The Play
Page 30
(Exeunt)
(Empress Yang’s spirit goes in)
EMPRESS YANG’S SPIRIT: Look,
(Recites)
The imperial-palace blossoms are all gut-severing sprigs, Nobody suddenly lets down their portiere; When I walk to where the picture-painted screens wind and join, There comes to me so clearly the hour when with hairpins and casket I received the emperor’s loving favour.
(Sheds tears)
(The bed-curtain and other props of the imperial palace are first set out onstage)
(Sings)
I linger,
Over the romantic love of those days former.
(Sits on the bed)
I remember when he first bestowed upon me the hairpins and casket,
And planted that deep, lavish love.
Infatuated with love, we bided with each other,
(Stands up)
Who’d have expected we’d be parted so swiftly in misery and disaster!
(Says)
Oh, look at Eaglewood Pavilion and Florescence-calyx Tower both so deserted and bleak, so chill and forlorn.
(She ascends into the Tower)
(Sings)
There’s no one at all ascending the Tower, that’s with painting ornamented,
And no flowers at all blooming twin-headed.
And no performing at all of freshly composed songs,
But truly there’s deserted desolation everywhere one looks, sorrow created.
So bleak looking,
One can’t help one’s tears flowing!
(Says)
Ah, here’s Lasting-life Palace-hall now! I recall.
(Sheds tears)
(On stage there has previously been set out the Lasting-life Palace-hall Love-luck Begging incense-table)
(Sings)
Over here, where we came to Beg Love-luck there’s the incense-table,
set out with melons and fruit.
And over there’s where at that time we privately prayed to Oxherd and Weaving-damsel,
he on my shoulder leant.
(Weeps) (says)
Oh my Sublime August-emperor, how can I meet you in this very moment! Just now, the door-gods said the Sublime August-emperor’s still in Shu. I must just slip out by palace-doors, go up onto Wei Bridge, and gaze all the way to Hsi-ch’uan, Shu.
(She moves off)
(Sings)
I freeze my eyeballs, fixedly stare,
Seeing one whole stretch of crisp autumn air.
(Ascends the bridge)
(Sings)
I gaze, but can’t see Mount E-mei’s handsome uprightness amid the wintry clouds and distant trees.
I bitterly recall, as he fled, the pervading dust,
His form isolated and weary his limbs,
His ailing horse in the stern frost,
By Ten-thousand-mile Bridge,834
I wonder if he’s in good health bodily?
Even if he’s free of all ailment,
I expect he’s wasted and become thin because of me.
Let me fly over to him.
(She flies, and is blown round by the breeze)
(Weeps) (Says)
Oh dear me, Heavens above!
(Sings)
I just thought they’d be able to flit away there,
my light spirits and my feeble souls,
But what do you know!
Amid a thousand streams and ten thousand hills my route’s long, and winds.
(Looks) (Says)
Look at that Buddha-hall half open, and the pear-tree leaning aslant. Or have I been blown by the wind, and am as before within Ma Wei’s posting-station!
(A pear-tree and Buddha-hall are first set up onstage)
EMPRESS YANG’S SPIRIT: (Sings)
The posting-station walls are cold in the night,
One lamp faintly leaks its light.
Outside the Buddhist temple,
A wan wind on every side arises.
Seeing the moon dimmed on the empty stable,
I all of a sudden feel grief and shed tears.
Facing this one eaves-side pear-tree’s seclusion,
(Sits on ground, and weeps)
(Sings)
This is the place where I,
“broken incense and scraps of jade”,
was sunk, was buried:
A fine ending for all that “weed-hoeing” sex together”,
Futilely ending up meagre of fate,
in fame just lingered.
Those days, I was a Carmine Countenance gorgeous and spicy,
with a thousand-gold-guinea smile,
Today my white bones are chucked as vestiges into half a hillock’s soil.
(Says)
You know, in life I received deep imperial love favours, so, now dead, what have I to feel remorse about! It’s simply just that I haven’t been able to carry my episode of love-destiny right through from beginning to end, and this heart of mine glows on and can’t forget, and for a thousand kalpas will find it impossible to forget.
(Sings)
Don’t turn your head and look back,
Flowers flying and water flowing was the love-destiny in your dreams,
And just one dot of old love remains.
I was like the spring silkworms who on reaching death,
Still send out silk-strands.
In his away-palace at Sword-gate Pass he sorrows to himself,
In my Night Terrace835 grave at Ma Wei’s Slope,
I futilely abide:
I think alike endless are our regrets.
When shall I be able to complete our former affection with gold-strip-flower casket and gold hairpins,
And join up the broken-headed incense of our Seventh Night pledges?
(Enter local land-god)
LOCAL LAND-GOD: (Recites)
From up in Heaven the command’s transmitted for me on a mission to go, And down in the Springs to report to the Shades spirit below.
(They meet)
LOCAL LAND-GOD: Most-prized-empress, Her Majesty Heaven’s Grand-daughter’s bringing you an edict from supreme-god Jade Emperor on her own hands. You must prepare to welcome her and receive it. I’ll go on ahead of you.
EMPRESS YANG’S SPIRIT: Many thanks, honoured god.
(Exeunt separately)
(Enter four female immortals, holding small water-bowls. flags and tallies, and leading Weaving-damsel, who’s holding the edict on her hands)
WEAVING-DAMSEL: (Sings)
A jade command descends from Heaven’s court,
Rocs and cranes flying to rear and fore.
Just because she has love which is true,
She’s being summoned back to Erigeron paradise’s peaked hills once more.
(Enter local land-god. He kneels and receives the edict)
LOCAL LAND-GOD: The local land-god of Ma Wei’s Slope comes to welcome Your Majesty!
WEAVING-DAMSEL: Local land-god, where is Most-prized-empress Yang’s spirit? Speedily summon her here before me, to hear my proclamation of the Jade Edict.
LOCAL LAND-GOD: I receive your Law-directive!
(Exit)
(Enter leading Empress Yang’s spirit, removing her spirit-veil.836 She kneels)
(Weaving-damsel proclaims the edict)
WEAVING-DAMSEL: The Jade Edict has now arrived. Kneel and listen while I read its announcement. The Jade Emperor’s command says:
I inform you Jade-bangle of surname Yang, who was originally Jade Queen Grand-truth, but chanced, because of some slight misdemeanor, to be temporarily banished to the mortal world, that you should not have become infatuated with Dust-world Love-destiny, bringing it about that you encountered a plight of violence. Now, according to a memorial to me by Heaven’s Grand-daughter, you’ve appealed to Heaven, repenting your faults, and your old karma has now been eliminated. your true love deserves our sympathy. I permit you to receive the Grand Female-force Body-refining Arts,837 and to be re-registered in census category as one of the Immortal Throng, and
dwell once more in Erigeron-chenopodium Paradise Immortals Convent.838
Reverently thank me for my loving favour!
(Empress Yang kow-tows)
EMPRESS YANG: May the Holy One have boundless long life!
(She meets Weaving-damsel)
I kow-tow to you, Heaven’s Grand-daughter!
WEAVING-DAMSEL: Please arise, Grand-truth. Formerly on Seventh Night in the Tenth Year of Heaven-treasure reign-period, at the juncture when I was crossing the Milky Way, I saw you and the T’ang dynasty’s Son of Heaven at the upper end of Lasting-life Palace-hall making secret vows and deep in love. And yesterday I further heard the local land-god of the Ma Wei’s area plead for you, saying you had repented with true sincerity, so I memorialised the information to the Supreme God,839 and he issued this Jade Sound edict.840
EMPRESS YANG: Many thanks for Your Majesty’s elevation of me!
WEAVING-DAMSEL: (Taking the little water-bowl, and handing it to the local land-god) This is the Jade Liquid841 and Gold Nectar842 elixir. You may take it away, and go together with Most-prized-empress Yang to the fore of her tomb, and there pour it on her original body, and she will at once be able to Refine her Body and Cross-over from the Earth,843 and be Released from her Corpse844 and ascend to the World Above. When she’s finished Refining her Body, then at once prepare some musical performance, flags and streamers, and see her back home to Erigeron-chenopodium Paradise’s Immortals Convent. I’ll first go and report back about the Jade Command.845
EMPRESS YANG: I receive your law-command.
WEAVING-DAMSEL: (Recites)
I carriage back to the Watchtower of Paired-phoenixes,846 Clouds crowding round my Dress of Seven Weaving-patterns.847
(Exit, leading female immortals)
LOCAL LAND-GOD: Congratulations, Jade Queen848 Yang. I now ask you please to go together with me to your tomb.
(Holding the small water-bowl in his hands, he leads Empress Yang, as they move off.
EMPRESS YANG’S SPIRIT: (Sings)
Going off towards the city-outskirts countryside,
and to the road’s north,
Going off towards the city-outskirts countryside,
and to the road’s north,
We just see a “fistful” pile of a hill of earth.
LOCAL LAND-GOD: Here we are!
EMPRESS YANG: (Laments) (Sings)
This in my life was the “deer gathering-sward,”849
Where the perfume of my old gorgeousness was stored.
LOCAL LAND-GOD: I’ve recently respectfully received a command from West-sacred-peak God-lord850 to be your bodyguard and bring you here, immortal. Let me go and help your body out here.
(Faces stage-door, and helps body out by the arm. Light shines on its attire and jewellery. The actor playing Empress Yang’s corpse is wrapped round with a brocade sheet)
(Local land-god undoes and removes the brocade sheet, and helps the corpse by the arm to stand up)
(Empress Yang sees it, and looks astonished.)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
I see my original body so very much me resembles,
I so tightly close my pair of eyeballs,
And wordless shut my sandalwood lips.
(Local land-god sprinkles the corpse with the elixir)
LOCAL LAND-GOD: (Sings)
I drip drops right through her, of the Nectar of Gold,
I drip drops right through her, of the Nectar of Gold,
And a conscious expression flits across her face,
(Corpse opens eyes)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
And her autumn-ripple eyes suddenly glide.
