Songs of the Wanderers

Synopsis

This dance film presents Siddhartha as reimagined by Lin Hwai-min and performed by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, directed for screen by Chang Chao-Tang. Inspired by Hesse’s novel and a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, Lin created a work of stillness and elemental force. The stage is shaped by tons of golden rice grains into shifting landscapes—like rain, waterfalls, and deserts. Georgian folk songs flow through the space as dancers, carrying wooden staffs, move in slow, spiraling journeys, while a monk in white remains motionless. In the final scene, a dancer rakes the grains into vast concentric circles, forming an image of quiet intensity. Premiered in 1994, this 90-minute work is one of Lin’s key creations. Widely toured and acclaimed, it remains among Cloud Gate’s most performed works. Recorded in high definition, this 2013 version stands as the definitive edition of this landmark piece.