No, you don't: Mulian's mother selfishly hoarding the family's wealth (as symbolised by the umbrella) from the needy. SLOWLY, they descended. With the fires of hell licking at their heels, the dancing demons advanced on the solitary figure clad in the simple clothes of a monk.
Mulian — a monk from the world of the living — had entered hell with one purpose: to save his mother from eternal torture and pain.
His entrance was far from welcome, however, and the many demons and ghosts who wandered the realm were utmost determined that no one left their domain. As Mulian proceeded through the levels of hell, he encountered evil in all shapes and sizes.
From menacing, violent ghosts to ghosts of the hanging dead, river ghosts and cunning ghosts of seduction, the young monk strived on to find his mother, who was trapped with scores of hungry ghosts in the deepest of part of hell.
As he travelled, Mulian knew that things could have been very much different.
In deep trouble: A vicious ghost attacking Mulian in the underworld. His parents had been wealthy patrons, and with his father’s blessing Mulian had often spread the family’s goodwill and prosperity to the less fortunate.
However, everything changed at Mulian’s father’s untimely demise.
His mother became seduced by greed and hoarded the family’s wealth to herself, in the end letting it completely consume her.
Upon her death, she was dragged to the underworld by demons to forever atone for her malice and voracity.
Tug-of-war: Demons pulling Mulian's mother from his grasp. Determined to save her, Mulian became a monk, throwing himself into holy scripture to prepare himself for his journey into hell.
One after another, Mulian faced the underworld’s inhabitants and surpassed them with his steadfast determination and purity of heart.
He fell at times but finally managed to reach his mother.
Lifting her onto his back, he slowly made his way back only to be overpowered by demons who tore his mother from his grasp.
In a last desperate attempt, Mulian lifted his eyes to heaven and prayed for Buddha for intervention.
His pleas did not fall on deaf ears and finally both he and his mother were saved by angels who guided them home through a river of light.
The story of Mulian saving his mother is a common tale as it is linked with the origins of the Hungry Ghost Festival celebrated annually by Buddhists and Taoists.
The riveting tale was recently brought to life by the Eastern Dancer troupe and Dance Factory studio who performed it in a spellbinding dance performance at the Penang Chinese Town Hall.
The contemporary dance recital, which raised RM10,000 for the Pure Lotus Hospice of Compassion organisation, was organised by the Penang Malaysian Chinese Cultural Society.
With daring agility and strength, the 15-member dance crew stunned the audience with their well thought-out routine that was complemented with dramatic makeup and costumes.
Dancer Loo Hui Yee, who played Mulian’s mother, was the star of the opening acts.
With unique physical strength, she managed to embody the all-consuming emotions of greed and selfishness, which she portrayed with both her body and her face throughout the dance.
Ngooi Mong Leng, who danced the part of a ‘hanging’ ghost was a clear stand-out in the underworld scenes.
Covered in heavy white makeup, Ngooi was uncannily terrifying in her solo portraying both a haunting and haunted abandoned soul.
Souring through the air, she looked, at times, to be chillingly suspended by unknown forces and received a well-earned round of applause at the end of her routine.
Among other noted dancers in the performance were Er Chyn Chong, who gave a solid performance as Mulian.
The background dancers, whose ages range from 11 to 27, also have to be commended for their strong and enthusiastic performances throughout the night.
Present to grace the event were Malaysian Chinese Cultural Society deputy president Chong Ah Kow and Penang branch chairman Datuk Koay Kar Huah who presented a RM10,000 mock cheque to Pure Lotus Hospice founder Venerable Lyan Shih.
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