Scene 24: The Sudden Upheaval
Scene 24: Alarm in the Garden
[The clown enters.] From the jade tower, high in the clouds, waft the sounds of reed organs and songs; the wind brings the laughter and cheerful talk of palace ladies. Beneath the moonlight, the shadow of the palace spreads out, and one can hear the night watchman's clepsydra; the crystal curtain is rolled up, close to the Milky Way in the sky. I, Gao Lishi, by order of His Majesty, am to arrange a small banquet in the Imperial Garden. Since the Emperor is to come sightseeing with the Imperial Consort, I must wait here in attendance. [The male and female leads enter in a carriage, followed by the old female and supporting female roles, with two eunuchs leading the way.]
Bei Zhonglü • Fen Die Er
Pale the sky, white clouds at leisure,
Arrayed in the vast expanse, a few lines of newly arrived wild geese.
In the Imperial Garden, autumn’s hues are splendid:
Willows tinged with yellow, duckweed losing its green,
Lotus petals falling red.
A carved railing, here and there,
Osmanthus, newly blooming, sprays its fragrant breath.
[They arrive.] May it please Your Majesty and the Imperial Consort to descend from the carriage. [The male and female leads descend.] [The clown and the eunuchs exit quietly.] [Male lead:] Consort, let us stroll for a while. [Female lead:] As Your Majesty wishes. [The male lead takes the female lead by the hand.] [Female lead:]
Nan • Qi Yan Hui
Hand in hand we walk among the flowers,
For a while, let us dispel the cares within our hearts.
A coolness rises beneath the pavilion;
The wind makes the lotus, mirrored in the water, dance.
We love the quiet depth of the wutong tree’s shade,
Deepest green, encircling the winding gallery as we gaze.
Lingering near the fragrant nest, autumn swallows cling to one,
And sleeping in the silver pond, the mandarin ducks draw the eye.
[Male lead:] Gao Lishi, bring the wine. I wish to drink a few cups with the Imperial Consort. [Clown:] The feast is already laid upon the pavilion. May it please Your Majesty and the Imperial Consort to take your seats. [The female lead makes a move as if to decant wine; the male lead stops her.] Sit, Consort.
Bei • Shi Liu Hua
Do not trouble your slender fingers, raised high in formal ceremony;
Let us borrow but a tiny cup, toasting your eyebrow-shaped hills.
We shall sip slowly, singing low, taking turns,
Three cups, two bowls, to while away our leisure, dispel our cares.
Consort, though today’s banquet is a small one, it is indeed refined.
We have avoided the Imperial Kitchen, avoided the Imperial Kitchen’s heaped platters of dragon and phoenix,
Urged on by the yi ya sounds of music.
Only a few crisp things, only a few crisp vegetables and fruits, light dishes,
Elegantly fit for your celestial-jade beauty to enjoy.
Consort, let us give ourselves up to pleasure and a little drinking. Those old opera tunes from the Pear Garden, I am weary of hearing them. Do you remember that year, when we were enjoying the peonies in the Aloeswood Pavilion, we summoned the Hanlin Academician Li Bai to compose the three stanzas of “Pure Peace Tune,” and had Li Guinian set them to new music? The words were excellent. I wonder if the Consort still remembers them? [Female lead:] Your handmaid remembers them. [Male lead:] Could the Consort sing them for me? I myself will accompany you on the jade flute. [Female lead:] I hear and obey. [The old female role presents a jade flute; the male lead plays it.] [The female lead beats time.]
Nan • Qi Yan Hui [Second Stanza]
Flowers in profusion, their full-blown beauty recalls your face.
Clouds are like robes, bright and shimmering.
Her new adornment—who can compare?
Alas, the flying swallow, charming but languid!
The famous flower and the nation’s beauty
Smile softly, ever enjoyed by the sovereign’s gaze.
Explaining spring’s sorrow to the spring breeze,
Together they lean on the railing in the Aloeswood Pavilion.
[Male lead:] Marvelous! Li Bai’s brocade-like heart and the Consort’s brocade-like mouth—truly a double perfection. Palace ladies, bring a large goblet! I wish to drink with the Consort, cup for cup. [The old and supporting female roles present wine.] [Male lead:]
Bei • Dou An Chun
Just now, joyfully pausing the beat, pausing the song,
Joyfully pausing the beat, pausing the song,
Laughingly passing the cups and goblets.
Consort, empty your cup! [They drain their cups.]
No need for him to chatter endlessly at games of guess and hide,
Noisy plucking of strings and beating of boards. [They drain another cup.]
Consort, another cup! [Female lead:] Your handmaid can drink no more. [Male lead:] Palace ladies, kneel and urge her to drink. [Old and supporting female roles:] We hear and obey. [Kneeling before the female lead.] Imperial Consort, pray drink this cup. [The female lead drinks with difficulty.] [The old and supporting female roles urge her repeatedly.] [Male lead:] I, here, hold my cup in silence and gaze intently. Soon I see a single flower bloom upon your cheek. [The female lead shows signs of intoxication.] Your handmaid is truly drunk. [Male lead:] In a moment, softly yielding, the willow droops, the blossom tilts; languid and weary, the oriole is coy, the swallow lazy.
