What is Festive Drum?

The Festive Drums that we have today is a combination of deliberation and renascence of Chinese culture. In 1988, the world 1st 24 Festive Drum Troupe is formed. The idea came from Mr Tan Chai Puan and Mr Tan Hooi Song. The earlier is the alumni, while the later the music teacher, of Foon Yew High School (JB). Both of them were the committee members for the Chinese Cultural Festival at then. The ceremony took place in the centennial old Chinese Temple in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. 12 calligraphers from Singapore and Malaysia gave Jie Ling a new life through their brushes. The drums were all donated by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. 24 drummers from Foon Yew High School Symphony Band stomped the drums with pride. Cheers and tears filled the atmosphere with great sentiment. Finally a "voice" to represent the Chinese fled for a living from China hundred years ago is found.

“Festive Drum” is the proposed interpretation of "Jie Ling Gu" by the co-founder Mr Tan Chai Puan. There have been interpretations such as “Seasons Drum”, "Chinese Drum", "Season Command Drums" or “Chinese Percussion” etc used by many different troupes. The essence of the drums is to commemorate the wisdom of the ancient Chinese and the origin of Chinese festivals. Instead of translating it literally, the focus was set on "Festive" to emphasize the human activities and to cast a scent of vibrancy.

The concept of percussion started ~8000 years ago when people use sound to communicate before a common language is formed. The more abstract astronomy related words, the solar terms (i.e. Jie Ling) started ~2200 years ago during the early Qin. According to China's studies, there have been different dedicated sets of Chinese Drums used in the ancient days for each of the solar terms. Unfortunately, the practice has long disappeared through times.

Today, Festive Drum Troupe uses the easily available Lion Dance Drum to symbolize the availability of Chinese , scattered all over the region . C oupled with calligraphies of Jie Ling, wushu-dance like synchronized motion, self-composition of modern but traditional percussion pieces , Festive Drum Troupes g a ve Chinese percussion a new horizon. The Festive Drum is different from, but does not conflict with the Chinese Orchestra Percussion. Each of the Chinese Percussion has her own niche and charm. Instead, they mutually nourished the Chinese culture and art in the region. Since then there have been ~70 Festive Drum troupes in Malaysia, ~10 troupes in Singapore; troupes are also heard from Brazil, China, United States of America, Japan, Switzerland, Taiwan and Thailand.

Festive Drum is the drum for the people, and it is powered by the people; because of the people we become better from day to day. Without the synergy and alike in the culture of Malaysia and Singapore, the drums could not made any loud bang at then; not mentioning now and in the future.