Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024

E-ISSN: 2723-6692

P-ISSN: 2723-6595

http://jiss.publikasiindonesia.id/

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2066

KEYWORDS

ABSTRACT

Cultural transmission; The

Story of Sampek Engtay;

Story adaptation

The story of Sampek Engtay is one of the four famous Chinese

folktales that have had a great influence in world literature. It spread

to Indonesia and was successfully integrated into the local culture,

where it became known as Sampek Engtay (山伯英台). The

background of this research focuses on how Chinese immigrants

played an important role in the spread and adaptation of this story

in Indonesia, reflecting the longstanding cultural exchange between

China and Indonesia. This research aims to explore the spread of

Sampek Engtay in Indonesia by discussing the elements of the

story's adaptation in Indonesia, using the novel *Sampek Engtay: A

Feminine Liberation Romance by Oey Kim Tiang as an example. In

addition, this paper also discusses the characteristics of OKT's

adaptation of Sampek Engtay from the viewpoint of feminism and

Chinese cultural imagery.The research method used is a qualitative

method with a literature study approach, which involves analyzing

cultural transmission and cultural adaptation. This analysis includes

themes and narratives, characterizations, and differences and

similarities in storytelling between the original and adapted

versions. As such, this study provides an in-depth insight into how

the Sampek Engtay story not only spread but also transformed in the

Indonesian cultural context, highlighting the influence of Chinese

immigrants and local cultural dynamics.

Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)

1. Introduction

"梁祝" (梁山伯祝英台) or Sampek Engtay is one of the four Chinese folktales and also has a

place in world literature. This can be seen from the influence of Chinese Sampek Engtay in Indonesia.

In Indonesia, this story is known as "Sampek Engtay", which comes from the Minnan languages Nio

Sampek and Ciok Engtai, which shows that the Chinese brought the early spread of this story in

Indonesia, and the forms of adaptation involving the story of Sampek Engtay prove that this story has

been circulating in Indonesia since ancient times and developed in harmony with Indonesia culture.

This view is supported by Guo Qiu-shuang, who believes that Chinese immigrants played a key role

A Study on the Transmission of the Sampek Engtay Story from

China and Its Adaptation in Indonesia

Atalya Mikhal Christsetyo Wibowo

Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, Tiongkok

Email: atalyazhan[email protected]

Correspondence: atalyazhang@gmail.com*

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in the spread of the "Sampek Engtay" story in Indonesia and made a remarkable contribution to the

Sino-Indonesia cultural exchange as well as the spread of the Sampek Engtay story in Indonesia,

which is one of the earliest in Southeast Asia (Chénxiánchún, 2021, p. 176).

The entry of Chinese immigrants into Indonesia triggered cultural exchanges, which can be seen

from the spread of the story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia. In Indonesia, we can find traces of the

story of Sampek Engtay in various genres, which are undoubtedly closely related to its spread. The

Chinese community of Chinese descent has played an active role in spreading the story of Sampek

Engtay in Indonesia. They passed on this legend to their descendants to preserve Chinese culture.

However, with the mixing and cultural exchange between the indigenous and Chinese-Indonesian,

this story began to spread widely in Indonesia and gradually became part of Indonesia's culture. Thus,

the story of Sampek Engtay initially spread to Indonesia through word-of-mouth stories and then

became increasingly popular and began to be integrated into all aspects of Indonesia's literature and

culture.

Penelitian ini relevan dengan studi tentang transmisi budaya dan adaptasi cerita rakyat di

berbagai konteks budaya. Studi sebelumnya oleh Guo Qiu-shuang menyoroti peran imigran Tionghoa

dalam penyebaran cerita Sampek Engtay di Indonesia, yang menunjukkan bagaimana cerita ini telah

menjadi bagian dari pertukaran budaya antara Tiongkok dan Indonesia. Selain itu, penelitian oleh

Atalya Mikhal Christsetyo Wibowo mendalami adaptasi cerita ini dalam konteks Indonesia, dengan

fokus pada karya Oey Kim Tiang yang menyoroti aspek feminisme dan citra budaya Tionghoa (Nabila,

2022).

