The Red Thread Study Guide
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Sunshine State Standards Reading/Language Arts 1.6, 1.7, 2.1, 4.2, 6.1 Theatre C.1, H.1, H.3 Math G.1 Social Studies G.1, G.6, 912.H.3 SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS Books for Lower Middle and Elementary School Students Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah Count your Way Through China by James Haskins The Enchanted Tapestry by Robert San Souci Great Ancient China Projects You Can Build Yourself by Lance Kramer Long-Long’s New Year: A Story About the Chinese Spring Festival by Catherine Gower The Weaving of a Dream by Marilee Heyer Books for Upper Middle and High School Students The Bone Setter’s Daughter by Amy Tan The Good Earth by Pearl Buck The Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston Books For Educators and Parents Along the Silk Road by Elizabeth Ten Grotenhuis (editor) Chinese Symbols and Icons complied by The Commercial Press A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols by Wolfram Eberhard Handbook of Chinese Mythology by Lihui Yang and Deming An with Jessica Anderson Turner Myths and Legends of China by E.T.C. Werner Web Resources Ancient Chinese folktales and culture http://www.chinancient.com/ China for middle school students http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/ Chinese culture, traditions, and etiquette http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global- etiquette/china-country-profile.html The Secrets of the Silk Road http://www.penn.museum/current-changing- exhibits/749-secrets-of-the-silk-road.html The Silk Road Project, founded by Chinese cellist Yo-Yo Ma http://www.silkroadproject.org/ Silkworm Cocooning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Q6vCBFJL4 Tangrams http://www.tangrams.ca/inner/tanpage.htm Weaving http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWXZ8G2EsKI When Silk Was Gold http://antiquesandthearts.com/archive/silk.htm Tangrams Conscious breathing is the core of Buddhist meditation practice. Most of the time we breathe automatically without paying attention to our inhales and exhales. Taking the time to slow down and focus on your breathing – observing your inhales and exhales, the rise and fall of your abdomen, and the thoughts that float through your mind – helps develop concentration and an awareness of how what you think affects your body and mind. When Guàiren, the mystic, begins training Ling Shih to prepare for the next steps of her adventure, he tells her the ancient Chinese legend about a servant who dropped a fragile ceramic tile, breaking it into seven pieces. He couldn’t figure out how to put the pieces back together into a square; however, he discov- ered that he could create many other interesting shapes. From this discovery came the tangram puzzle. Copy this page and cut up the seven pieces that make up the square below. Then use the pieces to make a square, a triangle, person riding a horse, duck, and bunny. Ling Shih becomes very frustrated when she attempts to cre- ate specific shapes with the tangrams. Guàiren advises her to sit down, close her eyes, clear her mind, and focus on her breath. If you get frustrated, try following his advice. study guide the red thread based on chinese folktales by stephanie ansin & fernando calzadilla Miami Theater Center 9806 NE 2nd Avenue Miami Shores, FL 33138 (305) 751-9550 [email protected] mtcmiami.org Choreography by Octavio Campos Original Music & Sound Design by Luciano Stazzone Set, Costume & Lighting Design by Fernando Calzadilla Directed by Stephanie Ansin MTC is funded in part by Ansin Foundation; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; North Dade Medical Foundation; Gonza Executive Search, LLC; WSVN Channel 7; Andrew L. Ansin; The Green Family Foundation, Inc.; Peacock Foundation, Inc.; Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca; and State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
description
The Red Thread By Stephanie Ansin & Fernando Calzadilla MTCmiami.org
Transcript of The Red Thread Study Guide
Sunshine State Standards
Reading/Language Arts 1.6, 1.7, 2.1, 4.2, 6.1 Theatre C.1, H.1, H.3 Math G.1 Social Studies G.1, G.6, 912.H.3
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALSBooks for Lower Middle and Elementary School Students
Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen MahCount your Way Through China by James HaskinsThe Enchanted Tapestry by Robert San SouciGreat Ancient China Projects You Can Build Yourself by Lance KramerLong-Long’s New Year: A Story About the Chinese Spring Festival by Catherine GowerThe Weaving of a Dream by Marilee Heyer
Books for Upper Middle and High School Students
The Bone Setter’s Daughter by Amy TanThe Good Earth by Pearl BuckThe Hero’s Journey by Joseph CampbellThe Joy Luck Club by Amy TanWoman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
