213 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums): Imagining the 24 Jie Ling (Phenomena) of China in Enacting Cultural Solidarity among the Chinese Diaspora of Malaysia Clare Suet Ching Chan Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia Submitted: 2021-08-30. Revised: 2022-03-14. Accepted: 2022-10-13 Abstract The 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums) is a drum ensemble that consists of 24 lion drums (shigu) played by twenty-four drummers who move to spectacular and dynamic choreog- raphy in synchronization with the rhythmic patterns struck on the shigu. It is an “invented tradition” created by the Chinese diaspora of Malaysia. In response to the 1970s Nation- al Cultural Policy (NCP) which aimed toward the construction of a homogenized national iden- tity, the Chinese founded the 24 Jie Ling Gu ensemble to enact cultural solidarity and unify the people toward a sense of belonging to their distant motherland in China. They created the music and movements of the 24 Jie Ling Gu to manifest the 24 jie ling (phenomena)—the weather chang- es, agricultural activities, and natural phenomenon inherent in the 24 jie qi (jie: joints; qi: breath) or seasonal periods. Due to the fact that the Chinese of Malaysia have not physically experienced China but are connected to it through literature and media technology, I argue that the 24 Jie Ling Gu performers utilized their imagination and localized experience of Malaysia to manifest the 24 jie ling in China. This article is based on ethnographic fieldwork and ongoing revisits to this  genre through a span of more than 20 years. Keywords: 24 festive drums, 24 Jie Ling Gu, Chinese drum ensemble, diaspora, jie qi, invented tradition How to Cite: Chan, C. S. C. (2022). 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums): Imagining the 24 Jie Ling (Phenomena) of China in Enacting Cultural Solidarity among the Chinese Diaspora of Malaysia. Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education, 22(2), 213-226 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 22 (2) (2022), 213-226 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/harmonia DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/harmonia.v22i2.31813 Chinese. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, many Chinese from the regions of Guangdong and Fujian in Chi- na arrived in Malaya as labourers seeking new economic opportunities offered by the British mercantile and administrative presence in the Straits Settlements (Pan, 1998, p. 96). Many of them were driven by poverty and despair brought about by ag- rarian problems, overpopulation, natural calamaties, and landlord exploitation in China. In Malaya, the Chinese found work INTRODUCTION The earliest traces of Chinese settle- ments in Malaya were found in Malacca— a historical state situated along the South West coast of Peninsular Malaysia. These settlements were founded by Hokkien tra- ders who came from China to trade with the Malaccan Sultanate around the years 1400 A.D. The Chinese men from this ento- urage married local women in Malacca and formed a community known as the Baba Corresponding author: E-mail: clarechan@upm.edu.my p-ISSN 2541-1683|e-ISSN 2541-2426 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 22 (2) (2022): 213-226214 as labourers in tin mines; pepper or gam- bier;  plantations; sugar and tapioca fields   (Yen, 1995, p. 1). The current population of the Chi- nese in Malaysia is 6,716.9 million (20.5%) of a total population of 32,655 million (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2021). They comprise five major dialects: Hokki- en, Cantonese, Teochew, Hainanese, and Hakka. These groups brought the culture, customs and practices, social etiquettes, literature, philosophy, religion, festivals, music, dance and drama from their re- gions of origin in China (Yen, 1995, p. 12). The early Chinese immigrants expressed strong desires to preserve their cultural identity in Malaya. This desire rose from the need to create a sense of security and belonging in a foreign country where they were a minority. Practicing, preserving, and sustaining the cultural heritage and identity was a way to stay united. The festivals that the Chinese in Ma- laysia inherited from China are the Lu- nar New Year, Cold Meal Festival (Qing Ming), Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie), Hungry Ghost Festival (Zhong Yuan Jie), Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu Jie), Cowsherd and Weaving Maid Festival (Qi Xi Jie), Nine Emperor Gods Festival and Winter Solstice (Dong Jie)(Stephanchuk & Wong, 1993; Wong, 1987). Professio- nal troupes and the amateur group per- formed music, dance and drama genres in Malaysia. Professional troupes such as Chinese opera, Chinese