波士顿大爱人文之夜 Tzu Chi Boston Cultural Night

九月二十三日，慈济波士顿联络处在John Hancock表演厅组办了一场大爱人文之夜。这是我加入慈济波士顿后的第一个大型活动。济逢师伯希望我能在下午两点左右到场帮忙。记得当天天空一片蔚蓝，我步行过哈佛桥，大步往John Hancock表演厅的方向走去。

On 23 Sep, Tzu Chi Boston hosted a Cultural Night at John Hancock Hall. That was the first major event of Tzu Chi Boston that I attended. Ji Feng SB told me to reach at around 2 pm. Since the weather that day is great, I walked across Harvard Bridge, all the way to John Hancock Hall.

到达后，济逢师伯叫我帮济山师伯的忙，把场地的电线拉好、架起录影机、寻找最佳的取镜处。做起来还知道不容易，取镜处是改了又改：位置绝佳，不过电线不够长、位置不错，但是电线必须拉过走道，容易引起跌倒意外。几番推敲，终于在表演厅的左右各一角、舞台前左右各一角，把四架录影机架起。

There, Ji Feng SB asked me to helped Ji San SB in wiring and setting up the video cameras for taping of the whole performance later. I did not realize that wiring can be so much of a trouble. We changed the location of the video cameras several times in order to get the best view, under the constraint of wire length. Finally, we found an ideal spot, right at the corner of the hall. In total, we set up 4 video cameras.

架好录影机后，我跟着济山师伯负责舞台前左角的录影机。济山师伯传授了我几招录影的窍门，并且让我利用彩排试着录影。主要是注意两项：拉近或拉远镜头的速度不好过快、尽量不要让录影机颤抖。录影其实挺好玩。不过，美中不足的是，大爱人文之夜结束后，在收拾器材时，济山师伯和我离开了录影机旁，结果录影机不小心被撞翻，导致放录影带的夹层不能合上。

After setting up the video cameras, I followed Ji San SB, who handled the video camera at the left side, just below the stage. He taught me the tricks of handling the video camera and let me try filming the rehearsal. The main issues to take note are not to zoom in or out too fast and not to shake the video camera. It was fun. The only regret was after the performance ended, while we were packing all the equipments, we left the video camera alone and it was knocked down from its stand by accident. In the end, the video camera cartridge door cannot be close.

说老实话，整个大爱人文之夜，我记得不多，因为从台湾请来的歌手我大多都不认识。印象最深刻的是师姑、师姐、师兄和师伯们演绎的慈济手语剧。那是我第一次观看慈济手语剧。手语之美，只可意会不可言传。我在第一篇文章中已提过，这次手语剧的《千手世界》，深深得感动了我，更令我开始落笔。

Frankly, I did not remember much of the whole night, because the singers are from Taiwan and I don’t know them well. I only remember the first performance, by our own Tzu Chi people. That was the first time I saw Tzu Chi sign language performance. It was beautiful. How beautiful, you have to be there to see it yourself. As mentioned previously in my first entry, this performance inspires me to put my thoughts of writing a blog into action.


为了这一场大爱人文之夜，大伙都十分辛劳。从下午两点，架录影机、录影彩排、录影正式表演，一直到晚上九点。除了短暂的晚饭时间能歇息片刻，济山师伯和我都是站着的。我年纪轻，撑得住，不过济山师伯是上了年纪的，真难为他了。没有对慈济的那一份热忱，没人撑得下去。

It was tiring work. Since 2 pm, we set up the video cameras, filmed the rehearsal, followed by the actual performance. All the way to 9 pm, except during dinner break, we were always standing. You cannot possible film the performance while sitting down. I am young, but Ji San SB is close to retirement age. Truly, if you do not have faith, you will not be doing it.

