"The Rice Road"

Team Pegasus

"The Rice Road"

"Purpose of the Blog"

We have made this blog for our English activity in school , but the purpose of this blog is not only for our activity but also as a good experience to actually try blogging. This blog can also help sharpen our minds cause' we have to read the story that was assigned to us and we have to discuss so many things about it through  this blog. The members of "Team Pegasus" has made a lot of effort for this blog , we've made meetings , discussions , revisions and so many to make this blog one whole. Lastly, this blog is our way into getting higher grades.

MEMBERS:

Name: Siham Darkouch 

Age: 14

Dream: To become a Doctor and a Novelist

Role:   Discussion Director & Summarizer

 Name: Jerald Casilagan

Age: 13

Dream: To become an Engineer

Role: Vocabulary En-richer      

 Name: Rene Donn Narsolis

Age: 13

Dream: To become a Pastor

Role: Artful Adventurer     

Name: Desmond Sancover

Age: 13

Dream: To become a profesional basketball player

Role: Literary Luminary

Name: Mac Arlo Cunanan

Age: 14

Dream: To become a part of the Military

Role: Character Captain 

Name: Allen Aiverson

Age: 13

Dream: To become a Computer Engineer

Role: Connector

Introduction:

“The Rice Road” (A Taoist Myth)

Taoist/Chinese mythology refers to those myths found in the historical geographic area of China: these include myths in Chinese and other languages, as transmitted by Han Chinese as well as other ethnic groups (of which fifty-six are officially recognized by the current administration of China). Chinese mythology includes creation myths and legends, such as myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state. As in many cultures' mythologies, Chinese mythology has in the past been believed to be, at least in part, a factual recording of history. Thus, in the study of historical Chinese culture, many of the stories that have been told regarding characters and events which have been written or told of the distant past have a double tradition: one which presents a more historicized and one which presents a more mythological version.In the story of “The Rice Road” One of the eight immortals Li Xuan was there to teach a lesson.The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary xian ,in Chinese mythology. Each Immortal's power can be transferred to a power tool that can bestow life or destroy evil. Together, these eight tools are called the "Covert Eight Immortals" Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang or Song Dynasty. They are revered by the Taoists and are also a popular element in the secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea, which includes Penglai Mountain-Island.

Discussion Director: (SIHAM DARKOUCH)

Setting:

Place –China , Kuang Zi Lian’s House & the Magnificent Gardens.

Mood –Tragic , Medieval , Serious , Inspiring, of Olden Times & Enlightment.

Characters:

The characters in “The Rice Road” are Kuang Zi Lian ,Zao Shen Xiao and Li Xuan.

Protagonist(s): Zao Shen Xiao

                           Li Xuan

Antagonist: Kuang Zi Lian

Conflict: 

Man vs.. Man : When Li Xuan died cause of the kick of Kuang Zi Lian.

Point Of View:

Third-person Omniscient- The narrator of “The Rice Road” is the author cause’ the narrator knows everything about the events in the story , and can reveal thoughts about the characters.

Theme:

Implied Theme- The message of “The Rice Road” is you have to do good , to receive good. Kuang Zi Lian was rich but at the same time he was selfish and a show-off which are both bad acts and in return something bad and embarrassing happened  to him during his banquet. In the end , he also became a road sweeper and he had to give away all his riches to the poor because he is the reason that Li Xuan(One of the eight immortals) died. And because he hasn’t done any good he didn’t receive anything good in return.

Plot:

Exposition- A merchant and a farmer Kuang Zi Lian who was rich and selfish was going to have a fabulous banquet and invited all the other wealthy people in the village of China. On the day of his birthday a beggar came in to ask for food and all the workers refused. When the splendid feast started all the cheers of the guests turned into screams of horror cause’ all of the food they had became maggots , writhing worms and their bowls became too hot to hold. Kuang Zi Lian was terrified by what happened , especially because it was his party.

Rising Action- Kuang Zi Lian then remembered the report of the guards about the beggar and without a doubt he blamed the poor beggar. He went in the garden to see the poor beggar still laying and bleeding , Kuang Zi Lian kicked the poor beggar and that was the last gas of air he had , the poor beggar had died. After news of the murder , the magistrate , Zao Shen Xiao , came back to town with a police as an escort.

Climax-Zao Shen Xiao went into the house of Kuang Zi Lian and was confused on why the body of the poor beggar was still there laying dead. He thought that Kuang Zi Lian would have ordered it to be removen from there to hide the crime he did. Zao Shen Xiao then realized that nobody could carry the body of the poor beggar it was so heavy that no one could lift it. He went through the pockets of the poor beggar  , he found a small piece of paper  ,  he unfolded it , he read it and folded it back again. He accused Kuang Zi Lian for the murder , Kuang Zi Lian then explained why he did it. Zao Shen Xiao said that he didn’t just murder a poor beggar he murdered Li Xuan , one of the eight immortal (Almost a God) , he heard gasps from the onlookers.

