The White Haired Girl
Encyclopedia
The White-Haired Girl is a Chinese opera
, ballet
, (later adapted to Beijing Opera
and a film) by Yan Jinxuan to a Chinese libretto
. The first opera performance was in 1945, with Wang Kun
playing the lead role. The film was made in 1950. The first Beijing opera performance was in 1958. The first ballet performance was by Shanghai Dance Academy, Shanghai
in 1965. It has also been performed by the noted soprano Guo Lanying
.
The opera is based on legends circulating in the border region of Shanxi
, Chahar
and Hebei
, describing the misery suffered by local peasantry, particularly the misery of the female members. The stories are based on real life stories of no less than half a dozen women, in a time frame stretching from the late Qing Dynasty
to 1920's or 1930's. The political overtone and historical background when it was created means that communist propaganda was added in inevitably, and the most obvious example was the added portion of happy ending and the protagonists joining the communist force, which did not happen in real life.
Along with Red Detachment of Women
, the ballet is regarded as one of the classics of revolutionary China, and its music is familiar to almost everyone who grew up during the 1960s. It is one of the Eight model plays.
It is the eve of the Chinese Spring Festival
. The peasant girl, Xi'er, in the village, Yanggezhuang, Hebei
Province, is waiting for her father to return home to celebrate the Spring Festival together. Her girl friends come to bring her paper cuttings to decorate the windows and a kilogram of wheat flour to make jiaozi
s.
Yang Bailao, Xi'er's father, has been away to avoid the debt collector from the despotic landlord, Huang Shiren. He returns home at dusk, with no gift other than a red ribbon to tie to the hair of Xi'er for the festivity of the holiday.
The landlord will not let them have a peaceful and happy Spring Festival, and the debt collector comes for the farm land rent which Yang has been unable to pay. They kill Yang Bailao, and take away Xi'er by force as his concubine.
At the home of the landlord, Xi'er is forced to work day and night as a slave and is exhausted. Zhang Ershen (literally Second Aunt Zhang), an elderly maid of the landlord, is very sympathetic of Xi'er. Xi'er dozes off while trying to take a short break. The mother of the landlord comes on the scene and, with her hairpin, pokes Xi'er's face to wake her up. The landlord mother then orders Xi'er to prepare her a lotus seed soup. When the soup is served, the landlord mother, displeased with the taste, pours the still-boiling soup on Xi'er's face. Outraged by the pain and anger, Xi'er picks up the whip that the landlord uses to punish her, and beats up the landlord mother. The landlord mother falls and crawls on the floor attempting to flee while Xi'er continues to whip her with her utmost strength. Xi'er gets her vengeance, but she is subsequently locked up by the landlord.
One day, the landlord leaves his overcoat in the living room and in the pocket of the overcoat is the key to Xi'er's cell. Zhang Ershen is determined to help Xi'er. She takes the key and opens the door for Xi'er, and she flees. Shortly, the landlord finds Xi'er missing, and sends his accomplice, Mu Renzhi, and other men to chase her. Xi'er comes to a river that stops her. She takes off a shoe and leaves it at the river side, and then hides in the bush. Mu Renzhi and his men find the shoe and assume that Xi'er has drowned herself in the river, and they report to the landlord as such.
Xi'er escapes to the mountains, and in the following years, she lives in a cave, gathers offerings
for food from a nearby temple
. She fights attacking wolves and other beasts. In time, her hair turns white.
On one stormy night, the landlord, Huang Shiren, and several of his other servants come to the temple to worship and provide offerings. Their trip is stopped by the thunderstorm
. It just so happens that Xi'er is now in the temple too, and by the light of a flash of lightning, the landlord sees her -- with her long white hair and shabby clothes that have been weathered to nearly white. He thinks it is the reincarnation
of a goddess
who has come to punish him for his mistreatment of Xi'er and other despotisms. He is so frightened that he is literally paralyzed. Xi'er recognizes that it is her arch-enemy and seizes the opportunity to take further revenge. She picks up the brass incense
burner and hurls it against the landlord. The landlord and his gang flee.