The novelty of this study lies in the in-depth analysis of the adaptation of the story of Sampek

Engtay from the perspective of feminism and Chinese cultural imagery, especially through the novel

Sampek Engtay: A Feminine Liberation Romance by Oey Kim Tiang. This research not only explores

how these stories are adapted in the context of Indonesia culture, but also highlights how feminist

values and elements of Chinese culture are preserved and interpreted in those adaptations. This

provides a new perspective in understanding the dynamics of cultural adaptation and the role of

women in cultural narratives in Indonesia.

The purpose of this study is to explore the spread and adaptation of the Sampek Engtay story

in Indonesia. Specifically, this study aims to: Analyze the elements of adaptation of the Sampek Engtay

story in the context of Indonesia culture. Examining the characteristics of adaptation from the

perspective of feminism and Chinese cultural image. Identifying the role of Chinese immigrants in the

spread of this story in Indonesia.

This topic is important to research because the story of Sampek Engtay is not just a folklore,

but also a symbol of the rich cultural exchange between China and Indonesia. Understanding how

these stories are adapted and received in Indonesia can provide insight into the dynamics of cultural

interactions and how foreign cultural elements can be integrated into local cultures. Additionally, by

highlighting the feminist aspect of this story adaptation, this research can contribute to a broader

discussion of the role of women in cultural narratives and how folklore can be used to promote gender

equality values.

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2. Materials and Methods

The method used in this study is a qualitative method with a literature study approach. This

study aims to explore and analyze the transmission and adaptation of the story of Sampek Engtay

from China to Indonesia. The main concepts used in this study include: First, Cultural Transmission

which refers to the process of how the story of Sampek Engtay moved from one culture (China) to

another (Indonesia). In this case, focus on transmission mediums such as literary texts, art

performances, and mass media; second, Cultural Adaptation which examines how this story is

adapted and interpreted in the context of Indonesia culture. It includes an analysis of differences and

similarities in the delivery of the story, themes, characters, and values contained in the story.

The Analysis category used in this journal includes themes and narratives, where the main

themes and storylines in the original version and the adapted version are studied, character

characterization that analyzes the main characters and the roles they play in the Chinese and

Indonesia versions, storylines in the OKT version of the story, forms of the script that examine the

various media used to convey this story, such as literature, theater, film, and others, the values and

characteristics contained in the version of OKT.

3. Result and Discussion

Dissemination of the story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia

Starting from a story that was conveyed orally, the story of Sampek Engtay attracted the

interest of several writers of Chinese descent. Many writers of Chinese descent began to write and

publish works that included the story of Sampek Engtay or discussed the legend. As a result, the story

of Sampek Engtay became more widespread in Indonesia, and many versions and adaptations of the

story were produced.

The earliest translation of the story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia can be traced back to "Sam Pik

Eng Tae" published by Javaansche Almanac in 1873, which was translated into Javanese, and is the

earliest version of the story of Sampek Engtay in that language, and has since spread in Indonesia

literature (Salmon, 1981).

In 1875, two years later, an anonymous novel, Serat Sampek Ing Tae, was released. Three years

after the book was published, another book, Sampek and Engtay, was released. Then, in 1880, another

anonymous book, "Sampek Engtay" was published. The first appearance of the novel adaptation in

Chinese began in 1885 with the title Tjerita Dahoeloe kala di Negeri Tjina, Terpoengoet dari Tjerita'an

Boekoe Promises Tjina ja-itoe Sam Pik Ing Tai. The novel had a major impact on the spread of the

Sampek Engtay story in Indonesia and was popular among Indonesians, Netherlands and ethnic

Chinese at the time, so the novel underwent several reprints between 1885 and 1913. After that, many

writers of Chinese descent began to use the story of Sampek Engtay in various literary works, with

the novel form of the story of Sampek Engtay which is very popular in the literary world. Then, in

1902, Sastradiharja wrote a novel entitled The Story of Eng Tae (The Legend of Yingtai). Then in 1928,

K.M Sastrasoemarta published a novel entitled Katresnan Donja-akerat (Love of the World-Afterlife),

which tells the story of Sampek Engtay in Javanese. This novel made a significant contribution to the

spread of the written story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia. After the emergence of the Boen SingHoo

adaptation, many adaptations of the story of Sampek Engtay published by Chinese Indonesia began

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to emerge, such as "Stories from the Past in China -A Man's Mind About a Woman Until Her Death"

written and published by the author of The T(in) L(am) ("Tjerita doeloe kala di Negeri Tjina sa-orang

lelakie njang terindoe pada sa-orang perempoean till djadi matinja"), "Satoe Korban dari

