by Tang Xianzu
(Enter Li Yi)
LI YI (To the tune of Mantingfang):
With catkins dotting the road,
I broke willow twigs overwhelmed with sorrow,
In the shades of trees beside the Baling Bridge.
As a scholar in the Imperial Academy,
For what did I venture to the frontier?
When I fondly asked my wife why she wept by the window,
The wine turned cold and the fragrance on her sleeves dispersed.
But still I had to leave
The Baling Bridge,
Which was bathed in the spring of the imperial capital.
“The sun shines over the city gate and the envoy’s carriages come along;
The frontier is warm with spring flowers and horse courts are open.
Suddenly I hear the reed pipes and long horns resounding;
The sound spreads all the way to the ancient town of Luntai.
How fresh and green the willows are along the paths in the fields;
They drag my blue gown but I can’t stay behind.
The longing wife weeps in vain to the south of the Weishui River;
The man has already gone to the north of the Jiaohe River.”
I left my wife’s chamber the other day and bid farewell to her at the Baling Bridge by the weeping willows. The scene has been haunting my mind. However, military orders must be obeyed on all accounts, so I have to restrain my tears, bid farewell to my wife and lead my men on the road. Attendants, let’s be on our way!
ATTENDANTS (To the tune of Chaoyuange):
The breeze blows and the horses stir up the dust;
The morning sun shines on the carriage and three.
It’s bright and colourful on the banks of the river;
The carriage moves on along the green water.
The black troop snakes its way forward,
And the banners patterned with falcons move onward,
All taking place swiftly like lightning or shooting stars.
When we march on with the beating of drums and bells,
How far is the Southern Hun capital in the north?
The green grass accompanies the entrusted mission,
And His Majesty will award the envoys.
ALL:
Hold the reins tight,
And we’ll win imperial bestowals by making great feats.
LI YI (To the previous tune):
When we look back, Chang’an is far and the sun is near.
The officials in the east send us off with enthusiasm,
While my wife in the south suffers from the sorrow of love.
Looking at the rouge, black dye and white powder,
She finds it hard to express her solitude and sorrow.
I have the dagger to protect me,
Yet the frontier sands wither my face and the rough wind ruffles my hair.
The extravagant young man joins the army,
Yet all the wealth and fame turn to be hardship and bitterness.
ALL:
Hold the reins tight,
And we’ll win imperial bestowals by making great feats.
ATTENDANTS:
My lord, the Longtou River lies ahead. One distributary enters the Han territory and the other the Hun territory.
LI YI:
This divided river forks into heart-breaking creeks! I’ll compose a poem on Mount Longshan, but there’s nobody to bring it home. So let me do it orally,
“Green willows touch the water and grass is in the mist;
This is where the Tartars used to water their horses.
The sounds of reed pipes come up at the moonlit night;
Who’s pointing the gigantic sword high up to the sky?
The frozen river used to be a mountain path,
Yet today it forks before the Han envoys.
Don’t ask the travelers to mirror their faces and hair,
For they fear it might bring weariness into the new year!”
ATTENDANTS (To the previous tune):
He’s been looking for the spring scene over Mount Longshan,
And neglecting his health to repay the imperial grace,
Still keeping his dear wife in mind.
At the ancient fortress the reed pipes are blown;
In the mountains the flutes are played;
Yet the music of Falling Plum Blossoms can be heard no more.
When he prowls on his horse,
He hears the endless sound of flowing waters.
As he waters his horse at the heart-breaking creeks,
Tears of homesickness wet his handkerchief.
ALL:
Hold the reins tight,
And we’ll win imperial bestowals by making great feats.
(Enter the officers from the western town, amid flute and drum music)
OFFICERS:
Officers from the western town are here to greet the military consultant.
ATTENDANTS (To the previous tune):
When the Great Wall turns dim after sunset,
Stars start to wink from behind the clouds,
And the moon shines over the Huamen tribes.
The general’s standard blows on the frontier,
While military banners turn around in the valley.
Past trees lining up along the beacon towers,
We make our way toward the Upper Yellow River.
Observing the atmosphere over the origin,
We see that the war stars have not fallen yet.
We laugh and get ready for the heroic exploits,
Expecting the intoxicating wine for our frontier victory.
ALL:
Hold the reins tight,
And we’ll win imperial bestowals by making great feats.
We expect the reclusive haven in the moonlit mountains,
When we break through the clouds over the gigantic peak.
We’ll stick to our books and swords till we grow old,
And follow armoured General Li Guang in the Han Dynasty.
Scene Twenty-Seven
The Chivalrous Mistress Offers Rewards
(Enter Huo Xiaoyu)
HUO XIAOYU (To the tune of Yue’ergao):
As I hate to be single but love to be coupled,
My waist grows thin for my loneliness.
Departing sorrow breaks my heart,
Leaving me in a most melancholy mood.
