Preserving our achieved dynastic enterprise I’ve succeeded in charge of that daunting task,
And proffer our Great T’ang dynasty myriad miles of mountains and rivers.
(Says)
I’m Emperor Dark-progenitor of the T’ang dynasty. When my Grand-progenitor, an “Emperor Divine Yao”, rose in arms at Chin-yang, it was in entire reliance upon Emperor Grand-ancestor that he extinguished sixty-four areas of battle and strife, and eighteen houses that had taken it upon themselves to alter the reign-period titles, and established the empire of the Great T’ang.
When the throne passed to emperors High-progenitor and Middle-progenitor, there occurred the misfortune of a usurpation by the empress. I myself, as Prince of Lin-tzu Commandery, led forces to quieten the trouble, and my elder brother, the Prince of Ning, yielded the throne to me.
It’s now twenty or so years since I acceded to the throne, and we’ve enjoyed great and undisturbed peace. And, thanks to my able and high-minded prime-ministers Yao Yȕan-chih, Sung Ching, Han Hsiu and Chang Chiu-ling who’ve like-mindedly dispensed good government, I myself have been able to be free and easy. Although I’ve many imperial concubines in the Six Palaces, since my lady Wu Kindly-consort died none has matched up to my desires. Last year. at mid-autumn in the Eighth Month, I made a trip in a dream to the Moon Palace, and saw moon-goddess Constant-charmeuse’s looks, of such beauty as is rare among mortals: Yesterday, there was Queen Yang of Prince Longevity’s residence, who surpasses Constant-charmeuse, and after designating her a female Taoist nun, I took her into my imperial-palace establishment, decreed that she should be my Most-prized-empress, and established her dwelling in Great-truth Court. Since Yang Grand-truth came into the palace, we’ve sung and feasted morn and night each day bar none.
Eunuch-chamberlain Kao, quickly send out my command for a feast to be arranged, and for the young performers of my Pear Orchard conservatoire to play court-music, that I may be entertained.
EUNUCH-CHAMBERLAIN KAO: Very well!
(Enter Chang Chiu-ling, with An Lu-an under escort.)
PRIME-MINISTER CHANG CHIU-LING:
(Recites)
I adjust the tripods of state, and manage the Dual Cosmic Forces,
I rank among the “roc-ranks” of court ministers,
sitting in the chancellery hall;
All within the Four Seas inheriting great peace, there’s not a single trouble,
Every day in attendance upon my monarch my shoes I trail.
(Says)
I, this aged fellow, am Chang Chiu-ling. I hail from Nan-hai. A good while ago, I came among the first list of imperial examinations successes, and, in receipt of the holy imperial favour, I was employed in government, and promoted until I reached the post of prime-minister. Recently, the frontier commander Chang Shou-kui has sent here under escort this frontier-land general named An Lu-shan who failed to prevail in a military initiative. Noting his short, fat stature, and the sharp facility of his speech, I perceive many signs of rebelliousness. If this man is kept on, he’s bound to wreak havoc with the empire. When I have an audience with our Sage Emperor now, I shall memorialize this matter to him face to face. Ah, here we are, before the palace gate.
(Goes in, and meets emperor, says) Your minister Chang Chiu-ling presents himself to Your Majesty.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: What business brings you here, my lord?
PRIME MINISTER CHANG CHIU-LING: Recently, the frontier commander Chang Shou-kui has sent here under escort this frontier-appanage general An Lu-shan, who failed to prevail in a military initiative. Regulations require his decapitation, but I haven’t made so bold as to take the matter upon myself, and escort him here to humbly ask for your directive.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: Lead the appanage-general here for me to see him.
PRIME MINISTER CHANG CHIU-LING: (Bringing An Lu-shan forward and presenting him) This is the frontier-land general An Lu-shan who failed to follow up a military initiative.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: Ah, a fine commander! What military skills do you possess?
AN LU-SHAN: I can shoot a bow with either left or right hand and perform every single one of the eighteen military skills, and I’m ably conversant with the languages of the Six Frontier-lands.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: You’re so fat! What do you have in that barbarian belly of yours?
