Compass Magazine, September 2003

Sun Li-tsui's "Shang Orientheatre" By Selena Huang Translated by Yvonne Chen

       Sun Li-tsui, whose parents were fans of traditional theater, entered the Art College (now Taiwan Art University) 25 years ago to study cinema and theater, and to cultivate her creativity. After graduating, she studied in Europe, beginning in Germany, then England, and then going onto France, then Italy. Finally, she chose to stay in Paris.

During her six years in Paris, she was in Jacques Lecoq Performing School, and worked with Marcel Marceau, Etienne Decroux Mime School, and Henryk Tomaszewski's National Pantomime School of Poland. After working with four theater masters, Sun Li-tsui says, "I seem to have lost myself. When I see how obvious my physical appearance differs from other Western actors, I long for my mother, her round body calling me from home."

      Sun Li-tsui returned to Taiwan in 1991. With the help of her teacher Chang Shao-chuan, her taichi improved. Omei Linchi Chi Kung master Fu Wei-chung passed on to her the essence of chi kung and inspired her to learn about humanism, geography, and the human body. Tacheng Zen master Peng Jin-chuan taught her remarkable techniques. The year she spent living behind Shaolin Temple in China's Hunan province influenced her the most: she embraced Chinese culture living in that cave.

       After returning from Europe, she tried using her knowledge to help Taiwanese groups. The results were not evident, but she gained valuable experience. "The truth is, it is difficult to fully attain ideal performance arts in Taiwan. At times, I feel that all the hard work is a waste of time. But, I know the yearning to bring in Eastern and Western elements cannot be weakened by external factors. The deeper you dig into Chinese culture, the more it affects you."

With that, she continues to work, motivated by the support of family members, and encouraged by friends and students. Theater training has become life's pursuit: she believes that theater can convey "real person philosophy."

      "Shang Orientheatre" was founded the fall of 2001 on Yangmingshan. For the past year, the members studied and lived like spirits, practicing their stands and voices in the deep woods. The spiritual lifestyle is backed with training in theater and Chinese philosophy to help the young people of a materialistic world to open up and find a path back to life.

       Breathing, voice, and the body are used to create taichi, chi kung, drumming, calligraphy, yoga, and pantomime training courses that revolve around Chinese philosophy. Solid guidance allows students to form proper postures, to think, and to be real and self-aware so they become "real" on stage as well as in life.

As tachi and meditation practices proceed, the pantomime performances become philosophical with a Chinese feel. Pantomiming itself is universal; any mime actors know to exaggerate body movements to convey emotions and the importance of timing during time, character, and facial changes on stage. Pantomime performance is elusive: on stage, flowers, jungles, and animals are possible with a snap of the finger, the portrait of a dream as told by the body; the actors are in state of Zen.

      The use of Chinese architecture on stage, the movements of Chinese characters, and the shapes, capabilities, and forces of the actors, life seems complete if interchangeable with career. It is quite fascinating: the figures in old Chinese paintings are relaxed and minute against the immense mountains.