3. Kunqu Opera: The Peony Pavilion – Interrupted Dream

1. Origins

The Peony Pavilion is the masterpiece of Tang Xianzu, the great playwright of the Ming dynasty. For more than four centuries, it has been regarded as the pinnacle of Kunqu opera, and one of the most poetic and emotionally vibrant works in the history of Chinese theatre.

The full play consists of 55 scenes, and Interrupted Dream marks both its emotional point of departure and its spiritual core.

If The Peony Pavilion as a whole explores the idea that “love arises without reason and goes to the extreme,” then Interrupted Dream depicts the birth of that love—not in reality, but within the gentle, luminous space of a springtime dream.

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2. Synopsis

During the Southern Song dynasty, Du Liniang, the sheltered daughter of the prefect Du Bao, has grown up confined to the inner quarters, bound by strict social conventions. One spring day, after wandering through a blooming garden, the beauty of nature stirs emotions she has never known before. Exhausted, she returns to her chamber and falls asleep.

In her dream, guided by the Spirit of the Flowers, she re-enters the garden and encounters a young scholar she has never met—Liu Mengmei. They see one another, recognize one another, and fall in love. A bond that does not exist in waking life unfolds naturally within the dream.

Then she awakens.

He is gone.

Yet it is this dream that sets the entire story in motion, opening a lifelong quest that asks a timeless question:  Where does love come from, and where does it lead?

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3. Characters and Role Types

Du Liniang | Guimendan  (A refined young woman from a noble household)

Du Liniang is a young woman raised in seclusion—graceful, reserved, and outwardly composed. Inwardly, her emotions awaken slowly through her encounter with spring and through the dream itself. The role demands delicacy and restraint, portraying not an emotional outburst, but the gradual germination of feeling.

She appears in traditional coiffure, an embroidered robe (huapei), and a matching skirt—elegant and understated, embodying the classical ideal of a young woman of the inner chambers.

Liu Mengmei | Xiaosheng   (The young scholar)

Liu Mengmei is a talented and romantic young scholar, gentle in demeanor and refined in bearing. He wears the scholar’s cap (xiaoshengjin) and a flowing embroidered robe (zhezi). In Interrupted Dream, he is not an active seducer, but rather the destined counterpart, someone who instinctively recognizes Du Liniang within the dream.

Spirit of the Flowers | Immortal-type role

A symbolic figure linking nature, dreams, and fate. She does not control events directly, but serves as an invisible guide, gently leading the protagonists toward their inevitable meeting.

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4. Costumes and Visual Style

Du Liniang — Delicate and awakening beauty

• Hair and makeup: Traditional Datou style, soft and elegant

• Costume: Embroidered robe and skirt in pastel tones, with refined motifs

• Overall presence: Calm and pure, yet suffused with unspoken emotion

This understated costume best reveals her inner awakening—the classic image of a young woman whose heart is just beginning to stir.

Liu Mengmei — The gentle scholar

• Headwear: Scholar’s cap (Xiaoshengjin)

• Costume: Flowing embroidered robe with clean lines

• Overall presence: Graceful, composed, sincere

His appearance provides a quiet, sincere response to the dream’s emotional call.

Flower Spirits — Guides of dream and destiny

• Hair: Ancient-style coiffure, often adorned with a large peony

• Costume: Flowing embroidered skirts in bright colors

• Detail: Tassels at the waist that create movement with every step

Often, their presence alone—without words—signals that the dream world is about to unfold.

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5. What to Watch and Listen For

Singing and Speech — Emotion woven through sound

Kunqu singing requires refined control of tone, musical modes, vocal clarity, and subtle balance. In Interrupted Dream, the voice does not simply narrate—it weaves emotion. Through minute changes in articulation, feeling flows almost imperceptibly.

Music — Shuimoqiang, “polished by water”

Kunqu’s vocal style, known as Shuimoqiang, is celebrated for its smoothness, delicacy, and extended melodic lines. Key melodies in this scene include:

• Wannianhuan (Eternal Joy)
  A celestial melody introduced by the clear sound of a bell, gently opening the door to the dream.

• Shantaohong (Mountain Peach Blossom Red)
  A soft, enveloping tune that underlies the blossoming of love within the dream.

Movement — “No sound without song, no movement without dance”

Chinese opera follows the principle: “Every sound is sung; every movement is danced.”
Here, emotion is not stated outright, but revealed through:

• Flowing water sleeves suggesting the movement of feeling

• Steps that approach or retreat, shaping distance and intimacy

• Glances that evolve from surprise, to fascination, to deepening affection

These restrained gestures make the emotion both tangible and fleeting.

There is no need to remember the names of melodies or worry about “understanding the plot.”
Simply observe:

• Are her sleeves released or held back?

• Are her steps hesitant or resolute?

• Is her gaze searching—or confirming?

When you sense these nuances, you have already entered Du Liniang’s dream—and the most moving world of Kunqu.

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6. Performers

Dongmei Shi — Du Liniang
A performer with the Peking Opera – Québec Art Center, she is also trained in Kunqu. Introduced to Chinese opera and vocal theory at age ten in a family setting, she has studied under numerous masters. Since 2021, she has received systematic training in Kunqu Guimendan roles under the renowned artist Xu Jiawan. Proficient in Kunqu, Peking Opera, and Yue Opera, she also teaches at the university level and has over a decade of experience in opera education. In 2023, she represented the Canadian Yue Opera community on Zhejiang Television’s special program The Voice of Yue Opera.

Max Ma — Liu Mengmei
An active member of the Peking Opera – Québec Art Center, specializing in laosheng and xiaosheng roles. He has studied and performed extensively in both Peking Opera and Kunqu, including The Wild Boar Forest, The Emperor Teases the Phoenix, The Grand Coronation, Promenade by the Lake, and Interrupted Dream. He has appeared in numerous performances and festivals across Québec.