orchestra (hua yue tuan), Chinese puppet theaters (po te hi), and street theaters (ko-tai) performed to entertain the spirits during rituals to give offerings to the Gods and deities. Amateur groups such as lion dance, dragon dance, or martial arts groups perform to accom- pany celebrations and festivals. Amateur troupes are usually sponsored by rich patrons and developed by Chinese clubs or associations to enhance solidarity, pro- mote good health, and strengthen relation- ships among the Chinese in Malaysia (Tan, 2000, pp. 312-320). The 24 Jie Ling Gu en- semble is an example of a relatively new amateur group. The ensemble was able to foster relationships, team building, and performance skills, including coordinati- on between movement and music among Chinese primary and high schools in Ma- laysia (Lee, Loo, & Saidon, 2015, p. 2332). The Chinese performing arts in Ma- laysia went through a revival in the 1970s and 1980s. This revival was sparked by the racial riots that occurred on May 13, 1969. This event spurred the government to es- tablish the New Economy Policy (NEP) that favored the bumiputeras (bumi: earth, puteras: princes) in Malaysia (Tan, 2000, p. 328). This was followed by the develop- ment the National Culture Policy (NCP) (Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia, 2019,   July 12). This concept suggested that the national culture had to consist of three ele- ments. 1. The national culture must be based on the indigenous culture of this region. 2. Suitable elements from other cultures may be accepted as national culture. 3. Islam is an important component in the formulation of the national culture. Although the NCP was practiced for a brief period, it was never established as a policy due to resistance from the peop- le. However, this concept evoked feelings of fear, instability, and threat among the Chinese of the newly Independent (1957) country then. It created an awareness of the importance status, rights, and identity of the Chinese in Malaysia. The Chinese began searching for their identity amid- st a country of different ethnicity, religi- on, and culture. Ethnic identity, cultural consciousness, and community solidarity became integral to the survival of the Chi- nese immigrants of a newly independent nation. According to Carsten (2003), the promotion of “Greater China” and “Cultu- ral China” in the 1970s to bridge barriers in political, commercial, and cultural bar- riers  enabled  Chinese  cultural  influences  to penetrate Southeast Asia. Videocasset- tes recorders, satellite television, interna- tional telephone, and fax lines enabled the Chinese in Malaysia to view cultural tra- ditions from China, including their music, dances, and festivals (p. 322) Clare Suet Ching Chan, 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums): Imagining the 24 Jie Ling (Phe- 215 One of the ways the early Chinese immigrants sought to create cultural so- lidarity was by developing a new perfor- ming arts genre that manifested their iden- tity in the diaspora. The 24 Jie Ling Gu, a n “ i n v e n t e d t r a d i t i o n ” ( H o b s - b a w m & R a n g e r , 1 9 8 1 ) was foun- ded by the late Tan Hooi Song and Tan Chai Puan. The late Tan Hooi Song was a music teacher from Foon Jew High School in Johor Bahru and lion dance drummer who created the first music and movement  for the drum ensemble. Tan Chai Puan introduced the concept of the 24 jie qi (jie: joints, qi: breath) from China’s agricultu- ral calendar, which forms the basis for the music and movements of the 24 Jie Ling Gu (Chan, 2002). The agricultural calendar divides the solar year into twenty-four jie qi or seasonal periods based on changes in the weather in China. Farmers in China have used this calendar since ancient times as a guide to their farming activities. While the concept of the 24 jie qi is from China, the music and movements of the ensemble were created by the local Chi- nese performers based on their imaginati- on of the events that occurred during each jie qi in China. The music and movements of the 24 Jie Ling Gu mainfested the jie ling (phenomena) such as weather changes, ag- ricultural activities and natural phenome- non related of each jie qi. For instance, du- ring the Spring Equinox, Chun Fen (fourth jie qi), the 24 Jie Ling Gu drummers mimic the activity of the farmers transplanting paddy seedlings (Cha Yang) to the field by  moving their hands in vertical movement to the rhythmic pattern of four crochets in a bar. The drumstick is held vertically, rep- resenting the paddy shoots that are being planted  in  the fields. The music  and mo- vement representing Spring Equinox will further be exemplifed in this article. This article presents the relation- ship between the concept of the 24 jie qi with the music