The colors of that far far away flag

On 18^th October 2008, Fong’s Kung Fu School’s Lion Dance Team was invited by “Chinesische Frauenvereinigung in Sueddentschland e.V. Muenchen” to perform a Lion Dance show, on the party of “National Day of Taiwan”.

This was already the second time to receive the invitation; our lion dance team was very glad to have this opportunity to perform, especially in front of the Chinese people. It was very meaningful. Because of this reason, Michael was very cautious to design the lion dance performance to give a most special presentation.

In between of three weeks practicing, I did not go to kung fu school to look. Only when Michael came back home, and told me how was the situation, then we discussed about the details, and how we could make it better.

After a week of practice, Michael asked me, how about to add the element of “ the flag of Republic of China” in this performance? I thought it was a very great idea, and discussed the script with Michael. But the question is where we could get a “flag of Republic of China”? 

Afterward, the secretary of Taipeh Vertretung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Buero Muenchen, Mr.Shi helped us to get a big “flag of Republic of China”. After we got the flag on the way going home, the small pack of my country’s flag which has three colors, red, blue and white, lay down on my legs. That is such a kind of strange feeling to me.

For how long I never hold my own country’s flag on my hands?

We do not resemble the America, Britain; the symbols of their flags are countless using for the fashion clothing design. It presents not only a country, also represents a tidal current. It may be on the coat, design for the bikini, and so on is countless.

We do not have the football sport event and the grand occasion as in Europe. In Europe, during the football games playing, each country, everybody, on their faces, on the clothes, on the cars, on the windows, and anywhere that you do not expect, they hang, dress, or paint to show their own country’s flag, to expand their country’s prestige, to demonstrate their loyalty and encourage.

So, when and for what reason we hold a flag？ I think no more. On the National Day, do the students now still go to school or the park to join the flag-raising ceremony to participate the ceremony of the National day？On the hand, holding the ten dollar plastic flag, and playing, fighting, poking with the flag with the schoolmates. Then after the ceremony of the flag-raising, as soon as possible to throw away the flag to the trash can. I was also one of the small students that thought that it was vulgar and stupid to hold the flag on my hand.

This memory of the flag in the past replayed in my mind, very light, and silent. How long beforehand has that been?

On 18^th October, the performance day, all the lion dance team students warmed up first at kung fu school before we went to the party of National day, and practiced two times more to be sure that every detail would be ok. I have never seen this performance before until this moment.

When the lion head was waving the Republic of China’s flag, when the colors of blue, white and red were waving front of me; my eyes were moist unexpectedly with tears. I was also astonished about my reaction, am I suddenly patriotic？ Or the small girl who was compelled to participate the ceremony is just suddenly awake？Or actually the land of my country is really too far away, only the strokes of blue, white and red, then my eyes were moist with tears.

I do not feel longer that the flag is vulgar and stupid, blinked my eyes gently, and then the tears dropped.

On that day, the performance obtained the applause from the whole audience at the party. The friend told me, when she saw the flag fluttered in the air, her tears fill her eyes immediately. I told her, I have also the similar emotion.

On the way back home, the latter compartment of our car fill of the lion head, the big drum and other performance equipments, and was shaky. I grip Michael’s hand, thanks him, on this black, red and yellow land, he waved the blue, white and red in my heart, and let me cherish the memory of the old, lovely time which initially I did not understand and realize with enough time.

Our lion dance team Heroes, I want to thank you for your great show on that day. Our heroes are Shi Fu Michael Punschke and Elias Maurides, Thomas Röhling, Tobias Knopff, Sebastian Schmidt, Thomas Petersen, Thomas Freier, Cengiz Dedeoglu, Can Dedeoglu und Benny Schweikl.