Deaf dancers perform the 'Thousand Arms of Guan Yin'
As Beijing is now in full swing to welcome paralympic athletes and guests, the focus here has shifted from the Olympic motto of “faster, higher and stronger” to topics of compassion and stamina. Zhang, in particular, is keen on promoting the spirit of Guan Yin — China’s goddess of mercy.
Asked why Chinese society (atheistic by definition) needs an infusion of Guan Yin’s compassion, he smiles and disarms with the lack of defensive attitude:
“I may be an atheist myself but who can reject such goodness and kindness as embodied by the Bodhisattva of mercy?”
Zhang famously made his name abroad with a show featuring his troupe of deaf dancers in a stunning interpretation of the goddess, titled “Thousand hands Guan Yin”. In the performance, the dancers weave a long line that moves in synchronised motions to create the illusion of a single body with many arms.
While the visual effect is striking, the most stunning impression is made by the message of infinite possibility that its deaf dancers champion. Throughout the show they are guided by hand gestures and the synchrony between music and movements is mesmerising. We are told to expect even more from the opening show of the paralympic games, Saturday.
