Hamlet’s Bombay Dream

“... to die, to sleep
No more; and by a sleep, to say we end
The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks
That Flesh is heir to? ‘Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to Dream; aye, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes Calamity of so long life.”

A Louis XV parcel-gilt and cream painted lit à la polonaise, mid 18th century (from La vie de château, collection Jean-Louis Remilleux), part of Christie’s Objects of Desire.

Featuring elaborately carved wood with gilded details, this 18th century French four-poster bed offers its inhabitant the possibility of total seclusion at the flick of a pink silk curtain. At just over three metres in height, the bed comes complete with a floral headboard, the entire structure topped with a gold ‘blossom-form’ roof. Pink sashes and tassles add to the sense of occasion.

Photography by Tim Walker for Casa Vogue October 2010, Clementine Keith-Roach and Her Oyster Shell Bed, Northamptonshire, UK.

via bombayelectric on instagram

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長恨歌: Song of Everlasting Sorrow

"Now from his breast into his eyes the ache

of longing mounted, and he wept at last,

his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms,

longed for as the sunwarmed earth is longed for by a swimmer

spent in rough water where his ship went down

under Poseidon's blows, gale winds and tons of sea.

Few men can keep alive through a big surf

to crawl, clotted with brine, on kindly beaches

in joy, in joy, knowing the abyss behind:

and so she too rejoiced, her gaze upon her husband,

her white arms round him pressed as though forever."

~ from, The Odyssey

Homer

translated by Robert Fitzgerald

My friend Leanne's lovely post on 楊貴妃 Yang Guifei has inspired me to re-read Tang poet Bai Juyi's The Song of Everlasting Sorrow (長恨歌), a poetic narrative of the mournful love story of Tang Emperor Hsuan Tzung 唐玄宗 (Xuanzong) and his beloved imperial consort Yang Yu-Huan 楊玉環 (Yang Guifei), and the emperor's perpetual grief and regret at the eventual loss of his love. Yang Guifei is known as 羞花 (xiu hua - literally meaning "shames flowers"), and considered first of the Four Great Beauties of China. 「西施沉魚, 昭君落雁, 貂嬋閉月, 貴妃羞花。」(Xi Shi sinks fish, Wang Zhaojun drops birds, Diaochan closes the moon, Yang Guifei shames flowers.)

In response to Leanne's beautiful post that I enjoyed reading so much, I wrote a rather long comment (see below, after the poem), which rarely happens even in my own blog! I included it here as I write so little these days - where has the writer in me gone...? (A writer friend used to say to me, "Did you choose to write? Or did writing choose you?") At the moment I suppose I am more of a "micro-blog" and visual/sensory type when it comes to recording my daily inspiration... Nevertheless, thank you, all the peonies of Chang'an...


太真外傳 (唱詞)
故事見唐白居易《長恨歌》。梅蘭芳在1925至1926年間根據《長生殿》傳奇改編為京劇，分為四本。自《入選》至《夢會》凡十餘折，蔚為大觀。此劇音樂由徐蘭沅、王少卿精心設計，創造了不少新的板式與唱腔並編配了許多京崑曲牌。




白居易〈長恨歌〉
{see two versions of the translation in English here & here}

漢皇重色思傾國，御宇多年求不得。
楊家有女初長成，養在深閏人未識。
天生麗質難自棄，一朝選在君王側。
回眸一笑百媚生，六宮粉黛無顏色。
春寒賜浴華清池，溫泉水滑洗凝脂；
待兒扶起嬌無力，始是新承恩澤時。
雲鬢花顏金步搖，芙蓉帳暖度春宵；
春宵苦短日高起，從此君王不早朝。
承歡侍宴無閑暇，春從春遊夜專夜。
後宮佳麗三千人，三千寵愛在一身。
金屋妝成嬌侍夜，玉樓宴罷醉和春。
姊妹弟兄皆列士，可憐光彩生門戶。
遂令天下父母心，不重生男重生女。
驪宮高處入青雲，仙樂風飄處處聞。
緩歌慢舞凝絲竹，盡日君王看不足。
漁陽鼙鼓動地來，驚破霓裳羽衣曲。
九重城闕煙塵生，千乘萬騎西南行。
翠華搖搖行復止，西出都門百餘里；
六軍不發無奈何？宛轉蛾眉馬前死。
花鈿委地無人收，翠翹金雀玉搔頭。
君王掩面救不得，回看血淚相和流。
黃埃散漫風蕭素，雲棧縈紆登劍閣。
峨嵋山下少人行，旌旗無光日色薄。
蜀江水碧蜀山青，聖主朝朝暮暮情。
行宮見月傷心色，夜雨聞鈴腸斷聲。

