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• 1 2023-06-26T09:17:13+00:00 The Story of the Western Wing
  西厢记 (2011) 56 plain 2025-07-10T14:47:15+00:00

  Recording of a Live Performance
  Producer: Shanghai Yue Opera Troupe 上海越剧团

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  LINKS TO THE RECORDING

  • A video of the performance on bilibili with simplified Chinese subtitles (higher resolution).
  • A video of the performance on YouTube with simplified Chinese subtitles.
  INFORMATION
  • Title: The Story of the Western Wing 西厢记
  • Year: 2011
  • Style: Yueju 越剧/Shaoxing Opera
  • Source: Yueju 越剧/Shaoxing opera stage recording via CCTV 11
  • Producer: Shanghai Yue Opera Troupe 上海越剧团
  • Cast: Yang Tingna 杨婷娜 and Qian Huili 钱惠丽 (as Zhang Gong/Student Zhang), Chen Huidi 陈慧迪, Tang Xiaoling 唐晓羚, Hua Yiqing 华怡青, and Fang Yafen 方亚芬 (as Cui Yingying), Sheng Shuyang 盛舒扬 and Zhang Yongmei 张咏梅 (as Hongniang)
  • Director: Wu Chen 吴琛
  • Script: Su Xue’an 苏雪安, Wu Chen 吴琛, Shen Quji 沈去疾
  • Language: Stage-based Wu dialect with Mandarin subtitles
  • Duration: 165 minutes

  INTRODUCTION

  Yuan Xuefen 袁雪芬 (1922 – 2011), the former head of the Shanghai Yue Opera Troupe, passed away on Feb 19th, 2011. To honor Yuan and her transformative contribution to the development and performance of Yue opera, the Shanghai Yue Opera Troupe organized a series of commemorative performances later that same year. One of the performances they chose to pay tribute to was Yuan’s rendition of The Story of the Western Wing. 
  
  In the 1950s and 1960s, dance and opera often formed part of the cultural repertoire of diplomacy, particularly among socialist allies. In October 1953, the first premier of the People's Republic of China, Zhou Enlai 周恩来 (1898-1976), asked Yuan and her troupe to adapt Wang Shifu 王实甫’s The Story of the Western Wing for the Yue stage. After the conclusion of hostilities in the Korean War in the summer 1953, on November 23rd, Yuan’s troupe performed The Western Wing for Premier Zhou and Kim Il-sung (1912-1994), the founder and president of North Korea (DPRK), in celebration of the ratification of the China-DPRK Economic and Cultural Cooperation Agreement. The 2011 version retained many features of Yuan’s version and starred multiple generations of actresses from the Shanghai Yue Opera Troupe. As is typical in Yue opera, all role types are performed by women (see Fig. 1 and 2). 
  
  
  

  PLOT SUMMARY

  On his way to take the imperial examinations, Zhang Gong/Student Zhang (performed by Yang Tingna 杨婷娜 and Qian Huili 钱惠丽) accidentally meets the previous prime minister’s daughter, Cui Yingying/Oriole (performed by Chen Huidi 陈慧迪, Tang Xiaoling 唐晓羚, Hua Yiqing 华怡青, and Fang Yafen 方亚芬) at the Temple of Universal Salvation. Zhang and Cui fall in love with each other at first sight, and Yingying’s maid Hongniang (performed by Sheng Shuyang 盛舒扬 and Zhang Yongmei 张咏梅) helps the couple convey their feelings to each other. A group of bandits threaten that they will burn down the temple unless Madam Cui hands Yingying over to them. Madam Cui promises that whoever can rescue her family will be eligible to marry Yingying. Zhang Gong writes a letter to his friend who is a general and he saves Yingying from the bandits. However, Madam Cui has second thoughts and asks Zhang to be Yingying’s sworn brother instead. Both youngsters are angry about her decision. With Hongniang’s help, Zhang and Yingying begin to secretly date each other. Eventually, their love match is approved by Madam Cui. 

