As folklore goes, during Ming Dynasty, there was a talented and good-looking young scholar named Zhou Wenbin living in the beautiful lake city of Hangzhou, and Zhou Wenbin had a friend named Zhu Zhishan who was like a celebrity watcher and was feared by many elite families.
During a Lantern Festival in the lunar January 15, Zhishan visited Wenbin and the two brought wine to appreciate the lanterns and full moon at a tall platform by the West Lake.
After a few cups, both got a bit tipsy. When enjoying Wenbin’s pipa solo, Zhishan began to tease him for looking and acting like a pretty woman. Wenbin’s servant told Zhishan his master used to dress up as his deceased sister to conform to his grieving mother, and for the moment he even fooled his mother. |
However, this time the crossdressed Wenbin not only fooled Zishan but the son of the War Minister, known as Wang Tiger who also came to watch the lanterns with his large group of attendants. |
Wang Tiger never saw a woman as pretty as crossdressed Wenbin. He kidnaped the drag queen to his mansion and forced “her” to marry him immediately. “I don’t wanna be a widow,” Wenbin responded. “What do you mean to be a widow?” Wenbin told Wang Tiger “she” was an expert in feng shui and astrology, and found that day wasn’t auspicious for a wedding. “Any woman who marries tonight will lose her husband within three days.” For the sake of his own safety, Wang Tiger agreed to postpone the wedding until the next day, and sent Wenbin to spend a night with his sister. |
Wang Tiger’s sister was known as the most pretty and intelligent young lady in Hangzhou and her admirers included the handsome and talented Wenbin, but she wasn’t a happy girl. |
That night Zhou Wenbin discovered Tiger’s sister suffered from lovesickness and missed him terribly. Wenbin once submitted a marriage proposal to her parents, asking for her hand, yet the proposal was rejected due to Wang Tiger’s negative feedback. Wang Tiger didn’t like Wenbin because Zhou had a tricky friend Zhishan who was like a tabloid journalist, loving to air “elite” families’ dirty laundry, of which Wang Tiger had plenty. Later, she learned his brother lied about Wenbin, yet Wenbin still thought she, just like her parents, didn’t like him. |
That night, the drag queen told Wang Tiger’s sister he was Wenbin’s neighbour and would like to pass on her message to the man she loved. The sister happily wrote a letter, urging Wenbin to resubmit a marriage proposal. She signed her name and handed the letter to the drag queen. |
After securing the written evidence, Wenbin burst into laughter and revealed his true identity. Wang Tiger’s sister was shocked, ashamed and angry. “It looks like my brother was right after all, you are indeed an indecent man,” she censured Wenbin. |
Wenbin explained to her how he made a bet with his friend Zhishan and was kidnaped by her brother consequently. The pair reconciled and started to discuss how to get the marriage proposal approved by her parents. |
The next morning, Wang Tiger’s sister called her mother and brother and disclosed Wenbin’s true identity. She cried like hell, claiming she wanted to kill herself because her reputation was ruined by her brother as she had unknowingly spent a night with a man in the same room. |
Wang Tiger was ordered by his mother to beg Zishan to be the matchmaker for his sister and the “woman” he was initially going to marry that day. |
When the wedding guests arrived, they found Wang Tiger’s wedding hall was readily converted to his sister’s wedding venue and Wang Tiger’s bride had conveniently transformed into his brother-in-law. After the wedding, Wenbing and Wang Tiger’s sister lived happily ever after until eternity. |
Yueju Opera: Wang Tiger Kidnap His Bride