本文以起於明代，而後歷經數度發展的「紅梅記—李慧娘」故事表演之變化，探討權力對於傳統戲曲的改造與形塑上，政治意識型態有何考量；從而討論做為意識型態的政治也不是鐵板一塊，而是由多種觀點與角度所構成。在意識型態主導的時期，不同觀點的角力，代表不同的政治路線鬥爭。體現意識型態的文藝作品，成為路線鬥爭的當然代表，成為此一時期戲曲的特殊命運。
　　明代傳奇《紅梅記》副線當中的李慧娘故事，成為清代梆子戲《紅梅閣》的主題，是撲跌旦與鬼戲的代表劇目。在1950年代初，被戲曲改革運動視為「鬼戲」而禁演，1956年秦腔《遊西湖》的恢復演出受到注意，被視為具有「反封建」意識，分別被京劇、崑劇加以改編。京劇版繼承四大名旦以來，旦角表演發展的勢頭，而有四個版本，崑劇則有《李慧娘》的改編。隨着意識
型態鬥爭的持續進行，本劇內容的調性從「反封建」變成了「鬼戲」 ，成為封建迷信的代表，與《謝瑤環》 、 《海瑞罷官》成為《戲劇報》所點名的新編歷史劇的三株大毒草，陰謀「反黨反社會主義」 ，直到1978年以後才恢復演出。「紅梅記—李慧娘」故事在短短的一代之間，分別被解讀為「鬼戲」 、 「反封建」 、與「反黨反社會主義」 ，生動地體現了權力與表演在冷戰的特殊時空當中，緊張而矛盾的特質。

This paper investigates the transformation of the story Lady Plum Blossom: Li Hui-niang from Ming dynasty onward. My discussion begins with its modifications in theatrical performance, followed by the reformation and remodeling which political power executed on the
traditional opera. I also examine the ways political ideology exerted its influence on it. Subsequently, I propose that political ideology is by no means unchallengeable. It can be seen from various perspectives.
Back in the time when ideology prevailed, the competing viewpoints
ref lected clashes between different political interests. Unsurprisingly, literary works that advocated ideologies came to represent vying political factions. Such was the particular fate of traditional Chinese drama of this period.
The story of Li Hui-niang, a secondary plot from the Ming drama
Lady Plum Blossom, was adapted into a Qing bangzi play Red Plum
Pavilion, and became one of the most frequently performed plays of the
acrobatic female character pudie dan. In the early 1950s, the play was considered a “ghost play” and banned by the Theater Reform Movement.
In 1956, the restoration of Qinqiang play Visiting the West Lake put the Li Huiniang story under the spotlight again. Due to its laudable“anti-feudal”elements, it was later adapted into Peking and Kun operas. As a result of the continuous influence of the Four Famous Dan, Peking opera 從《紅梅閣》的舊瓶看《李慧娘》的新酒　43 boasts a total of four adaptations, as opposed to one Kun opera adaptation of Li Hui-niang. As the clashes between ideologies continued, the play formerly praised for its anti-feudal spirit was condemned as a ghost play
that represented feudalism and superstition. Hence, it joined the other new historical plays Xie Yaohuan and Hai Rui Ba Guan, to become the
three poisonous weeds, labeled by the official periodical Chinese Theatre,
which condemned anti-party and anti-socialism thought. Not until 1978 were these plays revived on stage again. Within one single generation, the story of Lady Plum Blossom: Li Hui-niang had been interpreted as a ghost play, containing anti-feudalism, anti-communist party or anti-socialism. It captured vividly the paradoxical tension between political power and theatrical performance in the grim years of Cold War.