Scene 32: Worshipping at the Altar
Scene 32: Worshipping at the Altar
Wu Xiao Si (Assistant role playing a Master of Ceremonies, wearing an official hat and robe, with a white beard, enters)
Watching him, his fate is poor,
Half of the new house north of the River has collapsed.
The heir he adopted is fond of mischief and play,
Does not avenge wrongs nor build up the family.
Wealth within the household is grabbed by unruly servants.
I am an old Master of Ceremonies in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, living near the Temple of Divine Music, specially in charge of temple and imperial tomb sacrifices. Who would have thought that heaven and earth would be turned upside down, and this new Emperor would be established, reviving our Nanjing. This year is Yiyou, the time for changing the calendar and establishing a new reign title, with every family celebrating. After three cups of wine, this old man just sings these impromptu ditties. Others advised me: "Each sweeps the snow from his own doorstep, and minds not the frost on his neighbor's tiles." I replied: "When a great wind topples the wutong tree, passersby will still gossip about it." (Calls out) Lads, what day of the third month is it today? (Offstage answer) The nineteenth of the third month. (Assistant) Ah! The nineteenth of the third month is the anniversary of the death of the Chongzhen Emperor. By imperial decree, an altar is to be set up outside the Taiping Gate for a memorial sacrifice, and I have been appointed as the officiant. How could I have forgotten? Quick, let's go! (Walks)
Ranges of hills stretch on without break,
Bamboo and pine trees grow thick and dense.
Unknowingly, I have arrived before the altar. Fortunately, the officials have not yet arrived. Let me set things up early. (Arranges the incense table, places incense, flowers, candles, and wine)
Pu Tian Le (Jing, playing Ma Shiying; Mo, playing Yang Wencong, dressed in plain mourning clothes, followed by attendants)
The old rivers and mountains, under a new painting,
In the late spring mist, people are carefree.
Leaving the city, fields of mulberry and hemp everywhere;
Why weep for the old sovereign's ascent to heaven?
We have taken leave for a spring outing.
(Wai, playing Shi Kefa, enters dressed in plain mourning clothes)
Just now I went to the riverbank to offer a cup in wild lament,
Shedding handfuls of bloody tears.
In previous years on this day, I asked the blue sky,
What cycle of fate we had encountered.
(They meet and bow to each other)
(Jing) Today is the day of the late Emperor Sizong's ascension to heaven, and according to ritual, an altar should be set up for worship.
(Mo) Exactly.
(Wai asks) Have all the civil and military officials arrived?
(Assistant) They have all assembled.
(Jing) Let us proceed with the ceremony.
(Assistant leads the ceremony; Za, playing an attending official, carries silk and a wine vessel)
(Ceremony leader calls) Attending officials, each attend to your duties. Accompanying officials, take your places. Acting offering official, take your place. (All officials stand in order of rank)
(Ceremony leader calls) Bury the hair and blood. Welcome the spirits. Present yourselves to the spirits. Prostrate, rise. Prostrate, rise. Prostrate, rise. Prostrate, rise. Stand upright. (All officials complete the rites and stand)
(Ceremony leader calls) Perform the offering of silk. Ascend the altar. (Jing, holding his tablet, goes before the spirit tablet)
(Ceremony leader calls) Insert the tablet. Present the silk. Offer the silk. (Jing kneels, offers the silk, and kowtows)
(Ceremony leader calls) Stand upright. Remove the tablet. Go to the place for reading the prayer. Kneel. (Jing kneels)
(Ceremony leader calls) Read the prayer. (Assistant kneels and reads)
"In the time of Yiyou, the nineteenth day of the third month, your imperial cousin and successor, the Emperor You Song, reverently and clearly offers this sacrifice to the spirit of Emperor Sizong, saying: Trusting that civil virtue may be continued and martial achievements extended, after seventeen years on the throne, the court's discipline was lax, and the realm's fortunes collapsed. The Emperor died for the altars of state, the Empress and Crown Prince both perished in the sovereign's calamity. Your younger brother, dull and talentless, shamelessly clings to life, humbly obeying the requests of his subjects, and has ascended the throne in Nanjing, temporarily acting as master of the ancestral temples and the people. Grieving for the one sovereign's ascension, and punishing the officials' arrogance and negligence, I strive to plan state affairs, anxious and worried, sleeping on my arms and swallowing my tears, vowing to recover the Central Plain. Now, on the anniversary of the late Emperor's death, I respectfully set up this altar and dispatch an official to offer sacrifice on my behalf. May you witness this sincere longing and accept these humble offerings of duckweed and wormwood! Please partake!"