The early summer seems to me the desolate autumn;
Who could bear such solitude and negligence?
Don’t you know it?
In the green waves that ripple the pond,
Mandarin ducks swim head by head in pairs.
(In the pattern of Shengchazi)
“The flowers and the moon like to arrange for new happiness;
One feels most delighted after the fresh rain.
My man is not a man of frivolity;
He falls in love with me and cares for me with devotion.
Once he’s gone, how could he turn back?
The road bends as if the screens blocked the view.
Knitting my brows in sorrow,
I feel reluctant to do any make-up.”
Huansha, How many days has your master been away?
HUANSHA:
Quite a few days.
HUO XIAOYU:
The two scholars, Cui Yunming and Wei Xiaqing, promised to bring the news after they saw your master off across the river, but they haven’t come yet. Oh, I think of the time when we first met.
(To the tune of Xiaojinzhang)
When we chanced to meet on the Lantern Festival,
We fell in love at first sight.
When my short jade and golden hairpin slipped down my hair,
Our happy marriage was consummated
Like the perfect match between the spokes and the axis,
With our two hearts beating together.
We’re born an ideal couple with the heart-to-heart communion.
Holding my hands fondly among the red
flowers and green leaves,
He intimately,
Intimately embraced me with passionate love.
HUANSHA (Aside):
(To the previous tune)
She’s soft and tender in love,
Indulged in the blissful dream of the Goddess on Mount Wushan.
She sang The Yangguan Pass for the passage of spring,
Looking so alluring,
So sad and dreary.
She exhibited her slim waist in the rain at dusk,
In the rain at dusk breaking the willow twigs by the bridge.
They were linked heart to heart,
Tears wetting her sleeves.
At last they had to say farewell,
A farewell that was so reluctant.
HUO XIAOYU:
Huansha, last night I had a dream:
(To the previous tune)
My feelings and mood remained the same,
Clinging to my heart and mind all the time.
I whispered to ask if he would still have to go,
But he would not answer,
Nor would he move.
(In a subdued voice)
By the window,
I pushed the pillow aside and expected his embrace.
Oh, when I looked back at the empty bed,
I only saw the slanting moonlight and heard the ringing bell.
I suddenly jumped up, only to find my love gone,
And all I could do was to beat the pillow.
HUANSHA:
Mistress, let’s go to the master’s study to relax for a while.
(They move)
HUO XIAOYU (To the previous tune):
The green windows are covered with dust;
The ink slab seems glazed in the centre.
HUANSHA:
How come Qiuhong left the four stationary articles?
HUO XIAOYU:
They certainly have them in the trunk.
The windows are covered with new moss.
The moss is wrinkled here
And drawn there like embroidery.
Don’t take the green moss lightly,
For it has more profound feelings.
Huansha, there seems somebody coming.
(In a subdued voice)
Behind the bright windows and on the shadowed bed,
I used to be with him in the study.
HUANSHA:
Somebody’s coming.
HUO XIAOYU (Startled):
I raise my head all of a sudden to listen,
And hear the orioles warble on a sunny day.
Huansha, there’re some green plums on a half of the branch outside the window. Pick them for me!
(Steps aside)
(Enter Wei Xiaqing and Cui Yunming)
WEI XIAQING, CUI YUNMING (To the previous tune):
At the farthest end of Chang’an,
We bid farewell to the fine scholar.
The heart-broken wife dwelt in the chamber,
Then happy,
And now sad.
It’s for all that,
For all that tenderness and intimacy.
Ah, is that Xiaoyu walking away indoors?
Seeing the guests coming,
She walks away in her socks,
With her golden hairpins slipping down.
Bashfully she walks away,
She walks away, holding and smelling the green plums.
HUO XIAOYU:
Huansha, there come Mr. Wei and Mr. Cui. Ask them to what place they accompanied your master, and ask them if they’ve brought back any message.
(To the previous tune)
I wonder after his departure
Whether he still misses me.
Seeing each other all the time may be boring,
So I try to restrain myself from sorrow
And put it aside for some time.
Even if I could see him off some pavilions away,
Out of the Qin territory, I would have to stop weeping.
Once he writes lyrics of sentiments,
He’ll send them to my dressing table.
These solitary days make me thin.
WEI XIAQING, CUI YUNMING (To the tune of Fengrusong):
Huansha, now listen to us:
We sent him off all the way to the riverside,
And stayed with him for a few days.
We saw him look back from time to time
And shed tears on his blue gown.
Please tell your mistress,
His letter home has yet to wait as he has just left;
She should take good care of herself and not worry too much.
HUANSHA:
Then what else?
CUI YUNMING:
Qiuhong wants me to tell you not to wander about.
HUANSHA:
Nonsense! Why can’t I roam about with my own feet?
