by Tang Xianzu
CHEN ZUILIANG:
She went to markets with her friends,
SISTER STONE:
But fell ill for her dearest love.
CHEN ZUILIANG:
As caves are closed when her life ends,
SISTER STONE:
She needs a helping hand above.
Scene Thirty-Five
Returning to Life
(Enter Scabby Turtle)
SCABBY TURTLE (To the tune of Zizishuang):
I have a swine’s bladder like a gourd —
A scabby head.
My spade will dig into something soft —
The soil bed.
The scholar wants a ghost of a wife —
How can they wed?
A grave-digger will be buried alive —
What a dread!
(With a laugh)
I’m Scabby Turtle, nephew of the head of the Plum Blossom Nunnery. She has agreed to help Mr Liu to open up Miss Du’s grave. What a funny thing that he says Miss Du would like to be his wife again. Well, that’s none of my business. I’ve brought some yellow paper to burn. I’ll put it on the Taihu rocks and then light some incense.
(Enter Sister Stone, carrying some wine, and Liu Mengmei)
SISTER STONE (To the tune of Chuduizi):
Where is the pretty lass?
Where is the pretty lass?
Beside her tomb grows luxuriant grass.
Now that love-songs ring around,
Has cuckoo’s song reached her native town?
With woe in her grave,
In her dreams she would still frown.
LIU MENGMEI:
Here we are at the back garden, Sister Stone. Alas, the pavilion has nearly tumbled down, with thorns and brambles all around. Miss Du’s sash-trails have been covered with vines and flowers while her skirt-traces have been overgrown with verdant grass. I only remember the Taihu rocks, where I picked up the portrait, but everything is vague and obscure as if in a dream. What can I do about it?
SISTER STONE:
Take it easy, Mr Liu. Here it is, the mound beneath the plum tree.
LIU MENGMEI:
Oh, dear Miss Du! What a great sorrow you’ve brought me!
(Weeps)
SCABBY TURTLE:
It’s no use weeping at this time. Let’s get to work.
(Burns the yellow paper)
LIU MENGMEI (Kowtows):
God of Hills and God of Earth, please show your divine power!
(To the tune of Zhuomuli)
The yellow paper burns beside the grove
And lights a fire just like a stove.
SCABBY TURTLE:
How dare you dig the earth upon this seat
And build a tunnel to her feet?
LIU MENGMEI:
God of Earth, I dig the grave today in order to bring Du Liniang to life again. I don’t want her dead, but I want her alive.
You are a god upright and fair,
And so we do our job without care.
If it should become widely known,
I’ll say I’ve wed the daughter of your own.
Oh, how the plum blossoms in the spring air!
It’s time to dig the earth!
SISTER STONE, SCABBY TURTLE (Dig the earth):
(To the previous tune)
Let’s dig the earth, dig the earth.
Are you here, Miss Du, to have a rebirth?
LIU MENGMEI:
Handle with care!
(Watches the digging)
Here’s the coffin!
SCABBY TURTLE (Throws away the spade in alarm):
The cop? We’re finished.
LIU MENGMEI (Waves his hands):
Shut up!
(Du Liniang moans within, which frightens all)
SISTER STONE, SCABBY TURTLE:
The living ghost is making a noise!
LIU MENGMEI:
Don’t frighten Miss Du!
(The three of them squat, facing the entrance, and open the coffin)
SISTER STONE:
Oh, the nails have rusted away and the joints are loose. Miss Du must be making love somewhere.
(Moaning sounds within)
LIU MENGMEI (Sees Du Liniang and goes to support her):
Hurrah, Miss Du is here, with heavenly fragrance and former beauty! Oh, my heaven, look!
There’s dirt on the coffin lid,
But not a single ant is in the grave.
The fragrant planks have sheltered her
On her way to the netherworld,
For her to lie at ease in the cave.
(Supports Du Liniang, who leans limply on him)
I’ll hold her sleeping head with care,
Lest I hurt the funeral stone there.
(Du Liniang vomits quicksilver from her mouth)
SCABBY TURTLE:
A piece of silver! Well, it’s heavy enough. Will you give me as a gift?
LIU MENGMEI:
This is her crystallisation of the dragon and the phoenix for me to keep as an heirloom. You’ll get some other reward.
(Du Liniang opens her eyes and sighs)
SISTER STONE:
Miss Du has opened her eyes.
LIU MENGMEI:
The heaven has opened its eyes! My dear!
DU LINIANG (To the tune of Jinjiaoye):
Is it real or illusory
That I awake from a nightmare?
(Covers her eyes)
I fear the light might vanish with the wind
As that is too much for me to bear.
LIU MENGMEI:
She fears the wind. What’s to be done?
SISTER STONE (Supports Du Liniang):
Why not take the magic medicine in the Peony Pavilion. Mr Liu, please cut this piece of a man’s pants-crotch.
(Liu Mengmei cuts the pants)
SCABBY TURTLE:
Let me add some stronger smell to it.
LIU MENGMEI:
Away with your smell! Warm some wine for me, please. Be quick.
(Mixes the medicine with the wine and feeds it into Du Liniang’s mouth)
(To the tune of Yingtixu)
Drink the medicine and you are blessed.
