Aside : This stage play was adapted according to an old story about a phoenix’ enjoyable experience in the beautiful water city of Liaocheng .The phoenix ,because she slyly drunk a glass of strong liquor in the heaven which was the tribute from the earth , was drove out from the heaven and fell on this enchanting place on the earth in an appearance of humanoid beauty .She would not return back until she found the same liquor.
Scene 1
Phoenix (soliloquy):Oh ,it was really a sound sleep .I dreamed of my mother and my sister , oh , I missed them so much . How can I return back .Yes , I have to search for the liquor , that fragrant and strong liquor . If I find it and drink the same amount . I will get my colorful plume and fly back to my heavenly home , and see my mother and sister . But…where am I ? The place is so charming that it reminds me of my home .GREen grass , broad lake…
Over The Rainbow
Scene 2
(Mr. Zhang was a local merchant in Liaocheng ,while Mr. Wang was a merchant from Hangzhou who had promised to bring Mr. Zhang some jade plates for their business exchange . For Mr. Wang , it was his first trip to Liaocheng , and so ,Jinghang Canal was considered to be the most convenient route . But he has confronted much more difficulties . This morning a preceding letter said that Mr. Wang was going to arrived at Shanshan Guild Hall this noon . In case of missing Mr. Zhang has been waiting there since a very early time . However it was a long anxious wait . Mr. Zhang has grown too boring to stay any more , then , Mr. Wang finally showed up . But to everyone’s big surprise…)
Merchant Wang : Deep water ,watch out !
Merchant Zhang : Damn it ! What is going on ? Oh , hey guy it’s you , I thought you’ve drowned . You always surprise me .
Merchant Wang : Oh , Mr.Zhang,sorry for so much trouble and such a long wait.But,it was really a hard journey . When my boat almost drow into shore , there is something wrong with the wheels. So , I have to swim here .
Merchant Wang : But the jade plates you want are save , I’ve brought a sample here .
M.Z:Oh , thank you.You should be very tired . I’ve reserved a hotel for you to rest.I can stay in Liaocheng for a few days and have a good look at the beautiful old city.
M.W : Yeah,I think that I should .The views along the JingHang Canal are so elegant that I was fascinated by it and forget to go.And before I arrived here,somebody told me that Liaocheng was a city with long history and full of cultures.I think it worth a long stay.
M.Z:It deserved it .Even many foreigners like to stay here for the rest of their lives.And besides the JingHang Canal it also has a board lake which was called DongChang Lake,one of the biggest man-made lakes in China.Its beauty can be compared with the XiHu in Hangzhou or even more beautiful than that.
M.W:Yeah,and the magic tall Guang Yue Lou,which was built without a nail.And this…,ShanShan guild hall is a good place for us to exchange business . All of this worth a long stay.
M.Z:Right.And still a lot for you to find.But, by the way , aren’t you hungry ? How about that we have supper first?I’ve prepared some good dishes special in Liaocheng and some liquor…
M.W:Oh,stop…I mean…I can’t wait , expecially the liquor.
M.Z:Let’s go…
Merchant Wang : Oh , wait , my sister has been here with me .
Merchant Zhang : Really ? Where is she ?
MW: She is still in the boat . You know she is such a lady , and she would rather stay there than swim along with me .
MZ : Yeah, I know . So go and find her , quick . How luckily that she is not a crazy man as you .
Scene 3
Sister : oh , what a beautiful city Liaocheng is ! Oh , look at the views . these are even more charming than some places in Hangzhou . I’d like to stay here for the rest of my life . I don’t care about my brother . He always want to put me under his surveillance,and protect me as a little bird.But I’m seventeen now,old enough for me to find my love,and start my own life.These years after my parents died,my big brother really take good care of me.And I appreciate those things very much.Well,I also love my brother,but that’s not enough.I can’t stay with him forever.He has to find his own life,so do I.
Well,how about if I find a gorgeous boy here and marry him?Oh,sounds like a good idea.But how could I?
M.Z:Hey,there’s a beautiful lady.Is that your sister?
M.W:Yeah,she must be tired of waiting and prefer to walk,and meet us.Hey,Morven,come here!
Morven:Oh,hi,brother,I’so tired of staying in the boat that I walked here.
M.W:Morven , this is Mr. Zhang , and , my sister Morven .
MZ : Hi, Morven , ( nice girl ， to MW)
Morven：Nice to meet you . (delicate feeling arouse in her heart which made her face sharply red )
……
MZ: You must be very hungry , let ‘s go to the restaurant . Miss .
MW: Beatiful ?
MZ : Yeah , but local ladies here are much more beautiful . I an sure. Come on guy .
Scene 4
Phoenix:Oh,I am very hungry.I don’t care where it is now.I should find a place to eat first…
(The phoenix met the two merchants.)
P:Excuse me,Miss,er…I am very hungry.Would you be kind enough to give me something to eat?I am sorry…I…
Morven ：Oh , brother , she’ s going to die . Let me help you
M.Z: Oh,I see.You are a lucky girl by meeting us.We are on our half way to a restaurant…so…how about that we share the meal together?I hope you ,Miss,would not care so much…
P:Oh,I don’t care.I am really very tired.If no one help me , I’ll die of starvation. Thank you .
(So,they went to the restaurant.)
Scene 5
Waiter : Sir , What can I do for you ?
MZ : I’ve reserved a room on the second floor .
Waiter : So , you must be Mr, Zhang ?
MZ : Right .
Waiter: This way please , sir .
Waiter : The dishes you ordered are very unique , special in Liaocheng . So , you must be very familiar about it .
WZ : You are right , l live here . Special dishes for special people .
Waiter : And special room for special men , and … ladies .
(The girl gorged the food hurrily as if she haven’t eaten for a century.The two merchants looked at the girl in a full puzzlement.)
M.W:Miss…where are you from?You don’t look like local .
P:Yeah…you are right.To tell you the truth,I came from the heaven.
Morven : Heaven ?
M.W :Heaven？Sorry,Miss,I am sure I can not understand.
M. Z : Let me tell you , cities like Liaocheng and Hangzhou can be nick named as Heaven . You kinow ? And all girls are fairies .You see ? So beautiful .
P: Sir , but I am from the real heaven .I am a phoenix before.I am here looking for a liquor…
M.Z: Liquor ? Sorry,Miss,I am sure I am totally confused.
P:Yes,the liquor…I slyly drunk a glass of strong liquor in the heaven which was the tribute from the earth .Then I was drove out from the heaven and fell on this enchanting place.So here I am.I would not return back until I found the same liquor.
Scene 6
(Merchant Wang opened his wrapper and took out a bottle of liquor.)
M.W:Miss,is this the one you are looking for?The liquor is as strong and fragrant as you have described.
P:Yeah,it smells so.What’s the name?
Waiter : Jing Yanggang,Miss…the one that Wu Song drunk.That eighteen bowls of liquor gave Wu Song strong power to send the tiger to death.
P:Oh…such a magic!Maybe it would be the right one to give me the power to fly back to the sky.
M.W:It must be.I never heard a liquor stronger than Jing Yanggang.
M.Z:Try it,Miss!
Scene 7
The girl drunk some and changed into her original form.Then,a phoenix flew into the sky.
Morven : oh , such a magic , here is so beautiful that I would not go .
They danced off.
