Texas Instruments Chinese New Year Party (CINY)

Feb 5, 2008 @ Maxim Restaurant (11:30 AM to 1:30 PM)

Demo Videos The Wisdom of Calligrapher-Sage Decorations

 


1. Demo Videos

TO BE ADDED.

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2. The Calligrapher-Sage's Couplets 王羲之 "福無雙至, 禍不單行" 的巧聯

 

Introduction to the Story


When the Calligrapher-Sage, Wang Hsi-Chih ( 王羲之 ), wrote a pair of couplets for the coming New Year, they were taken by pedestrians at night. It was because Wang’s calligraphy was most admired at that time in China. He wrote another pair and they were stolen again at night. 
  
Wang’s wife became worried at New Year’s Eve as every family had their own couplets by the door. Then Wang inscribed another pair of couplets and posted them by the gate. They read like this: “Good fortunes never arrive in a pair, disasters never walk alone.” At night, when the thieves saw this, they hesitated and would never take such a misfortune with them.
  
On New Year’s Day, Wang came to the gate and added “They arrived a moment ago this morning” after “Good fortunes never arrive in a pair” and “They just passed by yesterday” after “Disasters never walk alone” As the family, neighbors, and pedestrians read this, they were happy and gave big applauses. 


王羲之 "禍不單行, 福無雙至" 的巧聯

東晉書法家王羲之有一年從山東老家移居到浙江紹興,此時正值年終歲尾,於是王羲之書寫了一副春聯,讓家人貼在大門兩側。對聯是:

春風春雨春色,

新年新歲新景。

因為王羲之書法蓋世,為時人所景仰,此聯剛一貼出,不料即被人趁夜揭走。家人告訴王羲之後,王羲之不生氣,又提筆寫了一副,讓家人再貼出去。這副寫的是:

鶯啼北星,

燕語南郊。

誰知天明一看,又被人揭走了。可這天已是除夕,第二天就是大年初一,眼看左鄰右舍家家戶戶門前都掛上了春聯,惟獨自己家門前空空落落,急得王夫人直催丈夫想個辦法。

王羲之想了想,微微一笑,又提筆寫了一付,寫完後,讓家人先將對聯剪去一截,把上半截先張貼于門上:

禍不單行,福無雙至。

夜間果然又有人來偷揭。可在月色下一看,見這副對聯寫得太不吉利。儘管王羲之是蓋世書法家,也不能將這副充滿凶險預言的對聯取走拿回家啊。來偷揭的人只好嘆口氣,趁夜色溜走了。

初一早晨天剛亮,王羲之即親自出門將昨天剪下的下半截分別貼好,此時已有不少人圍觀,大家一看,對聯變成:


禍不單行昨夜行,福無雙至今朝至。

眾人看了,齊聲喝彩,拍掌稱妙。

 

 

 

"An Anecdote of Calligrapher-Sage Wang Hsi-Chih"

 

 

Special thanks to Vivian for directing this play and the following cast.

Cast of the Play

Background Story ( Jessie Yuan as the Announcer )

Wang Hsi-Chih ( Joshua Hough )
Mrs. Wang ( Kara Atchison )

Neighbor #1 ( Yi Qian )
Neighbor #2 ( Galen Labree )

Art Thief #1 ( Zigang Yang )
Art Thief #2 ( John Hall )

Door Frame #1 ( Mike Chisholm )
Door Frame #2 ( Terry Howard )


Announcer: When the Lunar New Year's Day is coming, every Chinese family will post a pair of couplets on both sides of the door. The couplets are written in nice calligraphy and contain words of good meanings. The Chinese believe that the couplets will bring them good fortune and prosperity for the coming year.

The calligraphy of Wang Hsi-Chih ( 王羲之 ) was most admired during his time in ancient China. He was widely regarded as the Calligrapher-Sage ( 書聖王羲之 ).

Since Wang Hsi-Chih's couplets were valuable, thieves "borrowed" them the last two nights before New Year's Day. Wang Hsi-Chih used his wisdom for the last couplets to discourage the thieves. Now, to the play.


Wang's wife: 老王, 當家的, The New Year's coming. What are you going to write in the couplets?

Wang: 筆墨紙硯伺候! (Music starts and Wang writes (揮毫)). Done! Let us post it on the door. (Wang and Wife start posting)

Neighbor #1: Good morning, Neighbor.

Wang and Wife: Good morning. Howdy!

Neighbor #2: Howdy! Mr. Wang

Neighbor #1: Oh, you got new couplets!

Neighbor #1 (read the 1st part of the couplets in Chinese): (spring)(breeze)(spring)(rain)(spring)(scenery)

Neighbor #2 (read the 1st part of the couplets in English): Spring breeze, spring rain, and spring scenery.