HUO XIAOYU (Sighs):
So Li Yi sent back the message for me to take a good rest. The Huo residence is big. Does Li Yi have any relatives in Chang’an after his departure? It would be better if we can find one to keep our gate. Please ask Mr. Wei and Mr. Cui to be seated outside, and I’ll inquire here inside.
(Huansha asks Wei Xiaqing and Cui Yunming to sit outside)
WEI XIAQING, CUI YUNMING:
What would you like to know, Mistress?
HUO XIAOYU:
Li Yi left in a hurry before I had time to ask about his family in detail. As his old friends, do you know what relatives he has?
CUI YUNMING:
Mistress, are you worried about whether he has other wives?
(To the previous tune)
He’s remained single,
And like a flatfish never wont to ogle.
HUO XIAOYU:
Not that. I’m asking what attendants he has with him.
CUI YUNMING:
He only has Qiuhong as his attendant.
Are you asking where to find his former spouse?
HUO XIAOYU:
Not that. I’m asking who his relatives are.
WEI XIAQING:
He’s destined to have no relatives,
But rove all over the country by himself.
HUO XIAOYU:
Pity on him. Such a young talent, but so poor and all lonely!
CUI YUNMING:
But what a blissful chance for him.
At Lanqiao he met a fairy,
And that revealed his elegance and luck.
HUO XIAOYU (Talks to herself):
So it is! But wait, we don’t have other relatives in the house either. We don’t even have one who can follow the news about my man. The other day my man told me that the two scholars were his bosom friends. Besides, they are two poor visiting scholars, and our family is well-to-do. So why not help them and they can help us in return? Huansha, please ask the two scholars to listen to me,
(To the previous tune)
The male phoenix has left the female phoenix,
Leaving the mate alone in the nest.
Since my man has no relatives, I’ll treat you two scholars as his close kin.
One way or the other we need your help as his brothers.
CUI YUNMING:
We’re busy making a poor living, so we’re afraid we don’t have much time to help.
HUO XIAOYU:
Don’t worry about that. For clothes, food or firewood, please come to my house and get your share.
For the daily allowance of gold coins you need,
Feel free to obtain it from our rich wealth.
As The Book of Poetry goes,
“To my man’s friends,
I’ll present jade pendants.”
Why do I present jade pedants?
I hope they’ll offer help in return.
WEI XIAQING:
Since we are so entrusted, whatever we hear about Mr. Li, Mr. Cui will come and report it.
CUI YUNMING:
That’ll do.
WEI XIAQING (To the previous tune):
Please stay well in
the best mood in your chamber.
If there’s anything for our help, simply send Huansha to tell us.
CUI YUNMING:
She’s as deft as the blue bird in passing the message.
It’s not convenient for us to frequent your house.
We fear it’s not proper for others to see us here too often,
So we’ll focus on the news from the frontier.
WEI XIAQING:
Though we are brothers and friends,
You need to take charge of the affairs in the house.
Huansha, please pass our respect to your mistress. We’re leaving now.
(To the tune of Coda)
We stay poor and desolate in Chang’an,
Yet we offer help and consolation to the wealthy.
This is an extraordinarily virtuous lady!
Among the chivalrous heroines she’s one of the best.
(Exeunt Wei Xiaqing and Cui Yunming)
HUANSHA:
Two poor bookworms! Why do we have to subsidize them?
As the man serves as military consultant on the frontier,
There must be assistance and help in times of need.
Courtesy comes from a sense of humanity,
So why not act with generosity and chivalry?
Scene Twenty-Eight
The Tubo General Seeks Hegemony
(Enter the Tubo General)
TUBO GENERAL (To the tune of Dianjiangchun):
Bold and powerful are we Tubos,
Who dominate the western areas
Covering a large expanse.
Born in a family of senior officials,
I have a thousand stalwart steeds.
“Grass rolls with the chilly wind along the western frontier;
Rustling in the wind are imposing armors of the warriors;
Our boundless territory stretches to the horizon,
With soldiers prepared for fierce invasion.”
I’m a Tubo general. We Tubos have a wide-spreading territory and numerous brave soldiers. Braving the snow and holding the sharpest swords, we have extended our sphere of influence to as far as the west of the Kunlun Mountains and the north of the Chibin River. All the states in the east of the upper reaches of the Yellow River are subjugated to us, but now the Tang emperor wants to conquer them and take them from us. The state of Dahexi produces wine and the state of Xiaohexi produces watermelons. It is time to plunder them. I’ll gather my brave soldiers and give them orders.
(Enter the soldiers)
SOLDIERS (To the tune of Shuidiyu):
With wild geese in the sky and chrysanthemums on the ground,
The western area is enshrouded with dusts.
In our teens,
We Tubos can blow horns and ride horses.
We wear leather hats,
Adorned with feathers of the sacred crows.
Any enemy that comes into our hand