Cultures and Tales: 24 Festive Drum (24节令鼓)

I joined Seremban Half Marathon today and managed to finish on time. There were having some activities to entertainment the VIP guess at the MPS field. I was kindda amazed with the 24 Festive Drum that performed by SMK Chan Hwa Secondary School. Unfortunately, I was unable to record down the event as I don't have camera at that moment. I found some 24 festive drum performed by Chan Hwa School in Youtube. Would like to share here with you all about the 24 festive drums and the performance from Chan Hwa School.

History of Malaysian 24 Seasons Drum Style'

A typical Malaysian 24 Seasons unit consists of twenty four drums. The number twenty four is not an arbitrary selection. It represents agricultural seasons from the Chinese calendar. If you look closely you will find the name of each season painted in calligraphy on each drum. The agricultural seasons represent the 24 solar terms that I mentioned before.

Festival Drums group is special as it represents the 24 "Jieling (Sub-sessions)". The drums have their special meaning as well; the red, black and yellow symbolise auspiciousness and passion, perseverance, the Chinese culture and tradition respectively.

Summer, fall/autumn, winter and spring are the primary seasons which are further divided into six secondary seasons. According to a farmer’s calendar the seasons which constitute the twenty four seasons are:

Seasons in Spring	Seasons in Summer	Seasons in Autumn	Seasons in Winter
First of spring	First of summer	First of autumn	First of winter
Rain water	Grains begin to ripe	Still warm in autumn	Minor snow
Awakening	Grains are ripe	Winter dew	Heavy snow
Spring equinox	Summer solstice	Autumn equinox	Winter solstice
Clear water	Minor heat	Cold dew	Minor freeze
Rains suitable for grain	Great heat	Frosting	Great freeze

Even though each drum troupe has its own individual style, the original styles of performance were meant to depict movements of farmers and activities on a farm.

But the first performance of this art form did not even have twenty four drums! Nine Chinese drums were used in the opening ceremony of the National Dance Competition in Johor Bharu, Malaysia in 1988. The event drew large crowds and on the back of the performance, the Chinese Association stepped up their activities. A set of 24 drums were bought, Mr. Chen Wei Chong from Foon Yew Chinese Secondary School was roped in to train drummers and the rest they say is history. Mr. Tan Chai Puan and Mr. Tan Hooi Song are two individuals who were instrumental in the establishment and growth of the art through Malaysia. They have been involved in the Malaysian 24 Seasons drumming style through it’s inception in the Chinese drum festival to this date where it is proudly taught to the students of Foon Yew.