Scene 43: Reburial
Scene 43: Reburial
(Emperor Minghuang enters with two eunuchs)
Emperor Minghuang: (To the tune of “Recalling Qin’e”) Heartbreaking place—the turning heavens and spinning earth, the imperial carriage returns; the returning carriage, lingering here, cannot depart. Since returning from Sichuan to the capital, I grieve that Imperial Consort Yang met her end in such haste, without proper burial rites. I have specially issued an edict to prepare a pearl-lined shroud and a jade casket, to rebuild her grave, and to come in person to oversee the reburial. Thus I have halted at Mawei Station. (Weeps) Facing this Buddhist shrine and this pear tree—how desolate it all is!
Emperor Minghuang: (To the tune “Hillside Sheep”) Boundless hatred—the rivers and mountains remain as before; unbearable grief—a wandering soul stained with blood. Cold and deserted, half a Buddhist shrine; green and shady, a single pear tree. In vain I sigh—I fear the one in the underworld suffers even more. Where now is the sound of jade pendants returning to the vermilion gate under the moonlight? Let me not even dream of recognizing her face in a portrait under the spring breeze.
(A clown enters stealthily, then pays respects)
Clown: Your servant, by imperial decree, has prepared the new tomb for Her Ladyship the Imperial Consort. Everything is ready. I beg Your Majesty to come in person to open the grave.
Emperor Minghuang: Issue the order to set out.
Clown: I receive the decree. (Gives orders) Soldiers, arrange the carriage procession.
(Miscellaneous soldiers enter and lead the way)
Soldiers: “Beneath the soil of Mawei Slope, no jade face is seen—only the empty place of death.”
(They arrive)
Clown: I report to Your Majesty: beneath this white poplar tree is where Her Ladyship was buried.
Emperor Minghuang: Look—in deep spring, tangled grasses grow luxuriantly; in the mournful wind, sunlight is faint. Consort, my Consort—does this not break my heart! (Weeps) I cry out, calling again and again—is her soul present or not? I sob, weeping in utter grief, my tears gradually drying up.
(An old woman, a supporting female, a supporting female, and a painted-face female—four grave-digging women—enter with hoes)
Old Woman: The old emperor has come. Let us quickly go forward and attend to opening the grave.
Clown: Are you all grave-digging women? (They assent)
Clown: (Reports to Emperor Minghuang) The grave-digging women have all arrived.
Emperor Minghuang: Issue the order: soldiers, withdraw. Gao Lishi, you go and supervise the grave-digging women—have them dig carefully.
Clown: (Receives the decree and relays the order) (Soldiers exit)
(Women make digging motions)
Women: (To the tune “Water Red Flower”) Toward the high ridge we plunge our spades and hoes, trying to identify the very spot—that white poplar tree. We fear the fragrance has dispersed, the jade-green cold, accompanied only by mole crickets; the pink flesh withered, the jade face hard to see again. (They start in surprise) After digging three feet down, there is only an empty pit—we do not see Her Ladyship’s jade body! Could she have turned into clouds, into rain, flown away without even a shadow—only a fragrance scattered abroad to brush against our garments?
Painted-Face Female: Oh! Here is a sachet.
Clown: Let me see it. (Painted-Face Female hands over the sachet; Clown takes it and weeps) My lady! You—go and wait over there for a while. (The women assent and exit)
Clown: (Reports to Emperor Minghuang) I report to Your Majesty: the grave has been opened, but it is an empty pit. Even the silk shroud that wrapped her body and the gold hairpins and jeweled casket buried with her have vanished. Only this sachet is here.
Emperor Minghuang: Such a thing can happen? (Takes the sachet and weeps bitterly) Ah! This sachet was given to her on her birthday, when she performed the “Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Coat Dance” in the Hall of Eternal Life. My Consort! Where are you now?
Emperor Minghuang: (To the tune “Hillside Sheep”) A desolate empty grave—where has the jade-like person gone, hidden in deep darkness? Even if the light silk shroud has turned to dust, how could the hard gold hairpins and jeweled casket be nowhere to be found? Only the sachet remains in the soil. I ponder and cannot fathom the reason—I wish I could summon the mountain god and demand an answer. (Ponders) Gao Lishi, could you have remembered the place wrongly?
Clown: Your servant, on that day, cut a piece from the poplar tree and carved characters on it as a marker. How could I be mistaken?
Emperor Minghuang: Could it have been dug up by someone?
Clown: If it had been dug up, how would the sachet have been left behind? (Emperor Minghuang stares blankly, silent)
Clown: Your servant thinks: since ancient times, immortals have often shed their mortal forms. Perhaps Her Ladyship has shed her mortal form and become an immortal. It is like the Yellow Emperor’s tomb at Qiaoshan, which only contains his robes and cap. This sachet was originally worn by Her Ladyship at the time of her death. To place it in the new tomb would be no different.
