Born to Spin!
TTrailer Coming soon…T
Dancer, historian, and martial artist Scott Park Phillips investigates the origins of the Chinese martial art Baguazhang. He traces the spinning baby god Nezha from traditional Chinese literature and mythology through to modern anime, proposing that dance and martial arts were originally one practice.
Phillips links Indian Kathak dance to the movements of Baguazhang and the Nezha stories in the epic Fengshenyanyi. He examines the role of Nezha as a thunder god in traditional militia, the impact of the Boxer Uprising on martial traditions, and what Daoism reveals about Baguazhang as a performance of the god.
The film culminates in an 11-minute choreographed performance of “The Birth of Nezha,” fusing Baguazhang and Kathak as it might once have been performed. Featuring traditional and original music plus animation, the documentary shows how these elements were once unified in humor and darkness.
Credits
Executive Producer
Center for the Integration of Dance and Martial Arts
Director
Scott Park Phillips
Producer
Chris Pearce
Co-Producer / Associate Producer
Scott Park Phillips/ J Gluckstern
Voice Over Script / Concept
Scott Park Phillips, Chris Pearce, J Gluckstern
Narrator / Voice Over
Wylie Rominaw
Director of Photography / Cinematographer
Chris Pearce
Choreography and Performance
Scott Park Phillips
Camera Crew / Additional Camera
Julian Mitchell for Cinematography at BGOLD Glass
Rae
Wylie
Christohper
Editor
Sean Shannon
Sound Designer
Sean Shannon
Costume Designer
Samantha Frühwirth
Wardrobe / Makeup / Hair
Sarah Halverstadt
Production Manager / Location Coordinator
Chris Pearce
Historical Consultants
Meir Shahar and Mark Meulenbeld
Expert Advisors / Researchers
Jonathan Brinklin (philosopher, actor), Daniel Mroz (martial artist, acting director), and Joseph Houseal (Core of Culture, dance preservation), Peter Davison (Choreographer), Rondel Benjamin (Kalinda)
Mandarin language voiceover and marketing consultant
Richard Tseng
Post-Production Supervisor
Scott Park Phillips
On-Camera Talent: Fighter/Dancers
Kiao Kish & Bryan Goldfeder
Special Thanks to Crab Generals:
Eli Halpern and the Tarko Foundation
Don Hays
Chris McKenna
With the Generous Support of Shrimp Soldiers:
Mahipal Lunia
Jason Phillips
Mark Retzlaff
Ellen Holt
Jason Hoggatt
Thomas J. Nuckton
Becky Redfiel
Zhang Sanfeng
Natalie Scheurmann
Jim Good
Brian May
Eric Jacobus
Jen Tsang
Mira Nygard
Kimberly Caplan
Rebecca & Hamid Ghanadan
Joseph Houseal
Heidi Kippenhan
Thanks to the board members of the Center for the Integration of Dance and Martial Arts (501c3):
Dara Nay and Bryan Goldfeder
Archival Film & V Clips Used
ROMEO AND JULIET
Choreography by KENNETH MacMILLAN (1965)
The Royal Ballet
2020 Film by BalletBoyz
Courtesy of PBS Great Performances and The Royal Ballet
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Students at Soja Martial Arts, Oakland, Videographer: Rebecca Haseltine.
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Simeon Peters, master teacher of Trinidad folk traditions.
Master drummers: Kyle Hayewood and Kerron Goddard.
Kenson Bridgelal, champion stick fighter and teacher, Fifth Company, Trinidad.
Videographer: Rondel Benjamin, Trinidad.
__________
Scherma Salentina / Pizzica dance footage from the Festa di San Rocco, Torrepaduli (Salento, Puglia, Italy) – traditional public festival performance.