Meanwhile, her fiancé, Wang Dachun, has joined the Eighth Route Army
and fought the Japan
ese invaders. Now he returns with his army to overthrew the rule of the imperialist Japanese and the landlord. They distribute his farmland to the peasants. Zhang Ershen tells the story of Xi'er, and they decide to look for her in the mountains. Wang Dachun finally finds her in the cave with her hair turned white. They reunite and rejoice.
Chinese opera
Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, (later adapted to Beijing Opera
Beijing opera
Peking opera or Beijing opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court...
and a film) by Yan Jinxuan to a Chinese libretto
Libretto
A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
. The first opera performance was in 1945, with Wang Kun
Wang Kun (singer)
Wang Kun is a noted and influential Chinese singer, actress, musical director, and teacher specializing in revolutionary repertoire. She is most famous for her interpretations of songs such as "Nanniwan" ....
playing the lead role. The film was made in 1950. The first Beijing opera performance was in 1958. The first ballet performance was by Shanghai Dance Academy, Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1965. It has also been performed by the noted soprano Guo Lanying
Guo Lanying
Guo Lanying is a noted Chinese operatic soprano best known for singing patriotic songs such as "My Motherland" and "Nanniwan" ....
.
The opera is based on legends circulating in the border region of Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
, Chahar
Chahar (province)
Chahar , also known as Chaha'er, Chakhar, or Qahar, was a province of China in existence from 1912 to 1936, mostly covering territory in what is part of eastern Inner Mongolia. It was named after the Chahar Mongolians....
and Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
, describing the misery suffered by local peasantry, particularly the misery of the female members. The stories are based on real life stories of no less than half a dozen women, in a time frame stretching from the late Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
to 1920's or 1930's. The political overtone and historical background when it was created means that communist propaganda was added in inevitably, and the most obvious example was the added portion of happy ending and the protagonists joining the communist force, which did not happen in real life.
Along with Red Detachment of Women
Red Detachment of Women
The Red Detachment of Women is the title of a novel as well as two films and a ballet, both of the latter are based on the novel. This article is about the ballet....
, the ballet is regarded as one of the classics of revolutionary China, and its music is familiar to almost everyone who grew up during the 1960s. It is one of the Eight model plays.
Plot
(Based on the ballet version)It is the eve of the Chinese Spring Festival
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
. The peasant girl, Xi'er, in the village, Yanggezhuang, Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
Province, is waiting for her father to return home to celebrate the Spring Festival together. Her girl friends come to bring her paper cuttings to decorate the windows and a kilogram of wheat flour to make jiaozi
Jiaozi
Jiǎozi 餃子 or 饺子 , bánh bột luộc , gyōza , Mo:Mo: or Momocha म:म: or ममचा , or pot sticker is a Chinese dumpling widely spread to Japan, Eastern and Western Asia.Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into...
s.
Yang Bailao, Xi'er's father, has been away to avoid the debt collector from the despotic landlord, Huang Shiren. He returns home at dusk, with no gift other than a red ribbon to tie to the hair of Xi'er for the festivity of the holiday.
The landlord will not let them have a peaceful and happy Spring Festival, and the debt collector comes for the farm land rent which Yang has been unable to pay. They kill Yang Bailao, and take away Xi'er by force as his concubine.
At the home of the landlord, Xi'er is forced to work day and night as a slave and is exhausted. Zhang Ershen (literally Second Aunt Zhang), an elderly maid of the landlord, is very sympathetic of Xi'er. Xi'er dozes off while trying to take a short break. The mother of the landlord comes on the scene and, with her hairpin, pokes Xi'er's face to wake her up. The landlord mother then orders Xi'er to prepare her a lotus seed soup. When the soup is served, the landlord mother, displeased with the taste, pours the still-boiling soup on Xi'er's face. Outraged by the pain and anger, Xi'er picks up the whip that the landlord uses to punish her, and beats up the landlord mother. The landlord mother falls and crawls on the floor attempting to flee while Xi'er continues to whip her with her utmost strength. Xi'er gets her vengeance, but she is subsequently locked up by the landlord.