and movements inherent in the 24 Jie Ling Gu. Due to the fact that the Chinese of Malaysia have not physically experienced China but are connected to it through literature and media technology, I argue that the 24 Jie Ling Gu perrformers utilized their imagination and localized experience of Malaysia to manifest the 24 jie qi in China. This imagination invol- ves cognitive stimulation devoid of direct stimulation to the senses but from exposu- re to mediated images and literature from China. In addition, the performers also in- tegrated their localized experience of Chi- nese festivals and agricultural activities in Malaysia to compose the music and move- ments. According to Szczelkun (2018), “imagination is the production or simu- lation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any imme- diate input of the senses … it represents a sophisticated level of functioning in which playful use is made of our abili- ty to mentally replay and combine pre- vious experiences” (p. 33). Williamson (2016) states that “imagination is “a form of attention to possibilities, where po- tential realities are projected, simulated, and operated upon internally” (p. 4). The music and movement of the 24 Jie Ling Gu are based on the “forming of experiences in one’s mind, which can be re-creations of past experiences, such as vivid memories with imagined changes, or completely invented and possibly fantastic scenes” (Szczelkun, 2018). Therefore the 24 Jie Ling Gu performers combine both cog- nitive stimulation with or devoid of input to the senses in creating the music and mo- vements. This article focuses on the music and movement pattern that was imagined and created by Malaysia’s pioneering 24 Jie Ling Gu ensemble in the early 1990s to 2000s. As the Chinese began to establish themselves in Malaysia, they began to in- clude multicultural elements in the 24 Jie Ling Gu music and movements. These multicultural components are not discus- sed in this article. The earliest term used to refer to members of the Chinese diaspora is huaqiao or Oversea Chinese (Wang, 1991) Wang used this term to denote “sojourners who cared enough for China to involve themsel- Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 22 (2) (2022): 213-226216 ves in Chinese politics as well as colonists who had the right to conceive China’s pro- tection” (Wang, 1991, p. 84). Early Chinese immigrants sought to maintain connec- tions and ties with China through practi- cing and implement China’s cultural he- ritage. Mackerras (2005) states that in the contemporary age, many Chinese have both integrated themselves into the society yet maintained their Chinese identity to a certain extent. The degree and extent to which both processes happen are complex, intriguing and addresses the issue of cul- tural identity” (p. 18). The performing arts is a medium that manifests the depth, de- gree, and diverse ways the Chinese overse- as have incorporated some forms of “Chi- neseness” into their identity. The different dynamics of negotiation between social, cultural and political issues inadvertently shape the performing arts (Lau, 2005; Tera- da, 2001; Wichmann-Walczak, 2005; Yang, 2001). The next section summarizes how these dynamics have constructed the per- forming arts in the Asian diaspora. Music in Chinese Diasporas In California, United States of America, many of the early Chinese im- migrants originated from Guangdong. In the early twentieth century, Cantonese opera became a popular tourist attraction. Famous opera actors such as Mei Lanfang traveled to the United States, Japan, and Eastern Europe in the 1960s-1970s, while Ma Shizeng (1900-1964) toured Singapo- re, Vietnamese, and California between 1920-1933 to perform Cantonese opera (Mackerras, 1975, 151-152; Mackerras, 2005, p. 22). Chinese opera troupes from China were often invited to perform in the Chinatown of San Francisco in Cali- fornia. These operas entertained many lo- nely Chinese aging bachelor immigrant workers who sought solace, refuge and a sense of belonging to China by keeping in touch with the performing arts from Chi- na (Yang, 2001, pp. 391-393). Watching Chinese opera appeased the feelings of nostalgia and longing for a distant home- land for the Chinese in this diaspora. The original version was more important that the creation of new cultural performances related to a new identity in the diaspora. Lau (2005) argues that the notion of “Chinenesses” is a construct that pro- motes selected “traditional culture” in the interest of Singapore’s national agenda. As a result, many amateur music clubs in Singapore have had to change from “gras- sroots types of social organizations into embodiments of the national discourse on race” (pp. 38-39). Therefore, culture does not necessarily have to be created from a “living and organic shared belief and ex- perience.  