The world of Tzu Chi January 2020 (Vol.118)

2020 • 01 28 F ilial piety is a highly prized virtue in Chinese tradition. It is believed that even animals are capable of expressing gratitude to their parents, such as crows who feed their elderly parents in return. The KL&Selangor division of the Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association (also known as Tzu Ching) staged a musical production of The Greatness of Parental Love across three sessions on November 23 and 24, 2019, registering a total attendance of almost 3,000 spectators. The musical is a retelling of the classic Buddhist scripture The Sutra of Profound Gratitude to Parents , featuring compositions with lyrics adapted from the text of the Sutra and sign language choreography, presented in the format of a stage play to illustrate the significance of filial piety besides serving as a reminder to spend quality time with our parents amidst our hectic lifestyles. This staging of The Greatness of Parental Love holds special meaning for the cast and crew involved, some of whom were reunited six years after their involvement in the previous production of the musical. Aparent’s unconditional love The musical opened with a stirring narration as a preface to The Sutra of Profound Gratitude to Parents , accompanied by sign language choreography for enhanced visual impact. As the show proceeded, the cast brought scenes from the Sutra to life in nine acts based on themes covered by the scripture, such as the parent-child relationship as a karmic connection, a mother’s selfless devotion, parental affection and repaying our parents’ love. In the act depicting the pain of childbirth and the trials of motherhood, the cast presented a convincing portrayal of the physical and emotional changes experienced by an expectant mother at every stage of pregnancy to convey the selfless sacrifice of a mother in bringing a new life into this world. The moving performance tugged at the heartstrings of audience member Lenny Wang, a second-year undergraduate student from City University in Petaling Jaya who hails from Hangzhou, China. “Expectant mothers have to endure constant discomfort throughout their pregnancy. After the child is born, the parents have the additional responsibility of raising the infant through adulthood,” mused Lenny, who appreciated her parents’ toil and labour in bringing her up. For local artiste Kenny Gan, who was cast in the act on parental love, the performance reminded him of the reckless misadventures he engaged in during his university days. He admitted to constantly drinking and loitering on the streets past midnight without regard for his father’s care and concern. The soon-to-be father contemplated fostering closer bonds with his family and reconciling with his estranged father as he immersed himself in his role in the play, besides expressing his willingness to pay more attention to his father’s thoughts and mend their father-son relationship. Another cast member, Sio Yen Jinn, who is a Tzu Ching member from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), shared her realization that she would never be able to fully repay her parents, as no measure of affection is comparable to her parents’ love for her. The following act shifted the focus from parental benevolence to one’s shortcomings as a son or daughter, particularly adolescent misbehaviour and defiant whims that cause our parents much worry and disappointment. pecial Feature