天旋地轉迥龍馭，到此躊躇不能去。
馬嵬坡下泥土中，不見玉顏空死處。
君臣相顧盡霑衣，東望都門信馬歸。
歸來池苑皆依舊，太液芙蓉未央柳；
芙蓉如面柳如眉，對此如何不淚垂？
春風桃李花開日，秋雨梧桐葉落時。
西宮南內多秋草，落葉滿階紅不掃。
梨園子弟白髮新，椒房阿監青娥老。
夕殿螢飛思悄然，孤燈挑盡未成眠。
遲遲鐘鼓初長夜，耿耿星河欲曙天。
鴛鴦瓦冷霜華重，翡翠衾寒誰與共？
悠悠生死別經年，魂魄不曾來入夢。
臨邛道士鴻都客，能以精誠致魂魄；
為感君王輾轉思，遂教方士殷勤覓。
排空馭氣奔如電，升天入地求之遍；
上窮碧落下黃泉，兩處茫茫皆不見。
忽聞海上有仙山，山在虛無縹緲間。
樓閣玲瓏五雲起，其中綽約多仙子。
中有一人字太真，雪膚花貌參差是。
金闕西廂叩玉扃，轉教小玉報雙成。
聞道漢家天子使，九華帳裡夢魂驚；
攬衣推枕起徘徊，珠箔銀屏迤邐開。
雲鬢半偏新睡覺，花冠不整下堂來。
風吹仙袂飄飄舉，猶似霓裳羽衣舞。
玉容寂寞淚闌干，梨花一枝春帶雨。

含情凝睇謝君王，一別音容兩渺茫。
昭陽殿裡恩愛絕，蓬萊宮中日月長。
回頭下望人寰處，不見長安見塵霧。
唯將舊物表深情，鈿合金釵寄將去。
釵留一股合一扇，釵擘黃金合分鈿。
但教心似金鈿堅，天上人間會相見。
臨別殷勤重寄詞，詞中有誓兩心知，
七月七日長生殿，夜半無人私語時：
在天願作比翼鳥，在地願為連理枝。
天長地久有時盡，此恨綿綿無絕期。

*                    *                    *

The story of Xuanzong and Guifei, as well as Bai Juyi's Song of Unending Sorrow, are said to have inspired the Japanese Heian literary gem - The Tale of Genji (源氏物語 Genji Monogatari).

*                    *                    *

(Here is my comment in response to Leanne's post on 楊貴妃...)

The preservation of Tang dances in Japanese court also interests me very much. In fact Dr. Liu Feng-Xue (founder and artistic director of Neo-Classic Dance Company 新古典舞團, and the first Chinese dance historian/ scholar/ artist/ choreographer to receive a PhD) devotes a large part of her career reconstructing ancient Chinese court music and dance, including getting special permission to study in the royal court of Japan and learning Labannotation from scratch to record the pieces etc. Neo-Classic is premiering Dr. Liu's new work in October, another reconstruction of ancient dance/music - I must be back in Taipei to attend!

I love Dr. Liu's works and have a special affection for Neo-Classic as that was where I learned ballet since 5! I mentioned these in a blog post 唐詩樂舞 Beauty of Tang: Music, Dance and Poetry. (A reader later introduced me to an amazing artist Elyse Ashe Lord. Perhaps you know her work already? If not I highly recommend checking out her paintings...!)

Another gem I adore, Han Tang Yuefu 漢唐樂府, might also interest you - I have almost all their DVDs and CDs. Such beauty... Sigh. I can listen to the music and watch the dances all day long.

I really enjoyed reading the English translations of the Chinese poetry, and must re-read these poems one of these days... I am a lover of Li Bai - when I was a kid it was a drag having to memorise and recite all these classics, but now I realise they do stay with me in my heart (not just poetry, philosophy as well), even though one can no longer recite them! It's fascinating to know that the story of 玄宗 and 楊貴妃 might have influenced 源氏物語, as people tend to associate Tale of Genji to Dream of the Red Mansion, I suppose. I remember when I went to a special exhibition at Kyoto National Museum, I stood in front of a large screen depicting The Tale of Genji, forever. I think I was trying to absorb as much of that quiet yet glorious beauty as I possibly could. A while ago there was a small (yet well-curated) exhibition of noh masks, costumes, manuscripts etc. in Tokyo - it was magical, with quiet gagaku playing in the background at that wonderful little gallery... I miss it.

And the Oedipus Complex (or the reverse) you hinted at the end of this article... How universal and yet how different it is between the East and the West. The stories you mentioned here, and the poems, give me a sense of 無奈, 悵然若失 (I can never seem to find the right words for these in English). These are similar emotions I felt after watching one of my favourite films "In the Mood for Love." A kind of tranquil/peaceful sadness, but perhaps even more heartrending...

I also posted Tamasaburo's Yokihi in my blog post Adieu ma concubine! We do share such similar interests. :) I will search for his Peony Pavilion on YouTube. Do you know Tamasaburo performed Peony Pavilion at the last Hong Kong Arts Festival? Shame I missed it...!! My love for kunqu is even deeper than Peking opera, and Peony Pavilion and Peach Blossom Fan are my favourite.

On a slightly different note, I went to see 北京當代芭蕾舞團 Beijing Dance Theatre's Golden Lotus (adapted from 金瓶梅) at the Hong Kong Arts Festival this year. The choreographer Wang Yuanyuan (王媛媛) also did the full-length ballet drama Raise the Red Lantern, with Zhang Yimou's direction & stage design. Ballet being one of my "core passions," her Raise the Red Lantern is the single best ballet I have ever seen, perhaps as it is very close to my heart (a combination of ballet and Chinese opera - what a dream for me!). Wang Yuanyuan is seriously talented.

Just would like to say again how much I love this post!

Ting-Jen xx

*                    *                    *

I will leave you here with a few lines of beautiful poetry exchanged between Genji and Fujitsubo, also from Leanne's post...

"Through the waving, dancing sleeves could you see a heart
So stormy that it wished but to be still?"