It could be formed by a “fix sys- tem of claimed cultural element ... in order to justify the predetermined cultural ca- tegorization of people” (Ang and Stratton, 1995, p. 8). In response to the forced opening of Japan to the West in 1868 during the Meiji Restoration, the early Japanese im- migrants to the United States, the Issei or  the   first  generation  of Japanese in Ca- lifornia strove to strengthen their identity by learning Japanese traditional music on the koto (plucked board zither), shamisen (plucked lute), shakuhachi (end-blown flu- te) and biwa (plucked lute. At the same time, Issei encouraged their children, the Nisei, to learn western classical music to assimlate and be accepted as Americans in their country of birth (Yang, 2001, pp. 398-399). The sansei (third generation) ho- wever, inspired by the civil rights move- ments of the 1960s became increasingly aware of ethnicity and cultural identity in North America. They were interested in their cultural roots and learned about the history and culture of Japan. Sansei also began engaging in learing to per- form and create new drumming patterns and choreography for Taiko. Taiko was an emerging popular contemporary Japa- nese drumming in North America led by Tanaka then. Tanaka and his sansei stu- dents composed new arrangements that represented their experiences as Japanese Americans. Taiko was given new meaning after World War II from post-war wada- iko music inspired by communal music Clare Suet Ching Chan, 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums): Imagining the 24 Jie Ling (Phe- 217 performed by the kumidaiko (Terada, 2001, pp. 37-41). The construction of Japanese American identity through taiko has pa- rallels with the Chinese of Malaysia 24 Jie Ling Gu drum ensemble. In its early pio- neering years, the music and movement of the 24 Jie Ling Gu’s pioneering performan- ce were based on the concepts of the natu- ral phenomenon, weather, and festivals in China. The Chinese constructed their iden- tity in the diaspora by imagining and romanticising the components based on literary and visual resources from China. The next section discusses the origins of the formation of the 24 Jie Ling Gu. The Twenty-Four Jie Qi (Twenty-Four Joints and Breath) in The Chinese Agri- cultural Calendar The Chinese Agricultural calendar is based on the earth’s yearly orbit around the sun. This cyclical of the earth around the sun determines the seasons, weather and climatic conditions. It is also known as the solar calendar. Each cycle of the earth’s orbit around the sun is completed in approximately 365 ¼ days. This Chine- se Agricultural Calendar subdivides this yearly cycle of 365 days into twenty-four seasonal periods known collectively as the twenty-four jie qi (Appendix). Each jie qi lasts about fifteen days (two weeks) and is  marked by significant changes in the weat- her and nature phenomenon. The Chinese Agricultural Calendar was an important calendar amongst the ancient Chinese far- mers and is still referred to today as it in- dicates significant changes in the weather  and also the occurrence of the Solstice and Equinox (Wang, Chen, & Tsai, 2000). The twenty-four jie qi were impor- tant benchmarks for the ancient farmers in China as it is an accurate indication of the change in the weather phenomenon which in turn guided the agricultural activities of the farmers. It serves as a reference for the farmers, indicating the phases of growth in their crops, thus determining the time for sowing, weeding, irrigating, transplan- ting, harvesting and winnowing. The an- cient Chinese farmers possess instinctive abilities to detect minute changes in the weather and nature through their experi- ence, sensitivity, and intimate relationship with the earth and the sky (heavens). In short, the life-style of the farmers in Chi- na are developed according to the twenty- four jie qi (Chan, 2001; Palmer, 1986). The twenty-four jie qi most accurate- ly depicts the weather and climate in the regions along the Wei Ho and Huang Ho River, and on the north river valley of the Qing Shan (Qing Mountains) in the regions of Shaanxi and Hunan (Arakawa, 1969, p. 3). This area is also known as North China Plain or the “cradle of civilization” becau- se it was the area where the earliest Chi- nese civilization was found. It is a densely populated area because of its fertile soil of alluvial and loess  (deposits of fine, wind- borne silt or dust of glacial origin). Whe- at dominates this area whilst millet, sorg- hum, soybean, cotton, tobacco, fruits and vegetables are also planted (Muller & de Blij, 2000, p. 452). The meaning of jie qi The Chinese Almanac or T’ung Shu literally translates the meaning of jie qi