Introduction The Chinese culture dates back 5,000 years and this monologue will show one person's memories of growing up Chinese, family superstitions, religious beliefs, faith, legends and celebration of the Chinese New Year. Scene 1 - Time is a circle (Empty stage except for one table at up centre stage and two chairs; one on each side. Sound track of Grow an inch, a night (in Hokkien). Actor walks in from upstage right in anti-clockwise direction to stage left, looking at centre stage. He stops at centre stage and starts doing some tai-ji. He makes a few more circles getting younger in age as he jogs into a run.) Slide 1 Nian - the story of the Chinese Written and performed by Jeffrey Tan Associate Artistic Director, TheatreWorks (Singapore) Trip made possible with the kind help from the National Arts Council Slide 2 Time is a circle. Actor Suppose time is a circle. Bending back on itself. The world repeats itself precisely, endlessly. Time is a circle. Please help me pass my exam. (Runs around again) Yesterday, remember praying at Tian Hock Kheng temple. . . Yesterday, remember praying to Kong Zi. . . Please help me pass my exam. Every year, my mother will bring me to ask for help. Many parents will bring their children to ask for help. . . Slide 3 Confucianism is a code of conduct to live this life, and it has had a tremendous impact on how the Chinese live their lives... with a great influence in Chinese government, education, and attitudes toward correct personal behaviour and the individual duties to society. Slide 4 Confuciasm is actually a philosophy of life ...Like Buddhism. Founded in China by Kung Tze, master Kung, known as Confucius (551-479 AC). Slide 5 Confucius wanted to be a politician, even a Prime Minister, but he failed... and dedicated to preach good moral conduct... after his death he is the Chinese most influential in the history of China, and had all the honours he never had in life: The Government ordered the worship of Confucius, and named him the Co-Assessor with the deities of Heaven and Earth. His precepts and principles were incorporated into the Chinese Law in 210 BC. Slide 6 There are two times. Actor There is mechanical time and there is body time. (Actor shakes hand with audience) Time is predetermined. Expected. Body time is when the mind is made up as life happens. When the two times meet, desperation. When the two times go their separate ways, contentment. Each time is true. But the trudis are not the same. Slide 7 Legend of NIAN Actor The Chinese New Year is an important event celebrated by Chinese all over the world. Wherever we are in the world, we would try to get together as a family to celebrate this very important Lunar New Year! Everything we do, eat, wear. . . all mean something. So how did this special day come about? One legend goes that the beast *Nian' had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite. The people were very scared. One day, an old man came to their rescue, offering to subdue Nian. To Nian he said, I heard say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your worthy opponents? So, swallow it did many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harassed people and their domestic animals from time to time. Actor (To audience) Oo you have anything redi hear that the beast is afraid of the colour red! After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian. He turned out to be an immortal god. Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people begin to enjoy their peaceful life. …