"Of waving Chinese sleeves I cannot speak.
Each step, each motion, touched me to the heart."

亙古的貴妃醉酒臥魚之美 Forever enthralled by the drunken princess...

《貴妃醉酒》的身段一向是我在京劇中很喜愛的折子。之前幸運地找到大師梅蘭芳頗為完整的演出，包括唱腔、銜杯、臥魚、醉步、扇舞等等梅派改良後之美學精髓，很可惜目前只剩下片段。我該去找出DVD好好欣賞... 這裡選的是不同演員詮釋的貴妃醉酒，其中亦有梅派戲劇大師梅蘭芳及其子梅派傳人梅葆玖等精彩演出。貴妃醉酒不愧為京劇中經典之作...



【楊玉環】（唱四平調）

海島冰輪初轉騰，見玉兔，玉兔又早東昇。
那冰輪離海島，乾坤分外明。
皓月當空，恰便似嫦娥離月宮，奴似嫦娥離月宮。
好一似嫦娥下九重，清清冷落在廣寒宮，啊在廣寒宮。
玉石橋斜倚把欄杆靠，鴛鴦來戲水，
金色鯉魚在水面朝，啊在水面朝。
長空雁雁兒飛，雁兒飛哎呀雁兒呀，
雁兒並飛騰聞奴的聲音落花蔭。
這景色撩人欲醉，不覺來到百花亭。

Yang Guifei by Takaku Aigai

一代名伶梅蘭芳於中國抗日時蓄鬍, 拒絕為日軍演出

Photo of Mei Lanfang taken during the Sino-Japanese War

梅蘭芳演譯楊玉環

Mei Lanfang as Yang Guei-Fei in "The Drunken Concubine"

青年時期的梅蘭芳 Young Mei Lanfang

張國榮於霸王別姬片中的角色程蝶衣飾演楊玉環

Leslie Cheung as Yang Guei-Fei in Farewell My Concubine

Forever Enthralled is another film about Peking (Beijing) Opera by the critically acclaimed Chinese director Chen Kaige (best known for Farewell My Concubine). This time the film centres around the life of my Mr. Poetic Oneirism, the legendary Chinese opera artist Mei Lanfang. *Click here for a higher-resolution version, with subtitles in simplified Chinese (unfortunately no English at this time).




齊白石與梅蘭芳的書畫師生情

梅蘭芳先生之所以成為中國京劇史上成就最為輝煌的表演藝術大師，是與他在藝術上的勤學苦練、虛心求教分不開的。他向齊白石學畫，並與齊建立了終生友誼就是一例。

1932年，梅蘭芳來北京演出，齊白石觀看完他的演出，佩服得五體投地。恰巧，梅蘭芳一直想向齊白石學畫，通過熟人向齊白石說了想法。齊白石聽說後，立即安排時間見梅蘭芳。

這年9月的一天，齊白石來到了北京廬草園梅宅。二人握手坐定後，齊白石關切地問到：“聽說你最近習畫很用功，看過你的畫，尤其是最近畫的佛像，比以前進步了。”梅蘭芳不好意思，忙答道：“對于繪畫，我是門外漢，笨人一個，雖然拜過很多老師，但都畫不好。我喜歡您老的草蟲、遊魚、蝦米，就像活的一樣，但比活的更美。今天我誠心請您老一畫，我在旁邊學習學習，看看您的筆下功夫，我這就替您磨墨。”說罷，梅蘭芳起身捧出文房四寶，在書桌上磨起墨來。齊白石像個孩童似的打趣道：“讓你這名角給我磨墨，山人委實不敢當。不過，我給你畫蟲草，你回頭唱一段給我聽，怎麼樣？”

“那現成。”梅蘭芳不假思索道：“一會兒我的琴師來了，我準唱。”待磨好墨後，他又鋪開上乘宣紙。齊白石頷首含笑，挽上衣袖，從筆筒裏挑出兩只畫筆，蘸了一些墨，凝神默想片刻。突然，他俯下筆。須臾間，一個毫發畢現、蠢蠢欲動的小蟲便躍然紙上。齊白石下筆極快且準確，梅蘭芳但見“惜墨如金”的齊白石在畫成魚鳥蟲草後，筆池裏的水始終是清的。

琴師到了，梅蘭芳唱了一段《貴妃醉酒》。又一次，梅蘭芳再三邀請師翁到綴玉軒作畫，想讓師翁親自面教。齊白石欣然前往。見面後，梅蘭芳要求觀看作草蟲圖，齊白石答應了。梅蘭芳連忙磨墨理紙。齊白石畫完兩幅草蟲圖後，作詩一首相贈：

飛塵十丈暗燕京，綴玉軒中氣獨清。難得善才看作畫，殷勤磨就墨三升。

梅蘭芳捧詩吟誦，敬禮謝師。從此兩人建立了深厚的友誼，梅蘭芳尊稱齊白石為“老師”。不久，在一位“大官家”的家宴上，二人同被邀請，赴宴那天，齊白石不慎丟了帖子，他身穿深褐色布袍，雖洗得整潔乾凈，但已發白陳舊。如此裝束在滿屋達官顯貴的綾羅綢緞間，實在不起眼。加上他又一時沒找著相熟之人，只能獨坐一隅。偏偏門子不識相，走上前又盤問了幾句。齊白石大窘，悔不該來。這時梅蘭芳進來見到了孤零零的老人，獨自坐在一邊，忙甩開眾人，快步走上前，恭恭敬敬地喚道：“老師。”然後，親自攙扶著他，走上前排。大家一陣詫異，竊竊私語：“這個怪老頭是誰？”

