During the banquet I was really touched by a scene. Around a minute after the violinst played the famous Chinese old song "The Moon Represents My Heart," the bride-to-be's mother moved and sat beside the bride-to-be. They hugged each other tightly and wept a little. Tears welled up my eyes too. Then they separated and the mother said something to the groom-to-be softly. He smiled and nodded. I guessed the mother must have requested him to take very good care of her daughter.
This reminded me of the poem "To a Daughter Leaving Home" in Sanmin Textbook Six, which was written by Linda Pastan.
To a Daughter Leaving Home
Linda Pastan
"When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
my own mouth rounding
in surprise when you pulled
ahead down the curved
path of the park,
I kept waiting
for the thud
of your crash as I
sprinted to catch up,
while you grew
smaller, more breakable
with distance,
pumping, pumping
for your life, screaming
with laughter,
the hair flapping
behind you like a
handkerchief waving
goodbye."
The mother feels reluctant to see their daughter depart. After all, she has brought her up since she was born.
On the day of engagement and wedding, there is not mother but wishes for a better life ever after for her daughter.
The following are two videos of the song played on the violin. The first one takes 10 minutes, whilethe second one around 4 and is played by a 9-year-old girl.