Battlejintaan" by Jo Tjim, "Katjintaan dari Hidup tiī tiś Die" by Oei Soei Tiong, "Satoe Katjintaan jang

soetji dari hidoep śādī sānī mati" which is adapted from a novel, and a book, A Pair of Pigeons that

Never Djodo. In 1956, Priyana, interested in these adaptations, listed one of them as "one of the four

sorrows of love". However, in 1922, Oci Suci, an Indonesian-Chinese writer, released a Malay

translation of the novel titled "Syair Sam Pak dan Ingtaij". From these writers, the novels adapted by

Sampek Engtay have a common characteristic, namely that they are written in low-level Malay (Malay

plus many words from Minnan). Although not many Sampek Engtay story novels were published by

the Chinese, these novels played an important role in spreading this story in Indonesia, reflecting the

literary environment of the time and fully demonstrating the literary value of this story before

Indonesia's independence.

In addition to Javanese and Malay, the story of Sampek Engtay is also written in Balinese,

Manggasi, Indonesian Language, and Madura in Indonesia fiction. In Bali, the story of Sampek Engtay

is often referred to as "Geguritan Sampik". The earliest adaptation of this story into the Balinese

language was published by Ida Ketut Sari in 1915. "Geguritan Sampik" is a traditional form of poetry

from Bali, Indonesia. This type of poetry is characterized by long lines and rhymes. In addition, in

1926, Sastra Soewignya published an adaptation of the novel Sampek Engtay in Mangasi.

Furthermore, in the 1930s, Lim Keng Yong published an adaptation of Sampek Engtay in Bangkasi

entitled Sampek and Engtay (Nio Sampek and Zhu Yingtai). The story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia,

on the other hand, was published after Indonesia's independence. Among them, Kok Ka Swee (Wee

Khe Soei or Mosieur Kekasih) published a novelization of the story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesian

entitled Sam Pek Eng Tay. Furthermore, in 1963, Wong Fook Keng published the first edition of the

novel Sampek Engtay entitled Shaer San Pei Eng Tai (Syair Sam Pek Eng Tai). In July 1990, Oey Kim

Tiang published the first version of the novel adapted from the story titled San Pek Eng Tay "San Pek

Eng Tay: The Romance of Emancipation of a Woman". In a period of 14 years between 1990 and 2004,

he published six versions of the Sampek Engtay story novel with the same title as the first version.

Tjerita Sam Pek-Eng Tai by Siloeman Mengok, written in 1945, also helped spread the story of Sampek

Engtay in Indonesia. In addition, there is a manga from the story of Sampek Engtay published by

Handaka Vijjananda in 2004 entitled Sam Pek Engtay (The Story of Sam Pek Engtay) (Giska, 2016, p.

11; Iswandari, 2017).

The Spread of the Story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia's Performing Arts

In addition to literary works, the story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia has also spread through

performing arts. As we all know, the story of Sampek Engtay has been spread in Indonesia for a long

time, so it has become an inseparable part of Indonesia's culture. The first performing art form of the

story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia was the first Indonesian film, "Sam Pek Eng Tay", produced by

The Teng Chun, an Indonesian Chinese, and broadcast during the Netherlands East Indies period

precisely in 1931. This film is the first film of the story of Sampek Engtay made by Indonesians and

attracted much attention then.

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In addition to film production, the story of Sampek Engtay is also spread through theater

performances. in the 1990s, N. Riantiarno founded and promoted the famous "Koma Theater". The

Koma Theater often used the story of Sampek Engtay as a script for theater performances, and

because many audiences liked it, the Koma Theater promoted the story of Sampek Engtay. Koma

Theater often staged plays based on the story of Sampek Engtay, and due to its popularity among

audiences, Koma Theater has promoted the development of the story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia.

On the island of Java, the story of Sampek Engtay has been integrated into local social life and is often

staged in Ludruk, a classical Javanese form of theater that uses Javanese dialogue. One of the famous

performances is the Ludruk Jenaro Engaram (GN) Sam Samber Yingtai Stage. There is also a

traditional form of performance in Java called Ketoprak which also tells the story of Sampek Engtay.

