic is behind us, as it is an important part of who we are. In the long-term, we hope all our students, our “Kung Fu Kids,” as we like to call them, and their families, will carry and apply the wisdom and lifestyles of the Shaolin Martial Arts in their own lives and perpetuate the traditions for many centuries to come.
Q: What other events outside of performing at
Lunar New Year celebrations has your lion dance team been a part of? Have you traveled to different locations to perform or compete? A: The Academy has successfully hosted a variety of large-scale cultural and artistic activities, including Kung Fu Hero 2014, Shao Lin Legend 2013, Texas Shaolin Culture Month, International Chinese Martial Arts Health Day, the previous Asian American Art Festivals,
Learn more about Shaolin Kung Fu Academy at houstonshaolin.com
52
VENDOR HIGHLIGHTS
VENDOR HIGHLIGHTS Browse through some of the vendors who would have joined our in-person Lunar New Year festivities, and consider supporting these small businesses online! PEKING CUISINE
LANG’S DOUGH FIGURINES
Traditional northern and Sichuan style Chinese cuisine
Handmade Chinese dough figurines by Jiashan Lang
Find us online: www.peking-cuisine.com Peking Cuisine
Find me online: Archway Gallery langsdoughfigurines langsdoughfigurines
ONE DIM SUM Classic Chinese dishes and dim sum with a creative twist! Find us online: onedimsum.com OneDimSumHTX one_dimsum
STARMOON JEWELRY Specializing in crafting designer jewelry by creating beauty through balance Find me online: www.etsy.com/shop/StarMoonJewelry StarMoon Jewelry
SEOULSIDE WINGS
TINY SPONGE
Korean fried chicken wings and rice boxes
Multicultural Asian kids toys, language books, and tools
Find us in person https://www.seoulsidewings.com/ locations-directory-feed
Find us online: tinysponge.com mytinysponge mytinysponge
Find us online seoulsidewings.com seoulsidehtx seoulsidehtx seoulsidehtx
53
1370 Southmore Boulevard Houston, Texas 77004 AsiaSociety.org/Texas 713.496.9901 STAY CONNECTED AsiaSocietyTexas AsiaSocietyTX AsiaSocietyTX AsiaSocietyTX AsiaSocietyTX #AsiaSocietyTX
