The Peony Pavilion: Unveiling The Fragrance's Identity

In Tang Xianzu's romantic tragicomedy 'The Peony Pavilion', also known as 'The Return of Soul at the Peony Pavilion', Spring Fragrance is the maid of Du Liniang, the protagonist. Du Liniang is the sixteen-year-old daughter of a senior official, Du Bao, who falls in love with a young scholar, Liu Mengmei, in a dream. Spring Fragrance's character is described as earthy and sassy, and she provides comic relief in the play.

Du Liniang's maid persuades her to take a stroll in the garden

Du Liniang's maid, Chunxiang, persuades her mistress to take a stroll in the garden on a beautiful spring day. Du Liniang is the sixteen-year-old daughter of a senior official, Du Bao, and she has been cooped up in her boudoir, bored and restless. Chunxiang, full of youthful high spirits, encourages her mistress to take some air and enjoy the beauty of the garden.

Du Liniang agrees and ventures into the garden, where she falls asleep and has a fateful dream. In her dream, she meets a young scholar, who is later revealed to be Liu Mengmei. Liu Mengmei's bold advances ignite a passionate and rapid love affair between the two. However, Du Liniang is startled awake by a flower petal falling on her, interrupting her romantic dream.

Despite waking up, Du Liniang cannot get the dream love affair out of her mind, and her longing for the young scholar quickly consumes her. Her lovesickness wastes her away, and she dies shortly after. Her maid, Chunxiang, had tried her best to bring some joy to her mistress's life, but ultimately, her efforts inadvertently led to Du Liniang's tragic demise.

Liniang falls asleep and dreams of a young student

Du Liniang, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a senior official, Du Bao, takes a stroll in the garden with her maid, Chunxiang, on a beautiful spring day. Enchanted by the place, she falls asleep and dreams of a young student carrying a willow branch in his hand beside the peony pavilion. In her dream, the student makes bold advances, and Liniang yields to him before waking to find that he has disappeared.

Liniang is unable to forget the young man from her dream, and her longing for him soon consumes her. Her health declines rapidly, and she recognises that her end is near. Before she dies, Liniang paints her portrait, writes a poem, and asks her maid to hide them in the garden as a memorial to her love.

After Liniang's death, the president of the underworld adjudicates that marriage between her and the young student, later identified as Liu Mengmei, is predestined. Liniang is allowed to return to the earthly world and appears to Liu in his dreams. He agrees to exhume her body and bring her back to life. However, when Liu informs Du Bao of his daughter's resurrection and their relationship, the disbelieving father throws him into prison, accusing him of being a grave robber and an impostor.

The story concludes with a formulaic ending, as Liu Mengmei escapes death and receives rewards from the emperor. The lovers are finally allowed to marry, celebrating their love and their ability to overcome all obstacles.

Liniang pines for her dream lover and her health fails

Du Liniang, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a senior official, Du Bao, is persuaded by her maid to take a stroll in the garden on a beautiful spring day. There, she falls asleep and dreams of a young scholar, Liu Mengmei, whom she has never met in real life. In her dream, Liu makes bold advances, and a passionate love affair quickly blossoms between the two. However, a falling flower petal startles Liniang, and she wakes up.

Liniang cannot get the dream lover out of her mind, and her health begins to fail as she pines for him. Her lovesickness wastes her away, and she soon dies. Before her death, she paints her portrait, writes a poem, and asks her maid, Spring Fragrance, to conceal them in the garden as a memorial to her love.

Liniang's decline and death are not in vain, however. In the underworld, the Judge of the Infernal Court adjudicates that marriage between Liniang and Liu Mengmei is predestined, and Liniang is allowed to return to the earthly world. Liniang appears to Liu in his dreams, and he agrees to exhume her body and bring her back to life. Thus, Liniang's pining for her dream lover leads to her untimely death but also sets in motion the events that will ultimately bring about their reunion.

Liniang paints her portrait, writes a poem, and dies

Du Liniang, the sixteen-year-old daughter of a senior official, Du Bao, is persuaded by her maid to take a stroll in the garden on a beautiful spring day. She falls asleep in the garden and dreams of a young student carrying a willow branch. In her dream, the student expresses his desire to be with her. Liniang, initially resisting, eventually yields to him before waking up to find that he has disappeared.

Liniang becomes obsessed with her dream lover, and her health starts to deteriorate. Recognising that her condition is fatal, she paints her self-portrait, writes a poem, and asks her maid, Spring Fragrance, to hide them in the garden as a memorial of her love. Liniang then dies and is buried in the same garden.

Three years pass, and in the underworld, Liniang is brought before the Judge of the Infernal Court to determine the cause of her death and her punishment or reward. The Judge, incredulous that someone could die from a dream, consults the Register of Heartbreaks, which records that Liniang was destined to marry Liu Mengmei, the young student from her dream. Impressed by Liniang's story and her family connections, the Judge releases her from the underworld and back to life to search for her dream lover.

Liniang is brought back to life by the Judge of the Infernal Court

In Tang Xianzu's The Peony Pavilion, Du Liniang is brought back to life by the Judge of the Infernal Court. After dying of a broken heart, Liniang finds herself in the underworld, where she is brought before the Judge to determine the nature of her death and her punishment or reward. The Judge is incredulous when he learns that Liniang died from dreaming of a lover and falling ill.

The Flower Spirit from Liniang's garden corroborates her story, and the Judge consults the Register of Heartbreaks, which confirms that Liniang was fated to wed Liu Mengmei, a young student. Impressed by the sentiment of Liniang's story and her family connections, the Judge releases her from the "City of the Wrongfully Dead" and allows her to return to the land of the living to search for her beloved Mengmei.

Upon his death, Minos, Rhadamanthus, and their half-brother Aeacus became the three Judges of the Underworld in Greek mythology. They were tasked with judging whether a soul was worthy of the Elysian Fields (Heaven), Tartarus (Hell), or the Fields of Asphodel, an abysmal nowhere. In Dante's Inferno, Minos is depicted as the Judge of the Damned, residing in the circle of Limbo and determining which of the Nine Circles the souls were condemned to for eternity.

In The Peony Pavilion, the Judge of the Infernal Court plays a pivotal role in Liniang's journey, allowing her to return to life and find her true love. This act of compassion sets in motion the emotional core of the play, as Liniang and Mengmei are united and express their love for each other. The Judge's decision to release Liniang from the underworld highlights the power of love and emotion in the face of death and the supernatural.

The Peony Pavilion is an epic play that combines elements of Western classics such as Homer's Odyssey and Dante's Divine Comedy. With its complex and believable female protagonist, Liniang, it offers a profound exploration of love, life, and the overcoming of obstacles. The Judge of the Infernal Court's role in the play adds to its lyrical, philosophical, and fantastical elements, making it a masterpiece of world drama.

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