(Du Liniang vomits)
Why do you vomit it on your chest?
Take some more, Miss Du.
You’ve only taken three tiny sips.
(Keeps a close look at her face)
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Now she’s looking her best.
DU LINIANG (Looks around):
Who are these people around?
Look how you scoundrels behave!
Are you robbing me of my grave?
LIU MENGMEI:
I’m Liu Mengmei.
DU LINIANG:
As for the moment I’m blind and numb,
I’m not sure if you are the man beside the plum.
LIU MENGMEI:
Sister Stone will be the witness.
SISTER STONE:
Can you recognise me, Miss Du?
(Du Liniang looks but does not speak)
SISTER STONE (To the previous tune):
How is it that you can’t recall me?
LIU MENGMEI:
Do you remember the back garden?
(Du Liniang does not speak)
SISTER STONE:
I’ve got it.
She’s still in a dream and cannot see.
DU LINIANG:
Are you Mr Liu?
(Shows signs of recognition when Liu Mengmei replies yes)
You’ve kept your word, Mr Liu.
I thank you for your pains
And now you have your gains.
Take the jewellery from the coffin and throw the rest into the lake.
LIU MENGMEI, SISTER STONE, SCABBY TURTLE:
Phew!
(Throw away the coffin)
DU LINIANG:
I’ll start my human life anew
When the evil coffin flows out of view.
LIU MENGMEI, S
ISTER STONE, SCABBY TURTLE:
What hard time for you to sleep for three years!
DU LINIANG:
The flowing time
In the grave
Has wasted my prime.
LIU MENGMEI:
My dear, it’s windy and wet here. Let’s find a better place for you to have a good rest.
(To the tune of Coda)
My efforts have saved you from hell;
A bath and dinner will make you well.
DU LINIANG:
Where are you leading me?
SISTER STONE:
To the Plum Blossom Nunnery.
DU LINIANG:
You know, acts of love
Will drive away the spell.
LIU MENGMEI:
Heaven has bestowed on you pretty cheeks;
DU LINIANG:
With your help I’ve left the nether creeks.
SISTER STONE:
We haven’t dug the pit as vain attempt;
LIU MENGMEI:
Don’t refuse my hand with contempt.
Scene Thirty-Six
Wedding and Departure
(Enter Du Liniang, supported by Sister Stone)
DU LINIANG (To the tune of Yinanwang):
I smile, I stare;
In the web of love,
The dreamland is always there.
SISTER STONE:
Far, far away from hell and curse,
You left the netherworld in your hearse.
DU LINIANG:
Sister Stone,
I’m trying hard to raise
My feeble legs,
But to recover needs a lot of days.
DU LINIANG, SISTER STONE:
There is still doubt
Whether this will end up in smoke
Or shadow that dies out.
DU LINIANG:
“For three years in the deepest gloom,
My dream still lingers in the lonely tomb.
With fallen petals on my skirt,
My rosy cheeks are covered with dirt.
SISTER STONE:
Although the wind might start anew
And incense fragrance might ensue,
She puzzles deities down and above
With her ardent love.”
DU LINIANG:
Sister Stone, I was away from this world for three years, but ardent love has brought me back to this world again. I owe my second life to you and Mr Liu. Your delicious food and meticulous care have given me fresh energy within a few days.
SISTER STONE:
That’s nice. Mr Liu has asked me time and again to prepare for your wedding.
DU LINIANG:
Sister Stone, it’s not the right time yet. I have to go to Yangzhou and ask Dad and Mom to find a matchmaker.
SISTER STONE:
What a trite idea! But it’s up to you to decide. By the way, do you still remember what happened before you died?
DU LINIANG (To the tune of Shengruhua):
What happened then
I’ve always kept in mind.
I took a stroll when I felt bored
And for my vernal dream I pined.
When the scholar picked up my portrait,
He was so earnest
And tried hard to find.
He was so eager to meet me
That he looked as if dumb and blind.
SISTER STONE:
I’ve heard something about it, but how do you get to know?
DU LINIANG:
Although I was buried in earth,
I was moved by his words.
For his devoting heart,
I left the netherworld
And came back brisk and smart.
SISTER STONE:
Here comes the young scholar.
(Enter Liu Mengmei)
LIU MENGMEI (To the tune of Shengchazi):
Buried for years in earth,
She gained a second birth.
See how she smiles with pins on her head
And how her sash trails when she walks ahead.
(Greets Du Liniang)
Oh, my dear wife!
(Du Liniang is abashed)
LIU MENGMEI:
My dear, it’s me who helped you out of the grave.
DU LINIANG:
I owe more to you than to my parents.
LIU MENGMEI:
Let’s get married this very night.
DU LINIANG:
I still feel dizzy and weak.
SISTER STONE:
You just said that you were full of fresh energy. She’s not telling the truth, Mr Liu.
DU LINIANG:
Mr Liu, you must know the quotation from Mencius: “Await the injunctions from the parents and the discussions of the go-betweens.”
LIU MENGMEI:
The other day I did not “make holes and crevices in order to catch sight of you”, to quote the same book, but I did dig the grave. And now you are quoting from the classics!
