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

TZU CHI 118 29 The cast depicted relatable scenes of tense confrontations between parents and their children and impulsive acts of disobedience that struck a chord with the audience, leading them to pause and reflect on their own relationship with their parents. Lim Chong Wah, who attended the performance with his wife and three children, professed that the performance evoked feelings of remorse towards his parents for the rebellious misdeeds he had committed in the past. As an adult, he seldom returns to his home in Ipoh to visit his parents due to work commitments. He is used to dealing with work- related issues by himself instead of sharing them with his parents, for he believes that being filial means sparing one’s parents from worry. Meanwhile, Professor Dr Ewe Hong Tat, the president of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) who was present in the audience, supported the participation of youths in activities that promote family values to reinforce kinship ties and instil greater appreciation for one’s family, for the roots of kindness and gratitude start at home before extending to society. The academician also encouraged the younger generation to commit to kind deeds as a means of honouring their parents for the gift of life and repaying them for their love. “One who is filial is capable of extending kindness to others,” he surmised. The cast led the audience to reflect on their filial duties with their moving portrayal of the joys and pains of motherhood. [Photograph by Lee Wei Kean] Extolling the Virtues of Filial Piety