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• 1 2023-06-25T12:39:17+00:00 Crimson
  红娘 (1976) 51 plain 2025-07-08T23:40:11+00:00

  Beijing Opera Film
  Director: Chen Fangqian 陈方千

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  LINKS TO THE FILM

  • The film with Chinese and English subtitles on bilibili.

  INFOMATION

  • Title: Hongniang (Crimson) 红娘
  • Year: 1976
  • Genre: Beijing Opera Film
  • Director: Chen Fangqian 陈方千 (1920-1985)
  • Troupe: Beijing Opera Troupe (Beijing jingju tuan 北京京剧团)
  • Cast: Zhao Yanxia 赵燕侠 (as Crimson 红娘), Song Danju 宋丹菊 (as Oriole 莺莺), Geng Shihua 耿世华 (as Madam Cui 崔夫人), and Liu Xuetao 刘雪涛 (as Student Zhang 张生)
  • Producer: Beijing Film Studio (Beijing dianying zhipianchang 北京电影制片厂)
  • Language: Beijing Opera stage language with Mandarin subtitles
  • Duration: 98 minutes

  INTRODUCTION

  Crimson is a color opera film (xiqu pian 戏曲片) directed by Chen Fangqian 陈方千 (1920-1985) and starring Zhao Yanxia 赵燕侠 (1928-), Song Danju 宋丹菊 (1942-), Geng Shihua 耿世华 (1917-1991), and Liu Xuetao 刘雪涛 (1922-2011). Crimson is performed by the Beijing Opera Troupe (Beijing jingju tuan 北京京剧团) and produced by the Beijing Film Studio (Beijing dianying zhipianchang 北京电影制片厂) in the last year of the Cultural Revolution (1976). All the scenes were shot on a traditionalist theatrical stage, making this an example of the “documentary style” of opera film. In a major historical irony, the occasion for this performance was CCP Chairman Mao Zedong’s 毛泽东 (1893-1976) desire to access an “authentic” version of Crimson. As Siyuan Liu has shown, in the 1950s and 1960s, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cultural apparatus instigated and enforced sweeping reworkings of the scripts and of performance techniques of Beijing Opera at great costs to the reputation and lives of xiqu performers as well as the artistic integrity of the xiqu corpus.
  
  Crimson is a signature play of the Xun School (Xun pai 荀派), one of the main modern styles of Beijing opera founded by Xun Huisheng 荀慧生 (1900-1968), one of the Four Great Female Impersonators (sida mingdan 四大名旦). Specializing in the “subtly coquettish female/cheerful soubrette” (huadan 花旦) role, in 1936, Xun had premiered his rearranged version of the Western Wing under the title Crimson (Hongniang 红娘) (Liu 2021:141). In the wake of a reorientation of the Beijing Opera repertoire toward the inclusion of female figures and the abolition of single-sex Beijing opera casts, new opportunities opened up for women performers in the 1930s and 1940s. 
  
  The lead actress in the 1976 Crimson opera film, Zhao Yanxia (1928-), capitalized on these trends to become a virtuoso performer of male and female, civil and martial, comic and serious roles. Learning the ropes of martial male roles from her father, Zhao Xiaolou 赵筱楼 (an actor specializing in young male martial roles [wusheng 武生]), Zhao Yanxia had her debut as a Beijing opera performer in Wuhan at the age of five (1933). After moving to Beijing in 1941, she was accepted by Xun Huisheng as an official disciple in 1942, while also studying female roles (qingyi 青衣) with Li Lingfeng 李凌枫, one of the leading teachers in that specialty. In 1943, she became a star overnight with a role as a woman warrior (daoma dan 刀马旦) and in 1947, she established her own troupe (Yanming she 燕鸣社) with herself as the versatile lead performer (toupai 头牌), playing different types of female and male roles in both civil and martial plays to great acclaim. 
  
  In the early 1950s, Zhao Yanxia repeatedly became the target of state-sponsored media campaigns against her allegedly “pornographic” and “frivolously humorous” textual and stage renditions of Crimson among other plays (Liu 2021: 136, 141-142). Only when she wrote a self-criticism in 1955 did the multi-year denunciatory campaign end. Not only was she commended for her “tendency toward progress” (Liu 2021: 137), but she eventually was allowed to join the state-supported Beijing Opera Troupe (Beijing jingju tuan 北京京剧团) as its sole female artistic director in 1960 (Liu 2021: 156). In our analysis below, we will highlight the performative versatility exhibited by Zhao's performance of Crimson. 