___________
Footage from China, 1926–1933, by Sidney D. Gamble
Courtesy of the Sidney D. Gamble Photographs Collection, Duke University Libraries, filmed while working for the YMCA.
https://repository.duke.edu/dc/gamble
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Clips from Red Heroine (Hongxia / 紅俠, 1929). Directed by Wen Yimin (Wen Yi-Min). Produced by Youlian Film Company (U. Lien Film Co.).
Clips sourced from Modern Chinese Cultural Studies (YouTube channel), with English subtitles – chinesefilmclassics.org
Pandit Chitresh Das teaching class in Fremont California: Chhandam Youth Dance Company (CYDC) practicing Kathak Chakkars (spinning).
Courtesy of Chhandam / Chitresh Das Institute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALN3upJ62c8
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Clips Nezha Conquers the Dragon King (shadow-puppet-inspired short animation, 2014) by Jiaqi Huang.
Courtesy of the artist. https://vimeo.com/101789329
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Clips from 06/19 南嶽宮小孩與三太子進場 (Children and Third Prince entering Nanyue Temple) June 19, 2012 New Taipei City, Taiwan"
Courtesy of CML (YouTube). https://youtu.be/mvIiSO6cig4
_______
Clip from Vietnamese snake style martial art 1990
Courtesy of Ball Jerker (Youtube)
https://youtu.be/qNXlOCNjYAQ?si=nnmBPB8T88mWBIEE
___________________________
Nezha (三太子) child performer at Fo Tian Gong (佛天公), Oriental Garden, Malaysia, 2011.
Courtesy of showt1993 (YouTube). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6m7LjNUerg
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A medium possessed by Nezha (三太子) playing games at Gangkou Temple (港口宮 / Bunkou Gangkou Gong), Taiwan, 2011.
Courtesy of Steve Hau. https://youtu.be/KAM_qSUBbFc
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A medium possessed by Nezha’s sister (San Tai Zi Mei) (武藝高強) at Kunlun Mountain Yaoci Palace (崑崙山瑤池宮), Zhonglun Village, Zhongpu Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan, 2012.
Courtesy of Kunlun Meditation / Master Hozn (台灣崑崙山母娘道崑崙泓師). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_eQmvNSjOY
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True and False Nezha (真假哪吒, Jingju / Peking Opera)
Performed by Guo Suling (郭素玲, National First-Class Actress)
Shijiazhuang Peking Opera Troupe, 2011.
Courtesy of Suling Guo (YouTube). https://youtu.be/8NgOeyUkrpw"
Music:
Nezha Chant 1: 心壇敬 2010, https://youtu.be/mdFr-Qv16Jw
Nezha Chant 2: 哪吒太子小法鼓哪吒太子小法鼓 https://youtu.be/MGzQ1UpwO3c?si=q1vvyQMN5Qww3VPK
"Da Yanluo (fanzidiao)" by the Hua family shawm band, from 2004 release Walking Shrill: The Hua Family Shawm Band (PAN 2109)
South of the Clouds: Instrumental Music of Yunnan Volume 1. 2003 Ode release Gamu Diao:
De’a ka sa a yi Labi
Wan Shun Diao
Yi Qie Bai
Yuan guan Wu
Lai Gu Hou
Lai Ge Hou
Tiao Wu Diao
Jiao Gunaing
Quingge
The Chinese Opera-Arias From Eight Peking Operas Tao Ma Tan by Fu Hsing Opera Academy Lyrichord (LLST 7212) 1970
Musical Improvisations by Bryan Goldfeder (on Double Bass) and Scott Park Phillips (on Tabla and Chinese Percussion)
15-second looped Tintal Lehra (Raga Chandrakauns, Sarangi) from NagmaLive – Lehra & Tabla app. Performed by Ustad Roshan Ali Khan (Sarangi). App by Jason Fellin. https://nagmalive.com/
Still Photos Used:
Still of Nezha Peeing, from “Nezha” 2019, Directed by Yu Yang
Eunuch Performer of Nezha, Office of Great Peace Album of Opera Faces, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Illustration from Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi). Classical edition. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
A view inside an orphanage run by missionaries in Yantai, Shandong province, in the early 1900s. Courtesy of ‘Old Photos’
Y.M.C.A. rooms for soldiers of the allied armies--formerly a notorious dive--on the busiest street of Peking, China, Underwood & Underwood, publishers, New York, [1902] Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Five Pentecostal Holiness Women Missionaries having tea. Courtesy of hughsnews.com
Theater on the Water, Drawn by Thomas Allom, from a sketch by Lieut. White, Royal Marines. Engraved by W. Floyd. 1843
Actors Beijing 1874, Courtesy of The Library of Congress
Chinese Theater Production with Actors, Props, Stage and Audience, pre-1912 (Shandong Province). Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Foreign Legation, courtesy of Beijing of Dreams
Boxers Tien-Tsin, courtesy of the Library of Congress
U.S. Marines fighting rebellious Boxers outside Peking Legation, 1900 (copy of painting by Sgt. John Clymer). U.S. National Archives.
