In Conjunction with the exhibition Return of the Buddha in the Freer and Sackler Galleries

  presents Drama in the Temple
Friday May 14 to Sunday May 16, 2004

Jointly Sponsored by The Wintergreen Kunqu Society, The Freer and Sackler Galleries, and The Smithsonian Associates.

• Cast and Musicians

• Synopsis

• Program Notes

• Meet the Artists

• Production Staff

The Wintergreen Kunqu Society would like to thank Professor Timothy Scott for permission to use The English translation of "Longing for Worldly Pleasures" from Traditional Chinese Plays, Volume 2, 1969.

Synopsis and Program Notes

Longing for Worldly Pleasures (Si Fan).
The performing origin of the play is unknown. It is believed to have been first staged in the Ming dynasty (1368-1643 AD). It is based on a theme from Records of an Evil Sea (Nieh Hai Ji), the title of which is a Buddhist metaphor for a life of sorrow, and storyteller's adaptation of early Buddhist source material. As traditional Kunqu theater on a Buddhist theme, "Si Fan" marks a social protest to Chinese tradition, but in a lighthearted way.

"Si Fan" is regarded as a connoisseur's piece whose refined, expressive fusion of song, dance, and gesture embodied the less robust but more romantic qualities of traditional classical art. It is regularly performed on the stages of both Beijing opera and Kunqu theater. The story is about a young woman, Sekong, who was dedicated by her parents to a Buddhist temple in her childhood. Being a num not by choice, Sekong decides to escape from the temple to pursue a normal family life.

A Lawsuit to Heaven (Yang Gao)
"A lawsuit to heaven" is a scene from the play Incense Burning (Fen Xiang Ji), a story about a scholar, Wang Kwei, who abandons his wife, Jiao Guiyin, who had rescued and supported him during hardship. Since the 16-17th centuries of the late Ming dynasty, this has been one of the most frequently performed Northern style Kunqu plays. Audiences were moved to feel the pain of the heroine as she tells the story of her unfaithful husband.The performance features elegant dance and water-sleeve movements.

Jiao Guiyin, a young courtesan, rescues a poor young scholar, Wang Kwei, on a snowy day. The two fall in love and later exchange marriage vows in a temple. Two years later, Wang Kwei goes to the capital to take the imperial examinations. After winning top honors for a court appointment, he accepts the prime minister's invitation to marry his daughter. He then writes a letter to Jiao Guiyin, sending money for a divorce. Jiao Guiyin is devastated. In the scene "A Lawsuit to Heaven" performed here, Jiao Guiyin returns to the temple where they exchanged their vows. She appeals for justice from the gods, but receives no reply. Seeing no alternative to support herself but to return to the brothel and be abused by the brothel owner, she hangs herself in the temple.

Joys of the Fisherman
This story takes place at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (126-144 AD). Councilor Liang Yi, the brother of the Dowager Empress, has murdered the eleven year-old young emperor, and is planning to usurp the throne. When he learns that Prince Liu, heir to the throne, has fled the palace, he orders his troops to capture the prince. In pursuit of the prince, the troops accidentally shoot fisherman Wu instead of the prince.

The scene begins when Sunset, Fisherman Wu’s daughter, returns to her boat after burying her father. She is shocked to find a young man hiding inside. During their dialogue, she learns that he is Prince Liu and that her father has died in his place. Full of grief and anger, she vows to seek revenge on Councilor Liang. She offers to help the prince in his escape, and the two agree to act as husband and wife – in name only. The prince is moved by her generosity and vows to name her the empress should he reclaim the throne and become the emperor.
 

Meet the Artists

Liang Guyin is the winner of Third Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Prize and Leading Role Prize of First Shanghai Magnolia Drama Prize. She was  mainly acts Hua Dan (the young and lovely women). A member of the first graduating class of the Shanghai Traditional Opera School, she has studied with such renowned artists as Zhang Chuan-fang and  Shen Chuan-zhi. With a sweet voice and exquisite skill as a character actress, she specializes in  the Hua Dan (the young and lovely woman) role, portraying a wide range of characters. Ms. Liang performed the leading role in Pan Chinlien, which won Excellent Achievement Prize of '89 Shanghai Cultural Festival and won Second Prize of National Drama Telefilm Prize. Her "To Be Arrested" won Performance Prize of 3rd Shanghai Drama Festival. She has well performed in many plays including New Butterfly Dream, The Rotten-Helve Mountain, Borrowing Tea, Perfect Time. Ms. Liang also performs Beijing Opera and is a member of Chinese Dramatists Society and director of Shanghai Dramatists Society.