Cai Xiang Ji

Author: Wang Shifu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-10-01
Features: The plot of The Story of the Western Chamber is directly derived from Dong Jieyuan's The Western Chamber in Zugu Opera from the Jin Dynasty. Wang Shifu's The Story of the Western Chamber is based on The Western Chamber in Zugu Opera, making modifications in key aspects to address the flaws of the original work. This is primarily evident in two ways: on one hand, it cuts out unnecessary embellishments and parts, resulting in a more coherent structure and focused plot; on the other hand, and more importantly, it makes the characters more firmly adhere to their respective positions—Grandmother Cui rigorously monitors her daughter, resolutely opposes the free union of Cui and Zhang, and maintains the purity and prestige of the "Xiang Family Genealogy" without wavering; Zhang and Yingying, in their pursuit of love, also show no compromise. With the addition of Hongniang, the conflict between the two sides becomes even more intense. This not only enhances the tension and appeal of the plot but also makes the theme of the entire play more prominent and the characters more vivid. Moreover, its beautiful and expressive language makes this play a masterpiece of exquisite artistry. The Story of the Western Chamber is often evaluated as a work that "opposes feudal rituals," which is indeed true. However, it also has a distinctive feature: the author rarely focuses on ideological conflicts but instead delves directly into life itself to depict the yearning of young men and women for free love, the irrepressible and justified nature of desire and passion, and the conflict between the aspirations of young people and the self-interested desires of their parents. It can be said that the author fully brings the theme of opposing rituals to life. For example, the opening aria A sung by Yingying:
"Just as people stand in the east of Puzhou during the late spring, the doors are shut tight in the secluded temple. Flowers fall, like flowing red water, bringing countless idle sorrows, with no words to resent the east wind."
This expresses the youthful frustration and inexplicable melancholy of a woman living under oppression, with the shadow of an unwanted marriage behind her. Later, Zhang's first encounter with Yingying, in his aria A:
"He has seen countless things, but never such a lovely face as hers. His eyes are dazzled, speechless, his soul soaring to the heavens. She playfully turns her fragrant shoulders, smiling at the flowers as he adjusts them."
This is expressed with extraordinary frankness, even recklessness, portraying the natural and ardent desire of men for beautiful women, and the natural response of women to such admiration. Here, there is no deep ideology, but rather, based on the natural inclinations of the characters, the author boldly portrays the infatuation between young men and women at first sight, evoking resonance from readers or audiences. After a series of twists and turns, the author gives people still living under oppression a psychological sense of satisfaction through the victory on stage. Although this victory requires compromise and the resolution of conflicts between the two sides of the story, and is completed through the old-fashioned happy ending of the male protagonist passing the imperial examination and marrying, it still asserts the power of suppressed desire and expresses the beautiful wish that "all lovers in the world may become couples." Thus, it powerfully challenges certain aspects of feudal moral dogma.
The Story of the Western Chamber presents a beautiful love story with a high level of artistic achievement, making it particularly moving. In terms of plot, since it is a multi-act play with cleverly arranged twists, the story is full of ups and downs, with interconnected conflicts. From the beginning, Cui and Zhang meet at Pusu Temple and fall in love, but find themselves in a predicament; later, Sun Feihu besieges the temple, and Zhang secures its release by promising to marry Cui on behalf of the grandmother, seemingly resolving the conflict. However, the grandmother then reneges on her promise, creating another predicament. Afterward, with the help of Hongniang, Cui and Zhang secretly communicate, but Yingying's suspicions prolong the ordeal, leaving Zhang bedridden with longing, only to see his dream of happiness shatter. Suddenly, Yingying visits at night, and the two live together in secret, reaching the climax of their love. Later, their secret affair is exposed, and the grandmother's fury intensifies the plot; Hongniang argues logically and exploits the grandmother's weaknesses, forcing her to accept the inevitable, resolving the conflict seemingly once more. Yet, the grandmother adds the condition that the Xiang family will not accept a "white-clothed son-in-law," forcing Zhang to take the imperial examination and parting the lovers in sorrow. In the possibly later-added fifth act, before the final happy ending, Zheng Heng's forced marriage to Yingying adds another layer of complexity. Such a complex and winding plot, full of twists and turns, is something short plays cannot achieve. It not only makes the story rich in variety and charm but also, through continuous trials, strengthens and fully portrays the love of the protagonists. The main characters—Zhang, Yingying, and Hongniang—all have distinct personalities that complement each other. In this multi-act play, each act is sung by different characters, sometimes with multiple singers in one act, which conveniently allows for the of characters through their songs.
