Soup of Forgetfulness

Soup of Forgetfulness is a solo inspired by the Taiwanese folklore myth of Mong Po Tang, the soup offered in the afterlife before reincarnation. Drifting between memory and oblivion, the work lingers in the liminal space between the living and the dead, tracing Juolin’s curiosity about what is carried forward, what is surrendered, and what quietly disappears.

About the Mong Po Tang myth:

It is believe that after death, what await you is the Yellow Spring Road (黃泉路) in the underground world. At the end of this road there’s a rapidly moving river called the Forgotten River (忘川河) On top of that river there’s the Bridge of Helplessness(奈何橋)

Once you arrive to the foot of the bridge you are greeted by an old looking lady name Mong Po (孟婆) with the Soup of Forgetfulness (孟婆湯)

To go forward on your journey, you must drink this mysterious soup offered by Mong Po. As the soup entre your system, it erases every memory you have of your past life. All your relationships, accomplishments, regrets, and wonders fade away with each step you take crossing the bridge. All your longing, love, hatred, and grief dissipate as the soup works its way into your body.

By the time you arrive at the other side of the river you are reborn into your next life as a blank canvas. Innocent. Free and liberated from your past self.

Some key questions embedded in the work:

If each spirit lives through multiple cycles, but is cleansed and emptied in each beginning, do ancient impactful memories get stored in ways that’s beyond the cognitive?
Is the liminal underground world where the line between each life cycle blurs, and where a spirit is the closest to gaining full access to the ancient lived wisdom?
When one is unable to recall a fleshed-out memory, can sensations serve as a portal to re-experience and embody a glimpse of a distant past?

Soup of Forgetfulness is an invitation to imagine and re-imagine goodbyes. It attempts to expand our perception of what lays beyond the physical world.

Tour: Festival Accès Asie

Double Bill: Crosscurrents

Crosscurrents brings together three emerging choreographers—Juolin Lee, Simran Sachar and Sevrin Emnacen-Boyd— presenting two powerful pieces exploring memory, identity, and rebirth.

Special thank you to Festival Accès Asie and Dance West Network

Performances: May 26th 7:30pm at Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto, Montreal
Length of work: 30min

Video by Olivier Arseneault

Courtesy to Dance West Network

Premier: Dancing On the Edge

Double bill: Edge 5

Edge 5 Featuring Soup of Forgetfulness by Juolin Lee and The Centre of Time by Jenn Edwards

Special thank you to Odd Meridian Arts and Dance West Network

Performance: June 18th, 19th 7pm at Firehall Arts Centre
Length of work: 30min

Lighting Designed by Chenyan Boon

Courtesy to Odd Meridian Arts

Videoed by Dan Loan

Phase Three: Dance In Vancouver_Boombox

Phase three of Soup of Forgetfulness was a mix bill presentation by Here For Now Collective, Boombox a part of Dance In Vancouver Festival.

Special thank you to Erika Mitsuhashi, Francesca Frewer, Sierra Megas, Kira Radosevic and Pei Lai

Performances: Nov 19th, 20th, 22nd 2024 at Boombox
Length of work: 15min

Mix bill: Soup of Forgetfulness (Juolin Lee), Dance doe the Dead (Emmalena Fredriksson), Pickles (Kira Radosevic), Stump (Reed and Ry Jackson)

Music Credit:

單純的人_林強 (A pure person by Lim Giong)

主意_你太白，去曬黑 (by ShyHey)
Watch trailer on Youtube
Videoed by Sierra Megas
Courtesy to Boombox

Phase Two: Antler Ridge Dance Studio Residency

Mentor: Natalie TY Gan

Phase two of Soup of Forgetfulness was a week long residency in October 2024 made possible by Dance West Network and Antler Ridge Dance Studio, Salt Spring Island.

Special thank you to Uncle Rob, Pammela, Joe, Robbyn Scott, Salt Spring Island Coffee and Dr. Jane Gabriels

My week long stay in Salt Spring Island heavily influenced and inspired my approach the development of Soup of Forgetfulness!

Studio showing: Oct 18th 2024 at Antler Ridge Dance, Salt Spring Island
Length of work: 15min

Music Credit:

單純的人_林強 (A pure person by Lim Giong)

主意_你太白，去曬黑 (by ShyHey)
Watch studio showing on Youtube
Videoed by Rob Lowrie

Phase One: Foray Residency at Morrow

Collaborator/Outside eye: Shion Skye Carter

Mentor: Natalie TY Gan

Lighting designer: Chengyan Boon

Soup of Forgetfulness had its genesis as part of Odd Meridian’s paid residences at Morrow, during which the work was generously supported by 3 weeks space and fees for choreographer, collaborators and mentor.

Special thank you to Foray Residency, Ziyian Kwan, Tin Gamboa and Samantha Kyristal

Studio showing: Jan 5th 2024 at Morrow
Length of work: 34min