Shaoxing opera 'Scarlet Fingerprint' to be staged at Nanjing Museum

A traditional Shaoxing opera play entitled "Xueshouyin" (Scarlet Fingerprint) will be staged at Nanjing Museum on Sept 12.

A traditional Shaoxing opera play entitled "Xueshouyin" (Scarlet Fingerprint) will be staged at Nanjing Museum at 7:00 pm on Sept 12.

The play depicts the love story between the young scholar, Lin Zhaode, and Wang Qianjin, a daughter in a rich family. The couple became engaged in their teens, but Wang's father forced them to cancel the wedding after Lin's family declined.

Still in love with Lin and worrying about him, Wang asks her maidservant to deliver silver to him at midnight in her garden. However, after overhearing the conversation, the family's stableman murders the maidservant to steal the silver.

Upon discovering the body at the appointed time to meet the maidservant, Lin falls down upon her and leaves scarlet fingerprint on door as he rushed back home. He is accused of the murder and sentenced to death. But Wang's desperate pleas for his life and protests of his innocence ultimately save him. The unjust verdict is redressed and the couple eventually marry.