  PLOT SUMMARY

  The plot is based on Wang Shifu’s The Story of the Western Wing. The play tells a romantic story that takes place in the Zhenyuan reign of the Tang Dynasty (785-805). On his way to the capital to take the imperial examinations, the scholar Zhang Gong/Student Zhang (Liu Xuetao) from Xiluo meets the late prime minister’s daughter Cui Yingying/Oriole (Song Danju) at the Temple of Universal Salvation. The two fall in love at first sight but Madam Cui (Geng Shihua) always interferes with their budding romance in one way or another. With help from Hongniang/Crimson (Zhao Yanxia), the young couple eventually succeeds in expressing their love for each other.

  THEME: Crimson’s Vocal Imitation of Other Characters

  One of the noteworthy features of traditional Chinese drama is the prominence of maids. The archetype for this kind of protagonist is Crimson/Hongniang in The Story of the Western Wing. As a maid, Crimson can move relatively freely between public figures (e.g., the abbot at the monastery where the story is taking place), the elders of the family (e.g., Oriole’s mother Madam Cui), her beautiful mistress (e.g., Oriole), and the intriguing stranger (e.g., Student Zhang). Initially, Crimson acts mostly on behalf of Madam Cui (for example, Madam Cui asks Crimson to query the abbot about an auspicious date to hold a funerary mass for Oriole’s deceased father or to deliver an invitation letter for a banquet in honor of Student Zhang after the defeat of marauding bandits); however, once Madam Cui reneges on her promise to marry Oriole to Student Zhang, Crimson begins to facilitate written communication as well as in-person encounters between Oriole and Student Zhang. In addition to her role as a practical intermediary, Crimson also assumes the different personae of her interlocutors. For example, she modulates her voice to imitate the tone of the message sender’s when she would like to make fun of them or to convey a certain emotion. Thus, the character of the maid allows the playwright to draw attention to certain peculiarities of the protagonists and enables the audience to enter more readily into the shifting and volatile dynamics of a love story. The actress Zhao Yanxia was known for her exquisite characterization of characters through vocal means and her gestic repertoire. 

  Crimson imitates Student Zhang’s voice (17:24-18:02)

  Madam Cui sends Crimson to ask the abbot when the funerary mass for Oriole’s father, the late prime minister, should be held. Crimson gets the information from the abbot and is about to leave, but Student Zhang calls her back, bows to her, and rattles off a list of his different names, birth date, and pointedly intimates that he is single. Aware of his romantic intentions, Crimson finds his demeanor both ludicrous and amusing. She asks Student Zhang to behave himself and characterizes this encounter to Oriole as a funny story after her return. 
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  红娘：对我深施一礼，这么直眉瞪眼地说道：“呃……小生姓张名珙，字君瑞。本贯西洛人氏，年方二十三岁。正月十七日子时建生。	Crimson: He bowed to me. He looked straight at me and said, “I’m Zhang Gong, courtesy name Junrui. I hail from Xiluo and am 23 years old. My birth date was the first hour of the 17th day of the first month.”
  莺莺：哪个要你问他来？	Oriole: Who told you to ask him?
  红娘：谁问他啦。哎小姐，他还说哪，“呃……小生尚未娶妻呢。”	Crimson: I didn’t. And he said “I’m still single.”

  
  
  Crimson repeats what Student Zhang said in his voice. However, while Student Zhang just delivered his lines, Crimson rubs her philtrum with her right index finger and swirling her index finger when she imitates Student Zhang’s line “I’m still single.” These gestures denote that she thinks that Student Zhang acted rashly; but rather than expressing disgust with his forwardness, her delivery makes fun of him and portrays him as a lovable fool. 

  Crimson imitates Madam Cui’s voice (51:50-52:15)

  Soon after Student Zhang and Oriole’s first accidental encounter at the Temple of Universal Salvation, Sun Feihu, a bandit leader, besieges the temple with the intention of capturing Oriole. In a moment of desperation, Madam Cui, Oriole’s mother and the late prime minister’s widow, promises to marry Oriole to whoever can save the day. Student Zhang writes a letter to solicit military assistance from his former classmate Du Que (also known as General White Horse), whose troupes eventually relieve the crisis. However, Madam Cui does not keep her promise to marry Oriole to Student Zhang. In what Oriole and Student Zhang expected to be a wedding banquet, Madam Cui asks Oriole to greet Student Zhang as her older brother, thus signaling that she is calling off the marriage.
  
