Reminisces: DRAMA SERIES - WOMEN IN THE DAO KE FAMILY

Lately, with lots of time on my hand, I sat down and started surfing the tv network. There was nothing much to watch, really. 'Downton Abbey", my favourite was out of season. Series like "How I met your mother" or NCIS has become rather predictable. Sigh. Then my attention was caught by a part of a drama series showing a gambler, who after losing everything,gambled his wife and child away. I was intrigued how it would end, and I got hooked to the series.

The drama "Women in the Dao Ke Family", featured 5 women who played their roles in shaping the family destiny.

First was the matriarch, known as '9th Nai Nai'. A princess from the Manchu court, she fell in love with General Yu and ran away with him to set up a new Dao Ke Clan (meaning Swordman Clan). She was respected and feared by all within the clan as well as people around the area. For the survival of the Yu family, 9th Nai Nai developed a set of rules and regulations which every one within the clan had to abide by. Those who broke those rules had to face dire consequences.

The second woman was 'Shih Cai Fung', wife of Lao Ba, the gambler. She was 'sold' to the Pang family after Lao Ba lost all his money. The Yu family tried to rescue her but rejected her after they found that she was raped by a member of the Pang family. She became bitter and vowed revenge against the Yu family.

The third woman was 'Ge Da Ni', a woman from a neighbouring village. She was in love with 'Lao San' (also know as Yu Hua Long) but she was forced into marriage with 'Lao Ba' the younger son from the Yu clan. Ge Da Ni was headstrong and unconventional in her ways and she challenged many of the Yu family set of rules and regulations. As such, she got herself into a lot of troubles with the family, especially 9th Nai Nai.

The forth woman was 'Lian Hwa', wife of Lao San. She was an obedient and compliant woman who steadfastly upheld the rules and regulations of the Yu family. Her greatest sorrow was that she was unable to conceive after a miscarriage, She grew bitter and resentful against Ge Da Ni when she found that the latter had been her husband's ex-lover and had bore a child by him.

The fifth woman was 'Min Yue'. She was the daughter of an army general. When her father died in a war, her stepmother sold her to a prostitute den. Lao San, who served under the general, heard of her plight, rescued her from the prostitute den. She became his second wife. Min Yue was exposed to western education and she also disagreed with many of the family rules and regulations. However, she dared not openly challenge 9th Nai Nai. She was skillful in handling guns and this skill protected the family on many occasions.

The drama was set in the background of the Sino-Japanese War. The Ching Dynasty had disintegrated and the Chinese Republic under Sun Yat Sen was trying to rule the country. The Communist Party was slowly gaining ground in the rural regions of the country. China was undergoing political and social turbulence and changes.

What made this drama so interesting was the underlying theme of tradition versus change. The Yu family find it difficult to cope with the changes happening around them. Were the rules and regulations of the Yu family relevant in this time and era?

Women were considered inferior and subservient to the men, yet the strong women in the family proved that they could play an equal role in preserving and protecting the family. Communist ideals, which advocate the equality of the sexes was creeping into the minds and thoughts of the women.

The drama also explores the theme of love versus hate, forgiveness versus bitterness and loyalty versus betrayal.

Who or what actually destroy the family? Was it Lao Ba? His irresponsible actions set off a series of plots and intrigues from his ex-wife. Was it Shih Cai Fung who was unable to forgive ? Was it 9th Nai Nai's rigidity on the rules and regulations? Was it Lao San, who, unable to marry Ge Da Ni then forced her to marry Lao Ba? Was it Ge Da Ni, whose stubborn and sacrificial love brought about the destruction of the family?

Lao 'San's intense love for Ge Da Ni caused him to act irrationally. This is the very ecstasy of love whose violent property foredoes itself, and leads the will to desperate undertakings.

And if Ge Da Ni had not been so sacrificial, the tragedy would had been averted. However, God made woman beautiful and foolish; beautiful, that man might love her; and foolish, that she might love him.