Transitions of (The) Flower Drum Song: From Chin Yang Lee to David Henry Hwang

Abstract

The Flower Drum Song, written by Chin Yang Lee, and its homonymous musical adaptation by David Henry Hwang, are two seminal American works exploring Chinese American life. However, the musical has undergone significant transformations in various aspects. Therefore, this study aims to examine the transitions of (The) Flower Drum Song in settings, character portrayals, as well as the presentation and preservation of Chinese culture. The findings reveal that David Henry Hwang demonstrates a more proactive and independent motivation in portraying Chinese Americans compared to Chin Yang Lee; However, he falls short in effectively presenting and preserving Chinese culture as skillfully accomplished by Chin Yang Lee. David Henry Hwang's Flower Drum Song presents a more accurate portrayal of characters, while Chin Yang Lee's novel better preserves traditional Chinese culture. Generally, the transitions of settings, character portrayals, and plotlines are progress in Hwang’s musical, while the transition of Chinese cultural portrayal presents some retrogress, compared with that in Lee’s novel.