Falling Action-Kuang Zi Lian , begged for his life , but Zao Shen Xiao refused. Kuang Zi Lian said he would give away everything he has  , he would give away the rice road , he will let food be distributed to the poor , he would sell all his riches and let the money be given away to charity, Zao Shen Xiao agreed as long as Kuang Zi Lian would spend the rest of his life as a road sweeper. Kuang Zi Lian accepted the offer , and thanked the magistrate.

Resolution-Zao Shen Xiao had a smile on his face , remembering the letter he found on the pocket of Li Xuan  , “Spare Kuang Zi Lian’s life. Make him a road sweeper” that was followed by his signature. There had been no demand that Kuang Zi Lian gave away his riches. He had done that of his own free will. When the beggars came to lift Li Xuan he was as light as a feather  and placed him in a coffin, he disappeared. It takes more than one kick to kill one of the eight immortals. Li Xuan was back with the other seven , telling them the lesson he had taught that day.

5 Questions and Answers:

     1.)    If you were one of the characters in the story, who would it be? Why?

-          I would choose to be Li Xuan. Who wouldn't want to be an immortal? , but Li Xuan was not only an immortal he was a good God. He didn't like people with  bad attitudes . Like him , I would want to teach people a lesson through tests , I would want them to see what wrong they are doing. I do not want people to mistreat others , I want everyone to treat each other equally as if they were one big family. And like Li Xuan , I want everyone to have a good heart and get what they deserve in the end.

   2.)    If you were to change a part of the story, what part would it be?

-I’d change the part when Kuang Zi Lian killed the beggar and I wish he would have thought about it before actually doing it. What Kuang Zi Lian did was very cruel and immature , he immediately blamed the poor beggar after he’s embarrassment and decided to do what he thought was right. In the end , he had lost everything he had.

   3.)    In the story, Zao Shen Xiao let Kuang Zi Lian live. If you were Zao Shen Xiao and the letter of Li Xuan didn’t really existed, would you have spared the life of Kuang Zi Lian?

-          I honestly wouldn't have let Kuang Zi Lian live. Kuang Zi Lian was full of himself and self-centered. He didn't know how to give or share what he had. He didn't know how to use his riches for good , instead he wanted other people to worship what he had.

   4.)    Why was Li Xuan there and disguised as a poor beggar?

-          Li Xuan went there as a beggar because he came to test Kuang Zi Lian. He thought that Kuang Zi Lian would spare some food to a poor beggar since he built a road full of rice that only some people in China could afford. Unfortunately , Kuang Zi Lian failed because he was a selfish man.

    5.)    How would you describe the story of “The Rice Road”?

-For me , The Rice Road was somehow inspiring. It had a good moral lesson to teach us even in our modern time. The Rice Road’s moral lesson was to be good and to treat each other equally.If you treat people badly something bad like karma  might happened. Which is a very inspiring and meaningful lesson.

SUMMARIZER: (SIHAM DARKOUCH)
The Rice Road is a Taoist myth. The story is about a Kuang Zi Lian a rich merchant and farmer who owned various amounts of expensive items and he loved showing it off. On his birthday , he wanted something spectacular like a banquet. He had a road filled with rice that was covered with a red carpet leading into his house. Rice at that time in China was very expensive and the poor were lucky enough to actually eat rice. The town’s magistrate Zhao Shen Xiao heard news of his doing and decided to see himself , he thought it was a complete waste to use rice in such a way. On the day of his birthday , a beggar found his way around the house and went to the kitchen to beg for food , however, none of the servants dared to give him , in case news reached Kuang Zi Lian. Instead , 2 guards decided to throw him out and leave him in the garden with a bloody nose. The guests had arrive and all the wealthy guests were marveling at a host so fabulously rich that he could use rice in such a way. They admired Kuang Zi Lian’s things , houses and whatever expensive riches he had. They all sat down , because the splendid feast had began. What began as cries of delight from the wealthy guests turned into shrieks of horror, for what had been their food turned into maggots , writhing worms and the bowls they used to eat became hot too hold. Kuang Zi Lian was horrified and thought about the beggar that had been reported earlier , he thought that the beggar casted a spell on them as revenge. Kuang Zi Lian left the banquet and ordered his guard to take him to the beggar who still laid bleeding on the ground. Kuang Zi Lian blamed the beggar for the happening at the banquet he gave the poor beggar a kick , who took one last gasp of air and died. Some of the beggars had enough courage to report the murder to the magistrate Zao Shen Xiao. He was outraged and made his way along the rice road with a police escort , to Kuang Zi Lian’s house. When he arrived he was surprised to still see the body , he expected it to be gone by now to hide the murder of Kuang Zi Lian. Soon ,he found out that no one could carry the body for it was far too heavy for anyone to carry it. Zhao Shen Xiao bent down and went through the pockets of the beggar , finding a piece of paper. He unfolded the paper and read the few words upon it. The magistrate ordered his escort to bring Kuang Zi Lian. Zhao Shen Xiao accused Kuang Zi Lian of murder and that he has witnesses , Kuang Zi Lian explained himself saying that the poor beggar was a thief , but the magistrate wronged him and said that the man who laid dead infront of them was Li Xuan. Li Xuan was one of the eight immortals - almost a God .  The onlookers were shocked by the words the magistrate said. Kuang Zi Lian wailed pathetically saying that he had no idea that it was Li Xuan. Zao Shen Xiao explained to Kuang Zi Lian that Li Xuan came here to give him a test , a test that he had failed. Kuang Zi Lian begged for his life and said that he will give everything he had away and will start working. Because of the words that Kuang Zi Lian said and decided to spare his life. Kuang Zi Lian thanked him. Zao Shen Xiao smiled to himself , remembering the piece of paper that Li Xuan left in his pocket saying “Spare Kuang Zi Lian’s life. Make him a road sweeper.” Followed by his signature  There had been no demand that Kuang Zi Lian give away his riches. He had done that of his own free will. When the beggars began to carry Li Xuan , he was light as a feather and soon after they laced him in the coffin , he disappeared. It takes more than that to kill one of the Eight Immortals. Li Xuan was back with the other seven , and told the the lessons he had taught that day.

