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We invite you to an extraordinary afternoon of the elegant beauty of Kunqu. Join us on October 12 for a performance of Kunqu opera The Jade Hairpin at UCLA. Delight in the refined movements, stunning costumes, and mesmerizing melodies of this performing art deeply rooted in Chinese tradition. The performance will feature Qian Zhenrong 錢振榮, a renowned performer in the Xiaosheng role (young male lead) from the Jiangsu Provincial Kunju Institute 江蘇省崑劇院, and Liu Hsi-Jung 劉稀榮, an associate professor in the Department of Chinese Drama at Chinese Culture University中國文化大學 in Taiwan, and an inheritor of the Chou (clown face) role type in Taiwan Kunju Institute. This event is made possible by the strong support of Kunqu Opera Society USA 美西崑曲研習社. Actors from Kunqu Opera Society will collaborate with our guest actors by performing the dan (female lead) and other supporting roles.
The Opera:
Kunqu opera is one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera. It originated in the Kunshan-Taicang area of Suzhou and boasts a history of about 600 years. It was a dominant force in Chinese theater from the 16th to the 18th centuries, captivating audiences with its refined performances and elegant musical style. Synthetizing music, dance, poetry, and acting into a comprehensive performing art form, Kunqu opera encapsulates the highest attainment of Chinese artistic excellence. In 2001, UNESCO proclaimed Kunqu as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” Read more about the history and artistic features of Kunqu opera here.
The Story: The Jade Hairpin ⽟簪記
This performance is a stage adaptation of The Jade Hairpin, a play written by the Ming dynasty literatus Gao Lian (fl. 16th century). It tells of the romance between a scholar Pan Bizheng and an involuntary nun Chen Miaochang. During the war between the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and the Jin dynasty (1125-1234), Chen Jiaolian was separated from her mother while fleeing from the troops. She found refuge at Jinling Nüzhen Temple. To survive she had no choice but to become a nun and adopted the religious name Miaochang. Bizheng, scion of an elite family, fails in the civil service examination and, too ashamed to return home, he stays with his aunt, head of the Nüzhen Temple. The two young adults meet in the temple by chance, and through a series of exchanges involving tea, music, a sick visit, and poetry, they fall in love and consummate their union in private. However, their secret union is discovered, and Bizheng is forced to leave the temple to retake the examination. On the day of Bizheng’s departure, Miaochang pursues him to the river to have him confirm his love and fidelity. They exchange a jade hairpin and a fan pendant as tokens of their love, parting in tears. The play ends with a grand reunion of Bizheng, Miaochang, and their families.
The Jade Hairpin has been one of the most renowned plays in the late Ming and in the contemporary era. Despite being in the convention of scholar-beauty romance, it is a play that provides rich room for new interpretation and performance innovation. The subtle dynamics between the female and male genders, the integration of religious and musical elements, and the climactic scene “Autumn River” that evokes an emotionally intense scene in a waterscape collectively contribute to the enduring appeal of this play.
⽟簪記為明朝傳奇作家⾼濂所作崑曲傳統劇⽬。故事講述南宋書⽣潘必正與道姑陳妙常 衝破禮教和道法清規的約束⽽相戀結合的故事。⾦⺎術南侵， 少⼥陳嬌蓮在逃難中與⺟失散， ⼊⾦陵⼥貞觀為道姑， 法名妙常。⼥貞觀主之侄潘必正會試落第， 羞於回家， 亦來⼥貞觀。陳、潘⼆⼈經過茶敘、琴挑、問病、偷詩⼀番曲折後， 終於私⾃結合。事為觀主覺察， 乃逼必正赴試。登程之⽇， 妙常追⾄江邊， 雇船趕上， ⼆⼈互贈⽟簪扇墜為信物， 秋江泣別。後潘進⼠及第， 迎娶妙常同返故裏， 才知⽗⺟早年為其訂親之嬌蓮，即意中⼈妙常。妙常亦與⺟重逢，闔家團圓。
⽟簪記是晚明乃至當代備受歡迎的崑曲劇目之一。 儘管是一部才子佳人類型的劇作，⽟簪記給表演者和觀眾提供了豐富的解讀和再創作的空間。生、旦角色之間充滿張力的互動，宗教與音樂元素的融入，以及在波濤洶湧的秋江上展開的離別戲共同造就了這部劇獨特的意趣。
The performance on October 12 consists of five excerpted acts.
Act 1: Talk over Tea 茶敘
Scholar Pan Bizheng falls ill and fails his civil service examination. Ashamed to return home, he seeks refuge with his aunt, the Head Nun at Nüzhen Temple. One day, Chen Miaochang brews fragrant tea and invites Bizheng for a chat. In the meditation room, they bond over tea, sharing their longing for home.
書⽣潘必正因病落第，羞於返家，與書童進安投靠已出家的姑⺟，寄身於⼥貞觀中，⼀天陳妙常亨煮⾹茗，相邀潘必正前往清談，⼆⼈於禪舍裏以清茶敘誼，傾註離⼈情懷。
Act 2: The Stirring Zither琴挑
One evening, Bizheng hears the beautiful and serene sound of a qin (zither) and follows the music to find Miaochang playing. He then plays the qin in return to express his fondness for her. But Miaochang, bound by religious rules, pretends to reject him.
⼀夕，潘必正聞琴韻清幽，循聲⽽往，乃陳妙常所彈，遂借琴曲以挑之。妙常礙於清規戒律，故作嗔拒, 但情愫已通，這⼀秋夜裡的試探，必正覺得妙常似有幾分情意，但略⼀挑動卻⼜著惱， 難以捉摸， 只能懷著相思回房休息。《琴挑》曲調優美， 表演上也很細膩， 是⽣、旦戲中的佳作。
Act 3: The Sick Visit問病
Bizheng falls ill due to his longing for Miaochang. His aunt comes to inquire about his condition, and Miaochang accompanies her. During their conversation, they secretly express their feelings for each other, and Bizheng’s illness is miraculously cured.
潘必正⾃與陳妙常操琴挑逗以後，還不能明⽩對⽅真實態度，因思念妙常，抑鬱成疾。適姑⺟前 來問病，妙常亦隨同探望。⾔詞之間。暗通衷曲，其病亦豁然⽽愈。此折身段動作不多，但在書僮進安的穿插之下，⽣、旦之間的眉⽬傳情，就變得⽣動⽽明顯，許多精彩幽默的橋段安排，令⼈會⼼⼀笑。
Act 4: Stealing the Poem 偷詩
Although Miaochang has feelings for Bizheng, she cannot express them openly, and instead writes a poem to convey her emotions. Bizheng discovers the poem and confronts her. Unable to deny her true feelings, they secretly pledged to be together.
陳妙常雖屬意於潘必正，卻無法表明⼼跡，乃填詞遣懷。潘必正適⾄為其所得，叫醒陳妙常，持詞⾯質。妙常無可辯解，遂訂⽩⾸之約，成就兩⼈的浪漫情緣。整折戲的節奏輕鬆明快，兩⼈互動顯得俏⽪可愛。是標準的⽣、旦「對兒戲」， 兩⼈在⾔詞與眉眼之間的⼀來⼀往， 彼此拋接，精彩有趣。
Act 5: Autumn River秋江
Bizheng and Miaochang are deeply in love, but their relationship is discovered by his aunt. She urges Bizheng to leave immediately for Lin’an to retake his examination. Miaochang hires a boat and catches up with him on the river. Expressing their sorrow, they exchange a jade hairpin and a fan pendant as tokens of their love, and part tearfully.
潘必正與陳妙常兩情相好，歡娛正濃。事為姑⺟察覺，乃再三催迫潘必正⽴即前往臨安應考，並送⾄渡⼝，令其⽴即登船啟程。陳妙常獲悉，待姑⺟離去後，急雇⼩⾈趕往秋江，追及潘必正。 ⼆⼈傾訴離情，互贈碧⽟鸞釵、⽩⽟鴛鴦扇墜為信物，黯然分袂。此折詞、曲婉轉纏綿，身段優美，追⾈部分是典型的戲曲虛擬化表演程式。
The Cast:
【⽟簪記 茶敘】Qian Zhenrong錢振榮 Liu Hsi-Jung劉稀榮 Wei Fang魏芳
【⽟簪記 琴挑】Qian Zhenrong錢振榮 Ledell Wu伍昱
【⽟簪記 問病】Shang Yanan尚亞楠 Liu Yimeng劉⼀萌 Qian Zhenrong錢振榮 Liu Hsi-Jung劉稀榮
【⽟簪記 偷詩】Ye Bohan葉博涵 Qian Zhenrong錢振榮 Wang Wei汪薇
【⽟簪記 秋江】Shang Yanan尚亞楠 Qian Zhenrong錢振榮 Liu Hsi-Jung劉稀榮 Wei Fang魏芳 Liyun Wang Hou汪麗勻 Liu Yimeng劉⼀萌