Scene 4 of ‘Still Eight’ – ‘Zhuang School and Business’ Revision C
[Background at the start: The northeast courtyard of the Dai residence in Lanyuan Village, with two arched gates at the east and west ends. The east gate is inscribed with ‘Langu Academy’; the west gate has a plaque reading ‘Friendship Charity’. Both face south. The courtyard is surrounded by a blue brick wall, topped with tiles. Inside the courtyard are several buildings with white walls and dark tiles, all facing south. A row of hibiscus trees is planted in the courtyard, dividing it into two sections with a gap for connection. The dark couplets are hung on the columns on both sides of the stage:]
“The righteous fields nurture aspirations, inheriting the virtues of our ancestors,
The school opens wisdom, enriching future generations.”
The couplets are initially hidden, gradually revealed as the plot progresses. Three beats of a gong sound from backstage, and A Niu enters, carrying the gong, performing a ’round stage walk’, circling the stage, with the gong starting slowly and then speeding up. When the gong strikes, it is highlighted with a ‘hawk flipping’ flourish.
A Niu (reading with a trailing voice):
The copper gong of Lanyuan Village rings,
In front of the Dai residence, joy abounds.
The Friendship Charity welcomes the lonely elderly,
Langu Academy nurtures pillars of society.
Dear neighbors, listen well: All elderly members of the Dai clan and those in our village who are veterans or disabled and have no one to rely on can reside in the charity school, with provisions for food, clothing, shelter, and medical care; all descendants of the Dai clan, as well as veterans and disabled soldiers from our village who wish to study, can enter Langu Academy to seek mentorship, exempt from tuition fees, with food and lodging provided. Older students will receive rice at the end of the year; among the orphaned children of different surnames in our village, those who are eager to learn can enjoy the same treatment as the Dai children, and those who excel academically will receive cloth and meat as rewards at the end of the year. (The gong strikes ‘dang dang dang’, and the short man exits.)
[Lao Erhu, with white hair and dressed in blue clothes and gray pants, with a white cloth belt, leans on an ancient cane, shuffles to the center of the stage, and strikes the ground with his cane] sings:
Blue pond sends off sons to Lu Zhou,
Iron horses and golden spears do not seek respite.
For the country, I sacrificed my life far away,
Green mountains bury my bones for twenty autumns.
I am Lao Erhu, nearing seventy, living ten miles southwest of Lanyuan at Qing Tang. In the second year of Jiaxi, my son died in battle while aiding Lu Zhou – (cries, shakes his head, wipes tears with his sleeve), and has always been cared for by Shanfu. Now that the Friendship Charity has been completed, he personally came to take me in, allowing me to have support in my old age. The suffering of the common people in war is great, especially for the weak and impoverished. (Wipes tears, sighs, and shuffles off with his cane.)
[Zhu Xiaonai, dressed in light blue clothes and black pants, with a white cloth belt, walks with a crutch, hopping on one leg, moving in a ‘hawk flying solo’ manner, reaches the center of the stage, and strikes the ground with the crutch] Zhu sings:
Eighteen in white robes fought in Lu Zhou,
Twenty years of a broken body remember the national grievance.
Heroes look up with countless resentments,
Mountains and rivers sway with eternal sorrow.
Xu Bai: I am Zhu Xiaonai, from the boundary marker, one of the eighteen in white robes. I was injured in my left leg during the battle to aid Lu Zhou and cannot work on the ground, making it impossible for me to marry, remaining a widower to this day, relying on Shanfu’s assistance. With the completion of the charity, Shanfu sent someone to take me in; this kindness is better than that of a biological brother. (Raises hand to wipe tears, uses the crutch to perform a ‘standing golden rooster’ pose, then limps off the stage.)
[Two young students A and B, carrying blue cloth school bags, cheerfully shout: ‘Going to study!’ and skip on stage hand in hand.]
A: Langu Academy’s new school,
B: The fragrance of ink surpasses that of peonies.
A: How to repay the kindness of Dai Gong?
B: Study diligently to uplift our homeland. (A and B hold hands, walk in a crisscross manner, laughing and skipping off.)
[Behind the scenes, a recitation of a selected segment from Du Fu’s ‘Song of the Thatched Cottage Broken by Autumn Wind’: ‘How can I have thousands of wide houses, to shelter all the cold scholars under heaven, so that they can smile, unaffected by wind and rain, standing firm as a mountain…’] Dai Kan steps up, reaches the center of the stage, adjusts his cap and strokes his beard] Dai Kan sings:
“Hearing Du’s poetry, I am filled with admiration,
Seeing the lonely and disabled, I am saddened.
For over forty autumns, I have shared the wind and rain,
Three generations of ancestors and grandchildren are connected to the charity.
May ‘Langu’ and ‘Friendship’ last forever,
Dreams come true, joy makes one mad. (Stands still, admiring the scenery)
[Wang Mama, with silver hair, tied in a spiral bun, dressed in blue clothes and a black skirt, leads her grandson with small steps, circling the stage, pretending to hurry, the grandson runs ahead, stumbling in front of Still Eight, Wang hurriedly supports him] Wang Mama (to Still Eight, performs a ‘blessing’ gesture) says: Shanfu Gong, I finally found you here.
Still Eight asks: Wang Mama, what brings you to me?
Wang Mama (bows to Still Eight) sings: Shanfu Gong—
With white hair sending off black, all is sorrow,
Grandson cries, studying, worrying about finances.
Hearing that the charity school helps the poor,
I brought my grandson to ask clearly.
Xu Bai: I wonder if my grandson can be accommodated in the academy?
Still Eight: Mama, Langu Academy is specifically for those who cannot afford to study but are eager to learn. It is not only open to our clan’s children but also to the orphaned and impoverished children from our village who wish to learn. It is wonderful that your grandson is eager to learn; congratulations, he can happily enter Langu Academy to study.
Wang Mama (pulling her grandson’s clothes): Why don’t you thank Shanfu Gong quickly?
[Grandmother and grandson bow to Still Eight, who quickly helps them up, bends down to pat the grandson’s shoulder, giving encouragement] Still Eight: This child can be taught. Now tell me, why do you wish to study?
Grandson (bowing to Still Eight): To learn the way of the sages and help the poor and cold.
Still Eight (stroking his beard and laughing heartily): A good one, ‘help the poor and cold’. (Turns to Wang) Mama, let your grandson shine brightly and have great ambitions; he will surely become a great talent in the future. Langu Academy aims to help such ambitious individuals. (The three stand in the center of the stage)
[Lao Erhu and Zhu Xiaonai enter] together: “Friendship” holds good intentions.
[The two young students A and B jump on stage] together: “Langu” enlightens with literary brilliance.
Wang Mama and grandson together: Lanyuan spring lasts forever.
All together: Virtue and grace last for ten thousand years.
(In front are three young students, behind are Still Eight and Wang, Lao, and Zhu.)
The lights dim, the curtain falls.
The lights gradually dim, and the curtain slowly closes.