Xiqu

Scepters Piling on the Couch is also known as Tale of the Jealous Wife, which is a dramatic chuanqi written by Fan Xizhe in early Qing Dynasty. This performance is a reproduction of the version personally passed down by veteran maestro Ni Chuanyue, joining together the five excerpts; Birthday banquet, Taking a concubine, Kneeling at the door, Begging for a son and Return of the concubine. The story tells of the domestic affair of the military governor of Shuo Fang Province, Gong Jing in Tang Dynasty. Gong Jing is the man who recommends Guo Ziyi to be the Deputy Commander-in-chief of the national army. The performance preserves the elegant and refined traditional style of Suzhou Kunqu.

The story tells of the domestic affair of the military governor of Shuo Fang Province, Gong Jing in Tang Dynasty. Gong’s wife Shi is a cultured and virtuous woman excelled in housekeeping and knowledgeable in national matters. She is capable of offering invaluable advice to Gong on his work. Gong loves and respects her deeply but with a little bit of awe too. As Gong is getting old and still heirless, he wants to take a concubine but finds it hard to tell his wife. One day, his lieutenant finds him a girl Xiao who is willing to sell herself as her father is unable to pay the tax. Gong hides her in a chamber but unfortunately she is discovered by Shi. Shi sympathizes with Xiao’s poor fate, offers her 300 silver taels and releases her to go home. Upon returning from the training ground, Gong finds Xiao has been set free by his wife. He goes to the bedroom to find his wife but she refuses to let him in. Knowing he is wrong, Gong kneels at the door to beg for her forgiveness. Shi finally opens up to receive him. Against the background of prevailing Confucian doctrine of filial piety, the strong and determined Shi, after due consideration, nevertheless goes to find Xiao back and officiates at the ceremony for her husband to take the concubine. The twist in the end further enforces the theme and inspires much thought for the audience.