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A Buddhist Recluse for Fourteen Years (Part I) 火网梵宫十四年 Huo Wang Fan Gong Shi Si Nian (Shang)

 File — Box: 2, Folder: 31
Identifier: 2009.015.171

Scope and Contents

A Buddhist Recluse for Fourteen Years 火网梵宫十四年 Huo Wang Fan Gong Shi Si Nian. All music manuscripts were stamped by 曲艺苑 Arts and Performance Center. During the Tang Dynasty, there lived in Chang'an a Taoist Nun named Yu Xuanji. She was a poet of exceptional talent and beauty. Yu was in love with a charlatan called Wen Zhang. When he got into trouble after a drunken brawl, she sold her estate Chong Lou against her father's will to raise money to help him. Yu had an admirer named Li Yi. When he found out about her financial problem, he gave her, the money, when his father had set aside for him to obtain a bride. Yu Xuanji also had a handmaid Luqiao who was 16 and full of amorous desires. She shared her mistress' designs on Wen Zhang, and kept trying to seduce him. One day, Wen Zhang took to the bottle after being humiliated by Yu's father, and was arrested again. Disappointed with Wen, and touched by Li Yi's generosity, Yu agreed to marry the latter. However, on the wedding day, Wen Zhang found out about it, and commanded Luqiao to ask Yu to return their love token - two interlocking jade rings. On learning that Wen would be waiting for Yu in the North Attic late at night, Luqiao seized upon the opportunity to make him hers. This sexually-charged scene culminates in a violent climax.

Dates

  • Majority of material found in 1996-2009

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is unrestricted.

Extent

4 Sheets : 1 copy of legal size Cantonese opera music sheet 2 copies of booklet folded from the music sheet ; Music sheet 9" x 14" Music booklet 9" x 7

Language of Materials

Chinese

Repository Details

Part of the Museum of Chinese in America Repository

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