Sideways at my mirror cast frequently glances.
DAME EVER-NEW: I humbly ask you to stick on this gold-strip-flower flower-shaped hair-clasp,146 my lady.
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
I’ve stuck on this gold-strip-flower
flower-shaped kingfisher-feather hair-clasp,
DAME REMEMBER-ME: And now dot on this rouge.
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
And now pour on red rouge,
DAME EVER-NEW: Please paint your eyebrows, my lady.
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
Paying careful attention,
I now draw my moth-antennae eyebrows.
(She stands up) (Sings)
And in a little while,
Slowly straighten my loins,
DAME REMEMBER-ME: Oh, my lady you’ve forgotten to put flowers in your hair.
(Sticks flowers into Empress Yang’s hair)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
So that I can add cherry blossoms.
(Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me look at her)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
I’m only afraid they’ll be flicked and broken by the breeze.
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: May we have permission to change your attire, my lady.
(They change Empress Yang’s clothes for her)
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Sing)
Drifting, alighting,
Is the perfume of her epidendrum and musk,
Gold and broidered her form,
As she changes into the tulle of her apricot smock.
(Empress Yang takes some steps.
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Sing)
See her faintly trembling Step-shake coronet,147
And her River Hsiang skirt148 that lightly flutters.
(Empress Yang puts on her slippers.)
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Sing)
She stoops to put on her feet half-curve ripple-treading149 slippers,
So seemly she looks!
(Empress Yang looks back at her shadow.)
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Sing)
She wafts willowy in the breeze,
with all manner of comely, alluring charms.
(Empress Yang turns back and looks into her mirror.)
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME. (Sing)
And further facing her mirror,
a myriad kinds of supple pulchritude she reveals.
(Empress Yang looks weary, and stretches and yawns sleepily)
(Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me support her by the elbows.)
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: My lady,
(Sing)
You’re so feeble and poorly,
Why not go back to your nest, your downie?
EMPRESS YANG: Very well, I feel physically tired and weary, so I think I’ll just have a little sleep for a while. Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me, put down the bed-curtain for me. It’s truly a case of:
(Recites)
For no reason, the springtime imbues one weary, but, just now arisen, and hair combed, I again feel sleepy.
(She goes to sleep. Dame Remember-me puts down the bed-curtain)
DAME EVER-NEW: Our Ten-thousand-year-grandfather the emperor hasn’t come into the palace, even at this hour. I dare say he’s gone over to Empress Plum-blossom’s place.150
DAME REMEMBER-ME: Elder sister, you don’t yet know that Empress Plum-blossom has been transferred and installed to the east of Sunlight Bower!151
DAME EVER-NEW: Oh, so that’s what’s happened. Fancy that!
DAME REMEMBER-ME: Elder-sister Dame Ever-new, these last few days the emperor concentrates all his love on Empress Yang, and very often frequents this West Palace, not even telling his eunuch attendants to accompany him. You and I must attend upon her with all due care.
(Enter emperor, walking)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Sings)
Ah joys!
I’ve newly acquired a pretty belle in my Rear Palace quarters,152
and in one day caress her so many times.
(Emperor comes in, meets Dame Ever-new and Remember-me)
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: Ah, you’ve be taken yourself here, Ten-thousand-year-grandfather. The empress has just now gone to sleep!
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR. Don’t disturb her.
(He lifts up the bed-curtain.)
(Sings)
I’ll just slowly open this raw-silk-fabric bed-curtain, and see,
Smell a faint redolence of borneol,
Mixed with one wisp of my beautiful-lady’s scent.
Peep at her,
Cherish her,
one orb of garnet scarlet,
Lying on her side, pressing down on her mandarin-duck quilt.
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Aside. Sing)
Such warm concern,
How could he not occupy the high throne of romance gallant!
(Empress Yang wakes up)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings softly)
Who’s that,
All of a sudden lifting up my bed-drapes?
I rub my drowsy sleep-filled eyes.
(Sits up, rubs eyes, and adjusts her temple hair.)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Sings)
Already,
Her powdered facial looks have paled and dimmed,
Her lips’ vermilion has melted and faded,
And her temple-tresses have crimped short.
(Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me help Empress Yang up by her arms into a sitting position. She opens her eyes, then closes them. Stands up, then collapses into a sitting position again.)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Sings)
I feel such compassion for her,
As her female attendants help up her limbs,
So delicate-pretty and shy,
she can’t stay still or sitting either,
(Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me help Empress Yang to be seated.)
(Emperor Dark-progenitor steadies Empress Yang to stay.)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Sings)
She’s so blurry, just be let rest, her wits to gather.
EMPRESS YANG: Ten thousand years to you!
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: The spring daytime’s clear-skied and gentle, just right for seasonal strolling and enjoying things, so why, right on noon, were you still sleeping?
EMPRESS YANG: (Softly) Last night when I received your loving indulgence, the “rain” was thick and the “dew, love ample, and the “flower-sprig” found itself somehow enfeebled. I had to force myself to arise and comb my hair, but then dozed off in a haze, and went to sleep again. That’s why I failed to welcome your sage arrival.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Laughs) If what your say’s the case, it’s me who’s been precipitate.
