by Tang Xianzu
Scene Eleven
Digging the Canal
(Enter the Project Inspector)
PROJECT INSPECTOR (To the tune of Puxian’ge):
Water flows near the Shanzhou Prefecture
While the road is dry with rocks.
It has been over a month
Since the magistrate came to dig the canal.
It is my turn to check on the project today.
I, a native of Maha, was once enlisted in the capital camp. With some manoeuvring, I became a private adviser to the Shanzhou magistrate. The road from Shanzhou to the capital is two hundred and eighty-eight miles of rocks. It needs a lot of manpower and animal power to transport grain from the east capital to the west capital. There is damage and spoilage on the way and repeated embezzlement of payment. As it is difficult to deal with the complaints lodged by the people, the superiors have decided to dig a canal. Magistrate Lu has agreed to dispense some emergent expenditure. The project has been going on for over a month, but there comes not a single drop of water. The magistrate has told me to check on the project. All the engineers have been doing well, but the Administrative Chief has resorted to various reasons not to report to me. I’ll give him a sound beating when he arrives.
(Enter the Administrative Chief, holding sacrificial paper money in his hands)
ADMINISTRATIVE CHIEF (To the tune of Zizishuang):
I am the Administrative Chief for ten households,
And ten times of ten households.
The canal diggers try to sneak away
And I have to check the number.
I go from door to door
For trifles.
The Project Inspector tries to extort from me
And I have no way out.
(Bows to the Project Inspector)
PROJECT INSPECTOR (Annoyed):
Why hasn’t that son of a bitch come to wait on me at this late hour?
ADMINISTRATIVE CHIEF (Kowtows):
I do not dare to offend you.
PROJECT INSPECTOR:
How come we have not seen a single drop of water now that the project has been going on for over a month?
ADMINISTRATIVE CHIEF:
I don’t mean to offend you. Water is the blood of the earth; do you take it as my piss?
PROJECT INSPECTOR:
You bastard! You are in charge of water and you drink water, but do you want to shirk your responsibility?
ADMINISTRATIVE CHIEF:
I am to blame. Here is some paper money for you.
PROJECT INSPECTOR (Annoyed):
You son of a bitch! Are you giving me sacrificial paper money?
ADMINISTRATIVE CHIEF:
As the canal has not been completed yet, Magistrate Lu is leading the conscripted labourers and Administrative Chiefs to make a bow at every three steps. They will soon arrive at the Temple of King Yu. This paper money will be offered to King Yu; do you think that it cannot be offered to you?
PROJECT INSPECTOR (In a panic):
Alas! The magistrate is going to offer sacrifice in the temple. Why didn’t you let me know earlier? Go and burn the joss-sticks and lay the mat at once!
(Enter Lu Sheng, followed by attendants and labourers)
LU SHENG (To the tune of Lülüjin):
The mountain is rocky;
The rocks are craggy.
Sweat and blood goes with shovels and spades;
The expenses come from the people.
(The Project Inspector greets Lu Sheng)
LU SHENG:
I shall sweep the Divine Temple
And pay tribute to King Yu.
When the water route is cleared for ships and rafts,
I shall come again and requite you.
PROJECT INSPECTOR:
The joss-sticks and sacrificial paper money are ready.
LU SHENG (Bows):
(To the tune of Jiang’ershui)
King Yu is here
To accept our consecration.
The rocky road is so slippery
As to hinder the grain carts;
Therefore we are digging a canal to conduct water.
ALL:
When the mountain god opens a way
And the river god arrives,
In a prosperous nation the people will stay.
ALL (Bow):
(To the previous tune)
To move the rocks for a long way
Is difficult indeed.
It is hard to work with official pay
And it costs a lot to escape from work.
ALL:
When the mountain god opens a way
And the river god arrives,
In a prosperous nation the people will stay.
LU SHENG:
The rites are over. Tell the Heads of Ten Households: one is in charge of ten households and ten are in charge of a hundred households. Beat the drums to inspire work and by no means slack off.
(All respond)
(Drumbeats within)
LU SHENG (To the tune of Guizhixiang):
You know,
The granaries in Taiyuan are small
And the pass in Lintong is narrow,
Let alone the Dizhu and Sanmen regions
And the regions where we cut the reed-roots.
Look at the mud, sand and rocks,
Look at the mud, sand and rocks!
We have no way to deal with
The mountain that blocks our way.
How miserable it is!
ALL:
We can endure the hardships.
LU SHENG:
In order to get a single drop of water,
People have to pay with blood and wealth.
(Drumbeats within)
ALL (In surprise):
That’s it, that’s it! Master Lu, the water is coming from the east.
LU SHENG (Pleased):
I hear the roaring of water.
ALL (To the previous tune):
The passage for the Yellow River
Is allotted by the Mianchi Lake,
From the west of the Princess River
To the Sun Bridge.
Look at the blue water,
Look at the blue water!
We cannot see the water now,
But it is bound to flow here.
How happy we are!
LU SHENG:
We haven’t reached the other side of the mountain yet.
ALL:
We are quenching our thirst by looking at the plums,
But water will come in floods when the time comes.
