Matthew Wilder
Written in Stone (Part 2)
[FA ZHOU, & FATHERS]
FATHER MUST PROTECT THE FAM'LY,
DEFEND HIS HOUSE FROM SHAME.
FATHER MUST SECURE HIS HONOR,
FATHER MUST PRESERVE THE NAME WRITTEN IN STONE.
[YUN]
And the mother, protector of all traditions.
(YUN claps twice. FA LI, GRANDMOTHER FA and MOTHERS enter.)
[FA LI, GRANDMOTHER FA, & MOTHERS]
SERVE THE TEA,
TEND THE ROSE,
MOTHER, DAUGHTER,
SO IT GOES: WRITTEN IN STONE.
[LIN]
And of course, the devoted children.
[LAOZI]
The daughters will grow up to be beautiful brides.
[HONG]
The sons will grow up to be brave soldiers.
(DAUGHTERS and SONS enter.)
[SONS, & (DAUGHTERS)]
HONOR AND OBEY (HONOR AND OBEY),
FOLLOW DUTY'S CALL (FOLLOW DUTY'S CALL,),
FULFILL MY DESTINY (FULFILL MY DESTINY,),
[SONS, & DAUGHTERS]
IT'S ALL! WRITTEN IN STONE.
[ALL]
WRITTEN IN STONE.
AND SO I FOLLOW THE PATH THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO ME,
SO I HONOR THE ONES WHO WENT BEFORE.
OH, ANCESTORS, SAY YOU WON'T BE BLIND TO ME.
I PRAY TO YOU BE KIND TO ME...
[YUN]
In ancient China, we believe that we all have our roles to play.