  THEME: Striking a Balance Between Propriety and Playfulness 

  
  Having spearheaded Yue opera reform in the 1940s, Yuan was well-known for seeking to raise the level of artistry of Yue opera by actively pursuing an aesthetic of “purity” (qing bai 清白). In Republican era Shanghai (1912 – 1949), actresses’ stage performances were typically “associated with erotic indulgences,” and the public was fascinated by their personal life, especially sexual indiscretions and scandals. This made the life of Yueju actresses, who had just made their way to Shanghai from the impoverished countryside in Zhejiang Province, even harder. In that context, Yuan Xuefen advocated that Yueju actresses should build a public persona around the idea of “purity.” To achieve such a transformation, she suggested that actresses should not only restrain themselves in their personal life, but also eliminate erotic elements from their stage performances. At the same time, Yuan was also intent on honoring the literary features of the original playtext. 

  The Spectrum of Romantic Nuance

  A three-way comparison between the earliest edition of Wang Shifu’s text (1499), early recordings of Yuan’s work, and the 2011 commemorative version show that Yuan’s work in the 1960s struck a balance between staying faithful to the explicit nature of the original playtext while also adhering to polite social norms. The earliest available recording of excerpts from Yuan’s Western Wing date to the 1960s. One available scene is “Listening to the Lute” (Ting qin 听琴) . In comparing Yuan’s version to Wang Shifu’s text, we can see that the lyrics in Yuan’s adaptation are quite faithful to the original text found below:
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Original Text	English Translation
  (末云)：窗外有人，一定是小姐，	(Male lead speaks): There’s someone outside the window. It must be missy.
  我将弦改过，弹一曲，就歌一篇，名曰《凤求凰》。	I’ll return to my strings, do another tune, and sing a song entitled “The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate.”
  昔日司马相如得此曲成事，我虽不及相如，愿小姐有文君之意。	Long ago Xiangru carried off his affair because of this song. I may not be a match for Sima Xiangru, but I hope that missy has the intentions of Wenjun.
  (歌曰)：有美人兮，	(He sings the song): There is a beautiful woman, oh
  见之不忘。	Seeing her, I cannot forget.
  一日不见兮，	If I don’t see her for a single day,
  思之如狂。	I long for her as though crazed.
  凤飞翩翩兮，	The phoenix flies, soaring, soaring, oh,
  四海求凰。	Seeking its mate within the four seas.
  无奈佳人兮，	Alas, that wonderful person, oh,
  不在东墙。	Is not at the eastern wall.
  张弦代语兮，	I string my zither to take words’ place, oh,
  欲诉衷肠。	So I may spell out my subtlest feelings.
  何时见许兮，	When will I be accepted, oh,
  慰我彷徨？	And my vacillations eased?
  愿言配德兮，	Oh, to be a match to her virtue, oh,
  携手相将！	And lead each other by the hand.
  不得于飞兮，	If we cannot fly together, oh,
  使我沦亡。	It will destroy me utterly.
  旦云：是弹得好也呵！	Female lead speaks: How well he plays!
  其词哀，其意切，凄凄如鹤唳天；	The words are sorrowful, the intention is keen, chilling and cold as a crane’s cry in the sky.
  故使妾闻之，不觉泪下。	It makes me weep all unawares.

  
  
  In comparing the 1960s recording to the 2011 version, we can see that the latter is quite loyal to Yuan’s rendition, including the lyrics, movements, and gestures. However, some interesting differences between the two renditions can still be detected. For instance, in the song “A Phoenix Seeking his Mate,” the 1960s version keeps the archaic sentence final particle xi 兮, while the 2011 version changes xi to the colloquial particle o 哦. In addition, the melody of the song differs in the two versions. For another, the two versions differ in how Student Zhang moves when he says that he is not a second Sima Xiangru 司马相如 (B.C. 179 – B.C. 117). In the 1960s version, Student Zhang (played by Fan Ruijuan 范瑞娟) sits on a bench, while in the 2011 rendition (played by Qian Huili 钱惠丽), he stands up and walks closer to Yingying. At the same time, in the 1960s rendition, after Hongniang uses an excuse to leave Yingying alone with Zhang, Yingying remains at her spot. In the 2011 version, Yingying is portrayed as more coy; she starts to fidget and attempts to have Hongniang stay with her.      

