The Fragrant Companion
The Fragrant Companion is a work of the playwright Li Yu.
Plot
The story of The Fragrant Companion is a story that Cui Jianyun comes to burn joss to the gods after one month of marriage to Master Fan Jiefu. At the temple she meets Cao Yuhua, the daughter of Lord Cao. Madame Cui is attracted to Cao’s extraordinary fragrance Miss Cao is attracted to Madame Cai’s poetic talent. They fall in love and vow to be husband and wife in the next life. In order to live together, Madame Cui persuades her husband to send a matchmaker to Lord Cao’s house, asking him to grant her daughter to him as a second wife. Lord Cao flies into a rage at the thought of his daughter becoming a mere concubine. He throws out the matchmaker, and leaves at once for the capital with Miss Cao, ordering Fan stripped of his title. After numerous twists and turns, Cui Jianyun and Cao Yuhua manage to reunite and in the end the king gives permission to Master Fan to take them both as wives.
Performances
The world premiere of The Fragrant Companion in Beijing in 2010 commemorates the 400 anniversary of Li Yu’s birthday.