The Consort is drunk. Palace ladies, help the Imperial Consort into the carriage and return to the palace. [Old and supporting female roles:] We hear and obey. [They help the female lead rise.] [The female lead calls out in a drunken manner.] Your Majesty! [The old and supporting female roles help her walk.] [The female lead continues her drunken act.]
Nan • Pu Deng E
Her spirit languid, limbs soft as light clouds;
Her form hazy, flowers confuse her eyes in vain.
Timid and delicate, the willow waist is hard to support;
Weary and heavy, she forces up her tender jade wrists.
Soft and limp, her golden lilies totter backward;
Loosely disheveled, her fragrant shoulder slips, cloud-like hairpins fall.
Sweetly she thinks of seeking the phoenix pillow;
Slowly she steps, asking the palace maids to support her within the embroidered curtain.
[The old and supporting female roles help the female lead off.] [The clown and the eunuchs re-enter quietly.] [A drum is beaten offstage.] [The male lead starts in alarm.] Where does this sudden drumming come from? [The supporting male role enters hurriedly.] The war drums of Yuyang shake the earth, startling the “Rainbow Robe and Feathered Skirt” melody. [To the clown.] Where is His Majesty? [Clown:] In the Imperial Garden. [Supporting male role:] The military intelligence is urgent; I must go straight in. [Entering and seeing the Emperor.] Your Majesty, this is terrible! An Lushan has raised an army in rebellion. He has broken through the Tong Pass and will soon reach Chang’an. [The male lead is greatly alarmed.] Where were the generals guarding the Pass? [Supporting male role:] Geshu Han’s army was defeated, and he has already surrendered to the rebels. [Male lead:]
Bei • Shang Xiao Lou
Ah! You speak of the blundering Geshu Han...
And the raising of troops by An Lushan!
Urgently he left Yuyang,
Stormed the Eastern Capital,
Broke through the Tong Pass!
It frightens one so, that heart trembles, gall quakes,
It frightens one so, that heart trembles, gall quakes,
Bowels in turmoil, belly afire,
Soul flies, spirit scatters,
Already it has shattered the moon-bright, flower-bright scene.
My Minister, what plan have you to repel the rebel forces? [Supporting male role:] In days past, Your minister repeatedly memorialized, stating that An Lushan would surely rebel. Your Majesty would not listen. Today the event has indeed proven my words true. The affair has erupted so suddenly—how can it be withstood? It would be better for Your Majesty to make a temporary progress to Shu, to await the imperial loyalist troops from all quarters. [Male lead:] I shall follow your advice. Quickly issue the decree! All princes and officials are to accompany the imperial carriage to Shu immediately. [Supporting male role:] I hear and obey. [Exits hurriedly.] [Male lead:] Gao Lishi, quickly prepare the horses and troops. Issue the decree ordering General Chen Yuanli of the Right Valiant Dragon Guard to command three thousand men of the Imperial Guard to escort the imperial progress. [Clown:] I hear and obey. [Exit.] [Eunuch:] May it please Your Majesty to return to the palace. [The male lead turns to go, sighing.] Alas! In the midst of joy, to think this sudden calamity should occur! What is to be done!
Nan • Pu Deng E
Steady and secure, the palace banquet’s joy;
Chaotic and tumultuous, the frontier’s rebellion.
Booming, the war drums clamor;
Blazing, the beacon fires darken.
Pell-mell, the subjects flee and scatter;
Black and vast, heaven and earth are overturned.
Dreadful and desolate, the altars of state are shattered,
Dreadful and desolate, the altars of state are shattered.
Unstoppable, the xiao xiao sa sa west wind ushers in the evening;
Pale and dim, a setting sun makes Chang’an cold.
[Calling offstage.] Palace ladies, has the Imperial Consort Yang retired to rest? [The old and supporting female roles answer from offstage.] She is already fast asleep. [Male lead:] Do not disturb her. Wait until the fifth watch tomorrow morning, and we shall travel together. [Weeping.] Heaven! How unfortunate is I, the Lonely One, to suffer this exile! To involve her, with her jade-like face and flower-like beauty, in the hardships of the road! How my heart aches!
Nan • Wei Sheng
In the deep palace, she was used to delicate, languid ways;
How will she bear the hardships of the Shu road? [Weeping.]
Ah, my Consort!
This will grieve you to death—soft jade, tender flower—
To have to hurry on your way.
Palaces, uneven, in the setting sun’s last rays, (Lu Lun)
The beacon fires of Yuyang light up the Hangu Pass. (Wu Rong)
The song that stopped the clouds is broken by a bitter wind, (Hu Zeng)
Where are those yellow clouds that mark the Long Mountains? (Wu Yuanheng)