My May 5th Song
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jun 3, 2022
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. SITTING ROOM - 14:30
The TV is on. PETER is checking his smart phone.
PETER (V.O.): Today is May 5th of the Chinese lunar calendar - a public holiday to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The Festival is meant to commemorate a famous patriotic poet Qu Yuan. He committed suicide over 2000 years ago.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Due to the pandemic, the customary rowing of dragon boats has been suspended.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): For the festivals that I like, I've written theme songs. I exchange greetings with them.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I love my May 5th song.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
EXT. GUANGDONG NORTH - DAY (Oct 2015)
Peter (61) is walking past golden but harvested terraced rice fields built into the mountain slope.
PETER (V.O.): As a first timer to see terraced rice fields, I don't know what to expect.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Now is Autumn, I shouldn't expect to see green seedlings in flooded terraced rice fields.
Walking further up the slope, Peter sees a few dragon-like sculptures made of straw. He pauses to take images of them.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's a pleasant surprise to see the art works. I can imagine the farmer's way of life.
EXT. LONGJI , GUANGXI - DAY (June, 2016)
Peter (62), in a rain coat, sees terraced rice fields, from the mountain foot up to the mountain top.
PETER (V.O.): "Longji" means "Dragon Backbone". The terraced rice fields here resemble a dragon's scales.
Walking up the mountain, Peter sees farmers planting green budding seedlings in the well-flooded rice fields.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They work so hard so that no one would starve.
Raining. Peter opens an umbrella.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Farming in terraced rice fields isn't easy.
Later, the sky is pouring. At a mountain top shelter, Peter and other PHOTOGRAPHERS watch the farmers working the fields down under.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's a very special sight but I can't stay here for long as I've to rejoin the package tour.
INT. HOTEL, QUILIN - NIGHT
Peter is surfing the web with his smart phone.
PETER (V.O.): Let me find out when is the best time to see the terraced rice fields here?
Reading.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, as a tradition, the farmers would begin to irrigate their terraced fields immediately after the May 5th of the Chinese lunar calendar.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.): I must bear this in mind.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Believing that I needn't repeat the trip that quick, I went to Tokyo, Hainan and Ishigaki in the month of June from 2017-2019.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But due to the pandemic, I've suspended my monthly travelling hobby since March 2020.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In May 2017, I got an early Dragon Boat Festival greeting from a friend in Canada.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Her greeting inspired me to write a song to reciprocate.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Focusing on the objective, I got the raw but real song in about three hours.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Since I began private practice in Sept 2017, I haven't got a song as good as it.
Act 3
INT. SITTING ROOM - 19:30
Watching TV news, Peter sees dragon boats rowing on screen.
PETER (V.O.): A team that rows is a team that grows. I'm glad to see that activities are returning to normal.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Perhaps, it's about time I should resume writing my songs.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Meanwhile, let me dedicate my May 5th song to all!
Peter checks smart phone notifications.
THE END
FADE OUT
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