UMKC Orchestra Reading
September 13, 2023
White Recital Hall, Kansas City, MO
She Was a Ghost
For Full Orchestra [11'27''] (2023)
She Was a Ghost draws inspiration from the chapter “Nie Xiaoqian” in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songlin (b. 1640-1715). The story revolves around Nie Xiaoqian, a delicate female ghost who tragically died at the age of 18 and found herself trapped in a secluded temple. There, she was coerced by other ghosts to commit murder by enticing people with sex and money. One night, she encountered a righteous scholar, Ning Caichen, who firmly resisted her seduction. His unwavering virtue moved her deeply, and she asked him to help liberate her from her brutal circumstance. She was thus saved and left the temple to live with him. At his home, she worked hard to redeem herself, striving to regain her lost humanity. Through years of hard work, she finally became human. At their wedding, the neighbors thought she even looked like a fairy.