"The Zither"

 A highlight scene from “The Story of the Jade Pin,” a literary masterpiece by Gao Lian of the Ming dynasty, The Zither” is marked for its poetic splendor and highly dramatic love story. Elegance and refinement must be the guideline to all actors playing the two leads. 

 Pan Bizheng, a young scholar who failed the imperial examination, comes to stay in a nunnery where his aunt is the abbess. When Bizheng is introduced to a nun-to-be named Chen Miaochang, it is love at first sight on his part. Our scene begins when, sleepless one night, Bizheng goes for a walk in the garden. He runs into Miaochang playing the zither. After finishing her piece, Miaochang asks Bizheng, who is known to be a fine zitherist, to play something.

 Through the music on the zither, Bizheng subtly expresses his love for her. Miaochang, though quite fond of him, feigns indignation and reprimands him harshly. Bizheng takes leave of the seemingly irate Miaochang, but hides himself in the bushes. Sure enough, he hears her confessing to herself her reciprocal feelings for him. To her great consternation, Bizheng comes out of hiding to flirt with her. The scene ends with our embarrassed heroine fleeing hastily back to her quarters.

Prepared by Ben Wang for the Kunqu Society