The Peach Blossom Fan

by K'ung Shang-jen

  Sorrow enters my bones.

  Like the lone Goddess of the chilly Moon,

  I’ve grown so thin a hand could circle my waist.

  The singers scatter when the song is done,

  I stand alone to watch the setting sun.

  A frail peach blossom in the palace waits,

  But no spring breeze can enter these tall gates.

  [1] See Scene 4, n. 3.

  [2] “Darling Shen” was the famous and favoured scholar Shen Yueh of the Liang dynasty in the sixth century.

  [3] Chang Ch’ang, died 48 B.C., distinguished scholar and official under the Emperor Yuan-ti of the Han dynasty. He made a practice of painting his wife’s eyebrows, and when the Emperor teased him about this, he replied that this was a matter of the highest importance to women.

  [4] “Breezes from the south” is nan-feng; substituting the homonym nan, “male,” gives the common term for sodomy.

  [5] The fifteenth day of the first lunar month, climaxing the New Year festivities on the evening of the first full moon.

  [6] The Western Tower (Hsi-lou-chi) was a play by one of the leading contemporary dramatists, Yuan Yü-ling.

  SCENE 26

  THE GENERAL TRICKED

  1645, FIRST MONTH

  Hou Fang-yü [enters, singing]:

  By the river, walls and hilltops vanish in mist,

  And dust overlays the blossom-bowered wineshop.

  Beneath those distant clouds my old home lies,

  But warlike duties press; I find no way

  To cheer the parents who await me there.

  [Speaks]: His Excellency Shih K’o-fa sent me as staff adviser to General Kao, defending the river. So fierce is General Kao’s temper that he has abused his neighbour Commander Hsu to his face. I’m afraid this will lead to disaster. I’ll go to the General’s camp and try to conciliate them.

  [Hou proceeds to the camp. Enter General Kao Chieh.]

  Kao:

  The river changes course as my orders roar;

  My two hands clear a path through the smoke of war.

  [He sees Hou and greets him. Both sit down.] Have you brought any news, Master Hou, or have you merely come to offer me advice?

  Hou: I have followed Your Excellency a thousand miles to help you defend the river. Since we are here,. . .[sings]:

  Everybody shudders at the sound of your name:

  Whole families depart, without leaving a dog or a chicken;

  Soldiers and civilians are at perpetual strife.

  Terror prevails, and the sound of lamentation;

  Inside the camp hostility increases.

  Calamity will surely befall us.

  Kao: Hsu Ting-kuo boasts of the strength of his hundred thousand troops, but at yesterday’s review I found that most of them were senile or decrepit. He is enriching himself at government expense, and ought to be court-martialled. I was lenient enough to let him off with an admonition.

  Hou: Your Excellency was mistaken. [Sings]:

  Now half the mountains and rivers have changed colour.

  A loyal general must ensure swift victory,

  Restore the public confidence in his worth.

  Try to win hearts, abstain from quarrelling;

  The success of our arms depends on harmony.

  Kao: However that may be, Hsu feigned illness to avoid coming to meet me; instead, he invited me to drink with him inside the city, which proves that he is apprehensive. I have noticed that the city is entirely surrounded by water. It is only connected with the mainland by a narrow bridge, so the position has strategic importance. Tomorrow I shall order Hsu to cede his camp to me. I want absolute control of the city. If he obeys, well and good; if not, I shall deprive him of his seal and appoint another Commander in his stead.

  Hou [waves his hands]: This is the very last thing you should do. You provoked him sufficiently when you berated him in public. There’s a proverb, “Even a mighty dragon should not attack a serpent in its lair.” We are surrounded by his partisans. If he makes trouble for us, we cannot expect to defend ourselves efficiently.

  Kao: That is merely a bookworm’s view: it is quite absurd. I have never been afraid of any man. Even the three garrison generals had to bow before me. This Hsu is a nonentity. Why should I bother about him?

  Hou [standing up]: So be it: if that is Your Excellency’s opinion, I shall waste no more words. I beg to take leave and visit my old home, hoping that you will prosper in the meantime.