as “joints and breath”. Jie is translated as “joints” and these “joints” refer to the endless cycle of seasons which are bonded or linked together by the twenty-four jie qi. Qi means “breath” in Chinese and refers to the never-ending cyclical process of chan- ges in the seasons as the perpetual source of life for man, nature and animals (Pal- mer, 1986, p. 4). Many different terms have been used to refer to the twenty-four jie qi. The “twenty-four solar terms” derive from the understanding of the twenty-four jie qi from an astronomical point of view. The 24 jie qi can be subdivided into 24 sub-seasons or seasonal periods (Times Chinese Eng- lish Dictionary, 1979). The Chinese Agri- cultural Calendar was an important calen- dar amongst ancient Chinese farmers and is still referred to as it indicates significant  changes in the weather and the occurrence of the Solstice and Equinox (Wang, Chen, & Tsai, 2000). The Republic of China refers to three types of the calendar; the Gregori- Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 22 (2) (2022): 213-226218 an, Lunar, and Agricultural Calendar. The Gregorian calendar is the official calendar  of China and is frequently used because it is the standard practice in the world. This enables easy synchronization of time around the world. The Lunar Calendar is still important to the Chinese because of its associations with the Chinese festivals, ri- tuals, and full moons. METHOD This research was based on ethno- graphic  fieldwork  conducted  in  Penang,  Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru from 1998 until 2001. As a participant-observant, I learned to play the 24 Jie Ling Gu under the tutelage of Quah Beng Chye at Chong Hwa School in Penang. I also studied with Bernard Goh Seang Heang, who taught the 24 Jie Ling Gu at Chong Hwa Independent High School, Kuala Lumpur and Seremban during the late 1900s. This research culmi- nated to my Master of Arts (Music) thesis at Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2002. The thesis discussed the relationship between the music and movements of the 24 Jie Ling Gu with the agricultural activities; natural phenomenon in the environment; and fes- tivals or rituals during the 24 jie ling. As I reflect back on my master’s the- sis, the questions that kept emerging was why the Chinese diaspora in Malaysia was exclusively centralizing China and exclu- ding Malaysian components from the 24 Jie Ling Gu performances. In this article, I included literature on the performing arts of Chinese diasporas in other countries. Comparing the politics, social and cultural situation of the Chinese in other diaspora deepened my understanding of the 24 Jie Ling Gu I had studied years ago. I was also intrigued by how the Chinese of Malaysia could create these music and movement without having experienced the agricul- tural activities; natural phenomenon in the environment; and festivals or rituals, in China. In recent years, I also noted that the Chinese in Malaysia were struggling to continue imagining the 24 jie ling and are now integrating many multicultural musical elements from Malaysia into their composition and choreography. In this ar- ticle, I use the concept of “imagination” to explain the approach the 24 Jie Ling Gu performers utilized to compose and create their music and movement. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A performance of the 24 Jie Ling Gu consists of a combination of skillful drum- ming synchronized with swift, gallant movements of the hands, legs, and body. Hand, leg, and body movements are cho- reographed into movement patterns ac- companied  by  the  drumming  of  specific  rhythmic  patterns.  An  ordered  flow  of  rhythm and movement patterns in a whole performance are organized to tell a story. This section comprises selected examples of how the music and movement of the 24 Jie Ling Gu manifest agricultural activities, natural phenomena in the en- vironment, and festivals or rituals. These activities vary according to the changes in weather which is distinctly marked by the 24 jie qi. Some of the agricultural activities reflected are spring planting, summer cul- tivation, autumn harvesting, and winter storing. A natural phenomenon in natu- re  includes  rainfall,  blooming  of  flowers,  falling of leaves, breeding of insects, and snowfall. Spring, Chun First (1st) jie qi, Li Chun (Commencement of Spring) The Commencement of Spring, Li Chun  is  the  first  jie qi and marks the en- ding of winter’s cold, slow and dull en- vironment. Li Chun brings a new, fresh, warm atmosphere enhanced with light and hope. The cold air is replaced by the warm spring air from the east wind. The atmosphere is enlightened by a bright and sunny environment. The land is said to be “reborn” and “revived.” Farmers are hap- py to be able to start agricultural activities. Paddy seeds are sown in nurseries, and paddy fields are cultivated so new paddy  seedlings can be transferred to the paddy Clare Suet Ching Chan, 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums): Imagining the 24 Jie Ling (Phe- 219 fields.  