Neighbor #1 (read the 2nd part of the couplets in Chinese): (new)(year)(new)(age)(new)(phenomenon).

Neighbor #2 (read the 2nd part of the couplets in English): New year, new age, and new phenomenon.

Neighbor #1: very nice couplets. I can feel the New Year filled with new hope.

Wang's wife: thank you. Bye-Bye. 再見。


(Both Wang's family and neighbors go to sleep)

(Music starts and thieves sneak in)

Thief #1: It is so hard to get Master Wang's writing. Man, this is perfect.

Thief #2: 王羲之墨寶無價, 一紙難求.

Thief #1: It shouldn't count as stealing.

Thief #2: We just borrow it.

(Thieves happily left)


Wang's wife: 哎呀!親愛的,the couplets are gone.

Wang: Holly Crap!

Wang's wife: Can you write another pair?

Wang: OK, 筆墨紙硯伺候! (Music starts and Wang writes (揮毫)). Done! Let us post it on the door. (Wang and wife post and back to house )

Neighbor #1: Look, Master Wang has a new couplet now.

Neighbor #1 (read the 1st part of the couplets): (lark)(sing)(north)(star)

Neighbor #2 (read the 1st part of the couplets in English): Birds are singing toward stars in the north.

 

Neighbor #1 (read the 2nd part of the couplets): (swallows)(talk, murmur)(south)(suburb)

Neighbor #2 (read the 2nd part of the couplets in English): Swallows are murmuring in the south suburbs.

Neighbor #1: Birds are singing. Spring is coming. Another nice pair.

Neighbor #2: Beautiful pair.


(Both Wang's family and Neighbors go to sleep)

(Music starts and Thieves sneak in)

Thief #1 (stealing): This is another masterpiece!

Thief #2: 又一個無價之寶.

Thief #1: Anything outside of the house should be considered as public property. Shouldn't count as stealing!

Thief #2: 房子外面擺著, 應該算公共財物, 這當然也不算偷

(Thieves happily left)


(In the morning, wife wakes up, yawns and opens the door)

Wang's wife: 哎呀!小偷子! (Facing audience) 你們看到小偷子了嗎?

Wang's wife: 老王!The couplets are gone again.

Wang: Holly crap again!

Wang's wife: All the neighbors already have their own couplets. It's New Year's Eve now. What are we going to do? 辦?怎辦?

Wang: Let me think of something. 筆墨紙硯伺候! (Music starts and Wang writes (揮毫)).

(While posting)

Wang's wife: We should install a Texas Instruments' surveillance system.

Wang: Umm. Now we can have a good sleep.

(Wang and wife go back to house)


Neighbor #1(read the 1st part): They changed the couplet again. 現在是:福(fortune)(never)(two, a pair)(arrive, come).

Neighbor #2 (read the 1st part): Good fortunes never arrive in a pair.

Neighbor #1 (read the 2nd part): (disaster)(not)(single, alone)(walk)

Neighbor #2 (read the 2nd part): Disasters never walk alone

Neighbor #1: This sounds terrible.

Neighbor #2: It is weird.

Neighbor #1: Why did Master Wang post such weird couplets?

Neighbor #2: He must be crazy.


(Music starts and Thieves sneak in again)

Thief #1: Beautiful writing still, but the content is so hideous!

Thief #2: How can we take such a misfortune with us? No one wants this!

Thief #1: Leave it! Just go.

(Thieves left)


(Wang came out)

Wang: Let me finish my couplets. (Wang writing)

(Neighbors join)

Neighbor #1: Happy New Year!

Neighbor #2: 恭喜發財!

Neighbor #1: (fortune)(never)(two, pair)(arrive, come)今朝(today)(arrive, come),

Neighbor #2: Good fortunes never arrive in a pair, but it came today.


 

 

Neighbor #1: (disaster)(not)(single, alone)(walk)昨日(yesterday)(walk)

Neighbor #2: Disasters never walk alone, they went yesterday.

Neighbor #1: wow! The meaning of the couplets totally changed.

Neighbor #2: They are perfect couplets for New Year.

(Music starts, thieves join too, everybody applauses and says "恭喜發財")

 


The purpose of the play is to let the Americans get familiar with Chinese New Year couplets and the story of Wang Hsi-Chih. Wang never talked like that in real life. The volunteers from Texas Instruments tried to make the scripts interesting... 

 

 

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3. Decoration Pieces

 

"Texas Instruments"

 

 



Good Luck, Prosperity, Longevity, and Double Happiness

 

Longevity

 

 

Good Luck and Longevity

 

 

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