Gregor wakes from a dream, realizing that he has been transformed into a bug—an ancient soul reincarnate.
The clock violently rocks while raindrops drip from the eaves. The but is too weary to get out of bed and falls back into slumber.
Rivers are vessels, through which my blood is surging. 脈血川流漸沸騰 My tiny body carries the universe. 微身奉天地
Yet it drifts lightly like the glitter of a firefly. 飄若螢火輕 I have travelled thousands of miles. 負行千萬里
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But who cares for mayflies? I ask you, time. 蜉蝣誰見 問時間？
Without emotion, we would be free from care. 有情始有懸念 How long can we linger? I ask you, time. 多少留連 問時間？
All mortals lead a hard life in my eyes. 我看眾生艱難
Why do spring and fall come and go so hastily? I ask you, time.
春秋容易 問時間？
No life, no death. 無生 即無大限
Is eternity just a long, deep sleep? I ask you, time. 萬古如眠 問時間？
Acting decisively leads to weariness. 不徬徨 即疲倦
Why not just slow down to end our weariness? 且徬徨 消疲倦 For the moment, let this sigh conclude it all. 姑且吟成一聲嘆 I ask you, time. 問 時 間
A lonely baby orphan is dumped outside a door on a winter night. He has no chance of being rescued no matter how hard he cries because this is a door custom-made for him.
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[Wu Hsing-kuo’sinterpretation penetratesthebug’ssubconscious,Kafka’sdoorwithin adoorand dream within a dream; it is a reading of his inner world from birth to childhood to adulthood.]
BUG-THE SUBCONSCIOUS: (Aria) A lonely baby 一個孤獨的嬰兒
Is thrown outside on a freezing winter night. 在寒冷的冬夜被丟出門外 No matter how hard he cries, 不論他如何啼哭
He has no chance of being pardoned 都沒有被赦免的希望
Since this door was made only for him. 因為 這扇門是專為他而設 Throughout his entire life he will not be able to open it.
終其一生他都無法打開這扇門
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SISTER:
Open thedoor.Brother,it’stimeto work. 哥 你該上班了！
Did you hear me? Get up now before Father gets mad.
你聽見沒有！快起來！爸要發脾氣了！ Yet when I close the door, they want me to open it.
當我關上門時他們卻要我開門
BUG: (Climbing up to the top of the snow mountains)
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Lost his mind, stamped his feet and shouted. 全不講理 跺腳大罵 He waved his stick and beat me ruthlessly. 使盡氣力揮舞手杖亂棍擊 Whispering a wave of hisses, he humiliated and frightened me.
他口中一陣陣嘘聲羞辱令我恐懼
I tried to rush back into my room. 急忙趕回屋穴裡
Yet the door was too narrow for my wide body—no way for me to squeeze in.
有誰知 門太窄 身太寬 不得其門
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And went straight from childhood to old age. 就到 老年了 SCENE 4: LOVE
Sister, Mother, Beloved
Themusicisforlorn butbeautifuland themovetowardslife’scandlelightresemblesamoth’sinto a fire.
Gregor’ssistervisitshim.Having devoured thefood shebrings,thegratified bug climbsup to the ceiling to look out of the window, fantasizing about his sister, mother and beloved living in a garden full of fragrant flowers.
Gregor embraces his beloved lady in a framed painting but is violently attacked with apples by his father. The picture falls to the ground and Gregor is injured, with an apple sunk into his back.
[This is Wu Hsing-kuo’suniquerendering oftwo famousKunqu scenes:‘A Garden Stroll’and ‘An interrupted Dream’.]
GREGOR:
Little Sister, 17 years old, is soft and proud, timid and brave.
我妹妹 十七歲 溫柔又驕傲 懦弱又勇敢
After my transformation, 在我變形後 She is the first one to tiptoe into my room.
她是第一個踮著腳尖走進我房裡的人
I write to nurture and to defend myself. 寫作是我的糧食 也是我的武器 My writing contradicts my thoughts. 我寫的不同於我想的
My thoughts are not what I should be thinking. 我想的不同於 我該想的 All is enigmatic. 這一切 都是啞謎
Guess what I am writing. 猜猜看 我正在寫什麼？
DU LINIANG: (Wu making up onstage with the his recorded aria of Kunqu)
In spring, at my boudoir, I wake up to do my morning toilette. 鬢雲誰渡春閨淺
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The screens by my pillow overlap like mountain peaks, where immortals dwell.
重疊屏山似有仙
With a colour pencil I paint my frowning brows. 借彩筆 勾凝眉 A moon-reflecting mirror 還月鏡
Befits makeup application. 宜人妝面
Dear wind, be gentle and do not intervene. 怕因風過起波漣 I colour my lips red and set my lashes. 點紅唇 落睫簾
Blush is applied to conceal my sorrowful looks. 含羞色 休敎愁面 I coil my black hair into two buns. 青髻梳成作雙鬟
Powdered, my face and neck contend in beauty with spring. 脂顏粉頸爭春艷 My slender waist swings elegantly, supporting fragrant shoulders.
細腰款擺扶香肩
I move on tiny bound feet with charming flair. 移碎蓮 風華現 What a beautiful, womanly woman! 意態娉婷女嬋娟
KAFKA:
Yes,theansweris“woman.” 不錯！答案是 女人 The incarnation of youth and beauty. 青春與美的化身
I like young, pure, and perfect women. 我喜歡青春純潔 完美無瑕的女人 If I see a young woman —even just brushing past—
只要經過少女的身邊 縱然是擦肩而過
Like a blooming flower, her fragrance enlightens my grey and gloomy life.
少女芬芳的氣息 像一朵盛開的鮮花 點綴著我灰暗的日子
My nearly exhausted and despaired life 那疲累瀕臨絕望的生命 Suddenly becomes fresh and bright, purple and scarlet.
霎時變得鮮活明亮 如此姹紫嫣紅
DU LINIANG: (Aria of Kunqu)
See how deepest purple, brightest scarlet open their beauty 原來姹紫嫣紅開遍
…only foradry,crumbling well. 似這般都付與斷井頹垣
Glories of spring but little treasured by the screen—secluded maiden.
錦屏人忒看的這韶光賤
KAFKA:
Then, you were beautiful and I was bright. 那年 妳很美麗 我很聰明 Our union was like that between a bug and a butterfly.
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我與妳結合就像 昆蟲與蝴蝶
I passed you a mirror, in which I saw myself.
我遞給妳一面鏡子 卻在鏡中看見自己
Who says that I am down with spring fever? 誰道我春情難遣 I am full of secret complaint. 不過是一腔幽怨 Why not meet in the garden for a walk among flowers, 不如相約花徑攜手漫步 And tell my love about my dream and desire? 傳語風光共流轉 The dancing green grass extends endlessly on the other side.
蹁躚 那彼岸草綿阡
HereIsuffer,I’d ratherbetransformed than ask why. 淹煎 寧蛻變 不問天 KAFKA:
I received not only a promise of happiness, 我得到不只是 幸福的允諾
But also messages of danger, insanity, and death. 還帶來危險 瘋狂和死亡訊息
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The sound of your music is my best consolation. 妳的琴音 是我最大的安慰 Don’tgiveup! 別放棄！
I will get better. 我會好起來的
When I have enough money, I will send you to a music academy.
等我賺夠錢 一定送妳進音樂學院 moving or eating. He wishes only to vanish from the world.