The Red Maid (Hongniang)

Peking Opera Performance on March 19, 1998
at 1:30 - 2:00 pm

at Kapiolani Community College

KCC International Cultural Festival, March 1998

In accordance with this event, the Library presented a selection of costumes, musical instruments, and art works of Peking (Beijing) Opera on display during the Festival, outside the Char Room on the second floor. Take a look at the descriptions of the items displayed.

The Chinese Opera Association of Hawaii presented an episode of a play to participate in the International Festival in Kapiolani Community College. The title of the play is: The Red Maid (Hongniang), performed by Mdm. Wang Hui-ling, an artist from Nanjing who is currently in residence of Honolulu.

Synopsis: The Red Maid is one of the theatrical plays enjoying the longest history with written scripts. The original script could date back to as early as Jin Dynasty (1125-1234 AD), known as The Romance of West Chamber (Dong Jeiyuan Xixiangji). Within the next 900 years, after numerous endeavors in modification, refinement and fine tuning, this play has become probably the best-known Beijing Opera play. The character of Red Maid was best portrayed by Xun Huisheng ([1899-1968]), one of the four female role masters of Beijing Opera active between 1930s to 1950s.

Mdm. Hui-ling Wang in the Red Maid (Hong Niang)

Rather than focusing on the hero, Mr. Zhang Jun-rui and the heroine Cui Yinyin, the play draws audience’s attention to Hongniang (Red Maid), the maid-servant who attends her young mistress Yinyin. The whole play illustrates how Red Maid, a young teenager, showed sympathy to the young pair of lovers who were forced to be separated by the Old Lady, the mother of the mistress. The Red Maid, however, despite all of the punishments and threats imposed by the Old Lady, tried all she could to help the couple finally make their dream of love come true. A humorous, active, witty and sometimes a little naughty girl known as the Red Maid, she was presented on the stage with life, beauty, sympathy and bravity. The Red Maid is regarded as a role model in Chinese history celebrated for her boldness to criticize and poke fun at all of the traditional shackles on women and marriage.

The Red Maid is the most peculiar role of huadan. Known as Flower Female, huadan is the role for a vivacious maiden with great emphasis on acting and singing. What is the most charming about this particular role in Beijing Opera is the body movements, as she sways with airy grace on the stage, her left hand on her waist and her right hand holding a red handkerchief. Her every movement vibrates with life, from the suggestive glance of her eyes to the turn of her head.

The following is the high-lighted singing passages of this episode. Chinese Version of these passages is available here (in GB format). There are four singing passages in different tune patterns. The first passage indicates the delicate feeling of Red Maid when she was ordered by the Old Lady to have the gentleman come over for a talk.

THE FIRST PASSAGE: (Sound in RealAudio format, by Xun Huisheng)

A letter has become the very evidence of the match;
Commanded by the Lady, I am on my way to West Chamber.
In the early morning with a little sunshine and cold spring breeze, silence reigns supreme;
Let me, the Red Maid, have a little cough outside to give him hint.

THE SECOND PASSAGE:

(Speaking): Mr, Zhang, you ought to follow every order of mine!
One please as I just said;
He seems to be anxious that he wants to be gloom tonight.
The order from the Lady is like that from the Commander;
Also as an imperial edict, you should be in a rush to go.
Even as a stone-hearted maid;
I show mercy to this young couple today.

THE THIRD PASSAGE: (Sound in RealAudio format, by Song Changrong)

I have spotted that many flaws from my mistress;
But she has been forwarding sweet words to the Red Maid.
Graceful as she is, a mistress born as a treasure for the family;
I have my pity on her that she was shedding tears behind.
Longing for the good day, she has been counting hours;
To match her, there is a young man, sleepless and forgetting her food.
It is not because that I am willing to act as a messenger for them;
Lovers under the Heaven are entitled to their true love.

THE FOURTH PASSAGE: (Sound in RealAudio format, by Xun Huisheng)

My mistress, you are so charming and elegant;
Mr. Zhang, you are so talented and well-learned.
Wealth won’t be able to buy love and talents;
She is on her way when the moonlight shines on the flowers.
Tonight, be even on the debts of love you owe each other;
Satisfied as you are tonight, a wonderful pair of lovers.
The Lady, repudiating on marriage promise, went back on her words;
A good match is ruthlessly separated.
Look, my poor mistress frowns her beautiful eyebrows everyday;
And the young man is sick and skinny.
Despite the severe punishments imposed by the Old Lady;
I, the little Red Maid, will help make their dream come true.

