Worship and Cantonese Opera

"Man Han Diu Tzai"--A Cantonese Opera

One of the things that God has been putting more and more into my heart in the past years is worship in the cultural context.  What do I mean by that?

I believe that God created all the different cultures of the earth, and created all different kinds of people, with different expressions of worship.  What I love about being Chinese is that the Chinese have a unique style of music, of worship, and perspective on how to approach God. 

With culture comes brokenness, because of sin.  There are many aspects of my culture that I disagree with as a follower of Jesus, especially the honor-shame system.  Shame blinds us to others’ suffering; shame perpetuates the idea that works lead to salvation; shame keeps us from receiving grace.  But there are other parts of my culture that are lovely: reverence for the holiness of God, importance of family and the group versus the individual, creativity and unique quality of our literature and music, etc.

The Chinese orchestra

I also love to worship God with my culture, my language.  Singing songs in Chinese (both Cantonese and Mandarin) make me happy. 

 

I went to watch Cantonese Opera with my grandmother last week.  It was an eye-opening experience, and a really great cultural lesson!  Cantonese Opera, for those who don’t know, is sung with a really nasally tone.  To many people, even Chinese people, all the singing just sounds like noise.  But for me, I was able to understand a good portion of it, and I saw such beauty in their dramatic styles, their flare for storytelling, the talents of the musicians playing the erhu, guzheng, Chinese drums, etc, and their continual belief in the role of deities in the lives of the people on stage.

Climax...and my thumb

It makes me sad that Cantonese opera is closely tied with idol worship; people have to offer incense to thank the gods for allowing the makeshift auditorium, the hiring of professional actors, etc.  It is my dream that the Chinese would have beautiful Cantonese opera that depict the great story of Jesus and His people one day, complete with the Chinese orchestra and great singing!

I see myself as part of a people who has recently returned to God and heard the Gospel; brave and obedient missionaries who went to China to share and translate the Word for us, to teach us the way to the Father!  200 years later, we have our own Bible—in Chinese!—and our own worship songs—in Chinese!—and Chinese people creating dramas.  Chinese people are reaching out to other nations!  Jesus, you’re glorious and powerful and mighty to save!

What are your thoughts on missional and cultural worship?