梅蘭芳將頭一搖，自豪的答道：“這是名畫家齊白石，也是我的老師。”

齊白石認為梅蘭芳在關鍵時刻為他“圓了面子”，因此對梅蘭芳十分感激。回家後，精心畫就了一幅《雪中送炭圖》，配詩一首，送給梅蘭芳。詩雲：

曾見先朝享太平，布衣蔬食動公卿。而今淪落長安市，幸有梅郎識姓名。

梅蘭芳收到畫，讀過詩，感慨良久。提筆給齊白石回了一首詩：

師傳畫藝情誼深，學生怎能忘師恩。世態炎涼雖如此，吾敬我師是本分。 

(此文轉載自新華網, 2007年8月30日)

*Read more about 齊白石 (Qi Bai-Shi) here {in English} and here {in Chinese}. Master Qi is one of my parents' favourite artists, and I shall certainly write a separate blog post on him in the future. Or more appropriately perhaps, on the inspiration his life and his art have given me.

Farewell

I am overwhelmed with indescribable emotions again, after watching this short video clip of the film that "rocked my world" a long time ago... "霸王別姬" (Farewell My Concubine).

I think I fell in love with Leslie Cheung after watching "Farewell My Concubine," another one of my favourite cinematic treasures and probably the first film I felt so strongly about. My love affair with Chinese opera (both Beijing Opera and Kunqu) also started around that time. Since then I constantly dream of Chinese opera, like a stylised and quiet painting depicting exquisite landscapes decorated with tiny delicate jewels, presenting a mixture of its music, singing, movements, costumes, make-up, lyrics, a kaleidoscope of colours and beautiful narratives.

I still remember going to the cinema with my dad when "Farewell My Concubine" was first released - I was 13. I felt as if I was never going to be the same afterwards, and that I was so filled with something inexplicable that I could not allow anything else to enter my psyche for a while. Perhaps one of the definitions of a truly great film is that it gives the viewer a life-transforming, and sometimes out-of-body, experience.

Below is this beautiful video with Leslie Cheung singing the movie theme song, accompanied by some of the most gorgeous, intoxicating, as well as heartbreaking scenes from the film. I really must re-watch this gem one of these days.

張國榮, 著實地傾國傾城...


Ah, looking at Leslie now just makes me want to cry...

張國榮於霸王別姬片中詮釋名旦程蝶衣演繹白蛇傳之白素貞

Bai Su-Zhen of The Legend of the White Serpent, as interpreted by Leslie Cheung in Farewell My Concubine

 

張國榮於霸王別姬片中詮釋名旦程蝶衣演繹牡丹亭之杜麗娘

Du Li-Niang of The Peony Pavilion, as rendered by Leslie Cheung in Farewell My Concubine

You can see the complete film (at the moment) here.

Taipei: My City, My Home (updated)

Points of Interest in Taipei:
old houses, scholars’ dens, art spaces, tea culture & gardens etc.

Taipei is by far one of the most dynamically artistic and cultural cities in the world, with its own distinctive and profound heritage. I have compiled a list of places of interest in this wonderful city where I grew up and am becoming more and more fond of.

*This post is being constantly updated - please check back often. Also, most websites/links have an English and/or Japanese version, so do click away and explore!*

滿溢著藝術氣息的師大夜市一隅

《學者故居》 Scholars' Dens

林語堂故居 The Lin Yutang House (台北市仰德大道二段141號, Tel: 02-2861-3003) *See a beautiful photo album of Lin Yutang's residence.
殷海光故居 Yin Foo-Sun's Residence (臺北市大安區溫州街18巷16弄一之一號) {A good blog/reference site of many interesting old buildings}
李國鼎故居 Li Guo-Ding's Residence (臺北市中正區泰安街2巷3號, Tel: 02-2393-5991 要先預約) See also here.
錢穆故居 The Ch'ien Mu House (臺北市士林區臨溪路72號, Tel: 02-2880-5809)
嚴家淦故居 Yen Jia-Gan Residence (台北市中正區重慶南路二段2號、4號) *目前暫不開放參觀

