Scene 1
Visit to a Beauty

(Enter Hou Fangyu in elegant dress.)

Hou (singing to the tune of the Moon over the Mountain ):

The powdered face in golden dress not passed away

Reminds me of the splendor of the bygone days.

Seeing the misty grassland would break my heart,

For it announces spring in bloom will soon depart.

How could I not complain

Of spring gone unenjoyed in wind and rain?

I am Hou Fangyu,a scholar roaming for long with my books and sword.Now on a bright sunny day of the third moon and in a magnificent place inhabited by so many beauties,how can I not enjoy spring to the full,at least as much as a roaming poet can?Yesterday I met Yang Longyou,who told me about a young courtesan named Fragrant Lee,whose beauty is beyond compare in the capital of the six dynasties.Now she is learning from Su Kunsheng how to sing songs and how to play on the flute and the lute.And I was told not to miss the chance of paying her a visit.But what can I do with a lean purse as mine?As today is the festival for ancestor-worship,how can I pass such a festive day by sitting lonely in the hotel and not going out to tread on the green in the countryside?I will take the chance to visit the famed delightful resort.(walking)

(Singing to the tune of Silk-Paved Way ):

I look up and down

East of Phoenix Town,

From door to door stand willow trees.

I flip my violet whip

All the way in my trip,

Swallows in pair fly in the breeze.

(Enter Liu Jingting,an old friend of Hou’s)

Liu (Singing):I wake to hear the oriole’s song;

Vernal grief whitens my hair long.

(Calling):Master Hou,where are you going?

Hou (Turning back):Ah!It is Master Liu.You are welcome.I am just in need of a friend to go to the eastern suburbs to tread on the green.

Liu: I am rich in leisure and would be glad to be in your company.(They walk together.)(Pointing to the riverside)See there stand the well-known western bowers!

Hou (Singing): With vernal waves as screen,

Windows are dyed in green.

Leaning on a fine day,apricot red

Peeps over the way with its head.

Liu (Pointing to the bridge):Behold the Long Bridge!Let us go there with ease.

Hou (Singing): The wooden bridge is long

With teashops and wineshops along.

Liu: Here we are in the famed delightful resort.

Hou (Singing): I hear the cry of selling flowers

Come through deep lanes of bowers.

Liu (Pointing to a lane):You know this is the lane of the famed sisters.

Hou (Singing):It is distinguished in view:

On the burnished door painted anew

Hangs a golden willow branch pregnant with dew.

Liu (Pointing to a house with high doorsteps):This is the house of Mother Lee.

Hou: I want to know where Fragrant Lee lives.

Liu: You do not know Fragrant is the daughter of Mother Lee?

Hou: What a surprise!I want to pay her a visit without knowing her address.What good luck!Now I come to her bower without knowing it is hers.

Liu: Let us knock at the door.(Knocking)

Voice within: Who is it?

Liu: I am the frequent visitor Liu Jingting.Today I have a distinguished friend with me.

Voice within: Mother Lee and Fragrant Lee are not at home.

Liu: Will you please tell us where they are?

Voice within: They are joining the box party at Jade Bian’s bower.

Liu: How could I forget it!They have a festive party today.

Hou: What festive party?

Liu (Flapping on his thigh):My old legs are tired.Let us sit down on the stone bench for a rest,and I will tell you what.(They sit down.)

Liu: My dear Master Hou,do you not know the famed courtesans are vowed sisters?They would give a party on each festive day,and today is the festival for mourning the dead.

(Singing to the tune of Silver Candlelight ):

Kerchiefs in breeze

Fly like wild geese.

On festive day

Dress on display.

Hou: Oh yes,today is the ancestor-worship day.People will go to their parties.Why is it called“box party”today?

Liu: All courtesans of the party should bring a set of boxes carrying different delicious food such as sea fowls or aquatic food or jade-white juice,etc.

Hou :What will they do when they gather together?

Liu: They may vie in their skill in music,play on the lute or on the flute.

Hou: How interesting!Is man allowed to join their party?

Liu (Waving his hand):No man is allowed to join them upstairs,but he may stay downstairs to appreciate their art.

Hou: Could a man meet the artist he appreciates?

Liu: If he appreciates her,he should send a present upstairs and fruit will then be sent down in return.(Singing):

Like wine-cups passing from hand to hand.

Lovers may meet in their dreamland.

Hou: If such is the case,I will go and try my luck.

Liu: A try will risk nothing.

Hou: But I do not know where Jade Bian’s bower is.

Liu: She lives in the Warm Emerald Bower not far from here,and I will show you the way.

(They walk together and sing.)

Hou: Green windows weep on Mourning Day.

Liu: Flutes heard here and there swing and sway.

Hou: Flowers won’t wake the lane in dreams.

Liu: Two bridges lie on the misty streams.

(Pointing to Bian’s bower):Here we are before the Warm Emerald Bower.Will you please go in,Master Hou?(They walk in together.)(Enter Yang Wencong[Longyou]and Su Kunsheng.)

Yang: I come with courtesans in bloom.

Su: Afar powdered faces and penciled brows loom.(They salute Hou and Liu.)

Yang: It is sheer luck to meet Master Hou here.

Hou: Nor did I expect to meet you here for I was told that Master Yang was together with the bearded Ruan.

Su: I come here to announce happy news for Master Hou.

Liu: Will you please sit down?

Hou (Gazing at the bower):What a warm green bower!

(Singing to the tune of Passing Wild Geese ):

I gaze at open court and windows bright.

It is the dreamland for a tender night.

(Asking)Why has Fragrant not yet appeared?

Yang: They are still upstairs.

Su (Pointing upstairs):They begin to play music now.

(The flute is played upstairs.)

Hou (Listening): The phoenix flute asks clouds to undulate .

(Thepipa is played upstairs.)

Hou (Listening): The pipa’s strings vibrate.

(The gong is struck upstairs.)

Hou (Listening): I hear ringing jade start

To stir my heart.

(The lyre is played upstairs.)

Hou (Listening): Music wafts here and there

Like phoenixes in pair.

The music of the lyre

Makes my heart fly higher.

How can I send my present up?

(Sending his fan pendant upstairs and singing):

The tassels of my pendant fly apart

To strike the beauty straight into her heart.

(A plate of red cherries wrapped in a white silk towel is sent down from upstairs.)

Liu: How interesting!The fruit is sent down.

(Su unties the towel and takes out red cherries from the plate.)

Su: It is curious.How can we have red cherries now?

Hou: Do you know who the sender is?What a wonder and joy if it is a gift of Fragrant Lee?

Yang (Examining the towel):Judging by the silk towel,I think the sender must be she.

(Enter Mother Lee holding a teapot,followed by Fragrant,a vase of flowers in hand)

Mother lee (Singing): Fragrant grass sweetens butterfly’s wing;

The beauty comes down from Phoenix Terrace.

Su (Startled):Behold!The Fairy Queen descends from the Paradise.

Liu (Clapping his hands):Buddha is blessed!

(All rise to the feet.)

Yang (Introducing the two courtesans):Dear Master Hou,here come Mother Lee and her daughter Fragrant.

Hou (To Mother Lee):Your humble servant is named Hou Chaozong(Fangyu).I have long considered it an honor to make your acquaintance.Now my hearty wish is satisfied.

(To Fragrant)Your beauty outshines the fairy queen and would win the admiration of the dragon king.

(They all sit down.)

Mother Lee: The tea is new,with its leaves just gathered from Mount Tiger,and here the new brew is presented for your appreciation.(Pouring tea out from cup to cup)

Fragrant (Singing):Green willow and red apricot in view

Adorn the festive new.

All (In praise):What more felicity can fall on us than drinking tea in company with flowers!

Yang: How can there be no wine in such a felicitous party!

Mother: Wine is prepared and Jade Bian should preside at the party.But as she is hostess upstairs,she cannot come down,so I preside in her place.(Calling)Let wine be served!

(Wine is served.)

Mother: Why not make merry and play games?

Liu: We shall do what our hostess tells us to.

Mother: How can I take Jade’s place to lead the game?

Su: Why not since such is the rule of the green mansions?

Mother (Taking out the die) : Then I shall do in Jade’s place.(Calling)Now,dear Masters,hold your cup,please!

All: Your order shall be obeyed.

Mother: Wine should be drunk in turn.When one cup is dry,the drinker should answer the riddle by showing his best.Now I shall cast the die:one means cherry,two means tea,three is willow,four is apricot,five means fan pendant,six means silk towel.Is it clear?

(Calling)Fragrant,fill the cup of Master Hou!

(Fragrant fills Hou’s cup and Hou drinks.)

Mother (Casting the die):Five,it is the fan pendant.(Offering wine to Hou)Please drink this cup and answer the riddle.

Hou (Drinking his cup):I will croon a poem to the fan pendant.(Singing)

The beauty of the Southern land

Holds you not in sleeves but in hand.

You follow her as summer fan

Brings her fragrant breeze when you can.

Yang: What a nice poem!What a nice poem!

Liu: What a fragrant pendant!I am afraid it would be damaged by too much fanning.

Mother: Fragrant,now it is Master Yang’s turn to fill his cup.

(Fragrant fills Yang’s cup and Yang drinks.)

Mother (Casting the die):Six,it is the silk towel.

Yang: I will also croon a poem.

Mother: Do not do what others have done.

