荊釵記 The Story of the Thorn Hairpin
荊釵記
《荊釵記》為南戲劇本，作者已佚。故事寫貧士王十朋以荊釵為聘，與錢玉蓮婚配，十朋得中狀元後，万俟丞相欲招其為婿，為十朋婉拒。十朋之友孫汝權謀娶玉蓮，設計將十朋書信改為休書，使錢府誤以為十朋已然贅入万俟府，而迫使玉蓮改嫁，玉蓮不從，投江自盡，幸遇錢安撫搭救，收為義女。多年後，十朋夫妻再度相遇，終得團聚。
折子戲: 見娘
〈見娘〉描寫王十朋得中狀元之後，修書回鄉，欲接母妻進京一同赴任。不日，王母與家僕李成前來相會，十朋不見妻子玉蓮，只見母親愁容滿面，心中頓生疑慮，又見母親袖中露出孝頭繩，再三追問，方知自己的家書被改為休書，玉蓮投江而亡。十朋悲痛欲絕，決心追究遞書人，以明冤情。
From a Nov. 22, 2012 performance
The Story of the Thorn Hairpin
The Story of the Thorn Hairpin is an anonymous work written in the fourteenth century. Wang Shipeng, a poor scholar, was engaged to Qian Yulian, who accepted his engagement gift of a thorn hairpin. Later Wang passed the civil examination as the top scholar and declined the prime minister’s offer of his daughter in marriage. Sun Ruquan, Wang’s friend who sought to marry Qian, schemed to turn Wang’s letter of welcome into a letter of divorce. The Qian family wrongly believed that Wang had become the son-in-law of the prime minister, thus forcing Qian to remarry. Qian refused, threw herself into the river in protest, and was luckily rescued by a prefect of the same family name. Years later Wang and Qian meet again by accident and the family is finally reunited.
Scene: Mother’s Visit
Mother’s Visit depicts Wang after he had been awarded the title of top scholar and had written home to ask his mother and wife to meet him in the capital. His mother, Madame Wang and Servant Li Cheng arrive at his residence. Not seeing Qian and finding his mother in a state of sadness, Wang becomes suspicious. After Madame Wang accidentally reveals the hair scarf of mourning, Wang questions her and learns that his letter was manipulated into a letter of divorce which drove Qian to commit suicide. In extreme angst, Wang faints. After he recovers his senses, Wang determines to investigate the messenger and discover what happened.