溫州街小巷, 近殷海光學者故居

《老建築》 Old Buildings and Houses

台北賓館 Taipei Guest House (台北市凱達格蘭大道); 參觀資訊 http://tgh.mofa.gov.tw/ {Great photography on this blog.}
撫臺街洋樓 (台北市延平南路26號, Tel: 02-2314-5190) - No official website, but here's a wonderful blog full of info on old buildings.
市長官邸藝文沙龍 The Mayor's Residence Arts Salon (台北市徐州路46號, Tel: 02-2396-8198)
台北市中山堂 (臺北市延平南路98號, Tel: 02-2381-3137)
西門紅樓 The Red House (台北市萬華區成都路10號, Tel: 02-2311-9380)
牯嶺街小劇場 (台北市中正區牯嶺街5 巷2 號, Tel: 02-2391-9393)
台北故事館 Taipei Story House (台北市中山北路三段181-1號, Tel: 02-2596-1898)
台北之家/ 光點台北 Taipei House/ Spot Taipei (台北市中山北路二段18號, Tel: 02-2511-7786)
朝北醫院 (台北市萬華區西園路一段181號) *目前只能看外觀
古城老街區 (台北市中正區延平南路)
臺北縣立淡水古蹟博物館 Dansui Historic Sites, Taipei County (臺北縣淡水鎮中正路28巷1號, Tel：02 2623 1001)
北投溫泉博物館 Beitou Hotspring Museum (臺北市北投區中山路二號, Tel: 02-2893-9981)
台灣民俗北投文物館 Taiwan Folk Arts Museum (臺北市北投區幽雅路32號, Tel: 02-2891-2318)
吟松閣老溫泉旅館 (台北市北投區幽雅路21號, Tel: 02-28912063)
《玫瑰古蹟》蔡瑞月舞蹈研究社 Tsai Jui-Yueh Dance Institute (臺北市中山北路二段48巷10號, Tel: 02-2523-7547)
*士林官邸 (台北市福林路60號, {士林區中山北路5段460巷1號, 福林路口東南側}, Tel: 02-2881-2512, 02-2881-2912) Where the annual chrysanthemum exhibition is held: 士林官邸菊展.

殷海光故居門口

《博物館/藝廊/表演藝術中心》 Museums, Galleires & Spaces for Performance Arts

國立歷史博物館 National Museum of History (臺北市南海路49號, Tel: 02-2361-0270) *新網頁好美; 記得順道參觀植物園
國立台灣博物館 National Taiwan Museum (臺北市中正區100襄陽路2號, 二二八和平公園內; 02-2382-2699)
紀州庵新館 (台北市中正區同安街107號, Tel: 02-2364-0651)
上古藝術館 Sogo Art (台北市建國南路一段160號B1, 忠孝東路口; Tel: 02-2711-3577)
佛光緣美術館 Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery (台北市信義區松隆路327號十樓之一, Tel: :02-2760-0222)
楊英風美術館 Yu Yu Yuan Museum (台北市重慶南路二段31號, Tel：02-23961966)
岩筆模 MBmore (台北市捷運中山站地下書街B39, 近R9出口)
南海藝廊 Nanhai Gallery, National Taipei University of Education (台北市重慶南路二段19巷3號, Tel: 02-2392-5080)
台北戲棚 Taipei Eye (台北市中山北路二段113號, 錦州街入口; Tel: 02-2568-2677)
台北偶戲館 Puppetry Art Centre of Taipei (台北市松山區市民大道五段99號2樓, Tel: 02-2528-9553)
台北市立美術館 Taipei Fine Arts Museum (臺北市中山北路三段181號, Tel: 02 25957656)
台北當代藝術館 Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (台北市大同區長安西路39號, Tel: 02-2552-3721轉301)
瑩瑋藝術翡翠文化博物館 Museum of Jade Art (臺北市104中山區建國北路一段96號1樓)
台北服飾文化館 Taipei Costume and Culture Centre (台北市萬華區西園路二段9號, Tel: 02-2304-4088)
中正紀念堂展場 National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
國父紀念館展場 (國父史蹟紀念館) National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
兩廳院: 國家戲劇院/ 國家音樂廳 National Theatre & Concert Hall
國立故宮博物院 National Palace Museum, Taipei (Always worth a visit, in any case...)
市長官邸藝文沙龍 The Mayor's Residence Arts Salon (台北市徐州路46號, Tel：02-2396-8198)
臺北縣立鶯歌陶瓷博物館 Taipei County Yingge Ceramics Museum (台北縣鶯歌鎮文化路200號, Tel: 02-8677-2727)
華山1914創意文化園區 Huashan 1914 Creative Park (台北市中正區八德路一段1號/ Tel: 02-2358-1914)
草山國際藝術村 Grass Mountain Artist Village (台北市北投區湖底路92 號, Tel：02-2862-2404)
台北國際藝術村 Taipei Artist Village (台北市北平東路7號, Tel：02-3393-7377)
凱達格蘭文化館 Ketagalang Culture Centre (台北市北投區中山路3-1號/ Tel: 02-2898-6500)
梅庭 The Plum Garden, Beitou (台北市北投區中山路6號, Tel: 02-2897-2647)
表演36房 Performing Arts School 36 (台北市文山區木新路二段156之1號, Tel: 02-2939-3088)
芝山文化生態綠園 Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden (台北市雨聲街120號, Tel: 02-8866-6258)
臺北市電影主題公園 Taipei Cinema Park (臺北市康定路19號, Tel: 02-2312-3717)
台北數位藝術中心 Digital Art Centre, Taipei (台北市士林區福華路180號, Tel: 02-7736-0708)
台北探索館 Discovery Centre of Taipei (臺北市市府路一號, Tel: 1999 {外縣市 02-27574547} 轉4547)

*Below four outside Taipei ~
國立台灣文學館 National Museum of Taiwanese Literature (台南市中西區中正路1號, Tel: 06-221-7201)
國立台灣美術館 (台中市西區五權西路一段2號, Tel: 04-2372-3552)
泰郁美學堂 Taiyu Beaux Arts Salon (嘉義市600大雅路二段452號, Tel: 05-278 5864)
國立傳統藝術中心 Centre for Traditional Arts (宜蘭縣五結鄉季新村五濱路二段201號, Tel: 03-970-5815). Two lovely exhibitions - 情結古今蝶戀花: 明&愚編飾創作展 "An Encounter with Colourful Butterflies and Flowers: Ming & Yu Design Collection" {see also 珠寶設計 古玩生香 Ming & Yu Jewellery Design}; 路轉青山巧手遇: 傳藝刺繡特展 "An Encounter with Ingenious Hands: A Special Exhibition of Traditional Embroidery."