One day, the landlord leaves his overcoat in the living room and in the pocket of the overcoat is the key to Xi'er's cell. Zhang Ershen is determined to help Xi'er. She takes the key and opens the door for Xi'er, and she flees. Shortly, the landlord finds Xi'er missing, and sends his accomplice, Mu Renzhi, and other men to chase her. Xi'er comes to a river that stops her. She takes off a shoe and leaves it at the river side, and then hides in the bush. Mu Renzhi and his men find the shoe and assume that Xi'er has drowned herself in the river, and they report to the landlord as such.
Xi'er escapes to the mountains, and in the following years, she lives in a cave, gathers offerings
Offerings
Offerings may refer to:* Offerings , a slasher film* Offerings , the second album by VAS* Offerings: A Worship Album, a worship album by Christian band Third Day...
for food from a nearby temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
. She fights attacking wolves and other beasts. In time, her hair turns white.
On one stormy night, the landlord, Huang Shiren, and several of his other servants come to the temple to worship and provide offerings. Their trip is stopped by the thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
. It just so happens that Xi'er is now in the temple too, and by the light of a flash of lightning, the landlord sees her -- with her long white hair and shabby clothes that have been weathered to nearly white. He thinks it is the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of a goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
who has come to punish him for his mistreatment of Xi'er and other despotisms. He is so frightened that he is literally paralyzed. Xi'er recognizes that it is her arch-enemy and seizes the opportunity to take further revenge. She picks up the brass incense
Incense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
burner and hurls it against the landlord. The landlord and his gang flee.
Meanwhile, her fiancé, Wang Dachun, has joined the Eighth Route Army
Eighth Route Army
The Eighth Route Army was the larger of the two major Chinese communist forces that formed a unit of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China which fought the Japanese from 1937 to 1945. In contrast to most of the National Revolutionary Army, it was controlled by the Communist...
and fought the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese invaders. Now he returns with his army to overthrew the rule of the imperialist Japanese and the landlord. They distribute his farmland to the peasants. Zhang Ershen tells the story of Xi'er, and they decide to look for her in the mountains. Wang Dachun finally finds her in the cave with her hair turned white. They reunite and rejoice.
Differences among adaptations
The original opera in 1945 differs from later adaptations in its depiction of superstition. In the original opera of 1945, Xi'er was caught by the local population, who believed she was a ghost and had power to inflict harm on people. To destroy her evil magical power, the local populace poured the boys' urine, blood of a slain black dog, menstrual blood, human's and animal feces on her in an attempt to neutralize the supernatural power, a fact that really happened in real life to at least one of the girls. Communists felt it was necessary to rid of the superstition that was still deeply rooted in the minds of local populace, so this barbaric act was accurately reflected in the opera, with Wang Dachun eventually stopped the mob after recognizing Xi'er, leading to the final happy ending. After the communist victory in China, this scene was deleted in later adaptations for fearing to instigate superstition, and creating a negative image on the working class people.Music
Unlike other ballets, the music of The White-Haired Girl is more like that of a musical, i.e., it blends a large number of vocal passages, both solos on the part of Xi'er and choruses into the music. Because of their mellifluous melodies, these songs became very popular. The following is a partial list of these songs:- "Looking at the World"
- "The Blowing North Wind"
- "Tying the Red Ribbon"
- "Suddenly the Day Turns to Night"
- "Join the Eighth Route Army"
- "Longing for the Rising Red Sun in the East"
- "The Sun Is Out"
- "Dear Chairman Mao"