Shi Pei Pu
Encyclopedia
Shi Pei Pu was a Chinese
opera singer from Beijing
. He became a spy who obtained secrets during a 20-year long sexual affair in which he convinced an employee in the French Embassy that he was a woman, later producing a child that he insisted had been born through their relations. The story made headlines in France when it came to light and became the basis for the 1988 play M. Butterfly
and the 1993 movie
of the same title.
in the southwestern province of Yunnan
, where he learned French
and attended the University of Kunming, graduating with a literature degree. By 17, Shi was an actor/singer who had achieved some recognition. In his 20s, Shi wrote plays about workers.
Bernard Boursicot
was 20 years old and had obtained a job as an accountant at the French Embassy in Beijing, which had just been opened in 1964 as the first Western mission in China since the Korean War
. As recorded in his diary, Boursicot had only previously had sexual relations with fellow male students in school and wanted to meet a woman and fall in love. He first met Shi, who was dressed as a man, at a Christmas party in December 1964. Shi had been teaching Chinese
to the families of Embassy workers and told Boursicot that he was a female Beijing opera
singer who had been forced to live as a man to satisfy his father's wish to have a son. The two developed a sexual relationship maintained quickly and in darkness in which Boursicot was convinced that he was with a woman.
After being discovered by the Chinese government, Boursicot was pressured into providing secret documents from his postings in Beijing from 1969 to 1972 and in Ulan Bator, Mongolia
from 1977 to 1979, with over 500 documents taken. Boursicot was stationed outside of China and saw Shi infrequently, maintaining their sexual relationship. Shi later showed Shi Du Du to Boursicot, a four-year old child that Shi insisted was their son who had been born to him.
Shi and his adopted son were brought to Paris in 1982, after Boursicot was able to arrange for them to enter France. Boursicot was arrested by French authorities on June 30, 1983, and Shi was arrested shortly thereafter. In police custody, Shi explained to doctors how he had hidden his genitals to convince Boursicot that he was a woman, and explained that Shi Du Du, their purported son, was from China's Uyghur people
who had been purchased from the child's mother. Boursicot, upon discovering the truth of their relationship, attempted suicide by slitting his throat but survived. The public disclosure of the affair made Boursicot the subject of widespread ridicule.
Shi, together with Boursicot, was convicted of espionage in 1986 and sentenced to six years in prison. Shi was pardoned by President of France François Mitterrand
in April 1987, as part of an effort to defuse tensions between France and China over what was described as a "very silly" and unimportant case, while Bouriscot received a pardon in August of that year.
The incident became the basis of David Henry Hwang
's 1988 play M. Butterfly
, in which B. D. Wong played Song Liling, a Chinese opera singer and spy based on Shi Pei Pu in the original Broadway production of the play.
After his pardon, Shi performed as an opera singer. He was reluctant to share the details of his relationship with Boursicot, stating that he "used to fascinate both men and women" and that "What I was and what they were didn't matter." Shi spoke infrequently with Boursicot over the subsequent years, as recently as months before Shi's death, telling Boursicot that he still loved him.
Shi was said to be 70 years old when he died on June 30, 2009, in Paris. Shi is survived by his adopted son, Shi Du Du, who had three sons of his own. Notified at a French nursing home of Shi's death, Boursicot wearily said that "He did so many things against me that he had no pity for, I think it is stupid to play another game now and say I am sad. The plate is clean now. I am free."
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
opera singer from Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. He became a spy who obtained secrets during a 20-year long sexual affair in which he convinced an employee in the French Embassy that he was a woman, later producing a child that he insisted had been born through their relations. The story made headlines in France when it came to light and became the basis for the 1988 play M. Butterfly
M. Butterfly
M. Butterfly is a 1988 play by David Henry Hwang loosely based on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a male Peking opera singer....
and the 1993 movie
M. Butterfly (film)
M. Butterfly is a 1993 romantic drama film directed by David Cronenberg. The screenplay was written by David Henry Hwang based on his play of the same name...
of the same title.
Biography
Shi's father was a college professor, and his mother was a teacher. He had two sisters who were significantly older than he was. Shi grew up in KunmingKunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
in the southwestern province of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, where he learned French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and attended the University of Kunming, graduating with a literature degree. By 17, Shi was an actor/singer who had achieved some recognition. In his 20s, Shi wrote plays about workers.
Bernard Boursicot
Bernard Boursicot
Bernard Boursicot is a French diplomat who was caught in a honeypot trap , by Shi Pei Pu, a male Peking opera singer who performed female roles, whom Boursicot believed to be female...
was 20 years old and had obtained a job as an accountant at the French Embassy in Beijing, which had just been opened in 1964 as the first Western mission in China since the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. As recorded in his diary, Boursicot had only previously had sexual relations with fellow male students in school and wanted to meet a woman and fall in love. He first met Shi, who was dressed as a man, at a Christmas party in December 1964. Shi had been teaching Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
to the families of Embassy workers and told Boursicot that he was a female Beijing opera
Beijing opera
Peking opera or Beijing opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court...
singer who had been forced to live as a man to satisfy his father's wish to have a son. The two developed a sexual relationship maintained quickly and in darkness in which Boursicot was convinced that he was with a woman.
After being discovered by the Chinese government, Boursicot was pressured into providing secret documents from his postings in Beijing from 1969 to 1972 and in Ulan Bator, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
from 1977 to 1979, with over 500 documents taken. Boursicot was stationed outside of China and saw Shi infrequently, maintaining their sexual relationship. Shi later showed Shi Du Du to Boursicot, a four-year old child that Shi insisted was their son who had been born to him.
Shi and his adopted son were brought to Paris in 1982, after Boursicot was able to arrange for them to enter France. Boursicot was arrested by French authorities on June 30, 1983, and Shi was arrested shortly thereafter. In police custody, Shi explained to doctors how he had hidden his genitals to convince Boursicot that he was a woman, and explained that Shi Du Du, their purported son, was from China's Uyghur people
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
who had been purchased from the child's mother. Boursicot, upon discovering the truth of their relationship, attempted suicide by slitting his throat but survived. The public disclosure of the affair made Boursicot the subject of widespread ridicule.
Shi, together with Boursicot, was convicted of espionage in 1986 and sentenced to six years in prison. Shi was pardoned by President of France François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
in April 1987, as part of an effort to defuse tensions between France and China over what was described as a "very silly" and unimportant case, while Bouriscot received a pardon in August of that year.
The incident became the basis of David Henry Hwang
David Henry Hwang
David Henry Hwang is an American playwright who has risen to prominence as the preeminent Asian American dramatist in the U.S.He was born in Los Angeles, California and was educated at the Yale School of Drama and Stanford University...
's 1988 play M. Butterfly
M. Butterfly
M. Butterfly is a 1988 play by David Henry Hwang loosely based on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a male Peking opera singer....
, in which B. D. Wong played Song Liling, a Chinese opera singer and spy based on Shi Pei Pu in the original Broadway production of the play.
After his pardon, Shi performed as an opera singer. He was reluctant to share the details of his relationship with Boursicot, stating that he "used to fascinate both men and women" and that "What I was and what they were didn't matter." Shi spoke infrequently with Boursicot over the subsequent years, as recently as months before Shi's death, telling Boursicot that he still loved him.
Shi was said to be 70 years old when he died on June 30, 2009, in Paris. Shi is survived by his adopted son, Shi Du Du, who had three sons of his own. Notified at a French nursing home of Shi's death, Boursicot wearily said that "He did so many things against me that he had no pity for, I think it is stupid to play another game now and say I am sad. The plate is clean now. I am free."