Title: Kwan-yin
Author: Stella Benson
Release date: January 20, 2013 [eBook #41885]
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Dianna Adair, Paul Clark and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive)
BY STELLA BENSON
❦
⁌ THE TEMPLE OF KWAN-YIN, GODDESS OF MERCY. A wide altar occupies the whole of the back of the stage; a long fringe of strips of yellow brocade hangs from the ceiling to within 3 feet of the floor at either end of the altar. In the centre of the altar the seated figure of the goddess is vaguely visible in the dimness; only the face is definitely seen—a golden face; the expression is passionless and aloof. A long table about 12 inches lower than the altar stands in front of it, right across the stage. On the table, before the feet of Kwan-yin, is her carved tablet with her name in golden characters on a red lacquer ground. In front of the tablet is a large brass bowl full of joss-sticks the smoke of which wavers in the air & occasionally obscures the face of Kwan-yin. There are several plates of waxen looking fruit & cakes on the table & two horn lanterns—these are the only light in the scene. On either side of Kwan-yin, between the table and the altar, there is a pillar with a gilded wooden dragon twisted round it, head downward. To the left, forward, is a large barrel-shaped drum slung on a carved blackwood stand.
Four priests & two acolytes are seen like shadows before this palely lit background. One acolyte to the[Pg 4] right of the table beats a little hoarse bell. This he does during the course of the whole scene, in the following rhythm:—7-8-20-7-8-20. He should reach the 105th beat at the end of the second hymn to Kwan-yin. The other acolyte stands by the drum and beats it softly at irregular intervals as indicated. The acolytes are little boys in long blue coats. The four priests stand at the table with their faces toward Kwan-yin; their robes are pale dull pink silk with a length of deeper apricot pink draped about the shoulders.
The priests kneel and kow-tow to Kwan-yin.
The acolytes sing:
First priest—tenor—chants:
First and second priests—tenor and bass—chant:
Third priest—tenor—chants:
At this point the smoke of the joss-sticks veils the face of Kwan-yin. A woman's voice sings:
This voice is apparently not heard by the priests and acolytes.
First and third priests chant:
All:
First and third priests:
All:
First and third priests:
All:
First priest:
The smoke quivers across Kwan-yin's face again, and the same woman's voice sings:
Still the voice is unheard by the worshippers. First priest sings, and while he sings the acolyte beats the drum softly at quick irregular intervals.
A woman's voice again sings, unheeded, from behind the veil of smoke.
All, in urgent but slow unison:
The golden face of Kwan-yin above the altar changes suddenly and terribly, and becomes like a masque of fear. The lanterns flare spasmodically. The voice can now be identified as Kwan-yin's, but still the priests stand unhearing with their heads bowed, and still the passionless bell rings.
Kwan-yin, in a screaming voice:
There is an abrupt moment of silence as the light becomes dim again & Kwan-yin's face is frozen still. Then the first priest sings.
The 105th beat of the bell is now reached and there is a pause in the ringing.
All:
The bell is rung slowly three times. Then there is absolute silence. There is now a tenseness in the attitudes of all the worshippers, they lean forward and look with suspense into Kwan-yin's quite impassive golden face.
The lights go out suddenly.
One hundred copies printed by
Edwin Grabhorn, San Francisco, in April, 1922.
Bound by Florence Grabhorn.
Transcriber's Note:
Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible.
In the first paragraph, a duplicated "the" has been corrected in "only the the face is definitely seen."