Books For Educators and Parents
Along the Silk Road by Elizabeth Ten Grotenhuis (editor)Chinese Symbols and Icons complied by The Commercial PressA Dictionary of Chinese Symbols by Wolfram EberhardHandbook of Chinese Mythology by Lihui Yang and Deming An with Jessica Anderson TurnerMyths and Legends of China by E.T.C. Werner
Web ResourcesAncient Chinese folktales and culturehttp://www.chinancient.com/China for middle school studentshttp://www.historyforkids.org/learn/china/Chinese culture, traditions, and etiquette http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/china-country-profile.htmlThe Secrets of the Silk Roadhttp://www.penn.museum/current-changing-exhibits/749-secrets-of-the-silk-road.htmlThe Silk Road Project, founded by Chinese cellist Yo-Yo Mahttp://www.silkroadproject.org/Silkworm Cocooninghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Q6vCBFJL4Tangrams http://www.tangrams.ca/inner/tanpage.htmWeavinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWXZ8G2EsKIWhen Silk Was Goldhttp://antiquesandthearts.com/archive/silk.htm
Tangrams
Conscious breathing is the core of Buddhist meditation practice. Most of the time we breathe automatically without paying attention to our inhales and exhales. Taking the time to slow down and focus on your breathing – observing your inhales and exhales, the rise and fall of your abdomen, and the thoughts that float through your mind – helps develop concentration and an awareness of how what you think affects your body and mind.
When Guàiren, the mystic, begins training Ling Shih to prepare for the next steps of her adventure, he tells her the ancient Chinese legend about a servant who dropped a fragile ceramic tile, breaking it into seven pieces. He couldn’t figure out how to put the pieces back together into a square; however, he discov-ered that he could create many other interesting shapes. From this discovery came the tangram puzzle.
Copy this page and cut up the seven pieces that make up the square below. Then use the pieces to make a square, a triangle, person riding a horse, duck, and bunny.
Ling Shih becomes very frustrated when she attempts to cre-ate specific shapes with the tangrams. Guàiren advises her to sit down, close her eyes, clear her mind, and focus on her breath. If you get frustrated, try following his advice.
study guide
the red threadbased on chinese folktales
by stephanie ansin & fernando calzadilla
Miami Theater Center 9806 NE 2nd Avenue Miami Shores, FL 33138(305) [email protected]
Choreography by Octavio Campos
Original Music & Sound Design by Luciano Stazzone
Set, Costume & Lighting Design by Fernando Calzadilla
Directed by Stephanie Ansin
MTC is funded in part by Ansin Foundation; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; North Dade Medical Foundation; Gonza Executive Search, LLC; WSVN Channel 7; Andrew L. Ansin; The Green Family Foundation, Inc.; Peacock Foundation, Inc.; Ophelia & Juan Js. Roca; and State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
Our story begins in 400 A.C.E in Hangzhou, a city on the east coast of China. When a silk weaver named Gong Shâo is about to complete a tapestry he has been working on for three years, his oldest daughter, Yáo Xue, convinces his middle daughter, Méi Hua, to help her steal the masterpiece so they can sell it and use the money to acquire fancy clothes, delicious food, and rich husbands. As a result, Gong Shâo’s youngest daughter, Ling Shih, sets out on a quest to recover her father’s work. She walks across China for three months until she encounters a mystic named Guàiren who teaches her how to solve complex puzzles and remain calm under stressful circumstances. Ling Shih’s new abilities enable her to transform a jade statue into a magic horse that flies her to a cave in far western China. There she encounters Wàng, the Prince of Khotan, who is about to celebrate his 21st birthday and marry a princess he has never met. Ling Shih and Wàng instantly fall in love in the midst of their very stressful circumstances. Together, they open Wàng’s first wedding present and find Gong Shâo’s tapestry nestled inside the box! Thanks to the flying horse, Ling Shih quickly takes the weaving home to her dying father, and he uses the red thread that was tied around the present to sew one last red lotus on the tapestry and complete his work. Once the tapestry is finished, Gong Shâo and Ling Shih are magically transported back to Khotan just in time for Ling Shih to replace Prince Wàng’s unwanted bride. Even the humbled older sisters are included in the unexpected turn of events: greed and frivolous spending have forced them to become travelling dress vendors. They pass through Khotan right before the wedding, and they end up giving Ling Shih a stunning gown. Guàiren officiates a beautiful ceremony, and everyone dances to celebrate union, reunion, and homecoming.