Emperor Minghuang: You speak reasonably. Gao Lishi, wrap this sachet in a pearl-lined shroud, place it in a jade casket, and bury it according to the rites.
Clown: I receive the decree. (Emperor Minghuang weeps) I cry out, calling again and again—is her soul present or not? I sob, weeping in utter grief, my tears gradually drying up. (Clown exits with the sachet) (Makes motions of placing the sachet in the jade casket) The sachet has been placed. Where are the grave-digging women? (The women enter)
Clown: Place this jade casket in the grave pit and quickly seal the tomb. (The women make motions of building the tomb)
Women: (To the tune “Water Red Flower”) Her flower-like face and fragrant, soft body have turned to nothing, leaving only a handful of empty sachet; today, jade casket and pearl-lined shroud, after much effort, are sealed deep in the nine springs. Erect a new tombstone, and carefully inscribe it with tear stains. From now on, eternal regret fills the mountain corner!
Clown: The tomb is sealed. Each of you is to be rewarded with one string of cash. You may go. (The women thank him, kowtow) (Painted-Face Female, Supporting Female, and Miscellaneous Female exit first)
Clown: (To the old woman) Old woman, why do you not leave?
Old Woman: I report to Your Excellency: last year, under Mawei Slope, I picked up one of Her Ladyship Imperial Consort Yang’s silk stockings. I have brought it to present to His Majesty the Old Emperor.
Clown: Let me report this for you. (Pays respects to Emperor Minghuang) I report to Your Majesty: there is a grave-digging woman who says she has picked up one of Her Ladyship the Imperial Consort’s silk stockings and has brought it to present to Your Majesty.
Emperor Minghuang: Summon her quickly.
Clown: (Calls the old woman forward to pay respects)
Old Woman: Your handmaiden kowtows to Your Majesty the Old Emperor. (Presents the stocking)
Emperor Minghuang: Bring it up. (Clown takes it and presents it to Emperor Minghuang) (Old Woman rises and stands aside)
Emperor Minghuang: (Looks at it and weeps) Ah! This is indeed the Consort’s silk stocking. Look—the fragrance has not yet dissipated; the lotus-like footprints still remain. My Consort! (Weeps)
Emperor Minghuang: (To the tune “Hillside Sheep”) The delicate, curved outline of a footprint appears again; the faint, hazy lingering fragrance still wafts. Slender and graceful, I remember how, in those days on the jade-green disk, she danced lightly, her small, pointed feet steadily chasing the red embroidered shoes. I recall, too, in the deep night, after the lingering effects of wine, spring feeling seeped through her dreams, tempting one to steal a glance. Today, in vain, she leaves behind only this sachet to share my eternal regret. (Weeps) I cry out, calling again and again—is her soul present or not? I sob, weeping in utter grief, my tears gradually drying up.
Emperor Minghuang: Gao Lishi, give her five thousand strings of cash and order her to remain here as guardian of the Imperial Consort’s tomb.
Old Woman: (Kowtows) Many thanks to Your Majesty the Old Emperor. (Rises, looks at her hoe, and exits) “No longer willing to learn the trade of a hoe-wielding woman, with money in hand I am content to be a tomb-keeper.” (Exits)
(An outer-role actor enters with four soldiers)
Outer-Role: “Having seen the heavens and earth newly established in their positions, now behold the sun and moon hanging even higher.” (Pays respects) Your servant, Guo Ziyi, Commissioner of Shuofang, respectfully receives the imperial command. Leading the ceremonial guard, I humbly welcome His Majesty the Retired Emperor’s sacred carriage.
Emperor Minghuang: You swept away the rebel bandits and recovered the capital. The ancestral temples have been re-established, heaven and earth remade—truly a merit that overshadows the age!
Outer-Role: Your servant is unworthy to be commander-in-chief; I was slow in defeating the rebels. I am overwhelmed with guilt and cannot atone for it—what merit have I!
Emperor Minghuang: How can you say such a thing! Gao Lishi, give the order to set out.
Clown: I receive the decree. (Relays the order) (Emperor Minghuang changes into auspicious robes) (The procession leads Emperor Minghuang forward)
All: (To the tune “Water Red Flower”) The five-colored cloud-like canopy surrounds the imperial carriage as we return to the imperial capital, with banners filling the road. Yellow-haired children and white-haired elders support each other, giving full vent to their cheers, seeing the imperial countenance once more. From now on, in Xinfeng, the Retired Emperor will enjoy pleasure, while the young emperor attends to his daily life. May the imperial foundation be secure for a thousand autumns and ten thousand years!
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The heartbroken general returns for the reburial;〈Xu Yin〉
Descending the mountain, the returning horse still lingers.〈Du Mu〉
Passing this place, a thousand years of regret remain;〈Liu Cang〉
Only the sachet, moistened with tears, is empty.〈Zheng Yu〉