# The Tale of Su Liu Niang

The Tale of Su Liu Niang (蘇六娘傳說) is a Teochew tragic love story set in Leipu Village (雷浦村), Jieyang during the Ming dynasty. The tale is widely circulated among Teochew speakers in the form of songs, operas and stories. The tale has several versions, which mostly differ in their endings, including being sunk in the river (immersed in a pig cage, 浸豬籠), throwing herself into the river (投江) and eloped (私奔).

## Early versions

In 1956, the famous Peking opera artists Mei Lanfang (梅蘭芳) and Ouyang Yuqian (歐陽予倩) were given two Ming Dynasty engraved copies of Teochew operas when they visited Japan. Both copies were published during the Wanli period (萬歷年間) of the Ming Dynasty and collected by the Institute of Oriental Literature (東洋文學研究所) of the University of Tokyo. The titles of the copies are "Ten Complete Collection of Golden Flower Girls in Teochew Tune" (摘錦潮調金花女十全) and the "Ancient Edition of Su Liu Niang" (古版蘇六娘).
A Qing dynasty Jieyang scholar, Xie Bu (謝錬, 1830-1876), courtesy name Chaoyun (巢雲) wrote a poem to summarize the tale:
   When cuckoo flowers bloom on intertwined branches, Their bloodstained souls cannot be awakened by their cries. Beauty's fate is thin for it is full of love, Who is as affectionate as the Su family's daughter?
   In the Su family, there was a girl named Liu Niang, Her beauty and name were renowned while she waited in her boudoir. Her brows shyly drawn like far-off mountains, Blowing her breath, she surpassed the fragrance of orchids.
   With her naturally slender fingers like those of a fairy, Her red jade-like figure became even more graceful. She was ashamed of Tang palace ladies dying their nails red, Unable to blend the falling flowers and flowing water.
   Her family's wealth and status were once grand, In her youth, she visited her mother's home. A person in the jade tower leaned against the western window's moon, In the golden house, the spring carriage halted by the oily walls.
   Throughout the day, she worried about Gafu behind her boudoir's curtains, Wang Chang lived just beyond the eastern wall. She accidentally saw Yun Ying at the Blue Post, From then on, she felt for the peach blossoms like Cui Hu.
   One night, playing a different tune on the zither, Yearning to seek the phoenix, she pitied the solitary phoenix. Her silken belt was tied into a gardenia knot, Secretly she threw it across the railing to avoid being seen.
   The scholar was fickle and dismissive, Her love was earnest, as if to live and die together. She taught herself to admire Xianchao, When would she accompany Xiao Shi to play the flute?
   Parting for long, meeting briefly brought sorrow, Vowing by the mountains and rivers, every word was true. She only wished for his heart to be as steadfast as iron, Not worrying about the ink turning to dust.
   Several times after separation, she hoped for the return of swans and fish, Watching until the full moon once again became new. With a heart like a clinging vine, she eventually attached herself to a tree, Marriage mediators were useless, falsely sending letters.
   Sighing at the misunderstanding of love over three lifetimes, She resolved to repay her past mistake with death. A small boat farewell met with the official's servant, Sending her across the peach blossom river.
   The river water flowed deeply and did not return, Facing each other, they choked back tears and sorrow. Alive, they were ashamed like fish with double eyes, In death, they became butterflies chasing the hero's platform.
   The vows of the past left sadness and disappointment, I did not betray you, do not betray me. Hand in hand, they faced the great waves, The Milky Way was silent, stars and moon fell.
   Two hundred years of romantic tales, Remaining scents and leftover fragrances could not compare to sorrow. The songs of the Pear Garden followed the Zhonglang's scores, Midnight songs were passed down to the common folk.
   Dances and melodies were empty and meaningless, No one remembered Xiao Yu passing on. The red powder and fragrance buried long turned to smoke, Green pearl wells suddenly filled with valleys.
   Who still discusses the beauty in the yellow earth? Wang Qiang grew up in a village. Silent pear blossoms carried spring rain, Year after year, the fragrant grass evoked melancholy.

## Modern versions

Su Liu Niang was made into a black and white film by Hongtu Pictures Company (鴻圖影業) in Hong Kong in 1957, and was made into color film in December 1959. At the end of the film, when Liu Niang is about to throw herself into the river, the maid Peach Blossom (桃花) and the ferryman (渡伯) rescue her and help her to leave with her cousin.

## Plot

During the Hongzhi period (弘治年間) of the Ming Dynasty, Gentry Su (蘇員外) in Leipu, Jieyang had a young and beautiful daughter named Liu Niang (六娘). She lived and studied at her uncle's house in Xilu (西臚), Chaoyang, and she and her cousin Guo Jichun (郭繼春) were childhood sweethearts. They fell in love with each other and privately became engaged without parental consent (私訂終身). Gentry Su was a gannet-like (趨炎附勢) person, and he betrothed Liu Niang to Yang Ziliang (楊子良), the son of Adviser Yang (楊師爺) to the Raoping Prefectural Governor (饒平府衙) in Chaozhou. Liu Niang refused to marry Yang Ziliang. Adviser Yang exerted pressure through the clan leader, resulting Liu Niang to commit suicide by throwing herself into the river (投江殉情).