Soo Ah Jang
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Ancient Chinese Philosophies Play
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Scene 1
Tao is sitting on a chair and thinking. He has a paper besides him. There is a machine besides his desk with a note on it.
TAO: I¡¯m not sure if I know everything about the three philosophies. There was¡¦ Legalism, Confucianism, and¡¦ ah! Daoism. (He counts the philosophies with his finger) No! I can¡¯t do this assignment! Well, I¡¯ll just go and wonder around a bit. (He walks toward the machine) What is this? (He picks up the note and reads it) ¡°Dear Tao, DON¡¯T EVER EVER TOUCH THIS. I know that you are kind of a person with lots of questions, but this is not yet complete! I¡¯m just going to leave it in your room until I go there because of my personal problems. DON¡¯T TELL YOUR MOTHER. She doesn¡¯t like me wondering around making machines. Uncle Lee.¡± (He places the note on his desk) Well, it¡¯s a bit weird. (Walks toward the end of the stage but stops) I can¡¯t stop myself! I must apologize to him, but¡¦ (He touches the big button on the front of the machine. He starts to shake.) What¡¯s happening? (Lights off.)
Scene 2
Tao is in a form of a dog. He is in a doghouse (can use a desk instead which is in the middle of the stage. Tao faces the audience.
TAO: (Looking around) Where am I? What have happened to me? (Looking at his own body which is in form of a dog)
VOICE OF THE FEMALE OWNER: Doggy! Where are you? Oh, there you are! I was searching for you! Wait right over there!
TAO: Am¡¦ I¡¦ a¡¦ d¡¦dog..? Well, I¡¯m going to get away before that horrible owner comes here. (Starts to run in a circle) Wow, I didn¡¯t know that I can run this fast! (Stops after about 3 rounds of running) Is this the entrance of a forest? I¡¯ve never seen these kind of plants. (looks around) Weird.
RABBIT: (Suddenly appears) Ahhhhh!!!! A dog!!! Everyone!!! THERE IS A DOG!!! DOG!!!!!!
TAO: (Speaks at the same time while the rabbit is shouting) Excuse me! I won¡¯t hurt you! I¡¯m¡¦ I¡¯m not a dog!
RABBIT: (Still screaming) Ah!!!!! A liar!!! Liar dog!!! Ah!!!!
TAO: Stop! That¡¯s enough you stupid rabbit!
RABBIT: (Stops screaming) You are small for a dog!
TAO: Because I am not a dog!
RABBIT: Then what? A squid? A plant? What?
TAO: Um¡¦ I¡¦ was a human. It¡¯s a bit complicated. (Starts to tell the story) That¡¯s what happened.
RABBIT: What¡¯s all that time machine, homework, and school stuff?
TAO: Er¡¦ nothing. I¡¯m just wondering which philosophy is the best of all.
RABBIT: Of course Confucianism is the best!
TAO: Everyone thinks different.
RABBIT: Anyway, I know something. If we go down to that beach, and go through that opposite forest, than there will be the Old Oak Tree. (Points toward the audience) I¡¯ve heard from many people that he is wise and smart. Can I go with you?
TAO: Sure.
Scene 3
Rabbit and Tao are both on stage.
TAO: I think this beach looks similar to somewhere in the future¡¦
RABBIT: What?
TAO: Nothing. Let¡¯s continue walking.
TURTLE: W-h-o i-s t-h-i-s¡¦? (Speaks very slowly. Wears a Yin and Yang symbol flag around his neck.)
RABBIT: I¡¯m the great student of our majesty Confucius!
TAO: Who are you?
TURTLE: W-h-a-t i-s C-o-n-f-u-c-i-u-s¡¦?
RABBIT: YOU DON¡¯T KNOW HIM? SERIOUSLY? (Surprised) Confucius made Confucianism. You know Confucianism, right? You should, because it¡¯s the BEST PHILOSOPHIE OF ALL! It is a system of moral, social, political, and religious thoughts! It also influences many different countries! Humanity is the core of Confucianism!
TAO: It was written in record by his students, right? I think the book was called the Analects.