Gong Shâo named his youngest daughter Ling Shih after Hsi-Ling-Shih, the wife of the first emperor of China. According to legend, Hsi-Ling-Shih discovered silk when a silkworm cocoon fell into her tea cup and unraveled before her eyes, revealing a long strand of silk thread.
Filial Piety
When Ling Shih searches for her father’s tapestry, it takes her three months to walk from Hangzhou to the Kunlun Mountain. Then it takes her a few minutes to fly to Khotan on a magic horse. Later that night, the same horse flies her from Khotan back to Hang-zou in less than an hour. When Gong Shâo finally completes his tapestry, he and Ling Shih miraculously find themselves transported back to Khotan in a matter of seconds.
(For teachers: This is an FCAT expository essay prompt.)
As you can see on the Google maps, Ling Shih’s journey is comparable to traveling from Miami, FL to Santa Barbara, CA.
Where have you gone?Some journeys take place in time and space. Other journeys take place inside your mind. Think about a significant journey – external or internal – that you’ve taken. For example: a vacation to another city; moving to a new place; making a new friend; or overcoming a fear. Now write about what prompted your journey and what you learned along the way.
The Tapestry of Life A tapestry is created by weaving different colored threads togther to make a pattern or image. Gong Shâo's tapestry is a metaphor for the powerful connections we have with our family, friends, and community. Our strength comes from the delicate interweaving of our individual lives.
The Story Ling Shih’s Journey
Filial piety is considered the most important virtue in Chinese culture. It includes:
• beinggoodtoone’sparentsandshowingthemlove,respect,andsupport
•behavingwelloutsidethehomesoastobringagoodnametoone’sparents
•performingthedutiesof one’sjobwellsoastoobtainthemeanstosupport one’s parents
Yáo Xue and Méi Hua behave extremely disrespectfully when they steal their father’s tapestry.
Write an essay or have a discussion about the following questions:
•WhydoYáoXueandMéiHuadisobeyGongShâo?
•Whatwouldyoudoif youwereintheirsituation?
•Whatwouldyoudoif youwereGongShâoorLingShi?
The title of the play comes from anANCIENT CHINESE BELIEF
An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The red thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.
Even today, many Chinese people wear red bracelets that symbolize their desire to find the soul mate they are connected to by an invisible red thread.
• HowdoyouseethisancientChinese belief reflected in the play?
• Whichcharactersdoyouthinkareconnected by invisible red threads?
• Doyouhaveanyinvisible,inevitable connections in your life?
Khotan
Hangzhou
Luoyang
Xian
Xining
In China, the Kunlun Mountain has been know as one of the pillars that holds up the
sky; deities’ paradise; and the link between Heaven and Earth.
Santa Barbara
Miami Beach
Hangzhou to Luoyang: 640 miles
Luoyang to Xian: 254 miles
Xian to Xining: 516 miles
Xining to Kunlun Mountain: 1140 miles
Kunlun Mountain to Khotan: 265 miles
Kunlun Mountain
Hangzhou to Khotan: 2,815 miles
Miami to Santa Barbara: 2,799 miles