Beijing Castle / Siege scene, Boxer Rebellion 1900. Public domain historical image.
Troops of the Eight-Nation Alliance, Boxer Rebellion. Historical photo, colorized byJulius Jääskeläinen
Boxer Uprising propaganda. Qing-era illustration. Courtesy The Trustees of the British Museum
Siege of Peking, Boxer Rebellion 1900. Historical illustration.
Fourteen photographs of murals and temples courtesy of ‘A ROSARY OF WALLS,’Murals from Rural North China, 1500-2018. Photographed by Hannibal Taubes. https://twosmall.ipower.com/murals/about-the-project/
Still from The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple (Huoshao Hongliansi, 火燒紅蓮寺 1928–1931), directed by Zhang Shichuan, screenplay/story by Xiang Kairan, Mingxing Film Company.
Madame Dan Pao-tchao (née Nellie Yu Roung Ling), Mistress of Ceremonies to the President Li Yuan-hung, 1924. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Nellie Yü Roung Ling in 1902. She plays the part of a Loie Fuller inspired Butterfly Girl in the “Rose and Butterfly” Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The stage, Tian Fei Gong (天妃宫 / Tianfei Palace), a Mazu Temple, Ningbo (宁波市). Photographed by Charles Frederick Moore, courtesy of Edward Bowra Special Collections, University of Bristol Library
YMCA Pool Hong Kong 1920s courtesy of gwulo.com
Chinese Y.M.C.A., Burr Photo Co., Shanghai. Courtesy of virtualshanghai.net
Jing Wu Association ~1917 Source Unknown
Shuaijiao Gravure courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Six Shuaijiao Masters Tianjin 1930 courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Great Victory and Langfeng, propaganda poster by Dai Ze, Chinese Museum of Revolutionary History. Courtesy of University of Victoria, BC
A crowded street by a decorated stage, at a temple fair, Xinzhou (忻州市), Shanxi. Sydney Smith Collection, University of Bristol Library.
Actor with Halberd, May Studios, courtesy of SFPALM
The Jing Wu Founders as Strongmen, source unknown, courtesy of chinwoo.com
Jing Wu—Fist of Fury, Donny Yen, google search screenshot
Chinese YMCA students doing Tantui Shaolin. Courtesy of the Digital Image Collection of the Republic of China.
Bruce Lee, google search screenshot
Jackie Chan, google search screenshot
Two Nezha film announcements, local newspaper, source unknown
Still from The Birth of Nezha (哪吒出世 / Nézhā Chūshì, 1928). Directed by Li Zeyuan. Great Wall Film Company, China
Two stills from Nezha Conquers the Dragon King, 1979, Produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio
Krishna subduing Kaliya serpent, film still from Kaliya Mardan, 1919.
Statue of Nezha, bronze, photo by Keith Stevens courtesy of the The Book of Xian Shen (website)
Krishna on Kaliya serpent. Traditional mythological depiction, source unknown.