Farmers  are  very  busy  with  agri- cultural activities such as plowing; hoeing and smoothing the soil; uprooting weeds, and irrigating rice fields (Hsiao-Tung Fei,  2006, p. 15). East South West North, Dong Nan Xi Bei In Dong Nan Xi Bei, the drummer plays a repeated rhythm pattern (Figure 1) while encircling the shi gu (lion drum) (Figure 2-5). The drummer may begin from his left by moving according to the arrangement of Dong Nan Xi Bei (North east southwest). He could also begin from his right, moving in the opposite direction: Xi Ban Dong Bei (West, North East South). The motive of circling the drum is sym- bolic of the change occurring in the east, south, west, and north as spring approa- ches (Chan, 2001, pp. 97-102; Chan, 2022). Figure 1. Rhythm pattern for East South West North Dong Nan Xi Bei Figure 2. Position 1 Dung Figure 3. Position 2 Nan Figure 4. Position 3 Xi Figure 5. Position 4 Bei Second (2nd) jie qi, Yu Shui (Rain water) The second jie qi, Yu shui is characteri- zed by short rainfalls brought by the east wind as it blows across the mountains. The melting snow provides the rivers and the lowlands with  sufficient water  for  irriga- tion. During this seasonal period, the far- mers start tilling, hoeing, and cultivating the soil. The land is then plowed, leveled, and then irrigated to prepare for planting paddy and other crops. The farmers sweat and toil in the fields under the sun. The 24 Jie Ling Gu exemplifies a phenomenon ob- served during Yu Shui. This phenomenon is Wiping Sweat, Ma Han (Chan, 2001, p. 102). Wiping Sweat, Ma Han Ma Han  reflects  the action of drum- mers wiping away sweat from their fore- heads whilst working hard under the hot sun. The drummer stretches his right hand out-front at shoulder level and horizontal- ly curves his elbow inwards to the left. The lower arm is bent to a 90-degree angle. His right hand is turned outwards so that his palm faces outwards. At this position, the palm is at eye level and covering the eyes. The drumstick is held at a horizontal posi- tion by the right hand. This is the starting position for Ma Han (Figure 6 and Figure 7). Drummers then begin to move their right hand to the right in rhythm with the drumming of quaver beats to the quadrup- le meter played by the left hand simulta- neously. This movement is alternated with the same pattern on the left hand (Figure 8 and Figure 9). Beats are accented at every first beat of the bar (Figure 10) (Chan, 2001,  pp. 108-111; Chan, 2022). Figure 6. Position 1 Ma Han 1 Figure 7. Position 2 Ma Han 2 Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 22 (2) (2022): 213-226220 Figure 8. Position 3 Ma Han 3 Figure 9. Position 4 Ma Han Figure 10. Rhythmic pattern for Wiping Sweat, Ma Han. Fourth (4th) Jie qi, Spring Equinox, Chun Fen Chun Fen occurs around the March 21 and coincides with the time where the sun is at the top of our head at the Equator line (0°). During this day, the whole world will receive the same length of day and night (Goh, 1970, p. 70). The Agricultural Calendar states that the exact time the sun will rise is 5: 58 a.m. and fall at 6:06 p.m. The weather starts to get warmer. If it rains on this day, there will be fewer people fal- ling sick (Lee, 1986, p. 149). Farmers are busy sowing seeds and transplanting rice seedlings. Planting Rice, Cha Yang The 24 Jie Ling Gu imitates planting rice by using the drumstick held verti- cally to represent the rice seedlings. The drumstick is moved up and down verti- cally; mimicking the activity of the farmers as they plant the rice seedlings from the nursery  into  the field  (Figure 11-14). This  movement of planting rice goes simul- taneously with a rhythm of four crochet beats to quadruple meters (Figure 15). The drummers also move to other drums in a sequence of choreographed movements. The drummer may move to the right, left or in a circle. This movement represents the systematic planting of rice in the fields  (Chan, 2001, pp. 116-120; Chan, 2022). Figure 11. Position 1 Cha Yang 1 Figure 12. Position 2 Cha Yang 2 Figure 13. Position 3 Cha Yang 3 Figure 14. Position 4 Cha Yang 4 Figure 15. Rhythm pattern for Planting Rice Cha Yang SUMMER, XIA Summer is warm and the heat is hot. By now, most of the cereals grown are full and ripe. Wheat is ripe and harvested in the Hwang Ho area (Lee, 1986, p. 150). This season is also a season where fruits such as lychee, longan, mango, pineapp- le and watermelon. When these fruits are