Ketoprak is a popular form of traditional theater in the city of Yogyakarta which is performed in

Javanese with a sense of humor and traditional gamelan music. The story of Sampek Engtay is also

widely displayed in Indonesia in the form of a traditional theater of the Bertawi people, "Teater

Lenon" (Lenong). In Bali, the story of Liang Zhu is often featured in the traditional Balinese Legong

dance. There were also many theatrical performances that raised the story of Liang Zhu. These

dramas combine traditional and modern elements including traditional costumes, Gamelan music and

Balinese dance to create unique and entertaining performances (zhǐ, 2021).

OKT's adaptation to the story of Sampek Engtay

Oey Kim Tiang (OKT) is a Chinese Indonesia writer and translator. He was born in 1903 in

Tangerang, Central Java. Oey Kim Tiang has a great influence in the world of Indonesia literature and

is considered to have played an important role in the dissemination and popularization of Low Malay

literature. He published 73 works distributed in 134 publications and 282 library collections

(Mashuri, 2014).

In the last years of Oey Kim Tiang's life, the story of Sampek Engtay from China became the

focus of his attention. According to Oey Kim Tiang, many stories of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia

misunderstand feminist values and the characterization of Ciok Engtay who has lost his identity and

noble values. OKT's version of Sampek Engtay's novel directly refers to the Chinese version to

correctly interpret Zhu Yingtai's feminist and noble values. Using Chen Xianchun's Chinese version of

"梁山伯与祝英台" to understand the adaptation factors of Kim Tung's Oey version (Fauziah et al.,

2021).

1. Characterization and Depiction of Characters

The notable difference in OKT's version of Sampek Engtay's story compared to Chen

Xianchun's version is the careful characterization of some of the characters. In the OKT version,

these characters are well understood and developed, increasing their roles and complexity in

the story, highlighting their importance in the story, adding layers to the story, and showing

their careful adaptation of the story (Tham et al., 2019; Warsari, 2020).

The portrayal of Zhu Yingtai in OKT's novel is extensively developed and incorporates

OKT's own ideas, Ciok Engtay (the name for Zhu Yingtai in this novel) comes from a well-off

family. He is the second child in the family and has an older brother named Ciok Engtai (Zhu

Yingda). Her love for learning began when her father sent her to school with her older brother

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and grew over time, influenced by her. In addition to her courage, the trait that makes this

character different from the Chinese version of the character is that Zhu Yingtai in this novel is

described as someone who has a sense of humor and likes to joke. "In the room, he then sat

down, facing the brass mirror. Suddenly he laughed." Well, speak!" he said later. "There is no

one else here, just the four of us" Gin Sim: Gin Sim was surprised to the point of being

dumbfounded, he also affirmed: "Four, Non? We are just the two of us! Who are the other two

people?" Ciok Eng Tay: The employer girl laughs. "You don't know?" he asked. He pointed to a

mirror made of brass." (Misnawati & Rahmawati, 2021; Oey, 2004, p. 23).

Nio Sampek in this novel by OKT called Nio San Peka, not much has been changed by OKT

about the character of Nio Sampek. Nio Sampek is described as an intelligent, kind and

hardworking figure. In addition, OKT also described him as a man with good manners.

The depiction of Engtay's parents in these two versions has some differences. The character of

Ciok Kongwan, OKT added several scenes that showed Zhu's gentle and attentive side. His novel

describes it this way: "Have you swung already? The father asked while turning his head

towards his daughter. Look at the red hue on your face! Are you tired? " (Oey, 2004, p. 23). This

shows that OKT describes this character as a father who can express his deep love for his

children. This is different from the Chinese version, where Zhu is portrayed as a firm and

authoritative figure who does not show his gentle side and care to Zhu Yingtai, as portrayed by

Ciok Kongwan in the OKT version. The depiction of the mother's character also reflects the

adaptive aspect. In the OKT version, the mother, Tengsi, who is Ciok Engtay's mother, is

described as a patient and caring figure, but at the same time, she also has the right to have a

voice in making important decisions. This is reflected in a scene where Ciok Kongwan tells the

matchmaker that he should first discuss Zhu Yingtai's marriage to Ma Wencai with his wife.

Meanwhile, in the Chinese version, mothers do not have much role in the household. She is

described as someone who obeys her husband and has little role in making decisions in all

household matters, which can indicate that Chenxianchun's version of Mandarin reflects the

Chinese partisan system of the past.