AN LU-SHAN: All I have is a loyal “red” heart.
EMPEROR DARK PROGENITOR: Prime Minister, this man’s not to be killed. Keep him here as a non-active general.
PRIME MINISTER CHANG CHIU-LING: Your Majesty, there are rebellious signs about this man. If we keep him here, trouble’s bound to come of it in the future.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: My lord, don’t regard this as a Wang Yi-fu recognizing a Shih Le!1294 What’s there to be feared if we do keep him? You there, attendants, release him.
(They release him.)
AN LU-SHAN: (Rising and. making his thanks) I thank you, my sovereign lord. For your kind favour in not slaying me.
(Does a dance.)
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: What’s that?
AN LU-SHAN: This is the Barbarian Whirl-dance.
EMPRESS YANG: Your Majesty, this a pudgy little dwarf, and he can dance, too. It would be a good idea to keep him here to amuse us.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: Then I’ll give him to you as your adopted son, my Most-prized-empress. Take him away with you.
EMPRESS YAN: I’m very grateful for your sage kindness.
(Exit with An Lu-shan.)
PRIME MINISTER CHANG CHIU-LING: Imperial Uncle, there’s a rebellious look about that man. Some day he is certain to create havoc for the House of T’ang, and we elite will suffer no small calamity. I’m old now, but I fear Imperial Uncle you may see it. What on Earth’s to be done?
YANG KUO-CHUNG: Wait till tomorrow, and I’ll memorialise the throne on the matter. We definitely must exclude him. That would be an excellent outcome!
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: I wonder why there’s all that noise and laughter in my imperial seraglio? Attendants, would you mind going and having a look, then reporting back to me.
PALACE LADIES: It’s Her Majesty Most-prized-empress Yang celebrating the third-day-after-birth Baby-washing Rite with An Lu-shan.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: Since they’re performing the Baby-washing Rite, fetch forth a hundred gold coins and bestow them upon Lu-shan as a congratulatory present, then summon him here that I may award him titles of office.
(Exeunt palace ladies with gold coins.)
(Enter An Lu-shan, greets emperor)
AN LU-SHAN: I thank your Majesty for your gift. You summoned me here: in what respect, may I be of service to you?
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: I summoned you here for no other thing than that, since you’re my Most-prized-empress’s son, and therefore my own son, you cannot very well frequent the palace precincts without government post. So, I appoint you to be my Manager of Governmental Affairs.1295
AN LU-SHAN: I thank Your Sage Majesty for his kind favour.
YANG KUO-CHUNG: No, no, that won’t do, Your Majesty! An Lu-shan’s a frontier general who’s contravened the regulations, and ought by the statutes to be executed. It’s enough that Your Majesty has spared him death. That he now serves in the palace would already be inappropriate, but what great deeds has he performed that merit his promotion to Manager of Governmental Affairs. Moreover, barbarians are often sly and brutish: you cannot keep him dwelling in attendance upon you. I pray that Your Majesty will give your sage consideration to my words.
PRIME MINISTER CHANG CHIU-LING: You must heed Yang Kuo-chung’s words, Your Majesty.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: Yes, indeed. You’re ‘quite right in what you say. An Lu-shan, let me just appoint you Imperial Commissioner for Yü-yang, to be in command of Non-Chinese and Chinese infantry and cavalry and to guard the frontier lands, and as soon as you’ve achieved some great military deeds, next time you’ll be promoted to seniority.
; AN LU-SHAN: I thank Your Majesty most gratefully for his holy favour.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: Don’t bear me any grudge, for such are the statutes of the nation’s constitution, and they’re no light matter!
(Sings)
Just because you’ve never performed any outstanding deeds of merit for the state,
When I appointed you my Manager of Governmental Affairs,
The court upbraided the Emperor, “the imperial gold-belled chariot”.
Obviously, you can hardly remain Manager of Governmental Affairs,
I’m going to determine you some other title and emolument.
Let me just appoint you to go off as Imperial Commissioner of Yü-yang,
To destroy obdurate incursions, and Fan-yang forever to protect.