(Ceremony leader calls) Raise lamentation. (All officials cry out three times)
(Ceremony leader calls) Cease lamentation. Prostrate, rise. Return to your places. (Jing returns to his place)
(Ceremony leader calls) Perform the first offering. Ascend the altar. (Jing goes before the spirit tablet)
(Ceremony leader calls) Insert the tablet. Present the wine vessel. Offer the wine vessel. (Jing kneels, offers the wine vessel, and kowtows)
(Ceremony leader calls) Stand upright. Remove the tablet. Return to your place.
(Ceremony leader calls) (Performs the second and final offerings, same ritual)
(Ceremony leader calls) Remove the offerings. Send off the spirits. Prostrate, rise. (Four prostrations, same as before) (All officials complete the rites as led and stand)
(Ceremony leader calls) The prayer-reading official, holding the prayer text, and the silk-offering official, holding the silk, go to the burial site. (All officials stand)
(Ceremony leader calls) Look toward the burial. (Za burns the prayer text and silk)
(Ceremony leader calls) The ceremony is complete. (Wai weeps loudly alone)
Chao Tian Zi
The yellow wind blows for ten thousand li over the desert,
Where can one summon the soul?
Thinking of the imperial carriage and banners,
Guarding a few blossoms on withered Coal Hill,
Facing the evening crows,
A remnant of sunset over the south of the River.
These are the old homesteads of those years,
A loyal minister weeping and bowing at the edge of the sky,
Like an old villager's year-end sacrifice,
Like an old villager's year-end sacrifice.
(Assistant) The lords' weeping was not sorrowful enough. This old Master of Ceremonies cannot help but have a good cry. (Weeps loudly and exits)
(Fu Jing, playing Ruan Dacheng, dressed in plain mourning clothes, enters shouting loudly) My late Emperor! My late Emperor! Today is the anniversary of your death. I, your old minister Ruan Dacheng, have rushed here to weep at your sacrifice. (Rubs his eyes and asks) Has the sacrifice been held?
(Jing) It has just concluded.
(Fu Jing goes before the altar, quickly performs four prostrations, and says tearfully) Late Emperor! Late Emperor! Your country was broken and you perished, all because of that gang of Donglin petty men. Now they are all scattered. Only a few of us loyal ministers still think today of coming to weep for you. Why, even unto death, do you not awaken! (Weeps again)
(Jing pulls him) Old Master Yuan, do not grieve too much. Rise and greet the others.
(Fu Jing rubs his eyes, and they all greet each other)
(Wai, turning his back) Ridiculous! Ridiculous! (Takes leave) Farewell!
Smoke and dust cover the road for three li,
A band of ghosts and monsters. (Exits)
(Jing) We are all going into the city. Let us ride side by side. (Changes clothes, mounts horse, and rides)
Pu Tian Le (All together)
Offering fine wine, weeping below the altar,
Losing our voices, facing each other—who is sincere?
A thousand officials scatter, noise all along the road,
Just in time to enjoy the fine scenery and good weather,
Casually chatting about the rise and fall of dynasties.
Singing of going home, like bathing in the spring breeze after the Yi River,
Why bother asking about the troops north of the River?
The old customs of the Southern Dynasties were all romantic,
Only fearing that spring's beauty is priceless.
(Za shouts to clear the way)
(Jing) We have arrived at Chicken and Goose Lane, not far from my humble lodging. Would you care to come to my wild garden and view the peonies together?
(Mo) I still have to visit some guests. I shall take my leave here. (Mo takes leave and exits)
(Fu Jing) Let me accompany you. (They arrive, dismount)
(Jing) Please enter.
(Fu Jing) I will follow you. (Jing enters first, Fu Jing follows, they enter the garden)
(Fu Jing) Truly fine flowers.
(Jing orders) Quickly set out the wine and feast. We shall enjoy the flowers. (Za sets the table) (Jing and Fu Jing change clothes, sit down, and drink)
(Jing laughs heartily) Today we have closed the old chapter of Chongzhen. Tomorrow we respectfully invite His Majesty to ascend the main hall. We are truly "a new court for a new emperor."
(Fu Jing) Having been on the river for days, I do not know what new policies there are at court.
(Jing) At present, the false Crown Prince, Wang Zhiming, is being discussed for disposition. What is your esteemed opinion, Old Master Yuan?
(Fu Jing) This matter is clearly easy to handle.
(Jing) How is it easy?
(Fu Jing) Your Excellency, the Grand Preceptor's power overawes the court and the provinces, all because of the two words "support and elevation."
(Jing) Yes, yes!
(Fu Jing) Since it is because of the two words "support and elevation,"
Chao Tian Zi
If we were to recognize the heir apparent as genuine,
Then we who welcomed him would become the masters,
And he would be put aside.