In the adaptation by Oey Kim Tiang (OKT), the character Ma Wencai is transformed into

Mabuncai. OKT focuses on portraying Mabuncai as a diligent and obedient 20-year-old,

highlighting his intelligence and accomplishments. This contrasts sharply with the Chinese

version, where Ma Wencai is depicted as arrogant, mischievous, and uninterested in learning.

By reshaping Ma Wencai's character, OKT provides a fresh perspective that emphasizes positive

traits, diverging from the original portrayal.

Pak Ciu, is a new character in this story added by OKT. Pak Ciu is a teacher of Ciok Engtay

at Nisan (school). In addition to the addition of this character, OKT also added the character of

Pak Ciu's wife called Subo. Their role is small but very important because they help Zhu Yingtai

express herself as a woman and instruct Nio Sampek to go to Zhu Yingtai. OKT describes Guru

Cui as a very wise figure who is able to be a role model for his students, and Subo, or the

teacher's mother, is described as a graceful and attentive figure who can be described as a

mother figure to Pak Ciu's students.

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2. Adaptation to the plot of the story

In addition to adapting some of the characters, OKT also not only translated this storyline

literally but also added a touch of probation to create a work that is more suitable for its

audience by inserting and replacing several plots in this story. The inspiration that he did in his

version of the Sampek Engtay story involves his own creativity in order to maintain the essence

of the story that he wants to convey to the audience, this includes:

a. Story Introduction Stage

In the storytelling stage, OKT made some changes to the scene where in the Chinese

version, Ciok Engtay was allowed to go to school because his father didn't feel like seeing him

lying in bed in pain because of his desire to learn while in the Chinese version, his father allowed

him after he could comply with the three conditions of his father, one of which is that the

teacher directly accepted Zhuyingtai as his own student. In addition, in this version, Ciok Engtay

rides a horse to the Wansong Academy and is accompanied by his servant, Ginsim, while in the

Chinese version of this smeua is taken on foot. The alterations and additions of these scenes

effectively show the differences between Chen Xianchun's version and the OKT version, that is,

it is possible to highlight the elements of OKT's adaptation made in this scene.

b. Stages of Conflict Emergence

The adaptation aspect carried out by OKT is also reflected in the time it takes for Ciok

Engtay to arrive at Wansong School. Here it is described that it took him five days to get to the

school. This novel also describes Ciok Engtay's situation and familiarity with Nio Sampek during

his study period. The novel depicts it in this way they live together, go to school together, take

care of each other when sick.

In addition, in the scene Ciok Engtay revealed his identity. In the OKT version, he adapted

this scene by placing it in the climax and because he was in a hurry to go home due to the news

of his mother's illness, he immediately said goodbye to Teacher Cui (the owner of Wansong

Academy) and revealed his identity to him. In addition, OKT also adapted a wedding scene

where he added details of Ciok Engtay and Ma Wencai's engagement. The adaptation aspect

added by OKT is that Li Yusheng came to Ciok Kongwan's place as an intermediary to propose

and arrange the marriage between Ciok Engtay and MaBuncai. Here he also added a scene

where both families give an engagement gift.

c. Stage of Climax

At the climax stage, OKT did not make many adaptations. He only added an additional scene

where shortly after Nio Sampek arrived at Iok Engtay's house, he met Tengsi (Ciok Engtay's

mother) who gave him a warm welcome. Ciok Engtay then met Sampek. However, shortly after

Ciok Engtay told Nio Sampek that he was engaged to another man, Sampek was very shocked

and heartbroken, and when he heard that the woman he loved was engaged to someone else,

he immediately returned home feeling very sad and depressed. OKT's adaptation of this scene

highlights Samek's side, as well as his misfortunes. He also added several scenes such as Sampek

vomiting blood which further enriched OKT's adaptation of this story.

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d. Closing stage

In the closing stages, OKT makes two important changes to the story. First, OKT added a

chapter called "A Letter" where OKT added details about Sampek and Zhu Yingtai writing

letters to each other and expressing their feelings of heartbreak. In my opinion, the addition

made by OKT is very effective in emphasizing the tragedy of their love and the couple's

heartbreak. In addition, the details described in detail in the story are able to make the reader

feel that this couple loves each other very much, but at the same time, they also show the

sadness that Nio Sampek feels because he is engaged to his lover, Ciok Engtay.

