Written over three hundred years ago, "Fleeing down the Mountain" poses a bold challenge to feudal China's traditional, moral codes and to its rigorous, conventional Buddhist teaching. It embodies characteristic of long arias, dexterous dancing and elaborate acting, which are unique to Kunqu, China’s dominant dramatic genre since the fifteenth century. 

           Sent by his parents in childhood to a temple at the advice of their physician, who claimed that only by so doing could the child's ill health be restored, Benwu (Detachment!) has grown into a lusty and virile Buddhist acolyte monk. Lately he has been brooding with increasing intensity about what he has come to view as the emotionally and sexually arid life of a Buddhist monk. Left alone one day in his dark mood, he envisions for himself a different future life marked by love and fulfillment through a joyous union with some flirt of a lass, and through having many a son. 

           Thus idling away his time in such fancy thoughts, he becomes more agitated. After a little more excogitation, he decides to leave the temple permanently and begin a secular life, which he intends to live fully as a vibrant man. So resolved, he promptly discards his ecclesiastic robes and slips away down the mountain to fetch himself a sweetheart.

           As his luck would have it, on his flight down the mountain he encounters our young heroine, Sekong (Free-of-Libido!), who has had an almost identical fate and state of mind as Benwu. She too has fled her nunnery, in which she remained, much against her own will, for a few years -- a few years too many!

          His lascivious overtures answered by her coquettishness, it is love at first sight. Without little ado the amorous pair join hands and run off ecstatically to start a new life together, a life which they are all too convinced will be as carnally gratifying as it will be spiritually rewarding.
 
 

          (The episode before the two meet is a solo performance by Se-kong in the nunnery. It has the separate title, “Longing for the Worldly” - si fan, and is often performed as one opera. The second episode, in which Se-kong and Ben-wu meet, is titled “Fleeing Down the Mountain.” It is also frequently performed as a separate opera. When the two episodes/operas are presented as one opera, however, it is usually entitled “Longing for the Worldly & Fleeing Down the Mountain,” or simply “Fleeing Down the Mountain.”) 
 
 
 

Prepared by Ben Wang 
2/95
4/99