(Jing) Yes, yes! Then let him be imprisoned, so as not to confuse people's minds. (Asks) There is also the former consort, Tong Shi, who wept and petitioned at the palace gate, demanding to be welcomed and established as the legitimate Empress. How should this be handled?
(Fu Jing) This is even more impossible. Since ancient times it has been said, a ruler loves beautiful women. The arm-binding silk must first be selected and brought home, to act as matchmaker for the imperial bedchamber.
(Jing) Yes, yes! I have already selected my candidates. This Tong Shi will naturally not be allowed into the palace. (Asks further) As for those Donglin and Fushe members who have been arrested and brought to the capital, how are they to be interrogated?
(Fu Jing) This bunch are our natural enemies. How can we show them mercy? Do not cut the grass but leave the roots. Just search them out and kill them all, just search them out and kill them all.
(Roughly laughing) Very well said, very well said! Every word of your mature and insightful opinion matches my own thinking. Bring a large cup, and let me drink three cups heartily. (A servant, dressed as a functionary, rushes in holding a memorial and reports) The Ningnan Marquis Zuo Liangyu has submitted a memorial, sealed and delivered to the Office of Transmission; this is an excerpt from the Grand Secretariat, sent for your perusal. (The painted face takes it) What good memorial could he have! (Reads it, becomes angry) Ah, ah! This is dreadful—it's a draft of a memorial impeaching us. This document lists seven major crimes of mine and demands that His Majesty immediately punish me. How infuriating! (Another servant rushes in with a document) There is also an official dispatch, sent by a courier. (The painted face takes it, reads it, startled) This is another denunciatory proclamation, cursing me in the most unbearable terms; it even threatens to send troops to take my head. What is to be done? (The secondary painted face, startled, stands up trembling) Terrifying, terrifying! Other things have solutions, but this one has none. (Painted face) Are we to stretch out our necks and let them cut them off? (Secondary painted face) Let me think. (Thinks) There is no other way but to summon the three garrisons of Huang and Liu to block them early. (Painted face) If the northern troops cross the river, who will confront them? (Secondary painted face whispers to the painted face) When the northern troops arrive, do we still need to confront them? (Painted face) If we don't confront them, what else is there to do? (Secondary painted face) Only two ways. (Painted face) Pray enlighten me! (Secondary painted face, lifting his robe) Flee. (Then kneels) Surrender. (Painted face) Well said. A true man acts with vigor and vitality; better to bow before the horses of the northern troops than to taste the blades of the southern rebels. My mind is made up—I will issue the military tally and summon the three garrisons. (Thinks) Wait, there is no pretext for summoning troops, and the three garrisons may not be willing to come. What then? (Secondary painted face) Just say that Zuo's army is advancing eastward to establish the Prince of Lu as regent; the three garrisons will naturally be alarmed. (Painted face) Yes, yes! Then trouble Elder Yuan to go in person.
【Universal Joy】(Together) Issue the military tally, ride swift horses, cross the river quickly to persuade the Huang and Liu commands. Share the boat in crossing, hold the rudder together, thus only can we preserve our lives and families. If it were not for our souls trembling in fear, how could we withstand a million elite troops descending from the sky, instantly attacking the city gates? We rely entirely on iron chains to cut off the Yangtze, and draw strong bows to parry.
(Secondary painted face) I take my leave of you, Chancellor; I will leave the city at once. (Painted face) Wait, there is one more confidential word. (Whispers) Grand Secretaries Gao Hongtu and Jiang Yueguang, who sided with the rebellious faction, have both been dismissed. As for Zhou Biao and Lei Yanzuo, if they remain in the prison, I fear they will act as internal collaborators; shall we execute them early? (Secondary painted face) Most appropriate, most appropriate. (Painted face, bowing) I won't see you out. (Exits directly) (Secondary painted face exits) (Servant reports) That man who spread the proclamation is still detained here, awaiting your decision. (Secondary painted face) There is no decision to make; send him to the Ministry of Punishments to await execution by imperial decree. (About to mount his horse to leave) (Ponders) Don't be rash. I see that the three garrisons of Huang and Liu are no match for Zuo's troops; if I have the messenger executed, it may be hard to reverse matters later. (Calls out) Attendant, quickly go to the Surveillance Office, pay respects to Lord Feng, and have this messenger carefully detained and await orders. (Servant acknowledges and exits) (Secondary painted face) I almost ruined a great matter. (Mounts his horse and rides swiftly)
Affairs south and north of the river are tangled like hemp,
Half rely on the Liu family, half on the Ruan family.
On three sides, it's a drawn game—don't scheme,
But the southwestern chess piece is feared for its contest.