Second, he added that the mourning ceremony was held at Sampek's house. This scene is

depicted in great detail so that the reader can feel the sadness and misfortune of this loving

couple, especially considering that their love is opposed by their parents. Second, when Ciok

Engtay traveled to Ma Wencai's house to get engaged, on the way to the boat, Ciok Engtay asked

to stop for a moment on a small island where Nio Sampek's grave was located, and then he

knocked on Nio Sampek's grave and entered it. Zhu Yingtai's clothes left on the island were then

blown by the wind into a pair of butterflies that flew around the ship. The final scene is

somewhat different from the Chinese version where in OKT many scenes are added according

to his personal inspiration "Upon arrival in the inside, outside and inside the room as well as

on the floor, many white candles lit instead of street lamps. On the floor, San Bek's body

collapsed stiffly, he was wearing a blue shirt. Around it are spread banana leaves, even the bed

sheets and head pillows also wear a similar layer of leaves. Only the skullcap, still the skullcap

of the students. His face looked like a living person and his eyes were still open. The fingers of

both of his hands were protruding, grasping a pair of butterfly kemala. Immediately Eng Tay

ran towards the body that was no longer able to move. He even screamed. "Brother San Pek, I

came to see you! You know what...?" his voice was hoarse. After that his tears flowed. He knelt

beside the body of the 'brother', he nodded four times." (Oey, 2004, p. 207)

3. Characteristics of the adaptation of the story Sampek Engtay by OKT

In the story of Sampek Engtay, in addition to depicting the tragic end of love, it also conveys

strong feminist values. The popularity of the story of Sampek Engtay in the community has

transformed from a narrative about women's liberation to a romantic story between two lovers,

even though this story not only emphasizes the love between Nio Sampek and Ciok Engtai, but

also feminist values. OKT argues that the image of women's liberation in the field of education

and marriage is transformed into the main focus of this love story, OKT's main concern in

adapting the story and as a result, feminist values are highlighted and emphasized in his novel

(Oey, 2004, p. 55).

In the OKT version of Sampek Engtay's story, feminist values are embodied and

emphasized in two main areas: first, the struggle for equality and rights in education and to

realize a woman's ambitions and aspirations; and second, the struggle to get equality in

choosing a partner. ; and Chinese elements that are still maintained by OKT.

a. The struggle for equality and rights in schools

In OKT's adaptation of the story of Sampek Engtay, the feminist perspective is highlighted,

emphasizing women's struggle for equal rights with men and the right to education. Especially

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at that time, Zhu's struggle for rights and equality was contrary to the social norms and

patriarchal systems that dominated society. As can be seen from some excerpts from Chinese

and Indonesian texts, the traditions of the time did not allow women to be educated and pursue

their ambitions. This reflects the rejection of many women's rights by patriarchy and traditional

values. Here's a quote from the novel "Why do you talk as if you're dreaming during the day?

You know, Prophet Khong had more than three thousand disciples, were there any female

disciples? Pak Ciu will definitely not deviate from our prophet by accepting female disciples!

Oh, my son, even if your father allows, you will definitely build a barrier there, you will go home

in vain! Therefore, son, I consider your words to be an illusion!" (Oey, 2004, p. 24)

Through Zhu's critique of the norms that restrict women, we can see a strong feminist spirit

within her, even when her father questioned her ability to take care of herself." At school, you

live a mixed life, can you constantly take care of yourself?" This quote suggests that Zhu showed

a dismissive attitude towards his daughter; He doubted his abilities and tried to maintain his

dignity.

Despite facing resistance and humiliation from her environment, Zhu Yingtai remained

steadfast in defending her rights. In the OKT's adaptation, equality in education and other rights

is highlighted through Zhu Yingtai's efforts to fight for it, as she seeks to prove that the

stereotypes and restrictions imposed on women at the time are wrong. Through Zhu Yingtai's

strong determination and courage, she managed to realize her dream of getting an education,

raising the banner of feminism, and proving that women are also capable of acting according to

her will and reason. In my opinion, OKT skillfully highlights these values so that readers can

feel the strong feminist elements that stand out in Sampek Engtay's version of the story,

especially in the scenes that highlight this message.

b. The search for equality and the right to choose a partner and love freely

The quest for equality and the right to choose a partner, as well as the right to love freely,

are prominently featured in OKT's version of Zhu Yingtai (梁祝). OKT clearly emphasizes Zhu

Yingtai's struggle to express feminist values as she rejects the arranged marriage between her

parents and Ma Wencai. As can be seen from the references in Indonesian literature, Zhu

Yingtai's parents viewed arranged marriage as an attempt to improve the status of the family,

especially because of the wealth and high status of the Ma Wencai family, thus harming the

welfare of their children. This reflects the authoritarianism of parents at the time and the

importance of social status (Cho, 2018).