(Dig with shovels but to no avail)
Well, how is it that the shovels won’t work?
(Look ahead)
Master Lu, the previous mountains are earthen mountains with a covering of rocks. Now we are facing two rocky mountains: one is called Chicken-Feet Mountain and the other is called Bear-Ear Mountain. The shovels won’t work.
LU SHENG (Thinks aside):
Chicken-Feet Mountain and Bear-Ear Mountain? When King Yu dug the Gorge of Three Gates in the ancient times, he employed all the five basic elements.
(To the labourers)
Since iron won’t work with Chicken Feet and Bear Ear, I’ll boil them with salt and vinegar.
ALL (Laugh):
Do we have such huge cauldrons?
LU SHENG:
I do not need cauldrons. Just fetch tons of salt and vinegar from the prefecture.
ALL (Respond and exeunt. Reenter with salt and vinegar):
Here are salt and vinegar.
LU SHENG:
Get a million bunches of dry wood to burn this mountain. Then sprinkle it with vinegar, hit it with shovel-sticks and the hard rocks will split. Finally spread over the mountain with salt and the rocks will melt into water.
ALL (Laugh):
Is it possible?
(Set fire to the mountain)
(To the tune of Dayagu)
It is a waste of firewood to burn the rocks
And set fire an
d lightning to the south,
With thunders that crack the cliffs.
Oh, the mountain has turned into charcoal.
LU SHENG:
Get the vinegar at once!
ALL (Beat drums and sprinkle vinegar):
The mountain god used to be a sour scholar,
But will soon suffer from vinegar.
Who would have expected
Such miracles!
(Laugh)
Strange, strange! The chicken feet and the bear ears are now well-done!
LU SHENG:
Apply your shovels and axes to the mountain at once to dig a canal.
(All beat drums and shovel the mountain)
LU SHENG (To the previous tune):
The picks peck at the red cliffs,
Which crackle like fish scales and tortoise shells,
Reduced into powder when they split.
Spread salt to make water!
ALL (Beat drums and spread salt):
As spring water flows when snow thaws,
So verdant mountains appear when fire is out.
(Go on digging)
(In astonishment)
Water is coming from the river source!
(Laugh)
Water-fowl will fly;
Boats and rafts will pass by.
LU SHENG:
My people, the grand feat is accomplished and the canal is completed. We’ll cast an iron bull on the riverbank to anchor ships, with its head to the south of the river and its tail to the north of the river. On the one hand, we shall hurry to transport grain to the capital and attract merchants to bring their merchandise from all over the country; on the other hand, we shall report to His Majesty and invite Him to make an eastern tour to view the beautiful sights and the efforts of the Shanzhou people.
ALL:
Thank you, Master Lu. We shall plant willows along the river to add beauties to the scenes.
LU SHENG (To the tune of Coda):
We shall plant willows along the riverbanks
And beg His Majesty to make a tour to the east.
ALL:
We shall cast an iron bull that will stand forever.
Having reduced our labour to the least,
We are willing to cast an iron beast.
When His Majesty hears of this,
He will make a tour to the east.
Scene Twelve
Border Crisis
(Enter Wang Junchuo, followed by his soldiers)
WANG JUNCHUO (To the tune of Xidijin):
I’ve braved the ice and waves
And broken the ridges of Mount Jishi.
I’ve captured rebel kings
And slaughtered their generals;
Stained with frost is my battle robe.
With warriors standing on my side,
The war is looming far and wide.
Without the title of a lord,
I always carry a bloody sword.
I am Royal General Wang Junchuo, the Military Commander of Liangzhou. I am a native of Changle County, Guazhou Prefecture. A valiant warrior all my life, I am good at horsemanship and swordsmanship. With the grace of His Majesty, I have been promoted to this position due to my military achievements. I command the troops in Longyou and Hexi to guard the Great Wall against the Tubo tribes. It is said that the Tubo tribes have launched an invasion with strong armed forces, but I don’t know who is their commander yet. Now that I shall fight him in the battlefield, how bold and fearless I am!
(To the tune of Shanhuazi)
The elderly general brings peace to the nation,
Together with the valiant royal soldiers.
The flags are arranged according to the zodiac,
With the general in the centre of the battle array.
(Drumbeats within)
ALL:
There come the drumbeats,
Roaring like thunder.
The soldiers wave their swords and spears,
With their helmets shining like the sun
And their steeds sweeping on the battlefields.
Blessed by His Majesty,
They’ll succeed on the border areas.
(Enter Messenger)
MESSENGER:
Report, report, report! The Tubo general Re Longmang is galloping towards us.
WANG JUNCHUO:
Get into battle formation and move forward.
(Marches on)
(To the tune of Qingjiangyin)
The Tang Dynasty abounds in valiant warriors;
The enemy cannot hinder their movements.
The soldiers hurry on
With the formation stretching long.
To conquer the Tubo troops,
I’ll capture the vanguard Re Longmang.
(Exit)
(Enter Re Longmang, followed by his soldiers)
RE LONGMANG, TUBO SOLDIERS (To the tune of Qingjiangyin):
From the west
Comes the Tubo general —
General Re Longmang.
