She came from the sea: The Legend of Eileen Chang: The Legend of Eileen Chang

Author: Wang Huiling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Preface---Because it is Eileen Chang, because Eileen Chang is hard to speak of, because Eileen Chang is hard to speak of and unwilling to impose interpretation, because it is hard to speak of yet must be said accurately; thus, this script has its unique style. Wang Huiling breaks the constraints of time and space, not following the chronological order of the plot. The story begins with Eileen Chang in her middle age after moving to the United States, then jumps back to her youth, followed by her rise to fame, her relationship with Hu Lan Cheng, her departure from China, and then reconnects to her marriage in the United States in 1962 until her death in a foreign land. Why does the biographical story not begin with her birth and proceed chronologically? Wang Huiling explains that choosing this starting point has many reasons, one of which is that at this time, Eileen Chang was completely unknown to the Chinese people. Because she was unfamiliar, it allowed the audience to shed preconceived notions about Eileen Chang and have the opportunity to her. The attempt to reveal her extraordinary qualities in "She Came from the Sea" lies in this. Starting with the U.S. portion, Eileen Chang is thirty-six years old, a Chinese writer from Shanghai, with nothing else. Such an introduction makes Eileen Chang merely an ordinary person, at most, with the additional identity of a writer. From here, from her ordinary self, we see her mundane and almost uninteresting love affair with Ray Huo, her marriage, and then, through a series of details and memories, from Eileen Chang's recollections and stories, we flashback to her origins, childhood, and everything that followed. Yes, to understand Eileen Chang's legend, one should first know that she was just an "ordinary person." Writing about the ordinary aspects of a legendary figure is the first step to dispelling the haze of too much legendary glamour; it allows one to see her true self, and only by meeting her as she is can one truly know her. This intention naturally avoids the theatricalization of the script's style. Almost all the characters in this play are based on real people, and the dialogue has been arranged, but very few events have been fabricated, all in an effort to preserve her true self. Because the core of this play is to write about "a person," about "life," it strives to present the complexity of human beings and the multifaceted nature of life. Many contradictions, inconsistencies, inexplicable motivations, and shifting attitudes can only be preserved as they unfold, without subjective interpretation or organization, to avoid distortion or narrow limitation. Therefore, the Eileen Chang in this play, along with many other characters, does not adhere to a unified theatrical persona but is closer to real life. Faithfulness to the facts is the foundation of a biographical piece. However, to write about the thoughts and emotions of a creator's inner world, it cannot merely be a straightforward account of factual events. Thus, Wang Huiling incorporates more narrative techniques, sometimes delving into Eileen Chang's mind and abruptly entering her memories; at other times, she jumps to Eileen Chang's works, attempting to show the connection between her writing and her emotional life; and sometimes, she even uses direct, extensive narration, allowing Eileen Chang to speak for herself. These complex techniques create the colorful and dynamic narrative style of "She Came from the Sea," making the work more literary but also harder to stage. Wang Huiling believes that we cannot speak for biographical figures, but we can bring the audience closer to them. Yes, getting closer to Eileen Chang, feeling her presence—perhaps this is the play's intention: to lead the audience into Eileen Chang's life journey, into her inner world, into her world of works, allowing you to know her, feel her, think for yourself, to know or not know, to understand or not understand. The rest, we cannot say too much, because it is her life, and it is your feeling. Writing Eileen Chang in this way can only completely return the play to the complexity and diversity of life, as Wang Huiling herself said: to write a play without drama, a story without a plot. The script of "She Came from the Sea" has no dramatic plot, only scenes of life's details, life's documentation, more like a diary or prose, like painting or music, rich with the colors of life, woven together by the rhythms of the soul. For audiences accustomed to the narrative structure of TV dramas, it may seem like a challenge, but in reality, it will be a liberation: when the plot no longer guides the audience, they can form their own opinions and feelings, using their own senses to experience Eileen Chang; they will not hold onto Eileen Chang or themselves. Therefore, this script may be closer to the Eileen Chang who remains in this world, and it also showcases her various facets; as the saying goes: "In the eyes of the times, this flower is like a dream." Is it true? Is it true? Is Eileen Chang like this? She is the kind of person one cannot stop thinking about or talking about; the depth of one's feelings is like drinking water—warm or cold, one knows best, yet it cannot be judged, nor does it concern her. This is Wang Huiling's respect for Eileen Chang and the public, and it is also the biographical attitude that a legendary figure should have. I like this script because it writes the Eileen Chang we want to know, while not saying what we should not say on her behalf, not grasping her own life. Life unfolds and blooms in its unique way; all can observe, none can speak for it. In recent years, with the rise of feminist consciousness and the resurgence of literary writers, "Xue" (the study of Eileen Chang) has gradually taken root in both the mainland and Taiwan, and her works have gained more followers, showing the potential to become a prominent field of study in this century. Eileen Chang, this legendary female writer, quietly lost her life in a corner of a foreign city, leaving behind countless essays and novels that recorded her cold yet insightful observations of life. After the success of "April in the Village," screenwriter Wang Huiling, from the perspective of a filmmaker, saw the extraordinary story behind this strong woman, and after three years, finally completed the literary grand-drama script "She Came from the Sea—The Legend of Eileen Chang." In June 2003, the film was completed. This play spans from 1930 to 1995, produced by the same team behind "April in the Village," with outstanding Taiwanese actors like Liu Ruoying and Zhao Wen Zhuo taking the lead roles, along with many skilled actors from the mainland, bringing to life the life story of this legendary female writer. Walking through the history of modern Chinese literature, Eileen Chang is a milestone you must linger at. Walking through the river of women's writing, Eileen Chang is not the great river but the other shore. Walking through China's darkest era, Eileen Chang lit a light in the darkness, speaking out from the occupied areas. She was born in Shanghai, nurtured by the vibrant streets of the International Settlement, where her unique talent flourished. She passed away in the United States, a stranger in a foreign land, her dust returning to the sea, and her story still unfinished.