  Hongniang Between Purity and Cheerfulness

  In the 2011 version of The Story of the Western Wing, the feature of “purity” is perhaps most clearly manifested through the role of Hongniang. Hongniang’s role type is “cheerful female” (hua dan 花旦). In contrast to the Beijing opera version Hongniang/Crimson (1976), in Yuan’s Yue opera, Hongniang does not experience a sexual awakening of her own, nor does she banter flirtatiously with Student Zhang. We see some examples of her “purity” in the excerpts below.

  Dignity

  When Zhang sees Hongniang, he describes her as “behaving in a respectable and dignified way” (juzhi duanzhuang 举止端庄), which is not commonly used as a characterization for maids.  
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  (旦唱）：小红娘举止甚端庄，	(Hongniang sings): Little Hongniang behaves in a respectful way,
  全不见半点儿轻狂。	There is no trait of flirtation and arrogance.

  
  

  Integrity

  When Hongniang refuses to help Zhang to send his letter to Cui, Zhang offers her money to persuade her. Hongniang gets angry and accuses Zhang of disrespecting her. 
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  (末云)：好，待小生明日多送些财物酬谢红娘姐。	(Student Zhang speaks): Alrighty, let me prepare some more money for you tomorrow as my token of gratitude.
  啊，我是贪图财物才来得吗？	What? Do you think that I come here to hanker after some money?
  秀才家卖弄家私，	The student brags about his family’s fortune,
  怎说把我红娘多赏赐。	How dare that he says that he wants to offer me more money.
  我虽是女儿家有志气，	Although a girl, I am a decent and upright person,
  难道说贪图你财物才到此。	How can you say that I come here just to hanker after your money?

  
  
  If Hongniang is represented as a proper maid, how does she inhabit this mischievous and cheerful role type? One way to create a light comic touch is to emphasize Hongniang’s illiteracy and lack of understanding of literary traditions.

  Naivete

  When Zhang explains Yingying’s letter to Hongniang, Zhang explains that Cui wants him to come under the moonlight. Hongniang spoils the poetry by asking “要是今夜没有月亮呢 (what if there is no moonlight tonight)?” Her innocent question wins a round of laughs from the audience.

  Plain Language

  When Hongniang and Cui come to the garden, they both comment on the scenery. While Hongniang describes nature in the drawn-out manner of everyday language, Yingying resorts to the concise parallelism of poetry. Hongniang’s lack of literary knowledge has a comedic effect on the play. 
   
  Click to expand/collapse Translation Notes

  Chinese Subtitles	CTC Translation
  (旦云)：小姐你看：	(Hongniang says): My mistress look:
  树枝上的乌鸦都已经归巢了	All the crows on the trees have already returned to their nest.
  池塘里的鸭子都已经睡静了	All the ducks on the pond have already slept soundly.
  今天晚上要不要烧香？	Do you want to burn incense tonight?
  (旦云)：红娘你看：	(Yingying says): Hongniang look:
  这良夜迢迢，	This is such a good night,
  正是烧香的时候呢。	It is exactly the time to burn incense.
  (旦唱)：嫩绿池塘藏睡鸭	(Yingying sings): The light green pond hides sleeping ducks.
  淡黄杨柳隐栖鸦	The soft yellow willows cover resting crows.

  
  

  WORKS CONSULTED: CLICK TO EXPAND/COLLAPSE

  Jiang, Jiang. Women Playing Men: Yue Opera and Social Change in Twentieth-Century Shanghai. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2011.

  Wang, Shifu. Jiping jiaozhu Xixiang ji 西厢记 (The Story of the Western Wing with Collected Annotations and Emendations). Annotated by Wang Jisi 王季思. Shanghai: Shanghai guji, 1987. 

  Wang, Shifu. The Story of the Western Wing. Edited and translated by Stephen H. West and Wilt L. Idema. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1995. 

  AUTHOR

  Xuan Ye