授符开坛
[Style of Music] [Ritual-epic fusion: Daoist liturgical intoning over Jingju (Peking opera) erhuang and xipi arias, embroidered with Kunqu water-polish lines. Alternates processional percussion with lofty lyrical passages.] [Instrumentation] [Dizi, xiao, sheng, guqin, pipa, ruan; suona for omen-calls; jinghu for lead aria; bianzhong (chime-bells), yunluo (cloud gongs), tanggu and biangu for altar rhythms; qing stone and wooden fish for ritual beats.] [Vocal Style] [Lead qingyi/daomadan (Jiutian Xuannü) in ornamented xipi yuanban turning to erhuang manban; laosheng (Herald/Officiant) in declamation; male and female ritual chorus in responsorial Daoist tones. Occasional suona keening for celestial omens.]
授符开坛
[Style of Music] [Ritual-epic fusion: Daoist liturgical intoning over Jingju (Peking opera) erhuang and xipi arias, embroidered with Kunqu water-polish lines. Alternates processional percussion with lofty lyrical passages.] [Instrumentation] [Dizi, xiao, sheng, guqin, pipa, ruan; suona for omen-calls; jinghu for lead aria; bianzhong (chime-bells), yunluo (cloud gongs), tanggu and biangu for altar rhythms; qing stone and wooden fish for ritual beats.] [Vocal Style] [Lead qingyi/daomadan (Jiutian Xuannü) in ornamented xipi yuanban turning to erhuang manban; laosheng (Herald/Officiant) in declamation; male and female ritual chorus in responsorial Daoist tones. Occasional suona keening for celestial omens.]
Lyrics
[九天玄女 / Jiutian Xuannü / 九天玄女 – Act I・Scene I：授符开坛
(https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/九天玄女) • (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiutian_Xuann%C3%BC)]
Scene Description
On the eve of a mythic war, a wind like silk parts the clouds over the Central Plain. The Ninefold Heavens unseal, and Jiutian Xuannü descends upon a jade terrace, bearing talismans, a mirror, and a book of stratagems. She ordains a temporary altar between earth and sky, instructs the mortal general (offstage: the Yellow Emperor prelude), and grants rites of protection to the banners. This scene inaugurates her role as heavenly tactician and goddess of guidance: where banners meet, the altar becomes a gate.
Style of Music
Ritual-epic fusion: Daoist liturgical intoning over Jingju (Peking opera) erhuang and xipi arias, embroidered with Kunqu water-polish lines. Alternates processional percussion with lofty lyrical passages.
Instrumentation
Dizi, xiao, sheng, guqin, pipa, ruan; suona for omen-calls; jinghu for lead aria; bianzhong (chime-bells), yunluo (cloud gongs), tanggu and biangu for altar rhythms; qing stone and wooden fish for ritual beats.
Staging
A nine-tiered stair rises into a starry vault; center-stage a square altar of jade tiles with talisman flags at four corners. A silk “heaven-river” hangs above, reflecting light like moving water. As the goddess appears, the flags ignite with pale gold; script characters sweep across the floor. A mirror opens a path of light toward the horizon.
Vocal Style
Lead qingyi/daomadan (Jiutian Xuannü) in ornamented xipi yuanban turning to erhuang manban; laosheng (Herald/Officiant) in declamation; male and female ritual chorus in responsorial Daoist tones. Occasional suona keening for celestial omens.
⸻
Verse 1
云门初启，九重星语落人间，
玉台铺作天地砧，风息而鼓鸣；
旌旗未举，符影已在甲上行，
一指为斗，一步为河山。
太霄九章，降文敕令
Edict from the Supreme Firmament—nine chapters descend.
Verse 2
她执镜如月，照尽兵心与人心，
一半是霜一半是光，照出行止；
袖翻符籙，麒麟笔点定四隅，
若雷若丝，静里有金声。
玄女临坛，启道开关
The Xuannü approaches the altar, opening the Way-gate.
Chorus 1
鼓定中原脉，钟齐四海音，
旗受风而不乱，心就令而不疑；
今日坛前许，明朝阵里行，
一诀在掌，一国在歌。
九天玄功，护卫元阳
Nine-Heaven arts shield the primal breath.
Verse 3
东旒招瑞，青龙隐鳞于雁影，
西鼓回波，白虎卧势在云根；
南火如笙，北水如琴，
四序并坐，听她一言。
敕定四方，符印成阵
Four quarters are ordained; seals form the battle array.
Verse 4
她以星河为绫，将兵法绣在风上，
又以露为墨，把人命写成春；
霜刃停于袖口，雷霆藏在轻歌，
万马未嘶，尘埃先定。
玄策既布，万灵听令
Heavenly stratagems are laid; myriad spirits heed.
Chorus 2
不以血求胜，只以度为桥；
不以勇压人，只以明照心；
一灯分万户，万户皆成关，
门门可渡，步步为坛。
天符在手，地网开罗
With heavenly talisman in hand, the net of earth unfolds.
Bridge
法鼓三击，云向阶前低；
玉册一展，字作鹤飞起；
镜里山河缩，掌中星斗移，
她教人以止，以行，以不迷。
太上灵章，急急如律令
Supreme sacred verses—swift as the statute command.
Chorus 3
将军未到，风已先行；
旌未扬时，心已整齐；
若问胜负处，在此一息间，
息若春潮，潮过不留沙。
紫微授箓，黄道行兵
From the Purple Tenuity the warrant descends; the Yellow Path marshals.
Chorus 4
天书不是刃，刃在众生眼，
护心便是甲，甲在一念安；
愿把九天路，铺作人间桥，
路尽无尽处，仍见她回环。
玄风护体，神光照坛
Mysterious wind guards the body; divine light floods the altar.
Outro
她把镜交与晨光，把书寄给号角，
回身入云，留下一方清明；
自此旗影处，皆为门与关，
行人一拱手，天地两相迎。
洞章已讫，诸神听宣
Ritual chapter complete; all deities receive the charge.