RABBIT: Yes, it is. Confucianism was formed at about 500 B.C., in the Han dynasty
TURTLE: Er¡¦ b-u-t D-a-o-i-s-m i-s t-h-e b-e-s-t!!
RABBIT: Who told you so? (Steps up)
TAO: Stop! Everyone thinks different.
RABBIT: (Mutters)Yeah, right.
TURTLE: B-u-t w-h-a-t i-s a C-o-n-f-u-c-i-a-n-i-s-m r-a-b-b-i-t d-o-i-n-g h-e-r-e¡¦?
RABBIT: We are going to the Old Oak Tree. We¡¯re going to figure out which philosophy is the best!
TURTLE: C-a-n I g-o w-i-t-h y-o-u¡¦?
TAO: (Hurriedly crossing rabbit¡¯s words as he opens his mouth) Sure.
Scene 4
The tree animals are all panting and grueling.
TURTLE: T-h-i-s f-o-r-e-s-t i-s v-e-r-y s-t-e-e-p a-n-d h-i-g-h. (Speaking slower than usual)
RABBIT: And.. where¡¦ is¡¦. the tree?
TURTLE: A-t t-h-e v-e-r-y t-o-p.
FOX: (appears from R.) Oh~ Here¡¯s one stupid dog, one dumb rabbit, and a bulbous turtle slower than a snail!
RABBIT: We are not stupid!
FOX: Ha ha. Never heard anything funnier than this! Of course us foxes are the smartest animal in the world!
TAO: Except for humans.
FOX: But no human can climb up this hill.
TAO: What if I¡¯m a human?
FOX: Doesn¡¯t make any sense to me.
Tao explains the fox why he became a dog.
FOX: Well, I don¡¯t totally believe in this but¡¦ can I go with you?
TAO: Sure. Always welcome.
RABBIT: I thought you didn¡¯t want to!
TAO: Anyway, what kind of philosophy do you believe in? Turtle believes in Daoism, and rabbit believes in Confucianism.
FOX: Well, I¡¯ve heard of Confucianism, but what kind of stupid thing is this Daoism?
TURTLE: (Speaking properly) DON¡¯T INSULT DAOISM!!! Daoism is the teachings of Laozi. He thought that emptiness is important. It was formed in the Qin dynasty. Humans need to find their own Dao, or the way, to live in harmony! It was formed in 6 century B.C. It teaches naturalness, humanism, and emptiness.
TAO: How¡¦ did¡¦ you speak¡¦ that fast¡¦? (Surprised)
TURTLE: W-h-a-t¡¦?
Fox and rabbit are too surprised that they are stepping back from the turtle.
FOX: O..k.. I¡¯m very sorry. Well, let me introduce the best philosophy ever- Legalism! It is formed by Shang Yang. It is a political philosophy that doesn¡¯t address higher questions like the nature and purpose of life. We think the law is the best! Human nature is wicked, so we need strict laws! That¡¯s what they thought. Our philosophy was formed in the Qin Dynasty, at 5th century B.C. We burn books which is not our philosophy!
TAO: Just.. can I ask something? Do you know anything about the Old Oak Tree?
FOX: I don¡¯t know a lot because we are not supposed to go around it; it¡¯s the rules.
RABBIT: All that rules and rules! I can¡¯t understand how you can live with so many rules.
FOX: When you get to used to it, than it won¡¯t matter, and it keeps a being good. Well, I just know few things; that he is very smart, and does not let random person to talk to him. I¡¯ve heard that he tests people before they can meet him.
TAO: What if he doesn¡¯t let us to talk to him?
FOX: Well, he will.
RABBIT: Than that¡¯s good. Now, let¡¯s start going.
Scene 5
They are all climbing up the mountain which now is covered with snow. Sometimes they slip.
RABBIT: I can¡¯t see the top.
FOX: Sure enough, because it¡¯s too high, and the Old Oak Tree is not on peak!
TAO: Seriously?
FOX: Yes. No one has seen the top, and the Old Oak Tree is not far from here.
RABBIT: How do you know that?
FOX: I just know it. It came down from father to father.
RABBIT: O..k¡¦ (Whispers) That¡¯s weird.
