Love-struck in Xi Opera: Burning down a building for love and punishing corrupt officials!

*Double Pearl Phoenix* is one of the most popular classic plays in Xi Opera. Its story has the feel of a captivating female-led drama, but the happy ending of "paired pearls and phoenixes, paired lovers" is truly lively, unlike the melancholic endings of plays like *The Lute* and *The Pavilion of Gentle Breezes*. If you're accustomed to tropes in opera such as everyone being a top-scoring scholar, lovers separated by family status, timely assistance from benefactors in times of need, and feuding families reconciling for a happy ending, you can set aside those concerns and appreciate the actors' singing and movements. The talented scholar and beautiful lady first meet at Wenxin Nunnery, falling deeply in love at first sight, much like the scene in *Three Glances at the Imperial Sister*. A carelessly lost phoenix hairpin becomes the red thread that brings them together, reminiscent of *Seeking a Wife*. Wen Bizheng, originally a top-scoring scholar from Luoyang, becomes a servant in Huo Dingjin's household to propose marriage to the talented lady from Nanyang, just like Tang Bohu. After four months of waiting, he finally meets the young lady. After a test of literary talent and an exchange of heartfelt words, they pledge their love to each other, a scene mirroring *The Sandalwood Fan*. This unconventional move is indeed a bit outrageous. Wen Bizheng, without following the proper marriage rituals, attempts to win the young lady's heart. Besides being overly confident, he risks ruining the young lady's reputation. But from another perspective, isn't this a pursuit and celebration of free love? It's understandable why Huo Tianrong, the "bad father," is angry. His beloved daughter was supposed to marry someone of equal status, elevating the family's standing. Instead, not only is her heart easily won, but her reputation is also at stake. The heroine, to protect her virtue, bravely refuses the arranged marriage, escapes by setting fire to the embroidery building, and defies her father. You can laugh at her lovestruck nature, pledging her life based on a few vows. You can criticize her rebellious act of defying marriage, abandoning her family and home. But the purest love is about unwavering devotion, pursuing each other regardless of the cost, without regard for consequences, future prospects, or fear of authority. In *The Peony Pavilion*, Du Liniang, for a vow of love, believes that "the living can die, and the dead can live." She dies of heartbreak and returns to life through love, a pure embodiment of love and freedom in an era bound by rituals. And how much yearning for loyalty and righteousness is contained in the operas written by scholars? The famous courtesan Su Xiaoxiao by the West Lake has a pavilion dedicated to her, inscribed with elegies by generations of literati. Did great poets like Bai Juyi, Li He, Liu Yuxi, Wen Tingyun, Li Shangyin, and Du Mu, seasoned in the ways of pleasure houses, come here to mourn and write poems simply because they saw her as their dream lover? No, Su Xiaoxiao of the Southern and Northern Dynasties was merely a projection of their emotions. They admired her identity as she toured the lake in her elegant carriage, envied her love with Ruan Yu, and respected her discerning eye for Bao Ren. She was the embodiment of their ideal selves and aspirations! The heroine gains the appreciation of the prime minister, who adopts her as his daughter. She transforms into an imperial inspector, clearing the hero's name, a plot reminiscent of *The Female Imperial Consort*. The scene where she weeps at the funeral hall, resolving to seek justice for her beloved, is particularly captivating. The heroine punishes corrupt officials, using her senior's identity to test the hero's sincerity and recount their past. With the prime minister's mediation, Huo Tianrong weighs the pros and cons and finally overcomes the class barrier, allowing the two to unite. This echoes *The Thorn Hairpin*, with similar missed connections and fateful reunions. Even today, love stories are just different combinations of familiar tropes. Yet, despite their familiarity, you are still captivated by the charm of the story and moved by the actors' simple and elegant performance. This story, set in Nanyang and Luoyang thousands of years ago, is so touching. Their love, hate, and obsession are no different from ours today. It has been adapted into Yue Opera, Wenzhou drum storytelling, films, and other forms, and continues to be performed. Xi Opera, praised as "a plum blossom on Taihu Lake," has been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage.