Spring Grass



Shi, Jiehua Cai, Qinglin		Cai, Qinglin		Shi, Jiehua



Shi, Jiehua Tu, Wanfang		Shi, Jiehua Tu, Wanfang		Shi, Jiehua Tu, Wanfang



Shi, Jiehua	Cai, Qinglin				Shi, Jiehua Tu, Wanfang



Shi, Jiehua Tu, Wanfang	Cai, Qinglin

The play opens on a spring day during the Ming dynasty. Spring-grass, a vivacious chamber-maid, accompanies her young mistress Li Banyue, daughter of Grand Councilor Li, to the temple to pray. On the way home, they are spotted by Wu Du, the notorious rogue-son of the Minister of Personnel Affairs. Drooling over Li's beauty, Wu tries to kidnap her. His vulgar plan is foiled when Xue, a brave young schola, intervenes. Afterwards, Spring-grass asks Xue to see them home, a request promptly granted by the young man. As they bid each other farewell at the gate of Banyue's mansion, Xue is just as taken by Banyue's charm as she is impressed by his gallantry and good looks. Later, Xue comes across Wu Du trying to kidnap yet another woman. Again, Xue intervenes. The woman is murdered by Wu, who in turn is killed by Xue in a fist fight. Xue turns himself in to the police. Without a trial and under threats by wu Du’s mother, Lady Yang, he is sentenced to death by Governor Hu Jin in a private court. Upon hearing this news while shopping, Spring-grass charges into the court. In her desperate attempt to save Xue, she lies to Governor Hu and Lady Yang that Xue is the fiance of her mistress, daughter of the Grand Councilor. Loathe to offend either of these households of title and power, Governor Hu decides to go with Spring-grass to her mistress to confirm the engagement, before he makes his final decision between release and execution of Xue. Once back home, Spring-grass confesses to her mistress the lie she has told. Furious at first, the young lady eventually consents to dupe Governor Hu with the faux engagement. (She is more than willing to wed the valiant Xue. Her trepidation is caused by the prevailing social conventions that decry free love, and by her fear of eliciting her father's wrath.) When Hu hears from Banyue herself that Xue is indeed her fiance, he departs. Before he leaves, however, he is overheard declaring gaily -- to the two women's horror! -- that, to curry favor, he will send a letter to the capital to inform Grand Councilor Li that he intends to release Xue, his alleged future son-in-law. After a few moments of panic, Spring-grass urges Banyue to leave at once for the capital to plead with her father Xue’s fate and her own. In the capital, meanwhile, Banyue's father, Grand Councilor Li, is disturbed by rumors that his daughter is involved with a murderer. The letter from Governor Hu, which further adds to his confusion, precedes the arrival of his daughter, Banyue, who is escorted by Spring-grass. After some angry exchanges, he feigns forgiveness and a willingness to help Xue, in facr, he decides the only way to solve the problem is to get rid of Xue once and for all. When the two young ladies are dismissed to their quarters to rest, he writes a letter to Governor Hu, in which he promises Hu a reward and promotion, if only Hu has Xue beheaded immediately. Sensing that something has gone awry, Spring-grass manages to steal the letter from a messenger. When her mistress reads to her the shocking contents of the letter, the undaunted Spring-grass suggests that Banyue change a few critical words. Banyue does so and Spring-grass then places the altered letter back into the messenger's bag. As a result, the letter Governor Hu receives requests Xue's immediate release and asks Hu to bring Xue to the capital for his wedding ceremony with Banyue. Blending suspense with laughter, this comedy of accidents and serendipity, builds to a finale both funny and exciting. The play closes on a joyful note: with blessings from her father among a crowd of well-wishers, the lovely Banyue and the chivalrous hero Xue are united in marriage. Thanks to the cunning and compassion of the irrepressible Spring-grass, everyone lives happily ever after. By Ben Wang 7/97 1/98 4/99


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