Nezha fighting the dragon king. Traditional mythological depiction, source unknown
Hungry Ghosts Scroll, courtesy of the Tokyo National Museum and Wikimedia Commons
Zhong Kui Traveling. Classical painting by Gong Kai, Yuan Dynasty, Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art / Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Personal in home altar for deceased family members, Vietnam, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Ghost Festival in Ping Chou, Wikimedia Commons
Five Camps Generals altar. 溪口鄉的五營神將-中營畫像. 自己拍攝照片：Photos by Boattoad 自己拍攝的台灣照片:Images of Taiwan. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Five Camps deities with tongue spears. 南天府五營神將. 中文（繁體：南天府五營神將，新北市鶯歌區鳳祥里（大湖) photo by 氏子 Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Talisman of the Five Camps, Courtesy 彰化 下太子 昆隴堂 Huatan, Taiwan from there Facebook Page.
Five Thunders on a fashi scroll. Possession of Li Tenglong, Kee-lung, Taiwan. Photo by Mark Meulenbeld
Master Thunder (Lei Gong), dated 1542. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Thunder God (Lei Gong) Lot 59060: Original Chinese Painting - Lui Xin. Courtesy of the Auction website invaluable.com
Thunder God (Lei Gong) from A modern, authentic and complete system of universal geography, by Thomas Bankes, 1744. Courtesy of the Internet Archive.
Thunder God statue. Photo from A Yankee on the Yangze, by William Edgar Geil, 1904. Courtesy of The Internet Archive
Nezha in Rainbow Armor, posted on Facebook, source unknown.
Nezha illustration from Henri Dore, Researches Into Chinese Superstitions, 1915. Courtesy of the Internet Archive.
Illustration of Porcelain Pagoda, from the 1665 edition of Johan Nieuhof's Het Gezandtschap der Neêrlandtsche Oost-Indische Compagnie. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Li Jing illustration from Henri Dore, Researches Into Chinese Superstitions, 1915. Courtesy of the Internet Archive
Sun Waking Shadow Puppet from the Yunnan Provincial Museum, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
City of Beijing as Nezha City, from The Magic Square, Cities in Ancient China, by A. Schinz. 1997. Used with permission
Statue of six armed Nezha, source unknown.
Golden Elixir image, source unknown.
Liú Shìjié (劉士傑, 1864–1930) an escort guard working for Tóngxìnggōng (同興公), Tongxinggong Museum, Pingyao, courtesy of MandarinMansion.com
Photo of Nezha Car by Soloman203, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Tangki with Pacifier (1) Ronni Pinsler Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Tangki with Pacifier (2) Ronni Pinsler Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore
Crop of shrimp & crabs making offerings to the Dragon King 無量壽佛會慶圖 冊 海洞潮音 Kuan-yin of the Tidal Cave, Courtesy of The National Palace Museum, Taipei, CC BY 4.0 @ www.npm.gov.tw
Xie Peiqi, Fu Zhensong, Sunzijun, Cheng Haiting, Wang Wenkui, Li Timing, famous baguazhang masters with weapons, photographers unknown.
Daoist master Zhuang. Courtesy of Michael Saso
Yuanlin Fu Jiao ritual - driving away disaster. Wikimedia Commons
Step of Yu (Yu Bu), Daoist ritual scroll. Source Unknown.
Nine Kingdoms map(s) of Da Yu taming the floods, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Fengshenyanyi Shadow Puppets, Henan, Exhibit in the Museu do Oriente - Lisbon, Portugal. Courtesy of Wikimedia
Daoist Vestments, MFA Boston, Gift of Miss Hester Moore to the MFA
Fabric Armor and Helmet with Buddhist and Taoist symbols, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Filmed on Location in the Black Box at Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts, University of Colorado Boulder, and BGOLD Glass Studios, Lafayette, Colorado.
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