  Kao [bowing]: Please follow your inclinations. [Exit Hou, laughing ironically and flapping his sleeve. Kao rises and calls to his troops. Two officers enter, and Kao says to them]: Bring a few guards. We’ll ride into the city for some refreshment. See that discipline is maintained among the troops during my absence. [Exeunt officers. They re-enter with four guards. Kao continues]: Let us be off. [Sings]:

  The Yellow River forms a safe frontier for the southern dynasty,

  Plunging from cloudy heights towards the east.

  When even birds find it too far to fly,

  What use is the strongest bow a man could buy?

  All together [singing]:

  Towards the deserted city,

  Over the ruined bridge:

  Light-hearted warriors,

  Slowly our steeds advance. [Exeunt.]

  [An officer of General Hsu Ting-kuo’s bodyguard enters, accompanied by fellow officers and carrying a seal.]

  Officer:

  An execution requires no general’s writ;

  Success may often depend on a woman’s wit.

  [Speaks]: I’m an officer of General Hsu’s bodyguard. My commander was upbraided by Kao Chieh, and alarm has turned his stomach. But her ladyship, his spouse, is full of courage and resource. Last night she thought of a ruse. I am to surrender this seal to Kao and invite him to a banquet inside the city. During the feast, an explosion of firecrackers will be the signal. It is an ingenious plan, and pray Heaven it succeeds. Otherwise, the prospect ahead of us is grim. [Peering backstage]: Ha, Kao Chieh is on his way. I’ll have to fall on my knees to meet him.

  [Kao enters with his retinue. Hsu’s officer kneels before him.]

  Kao: Where are you from?

  Officer: I am a special envoy of General Hsu, and have come respectfully to welcome Your Excellency.

  Kao: What prevented him from coming in person?

  Officer: Commander Hsu is lying sick in bed. He delegated me to escort Your Excellency to a banquet in your honour. Here is the seal, which he surrenders to Your Excellency.

  Kao: Where is the banquet to be held?

  Officer: At Commander Hsu’s headquarters.

  Kao [to his guards]: Keep this seal for me. [Laughing]: So he has finally delivered it! Tomorrow I shall take full control of the city. Let us ride on. [They advance accordingly.]

  Officer [kneeling]: This is Commander Hsu’s headquarters. Allow me to show Your Excellency the way. [All dismount from their horses.]

  Kao: Let the soldiers wait outside. [To his own two officers]: You two trusty friends shall keep me company at the banquet.

  [They put away the seal, kowtow, and sit down with Kao. Hsu’s officer pours wine for Kao, and Kao’s officers are served by others. Servants hand round the dishes.]

  Officer: Please drink some wine, Your Excellency.

  Kao [angrily]: This is wretched stuff. How can you expect me to swallow it? [He throws his cup on the ground.]

  Officer [changes the wine and says]: Please eat some food, Your Excellency.

  Kao: This is quite inedible. How can you expect my chopsticks to touch it? [He throws his chopsticks on the floor, and other dishes are brought in. Kao continues]: I understand I had been invited to inspect the arrangements for the Lantern Festival. Why are there no lanterns and musicians?

  Officer [kneeling]: This is a poor city, Your Excellency; consequently such amenities are scarce. We can only illuminate our headquarters and provide some martial music.

  [Official lanterns are hung, and ma
rtial music is played.]

  Kao [to his own officers]: Let us drink. [Sings]:

  My power is absolute, as guardian of the river’s shore.

  My encampment glitters among the willows, and my banners are as numerous as stars.

  My seal and arrows of command gleam in the lamplight at the banquet-board.

  [Kao’s officers stand up and toast him. Kao sings]:

  My officers and I prefer wine to strategy;

  We play fist-games,[1] our fingers

  Spread as in battle array.

  Kao’s officers: Their secret formations would puzzle the greatest military genius. . . . We seem to have drunk enough. Will Your Excellency review the troops inside the city?

  Kao: Let us wait till tomorrow and drink a few more cups.

  [Wine is poured again. They drink. Firecrackers sound behind the stage. A servant grabs Kao’s wrist, and Hsu’s officer draws his sword to kill him. Kao struggles and shakes himself free. Another servant kills one of Kao’s officers, and a third servant catches Kao’s other officer, who is also killed. The firecrackers continue, while all rush in pursuit of Kao, who jumps onto a beam of the roof.]