Yang: Then I will compose something in prose.

(Reading):A towel is used to wipe sweat off the face.Sweat on the face is the fruit of love’s labor in the heart.When it is wiped away,lover’s charming heart will be revealed.How beautiful is the lover’s face caressed by a silk towel!Will it not reveal the rosy cheek impearled with sweat,fruit of love’s labor?

Hou: Excellent exposition!

Liu: Such good exposition should win honor in civil service examinations.

Fragrant (Filling the cup of Liu):Master Liu,will you please drink your cup?

Mother (Casting the die):Two,the tea.

Liu (Drinking):Is it the tea I am drinking?Now I know why I am not drunken.

Mother (Smiling):It is not the tea you are drinking,but the tea you should say something about.

Liu: Then I shall tell a story about the drinker of the tea.

Mother: A story would be too long.How about a joke?

Liu: All right.I will tell a repartee between two Song poets Su Dongpo and Huang Tingjian.Su asked Huang how to pass a thread through a needle without an eye.Huang said that Su should sharpen his eye to pierce through the needle.Su said the answer was good and he drank his cup of tea.Then Huang asked Su how to carry a gourd without a handle.Su answered that he might throw the gourd on water.Huang disagreed,saying water could not replace the hand.Then Su asked him why tea could replace wine...

Hou: Your eyes and your tongue are as sharp as theirs.

Mother: Fragrant,now fill the cup of your Master Su!

(Fragrant fills Su’s cup and Su drinks.)

Mother (Casting the dice):Four,it is apricot.

Su (Singing):At dusk she sees apricot flowers fade.

Shivering with cold,she is afraid.

Fragrant: Dear Mom,now it is your turn to drink your cup.

Mother (Drinking and casting the dice):one,it is the cherry.

Su: Will you please let me sing for you?

(Singing)Lips cherry-red and teeth snow-white,

She will not speak as if in fright.

Liu: You should be punished for you take the cherry-red lips for the red cherry in the plate.

Su: You are right and I will drink another cup.(Pouring himself a cup and drinking)

Mother: Now Fragrant,it is your turn to drink and sing.

Hou: Will you please let me fill your cup?

(Hou fills the cup for Fragrant to drink.)

Mother (Casting the die):I need not tell you what is left for you to sing is the willow.(Fragrant feels shy.)Fragrant is timid.Will another Master sing for her?

(Casting the die):It falls on Master Liu.

Su: “Liu”means willow and willow is“Liu”.

Liu: Today is Master Liu’s day.

(Singing)I roam like willow down

Far away from the town.

Today we mourn the dead

With a willow wreath on a dog’s head.

All (Laughing):A dog’s head or yours?

Su: All right.Let this serve as your joke.

Hou: Now wine is served.Do not leave your cup undried!

Liu: It is not easy for a talent to meet with a beauty.

(Putting Fragrant’s hand into Hou’s)

Would you drink the betrothal cup of lovers?

(Exit Fragrant with her shy face covered with one of her sleeves.)

Su: Fragrant is too shy to reveal her love.How about the dowry you ordered the other day,Master Hou?Do you still like it?

Hou (Laughing):I am like the winner of the laurel crown.How could there be anything I do not like?

Mother: If you would condescend to accept my daughter,we should choose an auspicious day for the ceremony.

Su: The fifteenth day of the third lunar month is a happy day for wedding.

Hou: But I am sorry to beg your pardon,for I have only a lean purse on journey,and I am afraid I cannot afford the expenditure.

Yang: You need not worry about that,I will be responsible for the dowry and the feast.

Hou: How could I repay you for your generosity!

Yang: I would be happy to be at your service.

Hou: Then a thousand hearty thanks!

(Singing to the tune of Peach Blossoms Red ):

Coming by chance atop Witch Mountain proud,

I fancy to be a floating cloud

Bringing fresh shower,

Forgetting the thirsting fairy flower.

O vernal night and moonlit bower,

Do not tell lie!

How could I say to a happy tryst goodbye,

Ready to go to Paradise on high?

(Bidding goodbye.)

Mother: I will not detain you any longer.Please come early on the fifteenth day with the invited guests and fairy sisters and happy musicians to take your bride!

(Exit)

Liu(To Su) :How could I have forgotten our appointment with General Huang!

Yang: What is the matter?

Su: General Huang invited Liu and me to join his drinking party in the Western Gate on the fifteenth day.So I am afraid we cannot come to celebrate this happy wedding.

Hou: What then is to be done?

Yang: Do not worry!We may invite other friends.

The Epilogue of the Scene

Su: In Warm Green Bower beauties in display

Yang: Remind of splendor of the bygone days.

Liu: Treading on green will cast in spring no gloom.

Hou: Tomorrow flowers will be in full bloom.

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