The Tubo drums beat;
The Tubo cymbals sound;
The Tubo horns ring all around.
(Enter Wang Junchuo, followed by his soldiers. Wang Junchuo and Re Longmang announce their names respectively)
RE LONGMANG:
I am the Tubo General Re Longmang. Who are you that dare to fight with me?
WANG JUNCHUO:
I am General Wang Junchuo to fight you here. Take no time to surrender, take no time to surrender!
(Fighting starts. Re Longmang feigns to be defeated. Exeunt Wang Junchuo and his soldiers, chasing after Re Longmang)
(Enter Xi Naluo, followed by his soldiers)
XI NALUO, TUBO SOLDIERS (To the tune of Qingjiangyin):
To cross the Tianshan Mountain,
We rely on Prime Minister Xi Naluo,
Who is endowed with wit and powers.
The commanding flags sweep over the nation of Qiang;
The swords point to the nation of Tang;
Their territories will be ours!
XI NALUO:
I, the Tubo Prime Minister Xi Naluo, am in ambush here to reinforce General Re Longmang. The other day I taught him with a book on the arts of war that if he feigns to be defeated, the Tang soldiers will definitely chase after him, and that if I launch an attack from behind, the Tang soldiers will surely be put to rout. Warriors, rush to the south of the pass and then turn to the west so as to capture the Tang general.
(The soldiers respond. Exeunt all)
(Enter Re Longmang, chased by Wang Junchuo. They are locked in fight)
(Enter Xi Naluo, followed by his soldiers)
XI NALUO:
Wang Junchuo, Wang Junchuo! Stop for a while to meet the Tubo Prime Minister!
WANG JUNCHUO (In a panic):
Alas! I’ve fallen into their traps! I’ve fallen into their traps! Soldiers, fight to the last!
(Attacked by Re Longmang and Xi Naluo, Wang Junchuo is defeated and killed)
(Re Longmang and Xi Naluo greet each other)
RE LONGMANG:
Thanks to your reinforcement, we have won a complete victory.
XI NALUO:
Now that the Tang soldiers are defeated and their general killed, let’s take this opportunity to seize the Yumen Pass without delay!
Spur the horses into the dragons’ speeds
And we shall kill the foes and do heroic deeds.
Even if that nation has vast lands,
It is controlled all in my very hands.
Scene Thirteen
Expecting the Imperial Inspection
(Enter Station Master)
STATION MASTER (To the tune of Lihua’er):
In the Xinhe Courier Station in Shanzhou,
I am sixty-seven by this year.
I took over office at twenty-one,
Alas,
And need a thousand years to become a minister.
I, master of Xinhe Courier Station in Shanzhou Prefecture, was born with ingenuity. I s
erved as a runner in the county government office, and was later selected to serve in the Ministry of Inspection. As the lucky star was over my head that year, an official in the Ministry of Inspection showed favour on me, indeed showed favour on me. He gave me a sleeveless garment and made me a dispatcher. I was sent to Guangdong and Guangxi, let alone the two capitals in the north and south. A dispatcher was of course awe-inspiring, and when my term of service was over, I took part in the official selection. I was selected as chief of the kitchen for the Six Ministries, but I committed some reprehensible mistakes. Three years later, I played some tricks and was selected as master of Xinhe Courier Station in Shanzhou Prefecture. This courier station is the exit of the Tongguan Pass, sufficient of money, grains and payments. When several sedans, several carriers and several donkeys arrive, there is a strict checking of documents. Then I prepare ten kilos of meat, ten cups of wine, ten eggs to make a dirty lunch or dinner. I can batten on these treatments. When it comes to my share, I can get no more than ten percent. Therefore, I have often been bullied by the official dispatchers. As the saying goes, “Tit for tat and dispatchers beat the station master.” For several times I would have run away or simply killed myself, but I still hope to scrape a living. When prisoners on exile come, they come as my subordinates. When they first arrive, they have to pay for the first meeting; when they violate the rules, they have to pay for their offences. If they do not pay their monthly tribute, they will be beaten to death at the cost of a piece of white paper to transcend their souls. Even if the superiors come to check on the roll, there are other prisoners to serve as substitutes. As days go by, there are not enough people to run the ferry. But now an evil star is coming over my head, which really matters.
VOICE WITHIN:
Master, which official is coming by?
STATION MASTER:
Well, who do you think he is? The present Emperor Xuanzong is touring in an extraordinary way. He does not want men to sail the ships, but wants a thousand young women to sing the “Ballad of Picking Water-caltrops”. The magistrate has selected nine hundred and ninety-eight singers, and wants two more to line at the head and at the end. I have neither wife nor young daughters. As I cannot find two more young women, I am at my wit’s end. It’s no small matter to breach the imperial edict. My last resort is to go to the western beams and hang myself there.
(Puts his neck in the noose)
(Enter two female prisoners)
FEMALE PRISONERS (Rescue Station Master):
How is it that you’re hanging yourself? If you did not care for your official career, should you not have cared for your life of a dog?
STATION MASTER (Comes to):
When I do not care for my life of a dog, how can I care for my official career?