  Officer [shouts]: Kao has escaped. Bring torches and hunt him everywhere. There is a hole in the ceiling; perhaps he has climbed to the roof. [A servant searches. Hsu’s officer points and says]: Above that corner I see something like a human figure. Shoot! [His fellow officers shoot arrows in Kao’s direction. Kao jumps down, and the servants catch him. Hsu’s officer exclaims]: Well, it’s old Kao after all!

  Kao: Shame on you! The Emperor appointed me Commander-in-Chief to defend the river. How dare you lay hands on me?

  Officer: We only recognise our own General Hsu. Who cares what you are? Stretch out that neck of yours.

  Kao [stamping]: So all is over. I have been basely betrayed. How I regret that I did not heed Master Hou’s advice! [Stretches out his neck] I’ll make you a present of my head.

  Officer: Old Kao has guts, that cannot be denied. [He cuts off Kao’s head and says]: Comrades, let us recover the seal and report to General Hsu. Wait a minute! These three are dead, but their escorts are still outside.

  Second Officer: No, sir, I took the precaution of having them slaughtered.

  Third Officer: We must be careful. Kao’s troops are outside the city. When they learn about this, they will come to avenge him. Let us be prepared.

  Officer: Her Ladyship Madam Hsu has planned everything in advance. Tonight we leave the city and offer Kao’s head to the northern leaders. They will lend us reinforcements to destroy Kao’s troops, after which we may proceed to attack the south. [Sings]:

  The steeds of the north sniff victory in the wind,

  The Yellow River is their road to conquest.

  Preoccupied with lanterns, the southern court

  Offers up its General to our slaughter.

  [1] A reference to the Chinese morra, a game in which one player guesses the number of fingers held up by another. It is played with great rapidity and noise.

  SCENE 27

  A MEETING OF BOATS

  1645, SECOND MONTH

  [Su K’un-sheng enters with a bundle on his back, riding a donkey.]

  Su [sings]:

  Mail-clad horses jostle;

  The smoke and dust of war have darkened the world.

  My soul is struck with dread and my heart quails

  As I pass through village after shattered village.

  Donkey Driver [enters and shouts]: Mr. Traveller, pray go slowly. Don’t you see the retreating soldiers on the dyke of the Yellow River? Beware, lest they steal your donkey.

  [Su, not listening to him, quickens his pace. Three soldiers enter and accost him.]

  Su [sings]:

  Armour abandoned, shields thrown away,

  Nursing your heads, you flee like rats.

  But who am I to mock you?

  All of us alike

  Suffer this defeat.

  [The soldiers push Su into the river and take his donkey. Exeunt. The driver rushes after them. Su stands up in the water with his bundle on top of his head, shouting for help. A boat is rowed onto the stage. It contains Mistress Li Chen-li dressed as a poor woman.]

  Li [sings]:

  The river rolls angrily;

  The wind whips the waves into whirlpools.

  Let us seek shelter near the dyke,

  Find a mooring under the willows.

  [The boatman does accordingly. Li says]: Boatman, do you hear somebody crying for help near the shore? Please row towards him. His life may yet be saved, and we shall be blessed for it.

  Boatman: The current’s so treacherous, madam, that it is courting death to row further.

  Li: Please perform this errand of mercy. Heaven will reward you for it.

  Boatman: Very well, I can but try. [He rows laboriously, singing]:

  How strong the tempest blows, how swift the current!

  I risk my life for another. His desperate cry

  Sounds like a soul half lost.

  [Approaching Su]: Climb in, climb in! You were fated to meet with benefactors, to be preserved from a sudden death. [The boatman extends his oar to Su, who grasps it and climbs into the boat shivering.]

  Su: I’m freezing, freezing. [Boatman gives him dry clothes. Mistress Li turns her back while he changes. Su then kowtows to the boatman and exclaims]: Thank you, sir. Like a parent you have given me another life.

  Boatman: Don’t thank me. It was this lady who begged me to save you.

  [Su bows to Mistress Li and is amazed to recognize her.]

  Su: Good gracious! Mistress Li! What are you doing here?

  Li: Oh, it’s Master Su! Where have you come from?

  Su: Ah, that is a long story.

  Li: Pray sit down and tell me. [Both sit down.]

  Boatman [anchoring boat]: I shall go ashore and fetch some wine to warm us.

  Su [sings]:

  After you passed as a bride through the lacquered gates,

  The tower of song was locked,

  The dancers’ skirts folded away.

  In the loneliness of a bitter winter,

  Fragrant Princess grieved endlessly.

  Li [weeping]: How has she been since I left her?

  Su: It is entirely for her sake that I undertook to search for Master Hou. [Sings]:

  Among the hosts and the cavalry troops,

  No word of Master Hou,

  Though I searched the farthest outposts.

  Li: How did you fall into the river?

  Su: When I was riding along the dyke, some fugitive soldiers stole my donkey and pushed me in. [Sings]:

  Thank you, dear friend, for rescuing me from the torrent.

  Old friends tonight are reunited.

  Li: Oh, now I understand. How lucky that I happened to be near! You must have a long life in store for you.

  Su: But how came you here, after marrying the wealthy T’ien?

  Li: Before I tell you my story, I’ll light a fire to dry your clothes.

  [Mistress Li lights a fire. Another boat enters, containing Hou Fang-yü.]

  Hou: As soon as I leave the tigers and leopards, I fall among whales and sharks! Boatman, we must be near Lü-liang. Please hoist a sail so that we may gather speed. And tomorrow let us make sail early.

  Hou’s Boatman: I crave Your Honour’s patience. The wind is against us. But this seems to be a good place to anchor and spend the night.

  Hou: Do as you think fit. [The boat is moored.] We might as well take some rest, I feel so drowsy. [He lies down, not far from the other boat, where Su dries his clothes while Mistress Li sits beside him, telling her story.]

  Li: Fate has been cruel to me. Eventually I had to escape from T’ien’s mansion. [Sings]:

  That night when I dressed as a bride,

  I was carried away like lightning.

  I won T’ien’s affection,

  As if I were caressed by Spring.

  He fell deeply in love with me,

/>   And forgot his concubines.

  Su: That sounds satisfactory.

  Li: But T’ien’s wife turned into a terrible harpy. [Sings]:

  Wild as a tigress,

  Poisonous as a snake.

  [Speaks]: She dragged me from my room and beat me till I nearly died.

  Su: How dreadful! Didn’t T’ien try to defend you?

  Li [sings]:

  He swallowed his resentment without a word.

  [Speaks]: Finally he married me off to a soldier.

  Su: Why are you on this boat?

  Li: It belongs to the officer of military supplies. My old soldier went ashore to deliver an official message. [Sings]:

  So here in the bow I sit,

  Narrating my misfortunes to my old friend.

  Hou [listening]: I hear two people talking in another boat. The man’s voice reminds me of Su K’un-sheng; and the woman’s sounds vaguely familiar. I’ll call out and make sure. Su K’un-sheng!

  Su: Who is calling me?

  Hou [delighted]: So it really is Su K’un-sheng! [His boat approaches.]

  Su: Oh, Master Hou, I have been searching for you everywhere. I should never expect to find you in such a place. Heaven and earth be thanked for this fortunate encounter. Please come over and meet another old friend.

  Hou [stepping across]: Who can it be? Ah, Mistress Li, so you are here too, but why? This is most extraordinary. Where is Fragrant Princess?

  Li: Since the night you left, she has never stepped out of her tower. She was determined to remain faithful to you. [Hou hides his tears behind a sleeve.] Later Ma Shih-ying sent his fierce retainers to us with a large sum of money. They tried to force Fragrant Princess to marry T’ien Yang.

  Hou: But she is my own Fragrant Princess. How could she ever accept another?

  Li: She refused to submit. In a violent struggle she tried to beat her brains out on the floor.

  Hou [gives a loud wail]: My Fragrant Princess. Is she dead?

  Li: She did not die, but she injured herself till her face was streaming with blood. Ma’s odious lackeys kept on shouting outside the door, so I took her place in despair and married T’ien Yang.

  Hou: That was magnanimous. Words fail to express my relief. Now where are you going in this boat?