DU LINIANG:
There’s a world of difference. I was a ghost then, and I am a maiden now. A ghost can ignore the ethic codes, but a maiden can’t. Listen to me:
(To the tune of Shengruhua)
Gone is the night;
The day is bright.
(Kowtows to Liu Mengmei)
Mr Liu,
With deep respect I kowtow to you,
But a matchmaker is needed too.
(Weeps)
My parents must be on the site.
LIU MENGMEI:
When we visit your parents after we get married, they will be overjoyed. Sister Stone will be the matchmaker.
DU LINIANG:
What’s the hurry, Mr Liu?
I’ve waited upon you night by night.
LIU MENGMEI:
But what special night is this?
DU LINIANG:
You’re lustful, right?
LIU MENGMEI:
You are being naughty!
DU LINIANG (Smiles):
You are being naughty!
Not that I make a pretentious show,
LIU MENGMEI:
But what?
DU LINIANG (Abashed):
But that I’m just back to life,
Not fit to make love, you know.
Here I stand before you,
Give me time to rest;
(Aside)
Of course I love you best.
(Enter Chen Zuiliang)
CHEN ZUILIANG (To the tune of Bushilu):
In the vacant yard,
The flower and moss are wet with dew.
(Knocks at the door)
Is anyone in?
I’ve come to visit Mr Liu.
(Liu Mengmei, Du Liniang and Sister Stone are startled)
LIU MENGMEI:
Tutor Chen is at the door. What shall we do?
DU LINIANG:
Sister Stone, I’d better withdraw.
(Exit with Sister Stone)
CHEN ZUILIANG:
It’s strange to me
That I hear a girl’s voice
While the door is closed fast.
(Knocks at the door again)
LIU MENGMEI:
Who is it?
CHEN ZUILIANG:
It’s me, Chen Zuiliang.
LIU MENGMEI (Opens the door and greets Chen Zuiliang):
Your visit honours me all the more;
I’m sorry to be late to open the door.
CHEN ZUILIANG:
There’s something unusual here.
LIU MENGMEI:
What is unusual here?
CHEN ZUILIANG (To the previous tune):
But for the fairyland,
Where comes the gentle voice offhand?
(Enter Sister Stone)
SISTER STONE:
Oh, it’s you, Tutor Chen.
LIU MENGMEI:
The gentle voice inside is from Sister Stone.
SISTER STONE:
Oh I see what you mean.
What you hear
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Comes from a young nun who comes here.
CHEN ZUILIANG:
Is she the young nun who came the other day?
SISTER STONE:
It’s another nun.
CHEN ZUILIANG:
Well, the Plum Blossom Nunnery is thriving, thanks to the blessing from Miss Du. I’ve come to invite Mr Liu to make offerings to Miss Du’s tomb tomorrow at noontime. See you tomorrow.
That’s why I’ve come to your room.
So that’s settled for tomorrow —
We’ll sprinkle the wine on her tomb.
LIU MENGMEI:
Thank you for inviting me;
Sorry we haven’t prepared tea.
I’ll pay a return visit soon.
CHEN ZUILIANG:
See you soon.
(Exit)
LIU MENGMEI:
Well, Mr Chen’s gone at last. Please ask Miss Du to come for a chat.
(Enter Du Liniang)
SISTER STONE:
What’s to be done? What’s to be done? Mr Chen will go to Miss Du’s tomb tomorrow. If our act is known to the public, firstly, Miss Du will be accused of witchcraft; secondly, Prefect Du will be blamed for a lack of family discipline; thirdly, Mr Liu will be ridiculed for his bewilderment; fourthly, I’ll be accused of grave-robbing. What can we do about it?
DU LINIANG:
What is the way out then, Sister Stone?
SISTER STONE:
Miss Du, as Mr Liu is going to Lin’an for the imperial examination, why don’t you just get married, have Scabby Turtle find a boat and sail off this very night so that no one will know anything about it? What’s your opinion?
DU LINIANG:
That’s the only choice.
SISTER STONE:
The wine is ready and you two just kowtow to Heaven and Earth.
(Liu Mengmei and Du Liniang kowtow, each holding a cup of wine in hand)
LIU MENGMEI (To the tune of Liuhuaqi):
It’s really something rare
For us to be a pair.
In the golden cup,
The wine is for us to share.
Freshly brewed with spring flair,
It makes your cheeks rosy and fair.
DU LINIANG (In sorrow):
I died of vernal sorrow
And slept for three long years.
One thing still worries me now:
How can I be your match,
Back from the nether spheres?
LIU MENGMEI:
Don’t talk like that!
(To the previous tune)
I’m fortunate to meet you on the way;
How can I have doubt on our wedding day?
To share the bed with you
Is worth all that I pursue.
You are a lady of good name,
But I am not a man of far-reaching fame.
DU LINIANG (Sighs):
In the intercourse,
I was tempted by his manly force.
Mr Liu, I’m still a virgin.
LIU MENGMEI:
We’ve made love several times. How can you remain a virgin?
DU LINIANG:
You met my spirit at that time. Now I’m standing before you in my real self.
