崔相國夫人攜女鶯鶯,謢送丈夫靈柩回博陵安葬,暫居普救寺。適時書生張君瑞遊學路經普救寺,於遊殿時與鶯鶯相遇,兩人一見鍾情,私書往還。是時,賊將孫飛虎聞得鶯鶯貌美,欲強索為押寨夫人,兵圍普救寺。
崔夫人允諾能退賊兵者,將小姐嫁與他為妻。張生修書一封,請好友白馬將軍杜確來救。然而解圍後崔夫人卻反悔,只准張生與鶯鶯結為兄妹。張生為此害相思,臥床不起。鶯鶯得知遣紅娘前往探望。張生請紅娘遞柬,鶯鶯約張生相會。兩人月下佳期,事後鶯鶯神態異常,夫人知覺,拷問紅娘。因木已成舟,夫人只得答應,但以崔家不招白衣女婿為由,著張生上京應試,授官後方許成婚。張生得中狀元,與鶯鶯終成眷屬。
The West Chamber / Romance of The Western Tower
Accompanied by her daughter Yingying, the wife of Prime Minister Cui escorts her husband’s coffin to the mausoleum. Mother and daughter lodge at a monastery. Scholar Zhang Junrui passes by the monastery during his travels and meets Yingying while touring the halls. The scholar and the young woman fall in love at first sight and exchange letters. Hearing of Yingying’sbeauty, a bandit by the name of Sun Feihu and his men besiege the monastery in an attempt to force marriage upon Yingying.
Yingying’s mother promises her daughter to anyone who can fight off the bandits. Zhang writes a letter to his good friend, the “Knight-on-a-white-horse,” for help. When the siege is relieved, Yingying’s mother breaks her promise; she only allows Zhang and Yingying to have a relationship as brother and sister.
The lovesick Zhang is confined to his bed, and Yingying sends her maid, Hongniang, to pay Zhang a visit.Zhang asks Hongniang to take a message toYingying. The lovers meet on a moonlit night and consummate their love. Seeing her daughter’s unusual bearing, Yingying’s mother extorts the truth from the go-between, Hongniang. Learning of their relationship, the mother has no choice but to consent to the marriage on condition that Zhang take the imperial examination at the capital and become an official. Finally,Zhang comes out first in the examination and married Yingying.