FOX: We are almost there! See this big black rock? (Pointing at it)
TAO: Why do you guys want to come with me?
TURTLE/FOX/RABBIT: I want to know which is the best philosophy of all.
TAO: I don¡¯t think that fighting over it is good¡¦ but¡¦
TURTLE/FOX/RABBIT: But I want to know.
TAO: Ok¡¦ I think we are almost there.
Scene 6
While they are walking up the hill, something appears in front of them.
?: Help! I¡¯m hurt!
TAO: Who are you?
?: I can¡¯t tell!
RABBIT: What were you doing up here?
?: I don¡¯t know! People are chasing me!
Tao goes up to the mysterious person and examines and heals his wound. Rabbit and others just stand behind.
FOX: Don¡¯t help him. If you help him, than you will also get into trouble because of the law! He¡¯s getting chased, and that means he did something wrong. Also, a person like him are not supposed to come in this area!!
Turtle slowly goes towards the man.
Turtle: B-u-t¡¦ H-e i-s¡¦ h-u-r-t¡¦!!!
RABBIT: Yeah! He is hurt and what¡¯s so important about law? (walks towards the man)
FOX: Laws are laws! That¡¯s what we legalists believe! Laws make people better! What if he is a bad person? You don¡¯t have any proof! If he really is a bad person, than he will do more bad things after he runs away. Still, you want to help him?
Rabbit and Turtle stops walking towards the man. Something gold flashes from the man¡¯s hand.
RABBIT: What is that?
?: It¡¯s just a small knickknack.
FOX: And do you see? He is a robber! He has gold in his hand!
TAO: But would you want to leave a dying human being alone? You are killing people! You also don¡¯t have any proof that he is a bad person! Even if he is, he will be a good person because he will hear us talking about him. He should be kind enough to change himself after I save him. I want him to be kind.
There is a huge silence.
TAO: There you go. Now it won¡¯t hurt.
?: Thank you. I¡¯m very sorry to hear this. I was a robber of a small town up there.
FOX: See?
?: Wait, but I¡¯m going to be a good person. I¡¯m sorry.
TAO: Do you understand, Fox? (To the man) You are a very good person. (Spurs him)
FOX: ¡¦¡¦
TAO: You are free to go.
?: Thank you!
TAO: Let¡¯s go.
Scene 7
The four characters are all facing the Old Oak Tree.
OLD OAK TREE: Welcome! How interesting; look at the three philosophies getting mingled together! So you want to know which is the best philosophy?
TAO: Yes. We came here because¡¦
OLD OAK TREE: Ha ha. No need to tell. I already heard it down over there in the Fox¡¯s village.
TURTLE: H-o-w c-a-n y-o-u d-o t-h-a-t¡¦?
OLD OAK TREE: I have much more power than what you know. My roots go all down there, too. I can hear every bit of things.
TURTLE: T-h-a-t , i-s t-h-e p-o-w-e-r o-f t-h-e n-a-t-u-r-e.
OLD OAK TREE: Yes it is.
FOX: So can you tell us?
OLD OAK TREE: Turtle, you are generous to all things. Rabbit, you make people comfortable. Fox, you make the rules very important. Tao¡¦ ah yes, the student from the future. You diplomatically judge things. That¡¯s very good. I have something to tell all of you. There¡¯s no best philosophy.
RABBIT: What? There must be one! It doesn¡¯t mean that it is all bad, is it?
OLD OAK TREE: Yes, I mean that they are all good. They have their own good characteristics, and their goods, and they are all good. Daoism¡¦ they let humans find their own Dao(way) and live in harmony. They also let people away from complex life. Legalism¡¦ they formed strict laws and rules so the people can follow them¡¦ and for Confucianism¡¦ they made people respect each other and form peace¡¦ Tao, I guess that these affected the future.
TAO: Yeah.
OLD OAK TREE: Tao, go back to the future and teach other people the peace within the three philosophies. (Lights off)
Scene 8
TAO: What¡¦? I¡¯m back! In the form of a human! Well, now I guess that I know a lot about the three philosophies. Anyway, I don¡¯t think I can teach people.