(Empress looks prettily abashed, and doesn’t say anything)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: My Most-prized-empress, seeing you’re mentally deplenished, let’s go together to the front of the palace-hall, and divert ourselves to while away these hours.
EMPRESS YANG. As you command.
(Emperor and empress walk off together, and Dame Ever-new and Dame Remember-me walk off after them.)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Recites)
As the sun sets, the Royal Mother’s153 kept back,
EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)
In the slight breeze, lolling against the young lad;
DAME EVER-NEW and DAME REMEMBER-ME: (Recite together)
Merry-making in the imperial palace is secret, and seldom disclosed to those outside.
(Emperor and empress turn and sit down.)
(Enter Eunuch-chamberlain Kao.)
EUNUCH-CHAMBERLAIN KAO: (Recites)
The ornamented clepsydra’s sparsely heard, reporting from the lofty mansion. When celestial emperor’s countenance evinces pleasure, his close ministers can tell.
(Announces)
Submitting to Ten-thousand-years-grandfather-our-emperor: Imperial Uncle prime minister Yan
g, observing your edict that An Lu-shan be put to the test, is outside the palace gate in response to your edict.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: Bring him here to declare his submission.
EUNUCH-CHAMBERLAIN KAO. (Proclaiming) Let Prime Minister Yang make his supplication!
(Enter Yang Kuo-chung)
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG. (Recites)
The whole world’s memorials to the throne pass through this institute. The laughs and talk from within the imperial palace are heard across its wall.
(Makes his obeisance’s on meeting the emperor)
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: Your minister Yang Kuo-chung comes for an audience with Your Majesty. He wishes Your Majesty ten thousand years of long life, and Her Majesty a thousand years of long life!
EUNUCH-CHAMBERLAIN KAO: Arise.
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: I your minister submit to Your Majesty: I have been deputed to put An Lu-shan to the test. He is indeed a man of ability. Stalwart and stout, experienced with the bow and the horse. Such is now my response to your edict now.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: I yesterday received a memorial submission from Chang Shou-kui, which stated: “An Lu-shan is thoroughly conversant with the Six Foreign-appanages’ languages, is a crack expert at all manner of military skills, and deserves to be appointed a frontier general.” Now he’s failed in a military venture, and is due to be executed, which is why I delegated you, my lord, to put him to tests. Since the memorial wasn’t erroneous, you may convey my edict to An Lu-shan that his previous crimes are pardoned. Tomorrow, at my levee, you may conduct him for an audience, and he’ll be awarded a post in this our capital, so that we can observe his future effectivity.
PRIME MINISTER YANG KUO-CHUNG: As you command.
(Exit Yang Kuo-chung)
CHANG CH’IEN: I submit to you Ten-thousand-years-grandfather, our emperor: By Eaglewood Pavilion154 the tree-peonies have bloomed in abundance, so you, together with Empress Yang, should go and enjoy them.
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: Today facing my Most-prized-empress I shall admire splendid flowers. Eunuch-chamberlain Kao, you may summon Plume-forest Academician155 Li Pai156 to go to Eaglewood Pavilion and at once draft new lyrics in his emperor’s service.
EUNUCH-CHAMBERLAIN KAO: As you command!
(Exit Eunuch-chamberlain Kao)
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: My Favourite Empress, let me go with you to enjoy the flowers.
(Recites)
Lolling on the balustrade, the flowers open bearing dew,157
EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)
We together sport, circling ponds and terraces;158
SHINING AUGUST-EMPEROR: (Recites)
A novel song evokes one’s admiration,159
EMPRESS YANG: (Recites)
We only await “Hsiang-ju”160 coming in respectful receipt of the emperor’s summons.161
Act Five: Strolling on the day of Waterside Purification-ceremony162
(Enter Eunuch-chamberlain Kao)
EUNUCH-CHAMBERLAIN KAO: (Sings)
Amid the Exalted Ranks163 I’m acclaimed, honoured in the palace-halls,
The emperor’s celestial countenance,
I serve in person dusk and dawn;
My golden marten, jade-decorated belt, and python-robe are new,
And within imperial court and outside,
I’m accorded especial loving imperial boon.
(Says)
I’m Eunuch-chamberlain Kao, and hold the government post of Cavalry General. My duties are to be in charge of the internal affairs of the Six Palaces, and my powers exceed those of all my mandarin colleagues. I pre-empt the world’s problems and “slice between the gaps”,164 and try to anticipate our sage emperor’s feelings. By flexing my mind and proceeding with care, I’ve become the recipient of his celestial indulgence. It’s now the Third Day of the year’s Third Month, and Ten-thousand-years-grandfather-the-emperor has taken a stroll with Most-prized-empress to bless Bendy-river Pond165 with a visit. He’s commanded me to summon Prime Minister Yang and the three Queens of Ch’in, Han and Kuo together to accompany him there. I must go and convey his edict to them:
(Recites)
Transmit my voice, to imperial-maternal-relatives, Today the emperor’s blessing with a visit, “Palace of Tall-willows!”166
(Exit)
(Enter An Lu-shan in fine mandarin hat and belt, leading his retinue)
AN LU-SHAN: (Sings)
Ever since I humbly sought to entrust myself to the “gates of puissance”, the holder of political power,
The celestial family’s “rain and dew” favours have come anew.
