Expanding Imagination of People Through Dramas: Interview with Chen Wei-ling, Director of On Children
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This article is part of the 25th issue of LEAP — Voices of Youth e-letter. Subscribe now.
On Children is a 2018 Taiwanese anthology series that depicts the oppression of academic elitism on children and its destruction of parent-child relationships.
The drama anthology derives its English name from the title of Kahlil Gibran’s poem. The Chinese name came from a well-known line in the poem: “Your children are not your children.” This statement is a direct rebuttal against parents having absolute power and control over their children in traditional parent-child relationships.
Since its release, On Children not only gained the recognition of Taiwan’s Golden Bell Awards but also sparked widespread discussion. In addition to portraying the academic pressures faced by children, the series reflects on the excessive expectations that the general public holds for mothers. The director Chen Wei-ling attempts to convey the mutual needs and diverse appearances of children and mothers.
Re-examining Parent-Child Relationships and Speaking Out for Children
Before shooting this series, Chen was shocked by the circumstances children facing she later chooses to depict. Originally, she thought that children in Taiwan’s current educational environment faced less pressure than what she experienced a couple of decades ago. She did not think that many modern parents still held such a singular focus on academic performance and credentials.
“The times are constantly evolving along with society, yet our imaginations about people remain so narrow and limited.”
Just as the script editing process was completed, Chen’s cancer came out from remission before the shooting was ready to begin. She had no choice but to put a halt to all the work. During the treatment process, she gained insights from the illness that happened to coincide with the beliefs that On Children hoped to convey.
Chen described how being able to live more fully in “the present” is what she gained most from battling the disease. “Why would parents want to ruin the present? Why you apply so much pressure on your children and lay out an uncertain future for them when you can spend a good time together?”
Many parents from younger generations soon began to reflect on their parenting styles through this anthology series. Even more, children expressed seeing themselves in the characters as they also started to tell their life stories. “When someone speaks out for you, there is a sense of being cared for, understood, and empathized with. I feel this is the greatest takeaway for me from this series.”
Seeing the True Colors of Mothers and Understanding the Older Generation’s Difficulties
As Chen Wei-ling expressed, this drama series was created not to fuel generational conflict between parents and children. Instead, it hoped for both parties to understand each other’s difficulties. She believes that everyone struggles to survive in society, and mothers especially take on too many unreasonable expectations in families.
In the drama series, the mother is the representative parent in all five stories while the father appears to be missing in the child’s upbringing process. “Many house chores and children-related events always fall on the mother. One could be disqualified for not feeding breast milk after giving birth or not taking care of the child by herself. A mother always takes the blame if the child is either too skinny, too fat, or demonstrates poor academic performance. I don’t think mothers are that all-embracing.”
In previous drama series or traditional social values, the mother often plays the role of someone who unconditionally sacrifices herself. However, Chen believes that mothers must also have their own demands. When they are in a disadvantaged position in the family power structure and lack satisfaction with their husbands, they can only seize ambition through their children.
That is why some of the mothers in On Children are in the midst of a marriage crisis or financial dilemma, while some give up their careers for children. “She wants to give her child everything she did not have. That is her only desire in facing her imperfect life.”
Liberating Stereotypes through Drama and Having a Conversation with Society
Under Chen Wei-ling’s direction, the mothers in On Children are not villains who simply oppress their children. Rather, they are “people” who also deal with their grievances and issues. Chen Wei-ling attributed her vibrant and vivid character portrayal to her experience of shooting documentaries in the past.
“Having witnessed all kinds of human experiences, I find people’s psychological states and behaviors to be fascinating. I want to share the stories that touched me with other people, showing them the wisdom of some people from their life journey.” With this intention, Chen presents the various sides of society to the public through drama, thereby initiating a discussion and dialogue on social issues.
“The power of drama is indeed greater than other media! Everything you care about, want to discuss with others, or attract public attention can be expressed through drama.” She believes that when the audience sees real characters and stories in a drama series, they are more likely to empathize with them.
Chen’s upcoming project is about a 60-year old mother who starts a new romantic relationship through online dating. She joked that the last drama series liberated children and the new one will liberate mothers. I want to tell these mothers: “You are not just a mother or a wife. Don’t forget that you are also a woman when you leave these roles one day.”
Also in This Issue:
Small Talk Between Family Members But For Everyone: Interview with Director Huang Hui-chen
Recording the life of her lesbian mother and herself, Huang Hui-chen conduced to the conversation in her family also in society.
Author : Lin Si-hou
Freelance journalist exploring gender and public issues.