Zhang's character is both frivolous and honest, unrestrained yet foolishly conservative. He embodies the "flavor" of the carefree scholars of the early Yuan Dynasty, like Guan Hanqing and Wang Shifu, reflecting the sympathetic mockery of the urban class toward Confucian scholars in Yuan society. He does not match the social status assigned to him in the play but is clearly shaped by the tastes of urban society. His image can still be seen in later folk tales of figures like Tang Bohu. In The Story of the Western Chamber, Zhang is the one who initiates conflicts, showing a direct and intense pursuit of a happy love. His boldness reflects the stirring of repressed, "evil" elements in social psychology; his unwavering devotion and deep longing make him a lovable character in the romantic narrative of love.
Yingying already had certain personality traits in Yuan Zhen's The Story of Yingying, but in Dong Jieyuan's The Western Chamber in Zugu Opera, her character develops further, making her image more vivid. However, her portrayal is still not detailed enough, and even somewhat contradictory. For example, at the beginning, she exchanges poems with Zhang, indirectly expressing her affection, but when Zhang sends her love poems, she curses him in her heart as "lecherous like pigs and dogs." While this can be explained, it at least shows a lack of precision in handling the situation. By the time of The Story of the Western Chamber, Yingying's character is finely crafted, appearing more clear and rich. In the author's portrayal, she always yearns for free love and has long harbored feelings for Zhang. However, she is constrained by her family's strict control and the expectations of a noblewoman, and she distrusts Hongniang, who is sent to monitor her. Thus, she cautiously tests the possibility of winning love, often acting in seemingly contradictory ways: sometimes exchanging glances, sometimes putting on airs; she makes plans to meet but then retracts them. Because of her personality, the plot becomes highly complex. However, she ultimately breaks free from her fears and contradictions through a bold elopement, showing that human nature can become even stronger under suppression. This image is more believable and endearing than in the Zugu Opera. Moreover, the author's admiring view of women's active pursuit of love makes the play more vibrant and radiant.
Hongniang's role in The Story of the Western Chamber is significantly larger than in the Zugu Opera, making her one of the most important characters in the play. Despite being only a maid, she is the most active and beloved character. She is clever, passionate, and full of sympathy, often resolving conflicts between Cui and Zhang when their love is in trouble with her unique wit. She represents healthy life force, vitality, and confidence. Thus, this little servant is often in a position of superiority, escaping neither the satire, ridicule, nor sharp rebukes of Zhang's pedantic nature, Yingying's pretense, or the grandmother's stubbornness. She is not bound by any dogma, and any principle can be twisted to her advantage. Therefore, her use of moralistic language is frequent—speaking of "ritual," "faith," Confucius and Mencius, and so on, but always to her own benefit. This character is somewhat idealized but also has a degree of realism. She reflects the attitude of life in the urban society, where people are less constrained by traditional dogma and more inclined to consider practical interests when choosing between various "principles."
The Story of the Western Chamber depicts the conflict between feudal conservatives, represented by the grandmother, and rebels against ritual, represented by Yingying, Zhang, and Hongniang, expressing the theme: "Eternally no separation, forever together, may all lovers in the world become couples." The foundation of marriage should be genuine love between men and women, not the disparity of status, wealth, power, appearance, or talent.