LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas
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10/2京劇《鼎盛春秋》Wu Yuan, the Innocent Fugitive
Emperor ChuPingWang wanted to marry his own son’s wife, but Wu She advised against it. Wu She ended up being imprisoned and was forced to write a letter to summon his sons, Wu Shang and Wu Yuan from City Ping where they were stationed. Wu Yuan suspected the letter was a trap to murder the father-and-sons and ran away. Wu Shang went as summoned and was beheaded together with his father.
Wu Yuan fled City Fan. At Gate Zhao, Wu Yuan found his portraits posted everywhere for a reward. He went into hiding in Dong Gao-Gong’s home. His hair turned white during the seven days in hiding before Dong Gao-Gong was able to sneak him out.
Once outside Gate Zhao, Wu Yuan found himself by the bank of a big river. He was helped by a fisherman and his daughter, a laundry lady. The fisherman and his daughter sacrificed themselves to help him escape.
\Wu Yuan finally arrived in Wu State where he met the vitreous Zhuan Zhu. Together they helped King Ji Guang regain his throne by assassinating Ji Guang’s enemy-usurper, Ji Liao.
10/9 大型交響京劇《鄭和下西洋》Zheng He, the Great Voyager-Explorer
Zhang He went on his sixth sea expedition under the royal order with his close friend, You Lan. His enemy, Qin-E, disguised as a crew and tried to poison him, but You Lan took the poison by accident. When Zhang He sought vengeance with Qin-E, to Qin-E’s embarrassment, You Lan asked Zhang He to forgive instead.
Zhang He went on with the expedition and successfully established diplomatic relationship with Boli Empire; however, upon his return, he was greeted with a ban to sea expeditions and the destruction of all relative documentations. He was ordered to mend the royal graves in Nanjing. The ban to sea was lifted six years later, and Zhang He set sail once again on his seventh sea expedition.
10/16 京劇《春草闖堂》Chun Cao, the Clever Maid
On a beautiful spring day, Premier Li’s daughter, Li Ban-Yue, visited Mt. HuaShan with her maid, Chun Cao. A young man, Xue Mei-Ting, accidently killed Wu Du, the son of another royal officer who attempted to harass Li Ban-Yue.
In court, Wu Du’s mother, the Honorary Madam Yang, pressured Governor Hu Jin to sentence Xue Mei-Ting to death. Chun Cao, realizing there was no time to seek witnesses for Xue, broke into courtroom alone. To try to save Xue Mei-Ting, Chun Cao addressed him as Li Ban-Yue’s fiancé. Governor Hu Jin held off Madam Yang and went with Chun Cao to see Miss Li. Chun Cao resolved one crisis after another and went with Miss Li to see her father in the capital city. After a series of comic incidents, Premier Li finally accepted Xue Mei-Ting as his son-in-law. All’s well ever after.
10/23 京劇《烏龍院》In House Wulong
Song Jiang took a pity on Yan Xi-Jiao, who just lost her father, and sheltered her in House Wulong, accompanied by her mother. However, Yan Xi-Jiao secretly fell in love with Song’s pupal, Zhang Wen-Yuan. Song Jiang heard about it and came to check on Yan. Yan Xi-Jiao hid Zhang Wen-Yuan in a chamber and dealt with Song in a very distant manner. Song left in anger. Yan Xi-Jiao hoped to marry Zhang. She and Zhang came up with a plot to frame Song.
One day, Song Jiang received some money and a letter from a friend he had helped join the bandits of the Liang Mountains. On his way home, he met Yan Xi-Jiao’s mother and was dragged to House Wulong. At the end of a restless night he spent quarreling with Yan Xi-Jiao, Song departed House Wulong before dawn, leaving his bag behind. When he went back to House Wulong for the bag, Yan Xi-Jiao had gone through the bag and taken the letter. She used the letter to force Song to write her a divorce paper. Song agreed. However, after the divorce paper was written, Yan Xi-Jiao still wouldn’t return the letter. In anger, Song killed Yan Xi-Jiao.
10/23崑曲：玉簪記 The Jade Hairpin
Pan Bi-Zheng and Chen Jiao-Lian were betrothed by their parents before birth. In a war, Jiao-Lian was separated from her family and became a nun in Jin-ling. Pan fell in love with her when he stayed in the nunnery after he failed a state qualification examination. The head nun told Pan he could marry Jiao-Lian if he placed first in the next examination. When Pan left in a boat for the examination, Jiao-Lian followed him in a small boat. The two pledged their love to each other. Pan placed first and married Jiao-Lian.
10/30 Stabbing Yan Xi Jiao/ Capturing Alive
Stabbing Yan Xi Jiao
YAN Xi-Jiao by CHEN Yu-Xuan
SONG Jiang by LI Long-Xian
Madame by HUANG Yu-Chen
Capturing Alive
YAN Xi-Jiao by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
ZHANG Wen-Yuan by WANG Yung-Tseng
Song Jiang took a pity on Yan Xi-Jiao, who just lost her father, and built a house (House Wulong) for Yan and her mother. However, Yan secretly fell in love with Song’s pupil, Zhang Wen-Yuan. To leave Song for Zhang, Yan threatened Song with a letter he received from the bandits of the Liang Mountains. In a rage, Song killed Yan. Yan became a ghost and went to seek love from Zhang. She ended up taking Zhang’s life to be with Zhang forever.
Night Scouting at Mount Fu
HE Tian-bao by HSU Guo-Chih
YU Liou by LEE Ching-Fong
YU Chi by LIU Shang-Hsuan
NIU Tui-Pao by CHUANG Chiao-Wei
Filmed on July 26, 2020, Cement Hall, Taipei
The renowned fighting hero He Tian-Bao went night scouting at Mount Fu after he accidentally witnessed a robbery nearby. He was discovered by the bandits, and a fight was started. He Tian-Bao, with his twin Dao swords in hand, fought fearlessly, but, injured, he resolved to escape.
