Globlcs 242 - "farewell, My Concubine!"

Mary Mak

Professor W. Graves

GLOBLCS 242 – D

December 10, 2015

Extra-Credit Assignment - "Farewell, My Concubine!"

This is a film about "permanence" in life. In this movie, we can see there are two essential things that are everlasting. Those are loyalty for brotherhood and the devotion to Peking Opera from Dieyi.

In the beginning of the movie, when Dieyi was upset as he isolated by his teammates and was bearing the harsh and tough practice by Master Guan, Xiaolou was the only person who gave Dieyi unconditional support. It marked the beginning of the loyalty for brotherhood. Day by day, their relations went deeper and deeper. Few years later, after Dieyi went away from the troupe house because of freedom, he went back to the beating bench to accept his punishment as to save his brother Xiaolou from beating as he allowed Dieyi to escape. Dieyi knew he would die if Master Guan kept beating, but he still never screamed as he thought he should shoulder all the responsibilities and his brother should not be beaten. Moreover, as to attach himself to Xiaolou, he was trained to play female roles in the opera. Years later when Dieyi and Xiaolou became Peking Opera stars, Dieyi was in love with Xiaolou but Xiaolou only treated Dieyi as his closest brother. Dieyi was very jealous of Xiaolou’s liking to Juxian, a headstrong courtesan at the upscale House of Blossoms. Although Dieyi and Xiaolou had a falling out after announcing the engagement to Juxian, neglecting the serious crime of treason in the Second Sino-Japanese War, Dieyi still performed in front of Japan army for saving Xiaolou’s life. Later on, Xiao Si replaced Dieyi's role as the Concubine, a betrayal not only by Xiao Si but also by Xiaolou who has accepted to the change without informing Dieyi. Dieyi left, becoming addicted to opium as he never thought his beloved brother would betray him. In the period of Cultural Revolution, Xiaolou was questioned by the Red Guards and forced to plant false evidence against Dieyi but he did not. So he was taken out in public for a humiliating struggle session by the Red Guards. In the meantime Dieyi dressed in opera’s concubine and willingly accompanied with Xiaolou to endure the punishment. All of the above can show the loyalty for brotherhood from Dieyi, or even more than brother. No matter how much did Xiaolou change, how Xiaolou treated Dieyi, the love from Dieyi did not even changed at all.

For the devotion to Peking Opera, it started when Dieyi returned to the troupe house after inspired by an opera performance called “Farewell My Concubine” and questioned by “What does it take to become a star?” Dieyi determined to be a Deking Opera star in his entire life. After returning, the reason for Dieyi was willing to accept his punishment without any screaming was not only by saving his brother Xiaolou’s life, he thought it was his fault for running away. He would not run away from Deking Opera and the goal of being a star anymore. Moreover, as to play a female role in the opera, he pretended himself as a girl by saying “I am by nature a girl… not a boy” in practicing the monologue “Dreaming of the World Outside the Nunnery” in which he would not tell the differences between the opera and the reality. He kept preforming in the fellow years. When the time came to Second Sino-Japanese War, Dieyi performed in front of Japan army, other than saving Xiaolou’s life, he wanted to convert Chinese culture to Japan, which can show his passion toward Peking Opera. However Xiaolou misunderstood him and left him alone. Dieyi than rely on help from Yuan Shiqing, who had power to let Dieyi kept performing. After the betrayal of his beloved brother Xiaolou, he left and becoming addicted to opium. Xiaolou and Juxian helped him to recover and he can finally returned to the stage. Lastly in the period of Cultural Revolution, Xiaolou was taken out in public for a humiliating struggle session by the Red Guards where Dieyi dressed in opera’s concubine and willingly accompanied with Xiaolou to endure the punishment. Apart from facing this humiliation with his brother, Dieyi dressed in Concubine to show his attachment and love to Peking Opera. From the evidence we can see how Dieyi showed his devoton to Peking Drama in his entire life and did not even change when facing big challenges and judgments.