ripe, they are picked and sold. In addition, festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival are celebrated where boat competitions are also held. Summer is also associated with heavy rains that bring major floods to the  people of China especially downstream of the Hwang Ho River. Clare Suet Ching Chan, 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums): Imagining the 24 Jie Ling (Phe- 221 In summer, residents must take care of their health due to the hot weather and heat. Those who eat too many fruits like lychees and mangoes have a risk of get- ting a high fever. Martial arts is practice to maintain body health and strengthen di- sease resistance (Chan, 2001, p. 127; Chan, 2022) Tenth (10th) Jie qi, Summer Solstice, Xia Zhi During the Summer Solstice, Xia Zhi, the tenth jie qi, China experiences the lon- gest daylight period. The people participa- te in dragon boat competitions, a popular sport during this jie qi. This act held with the aim of stimulating the dragon fight in  the sky so that it would rain. The festival is also held to commemorate a Chinese offi- cer named Chu Yuan. Figure 16. Position 1 Rowing the Dragon Boat Figure 17. Position 2 Rowing the Dragon Boat Figure 18. Posi- tion 3 Rowing the Dragon Boat Figure 19. Posi- tion 4 Rowing the Dragon Boat Rowing the Dragon Boat Rowing the Dragon Boat is manife- sted in the performance of the 24 Jie Ling Gu ensemble through the swing of the player’s hand from the top left diagonal to the bottom right (Figures 16 &17) and in the opposite direction, too (Figures 18 & 19). This swing of the hand reflects the  rowing movement during the dragon boat competition. The quavers in bars 1 and 3 show the boat surging forward. The drum- mers dip their “paddle” into the water du- ring the two rests in bars 2 and 4. (Figure 20)(Chan, 2001, pp. 134-135; Chan, 2022). Figure 20. Rhythm pattern of “Rowing the Dragon Boat Eleventh (11th) Jie qi, Lesser Heat, Xiao Shu During Lesser Heat, Xiao shu, the people of China are encouraged to exer- cise to maintain good health. The heat of the summer is nearing its peak. Sickness and diseases are prominent problems oc- curring during this period. Some people indulge in martial arts like wushu and kung fu in to strengthen the body’s defenses against illnesses. The Eagle Takes flight, Da Peng Zhan Chi Da Peng Zhan Chi is one of the prepa- ratory fighting positions in the art of wus- hu and kung fu. This movement mimics the opening of the eagle’s wings as it prepares to  take flight or keeps warm by  trapping  air inside its wings. The drummers exemp- lify this movement by stretching the right hand out fully diagonally up-right whilst the left hand is stretched out fully diago- nally-bottom-left also. The drummer’s right leg is slightly bent backward in a dia- gonal position, while the left leg is stret- ched out as the right leg and body move downwards (Figures 21 and 22). Da Peng Zhan Chi’s action is quick, abrupt, and happens at the split of a second or at the length of a crochet beat (Figure 23) (Chan, 2001, pp. 141-144; Chan, 2022). Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 22 (2) (2022): 213-226222 Figure 21. Position 1 Da Peng Zhan Chi 1 Figure 22. Position 2 Da Peng Zhan Chi 2 Figure 23. Rhythm Pattern for “The Eagle Takes Flight, Da Peng Zhan Chi” Autumn, Qiu Thirteenth (13th) jie qi—Commencement of Autumn, Li Qiu During Li Qiu, the paddy planted in springtime ripens and is ready for harvest. Farmers are working hard in the fields, jo- yously cutting stalks of paddy with a sick- le. Cutting Paddy, Shou Ge In Shou Ge, the 24 Jie Ling Gu ensemb- le mimics the movement of farmers har- vesting their crops with a sickle (Figure 24- 26). The drummers stretch their right hand up and bend it to an angle of 90 degrees. They then move it in a circular motion of 360 degrees over their head. The legs are slightly bent simultaneously with the mo- vement of the arm around the head. beat These three movements occur during the second and third rest in each bar (Figure 27)(Chan, 2022). Figure 24. Position 1 Shou Ge 1 Figure 25. Position 2 Shou Ge 2 Figure 26. Position 3 Shou Ge 3 Figure 27. Rhythm pattern for Cutting Paddy, Shou Ge Threshing, Da Gu After harvesting, the stalks of the paddy are taken to be threshed in the granary. During threshing, the grains from the paddy are separated from the stalks. The grains are then taken to be milled and winnowed before being stored. The 24 Jie Ling Gu mimics the actions of farmers threshing stalks of paddy in the granaries. Drummers clasps drumstick clo- se together and lift both hands high above their head. Both hands are then lowered to strike the drum, imitating the action of threshing the paddy stalks. Da Gu is usu- ally played with two drums, either side by side or back