The Moon Pavilion

By Tong Dick-Sang (1917 – 1959)

Director: Jing Liang

Cast

China was constantly threatened by Mongolian invasions during the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD).  After Minister Wong Zen left home to negotiate with the Mongolian Leader, the war broke out and his family got separated.   Scholar Cheung Sai-Lung and his sister, Sui-Lin were separated on route to the home of Chun Hing-Fuk, Sui-Lin’s fiancé.    During the confusion of the war, scholar Sai-Lung met Wong Zen’s daughter Sui-Lan and decided to travel together as a married couple.  When Wong Zen found his daughter was married to a poor scholar, he forced his daughter to leave Cheung Sai-Lung, and gave the news to Cheung that Sui-Lan had died.   Cheung tried to commit suicide after losing Sui-Lan, but was saved and adopted by Madame Bin.   Cheung Sai-Lung changed his name to Bin Sheung-Hing.  Three years later, Cheung passed the royal examinations and became a wealthy official.  Minister Wong Zen forced his daughter to marry Bin Sheung-Hing without realizing Bin was Cheung.   Cheung Sai-Lung was also forced to marry Minister Wong’s daughter.  Both Sai-Lung and Sui-Lan did not know the identity of their fiancé.  They planned to commit suicide after worshipping in memory of their loving spouse in the temple of the Moon Pavilion before their wedding.  They were reunited at the Moon Pavilion and realized that they were actually being forced to marry each other.   Reluctantly, Wong Zen admitted his faults and allowed Sui-Lan to marry Sai-Lung, and Sui-Lin to marry Hing-Fuk.  Everyone celebrated the reunion of the families and blessed the two marriages.

Act 1 – Accidental Encounters

China was constantly threatened by Mongolian invasions during the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD).  To find shelter from the invasion, Scholar Cheung Sai-Lung and his sister, Cheung Sui-Lin, were on their way to the home of Chun Hing-Fuk, Sui-Lan’s fiancé.   In the meantime, Minister Wong Zen was on his way to negotiate with the Mongolian Leader.  Before leaving, Minister Wong told his wife Madam Wong and daughter, Sui-Lan, to return to their home village for safety.  With the confusion of the war, Sai-Lung got separated from Siu-Lin, and Madam Wong was separated from Sui-Lan.  Sai-Lung and Sui-Lan subsequently met each other; Sai-Lung looking for his sister and Sui-Lan looking for her mother.  They soon decided to travel together.  To avoid suspicion, they pretended to be a married couple.  Madam Wong and Sui-Lin accidentally met, exchanged their stories, and Madam Wong adopted Sui-Lin as her daughter.  They continued their journey.

Act 2 – The Wedding

Sai-Lung and Sui-Lan arrived to the home of Chun Hing-Fuk.   Hing-Fuk was delighted and volunteered to be the matchmaker.  The couple held their wedding and then resided at the East Chamber.  Wong Zen and his son, Luk-Yee, also arrived at the home of Hing-Fuk.  Wong Zen requested Hing-Fuk to let him and his son stay for a night.  They were staying at the West Chamber.  Luk-Yee saw the shadows of a couple at the East Chamber and Wong Zen commented that the couple must be having an illicit affair.

Act 3 – The Suicide

The next morning, Wong Zen and Luk Yee discovered the shadows during the previous night were Sui-Lan and a poor scholar.  Wong Zen ordered Sui-Lan to leave Sai-Lung and to return home with him.  Hing-Fuk could not calm down Wong’s anger and Sui-Lan was forced to leave with deep pain.  Wong left with the news that Sui-Lan had died.  Sai-Lung felt there was no reason to live without Sui-Lan and jumped into the river to commit suicide, but was rescued by Madam Bin, the older sister of Madam Wong.  Madam Bin was on her way to her home village with her son, Bin Lau-Tong.  Madam Bin adopted Sai-Lung and Hink-Fuk as her sons.  Sai-Lung changed his name to Bin Sheung-Hing.  Hing-Fuk sent a letter to Wong Zen telling him that Sai-Lung had committed suicide in order to avoid further trouble with Wong Zen.  The three Bin brothers agreed to study and get ready for the royal examination in three years.

Act 4 – Forced Marriage

One night three years later, Sui-Lan and Sui-Lin met in the garden of their new home.  After discussions of their families and experiences, Sui-Lan found out that Sui-Lin is Sai-Lung’s sister.  After the war, Wong Zen was promoted to Prime Minister.  He was eager to recruit the top scholars of the royal examination to be his son-in-laws.  The results of the royal examination were Sai-Lung, Hing-Fuk and Bin Lau-Tong as the top three scholars.  Wong Zen and Madam Wong tried to persuade their two daughters, Sui-Lan and Sui-Lin, to marry the two top scholars.  Since there were no alternatives, Sui-Lan pretended to accept the marriage and requested Madam Wong to allow her to pray at the temple before the wedding, but in fact, planned to commit suicide.

Act 5 – The Proposal

Madam Wong went to the Bin’s home to propose marriage to Madam Bin’s adopted sons, Bin Sheung-Hing (who is actually Cheung Sai-Lung) and Chun Hing-Fuk.  Since there were no better alternatives, Sai-Lung pretended to accept the marriage and requested to go to the temple prior to the wedding.

Act 6 – Worship at the Moon Pavilion

At the Moon Pavilion in the Abstruse Temple, Sai-Lung and Sui-Lan arrived separately to pray to their supposed dead lovers.  They soon met and embraced each other in tears.  In order to teach Wong Zen a lesson, Sai-Lung pretended that he was still a poor scholar.  Wong Zen was angry and ordered Sai-Lung to leave the temple.  At the crucial moment, Madam Bin, Hing-Fuk and Sui-Lin came to reveal the truth.  Reluctantly, Wong Zen admitted his faults and allowed Sui-Lan to marry Sai-Lung, and Sui-Lin to marry Hing-Fuk.  Everyone celebrated the reunion of the families and blessed the two marriages.