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A Brief Introduction of

Chinese Opera Association of Hawaii

Established in Honolulu in 1978, the Chinese Opera Association of Hawaii, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 1998. This association was originally initiated and founded by a handful of Beijing Opera fans in Honolulu. For the last two decades, this association has witnessed an expansion in membership to nearly 40 people. It has been attracting veteran Beijing Opera enthusiasts and the beginners with interest in this unique art form of China.

In the recent years, the association has been playing a more active role in community services. Under the leadership of Ms. Jessie Cheng, president of 1995 and 1996, and Ms. Hsiao-yun Tso. Lo, president for 1997 and 1998, the association presented Beijing Opera performances on numerous social occasions and charity events, such as the Annual Hai-Hwa Cultural Festival for Overseas Chinese, the Annual East-West Center International Festival, and the Annual Senior Citizen Entertainment Day. Between 1996 and 1997, the association was invited to perform on the Annual Make Music Festival jointly sponsored by Honolulu City and County and French Association. All of the performances received warm welcome and press comments for the excellence in singing, dialogue, and acting, in addition to the exquisite costumes, beautiful make-up and joyful music.

Besides the social occasions and charity events, the association has also organized several major Beijing Opera Entertainment Nights performing some of the best-known Beijing Opera plays. The plays or highlights performed by the members included: The Drunken Beauty (Guifei Zuijiu); Silang Visiting his Mother (Silang Tanmu); Farewell, My Concubine (Bawang bieji ); Mu Guiying Takes Command (Mu Guiying Guashuai); The Romance of the White Snake (Baishe zhuan); Jade Hall of Spring (Susan qijie); The Match of Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu pei); Beauty Defies Tyranny (Yuzhoufeng), just to name a few.

The members of the association meet regularly on Saturday afternoon (2:00-5:00 p.m.) in the Service Center for Overseas Chinese (Chinese Cultural Plaza, 100 North King Street, Suite 302). The weekly gathering in the afternoon is for members’ singing practice and that of the orchestra. The association would encourage all who have interest in Chinese culture to visit the site on Saturdays. New membership is heartily welcomed.

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A Brief Note on Mdm. Wang Hui-ling

Mdm. Hui-ling Wang on stage	Mdm. Hui-ling Wang in Fisherman's Revenge (Da Yu Sha Jia)
Mdm. Hui-ling Wang in Fisherman's Revenge (Da Yu Sha Jia)	Originally from Nanjing, China, Mdm. Wang has been in Honolulu many times visiting her daughter. She was trained and educated in Beijing Opera performance nearly three decades ago, specializing in qingyi and huadan roles. Retired as one of the major female role performers of Jiangsu Provincial Beijing Opera Troupe, Mdm. Wang has been active on the Beijing Opera stage for nearly forty years.

For years, she has impersonated numerous female characters in both traditional and modern Beijing Opera plays. As known, the qingyi is the most significant role in Beijing Opera plays portraying the good matron, faithful wife, or filial daughter. In this type of role, singing is greatly stressed and no fighting and acrobatics are required. Besides, Mdm. Wang is also an expert in huadan role. She has portrayed various lively and beautiful young female characters on the stage in China. The Red Maid is only one of the successes. She has been with the association for over two years, acting as acting and stage advisor to the members.

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The Orchestra

The orchestra is composed of the following members.

The stringed instruments:

• the fiddle (jinghu): George Kuo
• the second f iddle (erhu): Shu Yuan
• the moon mandolin (yueqin): Shi Zheng-jun

The percussion instruments:

• the drum (gu): Ding Ye
• the small gong (xiaoluo): Chi-ting Wang

Other Links:

• Peking Opera Page
• Selected Songs from Peking Opera (in RealAudio format)
• Crossroads of Culture (Kapi`olani Community College 10th Annual International Festival program, in pdf format)
• Kapiolani Community College Library Homepage