Spot Taipei 光點/台北之家 is the former residence of the American ambassador to Taiwan (long long ago...), now an hauteur/art cinema, bookstore & cafe in one. David and I adore the al fresco cafe - ah, the resplendence of trees...

溫州街巷弄裡的殷海光學者故居

《品茗》 Tea Culture/ Teahouses

小慢 Xiaoman (台北市泰順街16巷39號, Tel: 02 2365 0017) - It immediately became my favourite teahouse in Taipei after only one tea session, perhaps even in the whole world. One of the most beautiful places in Taipei, and so close to where I live! (See more photos & Facebook page...)
紫藤廬 Wisteria House (台北市新生南路三段16巷1號, Tel：02 2363 7375 & 02-2363 9459); see also the Facebook official page of Wisteria House.
爾雅書馨一庭之廣生食品行 (台北市泰順街38巷25號, Tel：02 2363 3414) - Reminiscent of the nostalgic old Shanghai, visiting this teahouse is always on our to-do list whenever David and I come to Taipei. The owner used to have a fascinating and gorgeous antique shop nearby, where we discovered loads of treasures, but it seems to have closed down. Click here and here for more photos and information (in Chinese).
紅樓茶坊 Cho West Cha at The Red House Theatre (台北市萬華區成都路10號, Tel: 02-2311-9380)
撫臺街洋樓「午後茶韻」 (台北市延平南路26號, Tel: 02-2314-5190)
布拉格 There's No Place Like Café Prague (台北市泰順街40巷30號, Tel: 02 2369 7722)
明星咖啡館 Astoria Café (台北市中正區武昌街一段7號2樓, Tel: 02 2381 5589)
中山堂堡壘咖啡 Fortress Café (台北市延平南路98號2樓, Tel: 02 2381 3137)
二條通 綠島小夜曲 The Island (台北市中山北路1段33巷1號, Tel: 02 2531 4594)
采采食茶文化 Cha Cha Thé (台北市復興南路一段219巷23號, Tel: 02 8773 1818/ 台北市敦化南路一段132號, Tel: 02 8773 5838)
老樹咖啡 Oldtree Café (台北市中正區新生南路一段60號, Tel: 02 2351 6463)
朵兒咖啡館 Daughters' Café (台北市松山區富錦街393號, Tel: 02 8787 2425)

《Reference Websites》

台北市古典建築
台灣古蹟列表 (on Wikipedia)
台灣美術館及博物館
台北市政府文化局 Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government
文化快遞 Taipei Culture Express
文化資產 Taipei Cultural Heritage Sites
*藝遊網*
台北旅遊網 Taipei Travel Net
節氣與農諺 {臺灣節慶之美}
2010 臺北古蹟日 ~ 花現臺北城 嬉遊古蹟
國立臺灣工藝研究發展中心 National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (南投縣542草屯鎮中正路573號, Tel：049-233-4141)
AIR Taipei 藝術進駐
學學文創志業 Xue Xue Institute (台北市內湖區堤頂大道二段207號, Tel：0800-068-089)

*Musical landscapes for this post - Igor Stravinsky's Agon.

崑曲之桃花扇與牡丹亭：Kunqu－Peach Blossom Fan & Peony Pavilion

I have always been in love with Chinese opera, in particular kunqu (崑曲). The sweetness and tenderness of the actors’ voice, delicate hand gestures, dramatic facial expressions (especially those of the eyes), beautifully abstract movements, gorgeous costumes and classical stage designs etc. are but a few reasons that started my fascination with this enchanting and refined ancient artform. There has been a renaissance of kunqu opera in recent years, with artists from many different genres, writers, scholars and dramatists contributing their expertise into revitalising the art of classical Chinese theatre. Kunqu was listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001. Its melody or tune is one of the Four Great Characteristic Melodies in Chinese opera.

David and I went to see “The Peach Blossom Fan” at the Esplanade Theatre on Friday evening, performed by Jiangsu Kunqu Opera Theatre of China. It was an exquisite and dazzling performance, which I thoroughly enjoyed (equally as I adore the famous “Peony Pavilion” I saw in Taipei and London previously)—such a magnificent and harmonious marriage of music, theatre, songs, choreographed martial arts, dance, beautiful costumes, set designs, and splendid poetry/literature. “The Peach Blossom Fan” is a profoundly stunning, mesmerising dramatic piece with an Advaita Vedantic or Taoist, highly philosophical ending.


孔尚任《桃花扇》：Peach Blossom Fan by Kong Shangren



The Peach Blossom Fan is the landmark of the Chinese ancient legends. Tian Qinxin, Director of the Kunqu Opera—The Peach Blossom Fan (1699)—has invited the world-renowned artists to present an immortal masterpiece that will be passed from generation to generation.

The stage design for the play highlights simplicity and smart space: the stage contains smaller stages, the cloisters on both sides are painted with the painting works of the Ming Dynasty—The Map of the Prosperous Southern Capital—a masterpiece comparable to Life along the Bian River at the Pure Brightness Festival, and the mirror floor clearly reflects the human figures to render the effect of the shining waves.

The stage will also present rare treasures: Almost 200 sets of performing costumes that are all manually embroidered; the music score that will be sung again by the people today; the fan inscribed by Yu Zhenfei, the Kunqu Opera master; the headwear passed down from the ancestors of the famous masters, and the Ming Dynasty furniture.

Shi Xiaomei, Hu Jinfang, Huang Xiaowu and Ke Jun, known as four “Plum Blossoms,” will show up on the same stage to give a classical performance by three generations of Kunqu Opera actors.



Synopsis:

Using a peach blossom fan as the plot, the play expresses the emotion of rise and fall through the emotion of departure and reunification by elaborately combining the love story between Hou Fangyu, a famous scholar of Fushe, and Li Xiangjun, a famous prostitute in the Qinhuai River Region, with the political decay of the Southern Ming Dynasty. The play invites deep thinking and review.

Hou Fangyu got to know Li Xiangjun in a Nanjing brothel, and got engaged with each other. Ruan Dacheng, a remnant of the eunuch party, sent trousseaux to Li Xiangjun in private to buy Hou Fangyu after knowing the hero was financially tight. Li Xiangjun saw through the plot of Ruan Dacheng, and insisted on returning the trousseaux. Later, Ruan Dacheng brought a false charge against Hou Fangyu, saying Hou was collaborating with Zuo Liangyu to betray the court, and Hou was forced to escape Nanjing.

馮方宇《梅雨，踏荷》2007; 江蘇省蘇州崑劇院 *image via

After Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, hanged himself, Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng were in power again by supporting Prince Fu. They forced Li Xiangjun to diverse Hou Fangyu and marry Tian Yang, a follower. Li Xiangjun preferred to die rather than yield, and committed a suicide, with her blood sprayed on a fan, on which a love poem was inscribed. Yang Longyou, a friend of Hou and Li, painted the blood spots on the fan into peach blossoms on bent branches, and named it “The Peach Blossom Fan.”

The Qing troops marched southwards, defeated Shi Kefa, a general of the Southern Ming Dynasty, and overthrew the Southern Ming Dynasty.

Hou and Li met each other again after ups and downs. However, where would be their end after the country was destroyed.

A Taoist surnamed Zhang on the Qixia Mountain enlightened them, saying “The Peach Blossom Fan was broken.” Then, Hou and Li then became the Taoist worshipers.

(*Via: National Centre for the Performing Arts, China.)






湯顯祖《牡丹亭》：Peony Pavilion by Tang Xianzu

The Peony Pavilion (simplified Chinese: 牡丹亭; traditional Chinese: 牡丹亭; pinyin: mǔdāntíng) is a play written by Tang Xianzu in the Ming Dynasty and first performed in 1598 at the Pavilion of Prince Teng. One of Tang’s “Four Dreams,” it has traditionally been performed as a Kunqu (昆曲/崑曲) opera, but Chuan (川) and Gan (赣/贛) opera versions also exist. It is by far the most popular play of the Ming Dynasty, and is the primary showcase of the guimendan (闺门旦/閨門旦) role type. All Kun theatre troupes include it in their repertoire. Recent adaptations have sought to inject new life into one of China’s best-loved classical operas, though such efforts have met with opposition from the Kun opera traditionalists.

Synopsis:

The performance tradition has focused on the love story between Du Liniang (杜丽娘/杜麗娘) and Liu Mengmei (柳梦梅/柳夢梅), but its original text (standard translation: Cyril Birch) also contains subplots pertaining to the falling Song Dynasty’s defense against the aggression of the Jin Dynasty.

It is the last days of the Southern Song Dynasty. On a fine Spring day, her maid persuades Du Liniang, the sixteen-year-old daughter of an important official, Du Bao, to abandon her studies and take a walk in the garden, where she falls asleep. In Du Liniang’s dream she encounters a young scholar, identified later in the play as Liu Mengmei, whom in real life she has never met. Liu’s bold advances starts off a flaming romance between the two and it flourishes rapidly. Du Liniang’s dream is interrupted by a flower petal falling on her (according to her soliloquy recounting the incident in a later act: Reflection on the lost dream. However, she was apparently awoken by her mother according to the script itself). Du Liniang, however, is since preoccupied with the intense oneiric affair and her lovesickness quickly consumes her. Unable to recover from her fixation, Du Liniang wastes away and dies.

The president of the underworld adjudicates that a marriage between Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei is predestined and Du Liniang ought to return to the earthly world. Du Liniang appears to Liu Mengmei in his dreams who now inhabits the same garden where Du Liniang had her fatal dream. Once recognising that Du Bao’s deceased daughter is the lady who appears in his dreams, Liu agrees to exhume her upon her request and Du Liniang is brought back to life. Liu visits Du Bao and informs him of his daughter’s newly resurrection. However, Liu is met with disbelief and imprisoned for being a grave robber and an impostor. The ending of the play follows the formula of many Chinese comedies. Liu Mengmei narrowly escapes death by torture thanks to the arrival of the results of the imperial examination in which Liu has topped the list. The emperor pardons all.

(This is only a broad outline of the plot of an opera which typically runs for 20 hours.)

About Kunqu:

Kunqu (崑曲; pinyin: Kūnqǔ; Wade-Giles: k’un-ch’ü), also known as Kunju, Kun opera or Kunqu Opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. It evolved from the Kunshan melody, and dominated Chinese theatre from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Kunqu originated in the Wu cultural area.

