Prologue: The Front Gate of Huang Shiren’s Residence

The poor are poor because they are exploited. The poor are called workers, but they are in fact slaves. Give them fortuitous names, but suffering is their lot. See how their tears become torrential rain, and watch how their hatred becomes the raging sea.

 

Scene I: Yang Bailao’s Household

It’s New Year’s Eve. The peasant Yang Bailao and his daughter Xi’er are making preparations for the New Year. Huang Shiren —a landlord, local tyrant and collaborator with the Japanese — arrives to demand payment of debt, beats Yang to death and kidnaps Xi’er. Her fiancé, Wang Dachun and other peasants decide to rise up against the landlord class. Uncle Zhao, a village elder, encourages all to join the Eighth Route Army.

 

Scene II: Huang’s Residence

Extravagant, decadent and evil, this is the world of the landlord class. Xi’er suffers in Huang’s home. Huang attempts to insult Xi’er, but she resists and escapes with the help of Aunt Zhang.

 

Scene III: By the Reed Pond

A pitch-dark night, Xi’er presses forward. She hides on the bank of a river overgrown with reeds. Huang’s lackey Mu Renzhi is at her heels. He finds her shoe in the reeds and thinks she has thrown herself into the water and perished.

 

Scene IV: In the Wilderness

Xi’er lives on spring water and wild fruit and struggles though scorching summers and fierce winters. Her hair turns from black to grey, and from grey to white. She scales mountaintops, shakes her fists and swears at the heavens, “I am water that cannot be mopped up, fire that cannot be put down. I shall live! And vengeance will be mine!”

 

Scene V: At the Village Entrance

Wang Dachun returns to his home village with the Eighth Route Army, and is determined to liberate the villages. When he hears what has happened to Xi’er, his extreme anger propels him to catch Huang Shiren and bring him to justice. Huang Shiren and MU Renzhi, now genuinely frightened, try to run away.

 

Scene VI: Inside Goddess Temple

This is a murky night of roaring thunder, blinding lightning and torrential rain. Huang Shiren and Mu Renzhi come to the temple to find food. In a flash of lightning, Xi’er discovers them. She wants to tear them to pieces. HUANG and MU scurry away for their lives. WANG Dachun and his company arrive. He catches a glimpse of the White-haired Girl and follows her.

 

Scene VII: The Cave

Dawn. In a mountain cave, Xi’er finally recognizes WANG Dachun. Theirs is a jubilant and tearful reunion as the sun rises on a new day and a new age for the exploited Masses.

 

Scene VIII: The Square

At the village square, the people celebrate their liberation and denounce the crimes of HUANG Shiren. Xi’er and the working people embark on a new life.

 

Choreographers: HU Rongrong, FU Aidi, CHENG Daihui, LIN Yangyang

Composer: YAN Jinxuan, CHEN Benhong, ZHANG Hongxiang

Stage Art Designers: DU Shixiang, ZHU Shichang, HU Guanshi

Lighting Designers: ZHUANG Zezhong, YING Rilong, ZHANG Xiaozhou

Costume Designers: ZHU Shichang, LI Suen

Makeup Designers: CHENG Yiyun

Premiered on: March 1966 at Shanghai Yunfeng Thearter