Fettered vassal, I’ve now to my delight become close minister,
And my bold bosom-feelings must surely find expression true.
(Says)
I’m An Lu-shan. Since I received our emperor’s loving favours, and was restored to mandarin office, I’ve been thoroughly doted upon by him. What delights me is that, me having a big belly that hangs down past my knees, our sage emperor one day noticed it, and laughing asked me what there was in it?167 I at once responded that there was only a “red”. loyal, heart in there. The imperial countenance was greatly pleased, and since then I’ve been made yet closer and more trusted, and he’s permitted that I shall before long be given the title of prince. That’s certainly out-of-the-ordinary treatment, isn’t it! My retinue, withdraw!
(Exit retinue)
AN LU-SHAN: Today’s the Third Day of the Third Month168 of the year, and his Imperial Majesty and Most-prized-empress Yang have favoured Bendy-river Pond169 with a leisure-trip to it, the Queens of the Three States170 accompanying them there. All the “city-toppling”171 young ladies bar none are going thither to watch. I must change into my non-mandarin robes, and ride my horse there for some sporting.
(Changes his robes, mounts his horse and moves off.)
As I go out through the gate, look, the dust of scented flowers is all over the road, and the carriages are like a host of clouds. It’s most bustling and exciting! Truly it’s a case of:
(Sings)
Waylaying drifting willow-silks wine-merry wayfarer entwine,
On the other side of the blossoms, singing birds to the passers-by tune.
(Exit)
(Enter Yang Kuo-chung, with Wang Sun, a young noble,172 and the crown prince,173 proceeding together.)
TOGETHER: (Sing)
Spring scenery titillates one,
Cherishing flowers, the breeze is like a fan,
The weeping-willow mists form battle-array.
As we pass,
We can’t distinguish the flowers’ red dust from the scarlet pathway.
YANG KUO-CHUNG and WANG-SUN: Today’s the morning of the Waterside Service. Let’s go together to Bendy Pond for some recreation.
WANG-SUN and CROWN PRINCE: Yes, indeed. There’s a band of carriages hustling along over there: It must surely be the Queens of the Three States coming here. Let’s hurry on a bit faster.
(They walk)
(Sing)
In wild profusion,
The embroidered carriage-curtains and carven coach-bodies,
Wound around with pearls, and encircled by -jades,
Vie in charms,
A drifting wall of mist,
Epidendrum and musk come in the wake of the breezes,
And from afar the shine is discernable of the coloured silk and jade waist-ornaments of their dresses.
(Exeunt together)
(Enter the Queen of the State of Han,174 clad in embroidered dress, the Queen of the State of Kuo,175 clad in a white dress, and the Queen of the State of Ch’in,176 clad in a crimson dress, leading stewards and maidservants, and each riding along in a carriage)
TOGETHER: (Sing)
Seemly,
Our cloud-like tulle and damask,
Vying in bewitching charms,
Each displaying our kohled eyebrows and cicada temple-tresses.
Receiving our celestial emperor’s loving favours,
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He’s expressly commanded us explore with him the river spring-scenes.
QUEEN OF THE STATE OF HAN: I this slave-girl am the Queen of the State of Han.
QUEEN OF THE STATE OF KUO: I this slave-girl am the Queen of the State of Kuo.
QUEEN OF THE STATE OF CH’IN: I this slave-girl am the Queen of the State of Ch’in.
TOGETHER: We’ve respectfully received the imperial edict summoning us to make a trip to Bendy Pond. Stewards, speed the carriages on ahead.
STEWARDS: Very well.
(They move off)
TOGETHER: (sing)
Vermilion wheels’ trundle,
the embankment’s fragrant flowers crushing,
Lost jade ear-jewels and dropped hairpins,
The fallen blooms as a foil serving.
Splendour our lot,
In Empress’s-relatives Ward we take a trip with the emperor,
Several groups of “palace makeups” advancing.
(Exeunt together)
(Enter An Lu-shan, whipping his horse along. Watches the Queens of the Three States as they exit)
AN LU-SHAN: (Sings)
Exquisite!
They glance back,
Surpassing all this epoch their beautiful airs,
As suddenly they once grant me the sight of them,
For an age I’m out of my wits.
I bitterly regret that, they being in carriages and on horseback,
They’re far off, and to get them nigh I’ve no chance.
(Says)
I’m An Lu-shan. As I headed on towards Bendy Pond, I just by coincidence encountered the Queens of the Three States. Each and every one of them is of celestial figure and nation-surpassing sexual beauty. Ah me, Son of Heaven of the T’ang dynasty, Son of Heaven of the T’ang dynasty, you’d already got a Most-prized-empress Yang, and now you’ve further added these few ladies. Most gallant indeed!
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