Kunqu boasts a 600-year history and is known as the “teacher” or “mother” of a hundred operas, because of its influence on other Chinese theatre forms, including Jingju (Peking Opera). Its emergence ushered in the second Golden Era of Chinese drama, but by the early twentieth century it had nearly disappeared, which was only exacerbated by deliberate attempts to suppress it during the Cultural Revolution.

One of the major literary forms of the Ming and Qing dynasties was chuanqi drama, originating from the South. Chuanqi, an old form of dramatic opera, originates from the nanxi in late 14th century before the kunqu opera arises. However, in late 16 century, kunqu opera starts to dominate large part of Chinese drama. Plays that continue to be famous today, including The Peony Pavilion and The Peach Blossom Fan, were originally written for the Kunqu stage. In addition, many classical Chinese novels and stories, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin and Journey to the West were adapted very early into dramatic pieces.

A Kunqu performer’s portrayal of Hu SanniangToday, Kunqu is performed professionally in seven Mainland Chinese cities: Beijing (Northern Kunqu Theatre), Shanghai (Shanghai Kunqu Theatre), Suzhou (Suzhou Kunqu Theatre), Nanjing (Jiangsu Province Kunqu Theatre), Chenzhou (Hunan Kunqu Theatre), Yongjia County/Wenzhou (Yongjia Kunqu Theatre) and Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province Kunqu Theatre), as well as in Taipei. Non-professional opera societies are active in many other cities in China and abroad, and opera companies occasionally tour.

(*Via: wikipedia. Read more in-depth information about kunqu in “What is Kunqu Theatre?”)

Pina 碧娜

“Beauty captivates the flesh in order to obtain permission to pass right to the soul.” ～Simone Weil


Now from his breast into his eyes the ache
of longing mounted, and he wept at last,
his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms,
longed for as the sunwarmed earth is longed for by a swimmer
spent in rough water where his ship went down
under Poseidon's blows, gale winds and tons of sea.

Few men can keep alive through a big surf
to crawl, clotted with brine, on kindly beaches
in joy, in joy, knowing the abyss behind:
and so she too rejoiced, her gaze upon her husband,
her white arms round him pressed as though forever.

～The Odyssey by Homer (Translated by Robert Fitzgerald)

Pina Bausch by Walter Vogel, 1967

Philippine “Pina” Bausch (July 27, 1940 – June 30, 2009), 
photographed in Café Müller.

King Lear: Act II, Scene 4

O, reason not the need: our basest beggars
Are in the poorest thing superfluous:
Allow not nature more than nature needs,
Man's life's as cheap as beast's: thou art a lady;
If only to go warm were gorgeous,
Why, nature needs not what thou gorgeous wear'st,
Which scarcely keeps thee warm. But, for true need,--
You heavens, give me that patience, patience I need!
You see me here, you gods, a poor old man,
As full of grief as age; wretched in both!
If it be you that stir these daughters' hearts
Against their father, fool me not so much
To bear it tamely; touch me with noble anger,
And let not women's weapons, water-drops,
Stain my man's cheeks! No, you unnatural hags,
I will have such revenges on you both,
That all the world shall--I will do such things,--
What they are, yet I know not: but they shall be
The terrors of the earth. You think I'll weep
No, I'll not weep:
I have full cause of weeping; but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,
Or ere I'll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!

啊！不要跟我說什麼需要不需要；最卑賤的乞丐，也有他的不值錢的身外之物；人生除了天然的需要以外，要是沒有其他的享受，那和畜類的生活有什麼分別。你是一位夫人；你穿著這樣華麗的衣服，如果你的目的只是為了保持溫暖，那就根本不合你的需要，因為這種盛裝艷飾並不能使你溫暖。可是，講到真的需要，那麼天啊，給我忍耐吧，我需要忍耐！神啊，你們看見我在這兒，一個可憐的老頭子，被憂傷和老邁折磨得好苦！假如是你們鼓動這兩個女兒的心，使她們忤逆她們的父親，那麼請你們不要儘是愚弄我，叫我默然忍受吧；讓我的心裡激起了剛強的怒火，別讓婦人所恃為武器的淚點玷污我的男子漢的面頰！不，你們這兩個不孝的妖婦，我要向你們復仇，我要做出一些使全世界驚怖的事情來，雖然我現在還不知道我要怎麼做。你們以為我將要哭泣；不，我不願哭泣，我雖然有充分的哭泣的理由，可是我寧願讓這顆心碎成萬片，也不願流下一滴淚來。啊，傻瓜！我要發瘋了！


James Earl Jones's breathtaking performance in the climactic confrontation of King Lear with his daughters in Act II Scene 4 of William Shakespeare's King Lear.

Fragment of a televised version of the 1974 New York Shakespeare Festival production in Central Park. Directed by Edwin Sherin.
Starring:
James Earl Jones ... King Lear
Lee Chamberlin ... Cordelia
Ellen Holly ... Regan
Douglass Watson ... Kent
Paul Sorvino ... Gloucester
Tom Aldredge ... Fool
Rene Auberjonois ... Edgar
Raul Julia ... Edmund
Rosalind Cash ... Goneril

*Full text for Act II Scene 4 here.
*《李爾王》全劇本中文版