Zhu Yingtai's rejection of blind dating also revealed the idea of the ideal woman of the time,

related to family roles and control over women. Zhu Yingtai sees this concept as a restriction

and control of individual rights. By rejecting and criticizing this, Zhu Yingtai showed her

courage in fighting for her partner's choice and gaining freedom as a woman (Atalya, 2023).

This rejection also reflected Zhu Yingtai's efforts in her quest to gain equality with men and

freedom from the patriarchal system that bound women at the time. Her critical nature and

courage against parental authority showed a strong feminist spirit and awareness of the

importance of women's rights in determining their fate and life. This is the strength of the OKT

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version, because it is able to accurately describe Zhu Yingtai's struggle so that readers can feel

the meaning and value that they want to highlight.

c. Chinese Culture

In the novel OKT, he adds a lot of Chinese elements. These Chinese elements are one of the

strengths of this novel because it is able to highlight the image of Sampek Engtay, a story that

originated in China. The Chinese cultural aspect of the novel can be seen throughout the story,

as OKT often uses titles, names, terms, vocabulary, and rituals from the Minnan language, such

as "Nio SanPek", "Ciok EngTay", "Ciok KongWan", "TengSi" (Mrs. Zhu), "GinSim", "Pan Ciao",

"Ow-kio-tin", "ting", and so on. In addition, in this novel, OKT adds many elements of Chinese

culture, such as Confucianism and performances of Chinese poetry, one of which is the Han

Dynasty's poem "Horses Drinking from the Great Wall Caves", which was added to this story by

OKT, and this novel describes it like this: "After speaking, the young man surnamed Nio

immediately recited the verse Coa Yong — the verse 'Giving horses to drink in the streets of the

Great Wall'. This is the sound of the poem that is recited: The grass is green on the riverbank,

Never stop thinking about the long journey, The road is far away, The inn is seen in a dream...."

(Oey, 2004, p. 58; Tempo, 2016)

From the above explanation, it can be seen that the OKT version in this story maintains the

integrity of the original story while showing the diversity of Chinese culture. This adds depth

and uniqueness to his version of the story. By retaining elements of Chinese culture, OKT has

managed to create a unique and engaging version of the story that brings a different twist to

the story and enriches the reader's or viewer's experience. It also helps to pass on the rich

traditional Chinese culture through the medium of adapted stories.

4. Conclusion

The story of Sampek Engtay from China is one of the most recognizable legends in the world.

With the important contribution of Chinese immigrants, this story spread to Indonesia. Due to its long

history of spread, the story of Sampek Engtay has become integrated with Indonesia's culture and has

become an inseparable part of Indonesia's cultural treasures. This makes the story of Sampek Engtay

have an important role in the development of Indonesia literature. From the discussion above, it can

be concluded that the process of spreading the story of Sampek Engtay in Indonesia can be divided

into three stages, namely oral transmission, literary works and performing arts. Through literary

works, including Malay, Indonesian, Balinese, Manggasi, and Madurese, the story of Sampek Engtay is

widespread throughout Indonesia. Meanwhile, in the performing arts, Indonesia's first film about

Sampek Engtay produced by The Tengcun, also made a significant contribution to the spread of this

story. This is also reflected in various forms of traditional performing arts such as katopurak, ludluk,

koma theater, and Balinese legon dance. By analyzing the literary adaptation of the story of Sampek

Engtay in Indonesia, especially the novels by OKT, it can be seen that there are several changes in the

characterization and storyline. These changes reflect OKT's creativity as a writer. For example, Zhu

Yingtai is described as a strong yet optimistic woman, while Nio Sampek is a polite, charming, and

loyal man. The adaptation also emphasizes the relationship between Zhu Yingtai and her parents, Ma

Wencai, Zhu Wenwai, and other characters. OKT's detailed adaptation of the storyline leaves a deep

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and dramatic impression on readers, especially the episodes that highlight the tragic nature of the

story. At the same time, OKT's novels reflect feminist attitudes of struggle, such as Zhu Yingtai's

struggle for education and free love.

5. References

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