  Upset about Madam Cui’s breach of promise, Crimson shifts her allegiance from Madam Cui to the prospective couple. She carries Student Zhang’s letter to Oriole’s room. She discusses with Oriole what happened at the banquet by recalling what Madam Cui said on that occasion.
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  红娘：老夫人把那位客人让在当中，说什么，“哦老身敬酒一杯，儿呀，你也敬酒一杯。” 还说什么来着？“哦，来来来，见过你张家哥哥。”	Crimson: She let the guest of honor sit in the middle, going on about “Ah, I’ll propose a toast. My child, you propose a toast too.” What else did she say? “Ah, come on, meet your brother.”

  
  
  Madam Cui strategically arranges the seating for Oriole and Student Zhang. She insists that Student Zhang sit in the middle (also known as “the seat of honor,” shangzuo 上座) and lets Oriole sit on the side. On the face of it, Madam Cui simply shows respect and gratitude to Student Zhang because the seat of honor is customarily reserved for the oldest or most important person in Chinese dining etiquette. However, the newlyweds at a wedding banquet usually sit next to each other on equal terms. Thus, the intentional seating arrangement is planned by Madam Cui to create a hierarchical relationship between Student Zhang and Oriole: an older brother and younger sister, and savior and the rescued, which further underlines that the marriage has been called off.
  
  Crimson imitates Madam Cui’s voice when saying “I’ll propose a toast,” in order to express her disapproval of Madam Cui’s breach of promise. She switches back to her own voice when saying “Come on, meet your brother” and intentionally prolongs the words “your brother.” Such highlighting of the phrase "brother" is likely done to probe Oriole’s attitude towards the brother-and-sister relationship before handing over Student Zhang’s letter to Oriole. Therefore, Crimson does not use the imitative mode for the entire passage.

  Crimson imitates the voice of a general male martial role (wusheng 武生) (52:54-53:01) 

  After Crimson complains about Madam Cui’s breach of promise, she feels sympathy for Student Zhang and beseeches Oriole to pity him. Oriole pretends to be angry about Crimson’s nonsense and asks Crimson to help her get dressed. Crimson naughtily replies, “Yes, Lady, at your service! 得令呐.” 
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  红娘：得令呐！	Crimson: Yes, Lady, at your service!
  莺莺：什么腔调！	Oriole: What tone of voice is that?!

  
  
  “Yes, Lady, at your service!” is delivered in the voice of a male martial role (wusheng). This change of voice might be the actress Zhao Yanxia’s own tongue-in-cheek creation inspired by the training she had undergone by her father Zhao Xiaolou, a well-known martial role actor. Thus, it might be Zhao’s creative way to show a sense of humor and to present the playful side of Crimson’s personality, while also paying tribute to her father-cum-teacher. Oriole immediately responds “What tone of voice is that?!" 什么腔调 to draw the audience’s attention to Crimson’s change of voice.

  Crimson imitates Oriole’s voice [1:11:37-1:12:05]

  One night, Crimson and Oriole go to the garden to pray for Madam Cui’s health and happiness and Madam Cui accompanies them. Student Zhang would like to meet Oriole, so he jumps across the wall and makes a noise when he lands on the ground. Crimson goes to check and claims that it is a dog who wants to chase elders, whereupon Madam Cui immediately leaves the garden. When Crimson and Oriole stroll in the garden, Oriole would like to play Chinese chess, so Crimson gets the chessboard and hides Student Zhang behind it. Oriole soon becomes aware of the presence of a third person nearby and starts to freak out. Although Oriole has sent Student Zhang a message of “Wait for the moon at the Western Wing” and expected Student Zhang to show up, she is taken back when he actually appears in the garden at midnight, and she is frightened and promptly starts to question his motives. 
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  莺莺：张君瑞。	Oriole: Zhang Junrui.
  红娘：答应！	Crimson: Answer!
  张生：有。	Student Zhang: Yes.
  莺莺：不在书房攻书，夜静更深到此为何？	Oriole: Why don’t you study in your study? Why do you come here at midnight?
  红娘：从实招来，免动大刑。	Crimson: Tell the truth, or I’ll beat you. [Oriole shoots Crimson an angry glance (suggesting to Crimson to knock it off)]
  张生：啊小姐，你可记得“待月西厢下”？	Student Zhang: Dear Mistress, do you remember [the line from your poem] "wait for the moon at the Western Wing"?
  莺莺：呃……	Oriole: Errrrrr. [Oriole’s right palm is facing down, signaling to Student Zhang that he should stop saying more in front of Crimson.]

