Success on the Western Stage
A recent post by Mr Lim Soo Ping on Bring Your Own Stool To The Opera triggered this post on Lady Precious Stream (LPS) which was the creation of Professor Hsiung Shih-I. It was an English translation of Wang Bao Chuan, a popular Beijing opera of the day, on the advice of his PhD supervisor. [1]
The LPS story
A Lady Precious Stream cast in 1942 Shimer College in USA is shown in the left picture above. [2] The right picture taken from a 2007 Beijing opera performance shows Lady Precious Stream on the left and Xue Pinggui on the right [3]
The story of LPS was set in the Tang dynasty. Prime Minister Wang Yun had three daughters. Two were married. The youngest daughter decided that she would choose her bridegroom by throwing a ball and whoever caught it will be the lucky guy. Yue Pinngui, a peddler of flowers did. The Prime Minister disagreed because he was a poor boy. LPS tried to persuade her father but failed. She decided to follow Pinggui who later joined the army and conquered Xiliang. He became its emperor and married the princess of Xiliang. Meanwhile, LPS stayed in a cold cave and waited for his return. He did, but only after 18 years. LPS could not recognise him but eventually she did and became his queen for 18 days. She died mysteriously thereafter. [4,5]
Human relationships
Human relationships underpinned the success of Hsiung Shih-I in his life and career. Three observations are made.
Human relationships 1 — Insightful mentor and abiding mentee
In 1933 Professor Hsiung went to London to study English drama. His supervisor Allarsyce Nicoll decided after learning about his background that he should consider writing a play of a Chinese subject. [1]
“Hsiung took the advice to heart and set out to write Lady Precious Stream, a play based on a classical Beijing opera. In six weeks, the writing was completed; six months later, the manuscript was accepted by Methuen (the publisher); and not long after, Little Theater in London agreed to produce the play, which ran for 900 successive shows.” [1]
Human relationships 2 — Good relationship with other writers in the West
Hsiung Shih-I got along well with writers of the day in the Western world and he also translated their work into Chinese. LPS was critically acclaimed by figures such J.B.Priestley, HG Wells, and George Bernard Shaw. [6]
Success from human relationship 3 — Good relationship with wife, his children, extended family and homeland
Hsiung got along well with his wife Cai Daimei who was also a good writer. Daina Yeh, a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Winchester, in a book on their lives and times, referred to them as the Happy Hsiungs. Later in his life when he was residing in Hong Kong, Hsiung was devoted to education and was also active in Chinese literary and theatre circles. He was the founder of Tsing Hua Academy in Hong Kong. [7]
Also the video containing anecdotes on him and his family showed that Hsiung Shih-I was indeed well loved, and he had good interactions with the family. [8].
Take home messages
Three human relationships underpinned the success story of the life and times of Hsiung Shih-I.
References and further reading
Acknowledgements are due to the following organisations and individuals for the following:
- Da Zheng. Shih-I Hsiung – A Glorious Showman. Rowan & Littlefield:2020. Accessed 2021-10-16. URL: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781683931065/Shih-I-Hsiung-A-Glorious-Showman
- Lady Precious Stream. Cast of performers in Shimer College, 1942. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lady_Precious_Stream_Shimer_College_1942.jpg
- Lady Precious Stream. Beijing Opera Performance, 2007. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xue_Pinggui_and_Wang_Baochuan#/media/File:Beijing_opera02.jpg
- Beijing Tourism. Peking Opera: The legend of Wang Baochuan and Xue Pinngui. (2014-01-17). Accessed 2021-10-16. URL: http://english.visitbeijing.com.cn/a1/a-XB3828F776ADA96FCF07D0.
- DayDayNews. Wang Bao Chuan spent 18 years in the cold cave and was finally made a queen. (2020-05-09). Accessed 2021-10-16. URL: Accessed 2021-10-15. https://daydaynews.cc/en/history/590577.html
- Hu Bei. Literature’s lost lovers. Global Times:2014-07-22. Accessed 2021-10-16. URL: https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/871950.shtml
- BBC Radio 4. Hsiung Shih-I, Director Gabriel Pascal, George Bernard Shaw, Actress Wendy Miller, 1942 https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/chinese_in_britain8.shtml
- East Play West End Tribute to Hsiung Shih I. Accessed 2021-10-16. URL: Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?y=Puui06qLi-4
Dr LG Goh
Dr GOH Lee Gan is a retired Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, National University Health System. He has an interest in learning and teaching how we can age well everyday (AWE).