and front. Drummers stretch one leg, bend the other, and vice versa as they rotate, striking the side, back, or front drum (Figure 28-30). This choreography is performed in synchronization with speci- fic  rhythm  patterns  struck  by  the  drum- mers (Figure 31)(Chan, 2022). Figure 28. Position 1 Da Gu 1 Figure 29. Position 2 Da Gu 2 Clare Suet Ching Chan, 24 Jie Ling Gu (24 Festive Drums): Imagining the 24 Jie Ling (Phe- 223 Figure 30. Position 3 Da Gu Figure 31. Rhythm pattern for threshing the paddy, Da Gu Winter, Dong Nineteenth (19th) jie qi, Commencement of Winter, Li dong Winter is a slow and quiet time. Du- ring this time, people are less busy compa- red to the hectic activities carried out du- ring spring, summer, and autumn. They have time to reminisce on their past and their doings, whether good or bad. They dwell on thoughts about their loved ones, relatives, and neighbors. The Chinese also offer blessings for a good harvest and pray for another good year to come. This is the time that offerings, prayers, and invoca- tions are offered to the Gods. It is also a time  of  meditation  and  sacrifices  to  be  made. One Thousand Hands of the Goddess of Mercy This choreography manifests the merciful hands of the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, reaching out to help those in need. Guan Yin is a symbol of love and mercy for the Chinese people. The Chinese people reach out to her in their prayers for mercy in times of trauma. She is deemed the goddess with “one thousand hands” because she reaches out to assist humans in their life challenges. This choreography involves five main hand positions (Figure  32). The drummers’ group together in a straight vertical line. The person at the front of the line will begin by stretching both his hands fully downwards. He then moves his hands upwards to the second position, whereby his left-hand points southwest and right hand, southeast. While he mo- ves into the second position, the drummer behind him will begin the first movement.  This series of staggered entrances will con- tinue in a repetitious cyclic form. The third position sees the drummer stretching out both hands horizontally, with right hand pointing east and left hand, west. He then moves his hands upwards until his right hand points North East and left hand, North West. The last position is when both his hands are stretch out pointing towards the sky. Both hands are pointing towards north in the fifth position. Meditation and Prayer The aura of winter is reflected by the  choreography of Meditation and Prayer. In this choreography, drummers clasp their hands together holding the drumstick in vertical position (Figure 33). This pose mi- mics the action of holding joss stick in their hands. This “joss stick” is held high with the palm of the hands at nose level. This choreography is accompanied by recorded music, usually from a selection of Chinese or Japanese songs. Red clothes are stret- ched over drummers in specific patterns as  part of the choreography. Figure 32. One Thousand Hands of the Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education 22 (2) (2022): 213-226224 Figure 33. Meditation and Prayer CONCLUSION In 2022, 34 years after its establish- ment in 1988, the 24 Jie Ling Gu ensemble continue to thrive as an area of artistic development among the Chinese of Ma- laysia. In its pioneering of establishment, the younger generation of Chinese in Malaysia focused on imagining China to strengthen solidarity among the Chinese in Malaysia. Drawing from combination of the concept of 24 jie qi from the Chine- se agricultural tradition in China and the newly invented music and movements, the Chinese created a new drum ensemble. In the late 1990s and 2000s, the Chi- nese became more integrated into the lo- cal environment in Malaysia. Much of its music and choreography has evolved sin- ce it was founded. The new generations of Malaysian born Chinese mingled freely with the other ethnic groups, embracing and  absorbing  influences  from  the  mul- ticultural musical and performing arts, environment, festivals and rituals, liveli- hood and life style; and natural environ- ment  in  Malaysia.  The  influences  of  the  environment and surroundings; the multi- racial society; education and exposure are being absorbed into the art as time goes by. These influences have been  integrated  into the music and movements of the 24 Jie Ling Gu. Some ensembles have also in- cluded local Malay rhythms including jo- get, inang, masri and zapin into their drum- ming rhythms. Some of the developments are due to the influences from other cultu- res mainly from Japan and Korea, perhaps due to its closeness with the Chinese cultu- re (Chan, 2019). 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