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On the Stage: Past and Present

Imagine this: you and your family are being pursued by malevolent beings bent on your destruction. You are fleeing in an overloaded boat being tossed this way and that, up and down and jerking from side to side. The boatman warns that the boat could be swamped by the next wave unless someone is tossed overboard in sacrifice to the whole. Someone has to go; is it you, your wife, your son, or your brother?

This is the crux of a traditional Chinese drama called Shu Zhe Xia Chuan（疏者下船）, or, Who Leaves the Boat First. It was written during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), based on a historical account describing an exiled emperor fleeing his enemies. With his boat in danger of sinking, people have to be jettisoned. Each of the emperor’s decisions fills him with pain: each of his long hesitations and internal debates heightens the dramatic effect. While the dilemma is timeless, each generation’s attitudes toward the emperor's plight are somewhat different, because of differences in social customs and values.

The story can be found in On the Stage: Past and Present, a collection of essays about traditional Chinese dramas. The collection contains interesting old stories, but it also raises questions about how present people should think of the past. The author said he had two readerships in mind: one being those who love theatres; the other, those who do not. Drama fans will likely enjoy the collections famous, touching monologues; while those who are not particularly high on dramas can find some inspiration and insight as well. As an old proverb relates, “Life is just a play on a bigger stage.”

Who should leave the boat? According to the book, it’s not simply a personal choice. The choice would also reflect mainstream values and the morality and ethics of society. During the Yuan Dynasty, the poor wife and her son are dropped into tumbling water for an astounding reason: the emperor could get a new wife and sire more sons, but never a new brother.

On the Stage: Past and Present（《老戏的前世今生》）

By Fu Jin（傅谨）

The People抯 Literature Publishing House (人民文学出版社) July 2007, 24 yuan