On October 25th, the cultural exhibition of "The West Chamber" titled "Lovers in the World" kicked off at the Guangdong Museum.

The exhibition, jointly, which will run until February 25th, 2024, organized by the Palace Museum, the National Museum of China, the National Library of China, and 13 other cultural heritage institutions from both within and outside Guangdong, showcases 320 selected cultural relics to comprehensively demonstrate the historical value and cultural significance of "The West Chamber".

"The West Chamber" is a renowned classical Chinese opera that tells the story of Zhang Junrui, a young scholar who meets Cui Yingying, the daughter of a chief minister of the Tang court, by chance at the Pujiu Temple. After facing multiple challenges, their affection for each other flourishes, culminating in a victory over bandits and persuading Yingying's mother. Ultimately the two married. As an immortal classic of Yuan opera, "The West Chamber" is hailed as a unique masterpiece of artistic achievement and considered one of the two gems of classical Chinese literature alongside "Dream of the Red Chamber."

The exhibition presents an in-depth analysis of the Yuan opera through physical objects such as illustrated books and ceramic sculptures. It explores the evolution of marriage and love concepts from the Tang to the Song and Yuan dynasties. The exhibition emphasizes the opera's lasting influence and timeless charm, showcasing its significance in Chinese culture.

Among the exhibited cultural relics, the most representative items include first-grade cultural relics, such as the replica of the Album of "The Western Chamber" by Qiu Ying and Wen Huiming.

One particular porcelain artwork on display caught the attention of journalists. The artwork is an octagonal bowl with scenes from "The West Chamber" painted on its walls.

Liu Dan introduced the Famille Rose Bowl which is decorated with eight key moments in the story of"The West Chamber".

The romantic love story of Zhang Junrui and Cui Yingying has captivated Western consumers. These large bowls were originally used by Europeans for serving punch during banquets and were extensively ordered from Jingdezhen and Guangzhou. They were referred to as "punch bowls" by Europeans.

Using the story of "The West Chamber" as decorative motifs on daily life items and artistic creations, the exhibition showcases how emotions are conveyed through material objects. This has resulted in the creation of a range of visual themes and expressive patterns that have been extensively incorporated into various daily-use items, including porcelain. Consequently, a specialized category of porcelain called "West Chamber Porcelain" has emerged.

The exhibition designer, Li Cong, explained that the exhibition hall is divided by pavilions, corridors, and walls inspired by the woodblock prints of "The West Chamber." "The pavilions and corridors outline the appearance of a girl's boudoir, while the undulating walls represent the obstacles in Zhang Junrui and Cui Yingying's love. As the story unfolds, the walls become lower and eventually disappear, symbolizing the couple's overcoming of numerous difficulties and their ultimate union."

Dong Shangde, a professor in the Chinese Department at Sun Yat-sen University, believes that "The West Chamber" portrays a love story ahead of its time and expresses the beautiful desire of people then and now for "lovers worldwide to become a couple." Generations of Chinese people have been captivated by "The West Chamber", which also touches the hearts of foreigners with its beauty.

粤博大展为“天下有情人”解读《西厢记》

10月25日，“天下有情人——《西厢记》文化展”在广东省博物馆展出。

该展览联合故宫博物院、中国国家博物馆、中国国家图书馆等13家省内外文博单位，遴选文物精品320件，多维度、全方位展示《西厢记》的历史价值和文化内涵。展期至2024年2月25日。

《西厢记》是中国古典戏曲名著，讲述了书生张君瑞于普救寺偶遇相府千金崔莺莺，情愫互生后几经曲折，在智退山贼、劝服老夫人后终成眷属的故事。作为元曲的不朽典范，《西厢记》被誉为“天下至文”“千古绝技”，与《红楼梦》并称“中国古典文艺中的双璧”。

此次展览依托西厢故事和西厢文物，以图册古籍、陶瓷木雕等文物实物，介绍元曲的创作背景和演出形式，展现唐至宋元以来的婚恋观念的价值转向，突出呈现这一不朽名作的持久影响与永恒魅力。

策展人刘丹介绍，此次展出文物中，尤以一级文物、明代仿仇英和文徵明《西厢记》图册最具代表性。

此次展出的瓷器作品中，一件外形呈八角形，碗壁绘有《西厢记》人物故事的大碗吸引了记者的注意。

据刘丹介绍，该碗名为“粉彩开光《西厢记》故事图潘趣大碗”，八个开光分别对应剧中八个场景：“莺莺拜月”“惠明送信”“白马解围”“红娘请宴”“月下听琴”“乘夜逾墙”“月下佳期”及“诡媒求配”。

张生与崔莺莺的浪漫爱情，深令西方消费者为之痴迷。此类大碗为当时欧洲人在宴会中用于调盛果酒的大碗，曾大量从景德镇和广州定制，被欧洲人称之为“punch bowl”，粤语谐音称之为“潘趣碗”。

以西厢故事为纹饰的生活用品及艺术创作寓“情”于“物”，以“物”传“情”，逐渐形成一系列的图像母题和表达范式，被广泛地应用于各种生活用品之上，甚至衍生出专门的瓷器品类——西厢瓷。

展览设计师李聪告诉记者，展厅以《西厢记》版画中的亭、廊及围墙作为空间隔断，“亭廊勾勒出女子闺房样貌，高低起伏的围墙则代表张生与崔莺莺爱情的阻隔，随着故事的发展，观众会发现围墙越来越低，最后消失不见，寓意两人突破了重重困难，终成眷属”。

中山大学中文系教授董上德认为，《西厢记》所描绘的爱情故事具有思想的超前性，表达了时人“愿天下有情人终成眷属”的美好愿望。正是这种人性之美，让《西厢记》“禁而不止”，打动历代中国人，也触动外国人内心最柔软的部分。

文 | 记者 梁善茵 朱绍杰 文艺 通讯员 粤博宣
图 | 记者 邓勃 潘俊华 刘畅
翻译｜陈萱
责编 | 王瑜瑛