  
  
  Following Oriole’s queries, Crimson says, “Tell the truth, or I’ll beat you” in Oriole’s voice. Crimson realizes that Student Zhang is obsessed with Oriole and will do whatever Oriole asks him to do, so she plays tricks on him by scaring him with stern words in Oriole’s voice. Student Zhang, the lovable fool, immediately refers to what Oriole wrote to him in her poem riddle. It makes Oriole extremely nervous, and she stops him as soon as she can, because she is worried that Crimson might report the incident to Madam Cui. Crimson is aware that Oriole and Student Zhang have mutual affection for one another, but Oriole’s actions always belie her words. Thus, on the one hand, Crimson uses her impersonation of Oriole to make fun of Student Zhang. On the other hand, Crimson uses her impersonation to push Student Zhang and Oriole to declare their romantic intentions to each other.

  Crimson uses Oriole’s voice to impersonate her [1:13:07-1:13:57]

  In front of Crimson and Student Zhang, Oriole “clarifies” that they are merely brother and sister, and she warns Student Zhang against any feelings other than those of affection between brother and sister. Oriole asks Crimson to drive Student Zhang out and she leaves the garden. Without realizing Oriole has departed, Student Zhang is still on his knees. Crimson sits on the chair where Oriole previously sat and crosses her legs. Crimson then imitates Oriole’s voice by saying:
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  红娘：张君瑞。	Crimson: Zhang Junrui.
  张生：有。	Student Zhang: Yes.
  红娘：既读圣贤之书，必达周公之礼。夤夜至此，意欲何为？该打。	Crimson: Since you are a learned man who has read the books of the sages, you must know the proper etiquette passed down from the Lords of the Zhou Dynasty. [So] why are you here at midnight? You ought to be beaten!
  张生：是！	Student Zhang: Yes!
  红娘：记责！	Crimson: Remember it!
  张生：是！	Student Zhang: Yes!
  红娘：抬起头来，看看我是谁？	Crimson: Look at me! Who am I?
  张生：蒙儿！哎呀呀。小姐呢？	Student Zhang: Ah! Such a cheater! Aiyaya. What about the mistress?
  红娘：小姐早走了。	Crimson: She left long ago.
  张生：哎呀，此事坏在你身上了哇。	Student Zhang: So, you ruined everything.
  红娘：得了吧，你就会欺负我。你见了我们小姐，连个屁都不敢放。	Crimson: Enough already! You only dare to blame me. When you see our mistress, you do not dare to make a peep [lit. do not even dare to fart a single time].

  
  
  The lines of dialogue (nianbai 念白) marked in red are delivered in Oriole’s voice. Similar to the previous note, Crimson’s imitative mode and impersonation suggest that she continues playing tricks on Student Zhang in order to probe the depths of his feelings for her mistress. She takes advantage of the fact that Student Zhang is so dazed by Oriole's capricious attitude that he has trouble telling the mistress and the maid apart. It also a reflection of Student Zhang’s infatuation with Oriole. He always answers “yes” to all the questions from “Oriole” and admits it is all his fault even though we know that is not entirely true. Without Oriole’s riddle poem, Student Zhang might not have had the gumption to jump across the wall to meet up with Oriole. Thus rather than being cast as a creepy stalker, Student Zhang is portrayed as a love-addled fool.

  WORKS CONSULTED: CLICK TO EXPAND/COLLAPSE

  Liu, Siyuan. Transforming Tradition: The Reform of Chinese Theater in the 1950s and Early 1960s. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2021. 

  Sieber, Patricia. “The Pavilion of Praying to the Moon and The Injustice of Dou E: The Innovation of the Female Lead.” In How To Read Chinese Drama: A Guided Anthology, edited by Patricia Sieber and Regina Llamas, 74-100. New York: Columbia University Press, 2022.

  Xing Fan. “Stars on the Rise: The Jingju Actresses in Republican China.” In Women in Asian Performance: Aesthetics and Politics, edited by Arya Madhavan, 70-81. London and New York: Routledge, 2017.

  AUTHORS

  Gillian Yanzhuang Zhang and Patricia Sieber