You mustn’t await the country’s crisis before defending it,
Your crucial plans always in advance devise,
Gather-in fiery-brave generals, safeguard my imperial domains,
I’ll issue you “iron deeds”,1296
Bestow upon you “cinnabar writing”,
How could I let myself not do justice to your dossier of merits!
(Exeunt together)
AN LU-SHAN. The Sage One has returned to his palace. Here I go out of the palace gate. But that varlet Yang Kuo-chung was most discourteous towards me, memorialising the throne, right to the fore of the emperor and getting me made Imperial Commissioner of Yü-yang, on the face of it a promotion but in reality, a banishment. I wouldn’t mind about anything, except for the fact that I’ve been having an illicit affair with Most-prized-empress Yang, when once I’m parted far from her, how will I be able to rest contented! Right, right, very well then, I’m going now, and when I get to Yü-yang, I’ll train my troops and feed-up my horses, and devise some other scheme. Yes, indeed, it’s a case of:
(Sings)
If I try to paint a tiger and fail, sir, don’t be laughing!
I’ll get ready my “teeth and claws” and prove most shocking!
(Exit)
Act One
(Enter Most-prized-empress Yang at the head of palace ladies)
EMPRESS YANG: I’m of the Yang family, from Hung-nung. My father Yang Hsȕan-yen was Revenue Manage of Shu-chou. In the Twenty-Second Year of the Opening-origin reign-period, I was favoured to be chosen by the emperor as lady-consort of Prince Longevity. On the Fifteenth Day of the Eighth Month of the Twenty-eighth Year of that same reign-period, it was the holy birthday of our imperial monarch, and I went in person to court to offer my congratulations, and the Sage Supreme-one, seeing my looks to be like those of moon-goddess Constant-charmeuse, had Eunuch-chamberlain Kao transmit his edict that I was to be inducted as a Taoist-priestess, and to dwell in Grand-truth Palace of his Inner Palace, he conferring upon me the Taoist appellation Grand-truth.
In the Fourth Year of the Heaven Treasure reign-period, he decreed I be given the title of Most-prized-empress, with half the attire of a principal empress, and I was favoured to the utmost with his loving. My elder cousin1297 Yang Kuo-chung was appointed prime minister, my three sisters made Queens, and all my household rendered most illustrious. Recently, a frontier-land general was sent here from the borders, named An Lu-shan. Tie’s a canny, wily man, skilled at flattering others, and he’s also skilled at the Barbarian Whirl dance. The Sage One bestowed him upon me as my adopted son, and he frequented the palace freely, but, unexpectedly, my elder cousin Yang Kuo-chung perceived a fault-line in him, and memorialised the Son of Heaven, who appointed him Imperial Commissioner of Yü-yang, and sent him to the frontier-lands. It’s most vexing that I can’t meet him. Today’s the Seventh Night of the Seventh Month of the year, when star-god Oxherd and star-goddess Weaving-damsel-meet, and among mortals, the festival of Love-luck-begging. I’ve already instructed the palace ladies to set forth a Love-luck-begging party-feast in Abiding-life Palace-hall, where I’ll perform a Love-luck-begging rite. Palace-charmeuses, is the feast now fully set out?
PALACE LADIES: It’s been completed some while.
EMPRESS YANG: Let’s beg some Love-luck then.
(Enter emperor at the head of palace ladies, who arc holding lanterns on poles and bearing other props.)
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: I’ve had nothing to do since coming back here this morning’s court-session and have been longing with all my heart for my Empress Yang. I’ve ordered a feast set forth in Abiding-life Palace-hall, that we may celebrate Seventh Night. Eunuch Inner-palace-commissioners lead my carriage there.
(Sings)
Wearied from putting my government-systems in order,
I’m going to drink my fill in Resplendent-sunlight Palace,
Get thoroughly drunk in Florescence-purity;
Yes, indeed I’m due good fortune:
My consort Grand-truth’s
A “nation-o’erthrowing”, citadel-toppling beauty.
On coral pillow, our two desires are wholly fulfilled,
Before our emerald portiere are born a hundred kinds of lovability.
At night, we slumber together,
In the daytime, walk together,
Exactly like male and female phoenix pair singing in unity.
