Recorded 16 May 2010

Translated and annotated by Guo Chao

Lecturer

Wang Shiyu 汪世瑜 (b. 1941), a sheng 生 of the Zhejiang Troupe, studied with “chuan” generation actors (chuan zi bei 傳字輩), including Zhou Chuanying 周傳瑛 [both Appendix H]. A 1986 winner of the Plum Blossom Prize (Meihua jiang 梅花獎), he is especially well known for his jinsheng 巾生 roles, including Pan Bizheng 潘必正 in this play and Liu Mengmei 柳夢梅 in The Peony Pavilion [Appendix F].

Synopsis

The Jade Hairpin (Yuzan ji 玉簪記) [Appendix F] is a sixteenth-century chuanqi 傳奇, and one of the most popular kunqu 崑曲 plays. Several scenes are in regular repertoire and evening-length versions have also become fairly common. Credited to an otherwise obscure author, Gao Lian 高濂 [Appendix G], the play concerns the story of the young scholar Pan Bizheng who, while residing at the Abbey of Female Chastity (Nüzhen guan 女貞觀), meets the novice nun Chen Miaochang 陳妙常. Chen has sought refuge from the war at the abbey, of which Pan Bizheng's aunt is the abbess. The plot follows their courtship, parting, and reunion. An intriguing first encounter occurs in “Talk over Tea” (“Chaxu” 茶叙). This is followed by a nocturnal musical meeting which is the subject of this lecture, “The Stirring Zither” (“Qintiao” 琴挑). This scene marks the beginning of their courtship. In “The Sick Visit” (“Wenbing” 問病) Pan has caught a cold and is lovesick for Chen, and they seek to convey their affection without the notice of his aunt. In “Stealing the Poem” (“Toushi” 偷詩) Pan discovers evidence of Chen's love for him in poem of hers, and in “Autumn River” (“Qiujiang” 秋江) she hires a boat to catch up with him after his aunt has sent him down the river to take the imperial examinations. Chen does catch up with him and they exchange love pledges (including the hairpin of the title), but have to part.