傳統戲曲如何現代化以適應現代社會及延續生命，一直是近現代劇作家努力的方向之一。新編的京劇《金鎖記》，以事件串接的「串珠結構」，表達曹七巧一生的故事，對女性幽微心情及現代人生命的惶惑不安、無力感有著深度的探討。配合「真實／虛幻」、「同時／不同時」在場的舞臺運用，產生戲劇效果。其編劇策略雖說是以保留傳統戲曲表演程式為原則，但在實踐的過程卻可見傳統戲曲表演程式的新變。張愛玲的文字雖有著豐富的畫面效果，但從文字到舞臺動作，卻是不同體裁的再創造，二者載體不同，表現手法就得改變。本文以就劇論劇的持平方式，分析京劇《金鎖記》主題內容、敘事結構、舞臺設計，及因應劇本而產生的表演變化。本劇的深受好評，雖未必能解決傳統戲曲現代化過程中的所有難題，卻有重要的象徵意義，並為傳統戲曲的現代化，指出一條具體可行的道路。

To adapt traditional opera to the concerns of modern society so as to maintain its popularity has been a general approach of contemporary dramatists. The newly revised Peking Opera The Golden Cangue employs a "stringing-pearl" structure scheme to illustrate the life story of Cao Qiqiao, exploring an intricate female mentality and the restlessness of modern lives. Manipulation of the settings between the real/illusional and the synchronic/diachronic generates dramatic effects on stage. Though the adaptation strategy has mostly followed the traditional opera's histrionic formula, in practice, the play exhibits innovations derived from within. In Eileen Chang's writings, one often finds rich visual details. However, the translation from words to stage performance has to be a recreation between different genres. The differences hence impose a change in representation. In this article, I analyze the narrative structure, stage design, and histrionic formula of The Golden Cangue. This critically-acclaimed play might not solve all the problems encountered in the modernization of traditional opera. It however gains symbolic importance and points to a specific and feasible path for others to follow.