站是站着，不过济山师伯和我也会苦中作乐。我从济山师伯那，了解慈济在美国的活动。济山师伯是从慈济纽约分会过来支援慈济波士顿联络处的。因为慈济波士顿，慈济人不多，大型活动，慈济纽约多数会在人力和运作上支援我们。北上波士顿，是牺牲一整天的休息日：凌晨一大早搭巴士往波士顿、支援我们一整天、晚上九点多再搭巴士回纽约、到纽约时估计也是子夜后。济山师伯来过波士顿几次，不过都是支援我们，还没有游览过波士顿。难怪，大爱人文之夜后，纽约的慈济人上巴士回纽约时，我们波士顿的慈济人，一字排开、挥手欢送、感恩之情，跃然脸上。

I learned a lot more about Tzu Chi in United States. Ji San SB is from New York. Tzu Chi New York sent a lot of people over to lend their support, both in logistics and performers, since Tzu Chi Boston has limited members. It was really sacrificing the whole day. They took the bus early in the morning, helped out the whole day and took the bus back in the evening. Ji San SB came to Boston several times, but has never toured Boston before. It was always a one-day contribution trip. Hence, it was no wonder that when their bus leaved for New York, Tzu Chi Boston people were mostly out waving and sending them off. I can really see gratitude on our faces.

欢送纽约的慈济人后，大家开始整理事物。没料到，就是一场大爱人文之夜，竟然有那么多的器材、书刊要搬，好像永无止境。济逢师伯的小货车、几位师姑的车，车后箱、车座上，都是慈济的事物。好不容易，事物都上了车，感恩建发师兄和小芳师姐送我回家。

After sending off SGs and SBs from Tzu Chi New York, we started to pack our stuffs. I did not realize that just a single-night event; there are that much stuff to move. It is like never ending. Ji Feng SB’s mini van and several SGs’ car were filled to the brim. Finally when everything was packed, Jian Fa SX and Judy SJ gave me a ride home.

那一晚，感触良多。济山师伯告诉我，我是与慈济有很深的因缘，方能进入慈济。要把握因缘，多了解慈济和上人的法。既然进入了慈济，就不因该为了小事或杂语而放弃这难得的因缘。不错，慈济的菩萨道，一点都不好走，诱惑又多，有机会下次再一起分享。

I learned several things that night. Ji San SB told that it took great affiliation to be able to enter Tzu Chi. Make full use of the opportunity to understand Tzu Chi and Master Cheng Yan’s teaching well. No matter what happens, I am already inside Tzu Chi, do not let anything or anybody words affect my commitment. Frankly, that is very true, but I will write about that another time.

我还注意到一件事，大爱人文之夜后，大家都忙着整理事物，我见到蔡师姑一人，手拿着一个大塑料袋、翻开表演厅的每一个垃圾桶、伸手进去、把每一个矿泉水瓶取出、放进大塑料袋里环保。这一幕，看进眼里：蔡师姑穿着慈济旗袍，却在捡垃圾做环保，无言的感动。我上前帮忙。把表演厅的每一个垃圾桶翻开后，蔡师姑还想到后台去，但因为考虑到后台已归还表演厅负责人，只好却步。

Another thing I noticed is, at the end of the performance, while everybody was packing up the equipments and stuffs, I saw Cai SG taking a plastic bag and going to every single dustbin in the hall. She opened the cover, put her hands inside and pull out every single empty mineral water plastic bottle. I was touched. She is wearing Cheongsam and yet she was doing this. I helped her. After clearing out every dustbin in the hall and lobby outside, she wanted to enter the backstage, but did not do so because we already returned the backstage back to the administrators of John Hancock Hall.


最后，当晚，我随口问了济山师伯，慈济纽约分会，洋人多吗。济山师伯说不多，他那代慈济人做到的是让美国华裔认识慈济。让美国洋人认识慈济，那是我这一代慈济人该做到事。义不容辞，这也是为什么我的文章都是中英对照。

A final comment: I asked Ji San SB whether there is significant Caucasians in Tzu Chi New York. He told me no, what his generation managed to achieve was to introduce Tzu Chi to Chinese in America. It is the task of my generation to spread the faith of Tzu Chi to Caucasians. I agree. That is why this blog is in both English and Chinese.

感恩

Gan En