Kunqu opera masterpiece: The Water Margin

"On the Pretext" (Jie Cha) from The Water Margin

This scene is drawn from one of several plays based on The Water Margin, one of China's most famous classical novels that theatregoers may know from the stories (and secnes!) about Wu Song of Lin Chong. The story takes place in the 12th Century (Song Dynasty), the novel was written in the 14th Century (late Yuan-early Ming Dynasty), and the play in the late 16th Century (Ming). This particular play was long thought to be the work of poet-playwrite Xu Zichang, famous in Suzhou for his luxurious garden and private thertre troupe, but this attribution has become doubtful since the recent discovery in Japan of a copy of the play dated 1591, when Xu was only 13 years old. Though several other scenes are still performed, the only other one dealing with these two characters is "Capture Alive", in which Yan returns from the land of the dead to lure her lover to join her there.

Yan Xijiao is the mistress of Song Jiang, a Song Dynasty bureaucrat (later famous as robber baron, but at this point an official of the Song court). A young girl, (whose role-type is classed as maid-like, since she is low-status and mischievous), she pines for the attention of her master and lover. He, however, is occupied with his family and the affairs of state to which he must attend, and does not appear. Mischievous by nature, Yan opens the door of her courtyard on the pretext of enjoying the fine weather, but in fact in order to see whether there is anyone of interest to speak to.

By chance, Zhang Wenyuan, an official of the court and a colleague of Song Jiang's, passes by, on a stroll to escape the boredom of his official post. Seeing Yan's beautiful face emerge from the doorway, he makes bold to ask her for some tea, not realizing that she is Song's mistress and therefore clearly an inappropriate person to consort with. Yan replies that she has only cold tea, to which Zhang answers that this circumstance does not trouble him: on the contrary, he can use it to suppress his desire. She instructs him not to move, and fetches the tea, while Zhang meditates on her interest in him, and that he should develop a further acquaintance. When she returns, he declares that it is unbecoming of an official like himself to drink on the street; mightn't he come in for a while? More than willing, she makes a show of modesty but quickly acquiesces.

He sits down, but burns himself on the tea: it is scalding hot-she has played a trick on him. Then, he begins to flirt with her, but, feigning bashful maidenhood, she ignores him. He begins with compliments about the water. Is it rainwater? Wellwater? Though amused, she continues to ignore him. He flatters her by commenting that it is indeed a "difficult matter to engage a celestial being." He finishes his tea, all the while ogling her dress, he tiny feet, her legs. Finally, in order to provoke a reaction, he flicks water at her face. At this she pretends to be angry, but is quickly pacified. Zhang makes inquiries of increasing indiscretion as to her family circumstances. Yan replies that she has only her old mother, but that she is out visiting relatives. Overjoyed at this information, he declares that he wants to see the inner chambers. Sensing that she has taken matters too far, Yan becomes nervous in earnest, and so she claims to hear her mother returning: he must leave immediately. As he runs out, she closes the door behind him, and he realizes that he has fallen for a ruse. He decides to decieve her in return, mimicking a woman's voice and callign "Daughter, I've returned". Believing that her mother has come home, she opens once again, but seeing that it is only Zhang, she pours water on his shoes, and shuts the door again. Zhang, however, is smitten and impresses the location of the house on his memory, in order to find it again more easily. He discovers a banner inscribed with poetry: It says "The plum blossoms announce the early spring", but he decides to pay attention only to the words "announce" and "early", since they suggest to him that he should appear at the house early the next day.