Character Captain: (MAC ARLO CUNANAN)

Kuang  Zi Lian- He was a farmer and merchant he was very rich. And he loved to show-off his wealth by having the biggest and best of everything. He owned thousands of fields , his clothes were made of the most exquisite and expensive skills, and his enormous home was crammed with priceless treasures. He owned a magnificent garden and he has a trail leading right into his house.

Zao Shen Xiao- He was the magistrate of the town . He was a good and honest man. He feels bad when people use expensive stuff that the poor can’t afford and use it for such a waste.

Li Xuan- He was one of the eight immortals. He would disguise himself and test people for their attitudes. He made sure that the people with bad attitudes will also get bad in return and make sure that they will learn something from their wrongdoings.

Literary Luminary (DESMOND SANCOVER)

     1.)   “This was no thief or beggar , this was Li Xuan.”

     2.)   “My wife and children have not eaten for days.”

     3.)   “I will give everything. Everything starting with the rice road , let the food be distributed to the poor , let my riches be sold and the money be given away to the poor.”

     4.)   “How can your master miss a handful of rice for my starving children when he has a road of it?”

     5.)   “Of course you didn't know , he came to give you a test , a test that you have failed.”

 I chose these 5 quotes because it has really deep meanings, especially in the scenes of the story where they were mentioned. Some of them are sad , the others empowering and the others were touching. If you have read the story then these quotes aren't just simply quotes.

Connector:(ALLEN AIVERSON)

I connect a part of my life to the part of the story where the poor beggar begged for food and didn't get any. Once , my friends and I wanted to try to experiment to beg and test the people who will give money out of the goodness of their heart. I tried begging to this lady and instead of ignoring me she actually said “Disgusting.” I looked at her with anger because she was well dressed and she didn't even spare a ‘piso’ for a young boy like me . If anyone did give money I wouldn't have accepted it , at least I know they we’re actually gonna give me. Except , this lady was too much she glared at me as if I wasn't even human so , I just left because the pain of what the world has become today was too much for me to handle. And that is why I connect that part of my life to the story , cause’ I felt the pain the poor beggar felt.

Vocabulary En-richer (JERALD CASILAGAN)

Merchant- is a business person who trades in commodities produced by others in order to earn a profit.

Exquisite-  extremely beautiful and, typically, delicate. extremely beautiful and, typically, delicate.

Enormous- very great in size or amount.

Banquet- a formal dinner for many people usually to celebrate a special event.

Crammed- to eat variously

Pitted-  having many holes or dents

Terrible- very bad or unpleasant

Starved- to suffer from extreme hunger

Magistrate- a civil officer or lay judge who administers the law, especially one who conducts a court that deals with minor offenses and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones.

Porcelain- a white vitrified translucent ceramic; china.

Lacquer- A hard, glossy, clear and colored coating made of resins.

Horrified- to make somebody feel horror

Beggar- a very poor person

Pluck- take hold of (something) and quickly remove it from its place; pick.

Gasp- to catch breath

Spare- additional to what is required for ordinary use

Scruff- the nape or outer back part of the neck

Wailed- a long drawn-out cry of pain or grief

Sobbed- to make a cry noisily, making loud, convulsive gasps.

Wafted- pass or cause to pass easily or gently through or as if through the air.

ARTFUL ADVENTURER (RENE DONN NARSOLIS)

A book cover for "THE RICE ROAD"