(Says, as part of song) Since I found my Most-prized-empress Yang, it’s truly been what one may cal1 Cold-food Festival day in day out, Hogmanay night after night!
(Sings)
In the evening, when the zest is on me,
All my breast “lapels” with brisk breath-energy filled, and me newly sobered from wine,
Open the tulle toggles of my dragon-robe loosened,
Shoved aslant my phoenix-sash and scarlet leather-belt to one side.
My waiting-maids as of one into my green-jade carriage help me by the arms
And my palace-charmeuses bear on poles pairs of crimson gauze-silk lanterns.
Listening I hear on the breezes,
One gust of pan-pipe,
“Demigod world-ruler”
Shuen’s1298 music” fair tunes.
(Sounds of pipes and drums and of bawling and laughter backstage)
(Says) Where’s such bawling and laughter from?
PALACE LADIES: It’s Her Imperial-majesty Yang Grand-truth holding a Love-luck-begging party in Abiding-life Palace-hall!
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: Palace-charmeuses all, walk without making any noise, and let me go and have a look by myself.
(Sings)
It’s most likely the “rouge beauty’s” crowded round,
Displaying her kohl-and-powder charms.
Tell the carriage-welcoming palace-charmeuses to walk slow1y,
While I listen for myself carefully.
Mounting the jasper staircase
Moving my steps near to the front palace-door pillars,
So quietly so cautious, I gently look through the silk-gauze windows,
As flutter ~ flutter rustle ~ rustle breeze sways shadows of pearl-beaded door-curtains.
I’m just about to walk on
When I give start flabbergasted,
That the parrot in the jade cage, surprisingly, understands human nature, and is non-stop speaking so clearly.
PARROT: (Calling backstage) Ten-thousand-years-emperor’s coming. Welcome his carriage!
EMPRESS YANG: (In alarm) Our Sage-supreme-emperor’s here!
(Welcomes imperial carriage)
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR:
(Sings)
I just see it spread its wings and hasty call a “Ten-thousand-years!”,
Startling-up that delicate charming one to welcome my gold-bells carriage here.
With sparkling face, unpaintable,
Unsketchable.
Walking every step daintily,
In every item comely,
In every sound her voice like an oriole beyond the weeping-willow-tree.
(Says) What are you doing here, my lady?
EMPRESS YANG: Today we’ve come to Seventh Night, and I’ve arranged a melon-and-fruit party, to beg Heaven’s Grandda
ughter Weaving-damsel for Love-luck.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: (Looking) You’ve set things out well indeed.
(Sings).
Borneol and musk burn in gold tripods, flower-calyxes are stuck in silver vases,
In tiny gold pots grow the Five Living-things,
At a Magpie Bridge rendezvous colour-painted streamer
Are made offerings,
And a spider is caught fast, rice-grain size.
You’ve snatched all my love-favour of my whole seraglio,
So why are you further minded to deploy such devices?
(He gives Empress Yang props. Says) This pair of golden hairpins and this inlaid casket I give you as a gift.
EMPRESS YANG: (Taking them) I thank you for your sage favour.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR:
(Sings)
I cover them with crimson gauze-silk,
And put them on an emerald tray;
These two presents of others’ respect are worthy,
And availing myself of this autumn festival,
I bestow them upon you, my lady.
The Seven-jewels gold hair-pins are in gage of my generous intentions,
And the Hundred-flowers inlaid caskets to express my deep love.
These gold hairpins you’re to wear high towering on your head,
This inlaid casket you’ll raise teetering in your hands above.
EMPRESS YANG: Your Majesty, this autumn moonlight’s lovely, so let Your Sage Majesty and I take a leisurely stroll down outside the pavilion.
EMPEROR DARK-PROGENITOR: (Walks with her)
(Sings)
On the jasper staircase, moon’s beams light up the sparse casement-lattice,
Silver-candle autumn gleams the painted screens chilled,
Dispelling our cares this hour, mid this night scene,
By moonlight we tread the deserted courtyard,
Moss soaking her “ripple-tripping” stockings cold.
Appendices and Endnotes Page 7
