Cheng Ho Mesmerizes Audiences

Last weekend the Indonesian Muslim Arts and Culture Institute (Lesbumi) brought to life a 15th century advocate of cultural exchange, Adm. Cheng Ho, in a theatrical piece masterfully presented at the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center. Under the direction of Siti Artati, Agus Smok and Suhandi Biru Laut, the two-hour drama took the audience on a fascinating journey of Javanese and Indonesian culture fused with Islamic philosophy. The performance commemorated the 85th anniversary of the Nahdlatul Ulama National Board (PBNU), with the Chinese explorer and diplomat Cheng Ho, or Zheng He, chosen as its protagonist because he was a multicultural figure credited with helping spread Islam in Indonesia. “The mission of this theatrical drama is to promote pluralism and multiculturalism as fought for by Gus Dur,” said Al-Zastrow, chairman of Lesbumi, referring to the late Abdurrahman Wahid, who was both president and head of NU.

Cheng Ho, a Ming dynasty eunuch in the service of Emperor Yong Le, is believed to be one of the propagators of Islam in the region, himself being known as a devout Muslim bearing the title hajji. The show, which took three months of preparation, began with the narrator, master puppeteer Ki Enthus Susmono, paying tribute to Cheng Ho through song and puppetry.

The live music that accompanied the play combined Javanese gamelan and traditional Chinese instruments such as yangqin, erhu and guzheng. The unexpected combination of styles enthralled the audience and was one of the main attractions of the show. The story was presented in flashbacks, showing a young Cheng Ho practicing kung fu while being taught Islamic philosophy by his Muslim parents. Being of Mongol background, his village was attacked and he was castrated and conscripted into the service of the Chinese kingdom, where he eventually rose to become a trusted adviser to the emperor. The traditional Chinese practice of castration was humorously explored through puppet play.

The Ming court came to life with actors wearing bright traditional Chinese clothing and moving about in a feudalistic manner. Feng Xiaro, a court historian, was brilliantly played by Budi Tompel. When asked by the usurping emperor to name him the rightful ruler of the Ming dynasty, Xiaro refused and declared, “To denounce history is to denounce your forefathers!” Cheng Ho reappeared halfway through the play, receiving orders from Yong Le to travel the seas and to proclaim him as the emperor. Veteran actor Ray Sahetapy ably played the charismatic admiral. The biggest letdown of the play was perhaps the fictionalized love scene between Cheng Ho and an unnamed woman, portrayed by Rieke Diah Pitaloka. Although the actors played their roles with conviction, this historically undocumented scene did not help develop the story.

The play also prominently satirized Indonesian politics, which really hit the mark. A quarrel between political parties in one of the scenes was cut short by the loaded statement: “Stop quarrelling! You are on the same ship!”. The success of the production could be seen after the show when young children from the audience started chanting, “Cheng Ho! Cheng Ho! Cheng Ho!”. Encouraged by the warm reception the performance received, Lesbumi plans to stage more performances this Thursday and Friday at Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki.

Quoted from http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifeandtimes/cheng-ho-mesmerizes-audiences/420783

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