(Corpse moves its arms and feet, stands up, and rushes one or two steps towards Empress Yang)
EMPRESS YANG: (Astonished) (Sings)
Sure enough, it comes back to life in a trice,
Sure enough, it comes back to life in a trice,
It moves forward,
And I see that its physique and looks are no different from mine,
in allure or ugliness.
(Hesitates in indecision)
(Sings)
Hang on a moment:
If this Yang Jade-bangle’s now alive,
Where am I, this other Yang Jade-bangle, to resort?
(Corpse suddenly rushes towards Empress Yang. Empress Yang looks flabbergasted, stands face to face with corpse)
(Local land-god claps his hands and calls out loudly)
LOCAL LAND-GOD: Don’t get confused Jade Queen. She’s you and you’re her.
(He points at corpse, and turns to face Empress Yang’s spirit)
(Sings)
This body-she’s you,
(He points at Empress Yang’s spirit, and turns to face corpse)
(Sings)
This spirit’s you,
Your True Nature a skeleton borrowing,
Here before our eyes naturally separating.
(Corpse chases Empress Yang, rushing once round the stage. Empress Yang’s spirit pounces at the corpse, and herself trips over. Corpse makes a hidden exit)
LOCAL LAND-GOD: (Sings)
See the Original Spirit the shell enter,
See the Original Spirit the shell enter,
Anima and embryo again together resorting,
A pair of “rings”, Jade-bangles, pushed right together.
(Empress Yang stands up, and steadies herself)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings, slowly)
Suddenly I’m from deep dull dream emerged,
Abruptly, I’m from deep dull dream emerged,
The old me’s long been lost,
And my body and soul are sudden reunited.
All at once, I reflect and am dejected sore,
All at once I reflect, and am dejected sore,
Now that I’m Chuang Chou,
What butterfly exists any more!
(Says)
I, Yang Jade-bangle, never expected that today my cold bones would be restored to life, and joined to my disembodied spirit. I truly thank Heaven for it.
(Sings)
It’s as if I’d lost my home, was wandering,
a stranger on the road,
It’s as if I’d lost my home, was wandering,
a stranger on the road,
And came home to my old hill,
To find my cottage was as of old.
(Says)
Local land-god, please approach, and let me do obeisance and give thanks to you.
LOCAL LAND-GOD: Too kind!
(Empress Yang does obeisance. Local land-god replies with obeisance)
EMPRESS YANG: (Sings)
I thank you for protecting me for a whole year,
I thank you for protecting me for a whole year,
Preserving my withered and rotten remains:
My severed spirit and fallen souls were by your screens covered ever.
LOCAL LAND-GOD: The music, and the flags and pennants, are ready, waiting to see you off to the Convent, Jade Queen.
(Empress Yang is about to move off, but then stops)
EMPRESS YANG: Wait a moment. Now my corpse has departed released, when someday the Sublime August-emperor returns in his gold-bells carriage, he’ll eventually come and bury me elsewhere. I really must leave some object here in token proof. Local land-god, you may bury the brocade sheet that was wrapped round my body as it was before, in my tomb. You mustn’t damage it.
LOCAL LAND-GOD: I take your immortal’s order!
(He picks up the sheet, which flies away)
That’s strange! A wonder! That brocade sheet has magically changed into a cloud, and actually flown soaring up into the air and away.
EMPRESS YANG: (Looking) Oh, yes, so it has. Just now when my Body was Refined, that brocade sheet also got drenched with Gold Nectar elixir, and that’s why it’s obtained immortal breath-energy.
(Sings)
It’s been magicked into a many-coloured cloud, that’s flown into the air,
It’s been magicked into a many-colou
red cloud, that’s flown into the air,
Seems, like me, to be learning to roam an immortal.
So what else shall I leave behind here?
(Says)
I think I must keep tight close to me the gold hairpins and gold-strip-flower casket, and apart from them, I don’t have any object at all. …
(Thinks) (Says)
Oh, all right then, I’ve got a brocade perfume-sachet at my bosom, which my Sublime August-emperor bestowed upon me when I essayed dancing on the emerald tray. I must just untie it, and leave it here.
(Unties sachet, and looks at it)
(Sings)
I’ve untied my perfume-sachet, and hold it on my hand,
I’ve untied my perfume-sachet, and hold it on my hand,
(Laments)
(Sings)
Someday, when my monarch sees it, takes it in his keeping,
To be better than “impossible for people in plight to re-unite” it will be bound.
(She hands the perfume-sachet to the local land-god)
EMPRESS YANG: Local land-god, you may take this perfume-sachet, and place it in my tomb.
LOCAL LAND-GOD: (Taking the perfume-sachet) I receive your immortal command.
(Makes a false-exit, and at once re-enters)
I submit to you, Your Majesty: I’ve placed the perfume-sachet down there.
(Enter four female immortals, with music, flags and streamers)
(They meet Empress Yang)
FOUR FEMALE IMMORTALS: We kow-tow for an audience with you, Immortal Beauty of the Grand-truth Convent of Mount Erigeron-chenopodium Paradise. Please Your Majesty change your attire, and return to the Convent.