LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas

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7/5 Monkey King – Which is Which?

Six-eared Monkey by HSU Yan-Kai

Fake TANG San-Zang by LIN Jing-Chen

Fake ZHU Ba-Jie by HUANG Yu-Chen

Fake SHA Wu-Jing by SHIH Hung-Chun

 Monkey King by TSENG Yueh-Hung

TANG San-Zang by TSAI Yueh-Hsun

ZHU Ba-Jie by LEE Zhao-Yun

SHA Wu-Jing by LIN Qi-Hao

The Buddha by LEE Ching-Fong

Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Head of Percussions): WU Cheng-Han

Filmed on June 26, 2022, Cement Hall, Taipei

The Six─eared Monkey wants to journey to the west badly. Using his magic power, he disguises as Sun Wu-Kong, the Monkey King, and continues to pick fights with Wu-Kong on their way. Monk Tang can not tell which is which, so he asks Buddha to help. In Buddha’s infinite power, the Six-Eared Monkey is forced to reveal his true color and is finally defeated. Monk Tang and his three disciples go on with their journey to the west.

7/12 Rescuing Mother from Hell & At Mount Tielong

Rescuing Mother from Hell

LIU Qing-Ti by LEE Zhao-Yun

Monk Mu-Lian by LIN Jing-Chen

Head of Hell Guards by LEE Ching-Fong

Hell Guard by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

Jinhu (Head of Strings): LIN Shih-Lien

Drum (Head of Percussions): WU Cheng-Han

Filmed on August 21, 2022, Cement Hall, Taipei

Mu-Lian became a monk following Kṣitigarbha. Just when his study and self-realization were about to complete, he heard his mother Liu Qing-Ti had strayed from the study of Buddhism while she was alive, and has been sentenced to hell upon her death. Mu-Lian rushed to hell, and saw his mother being escorted to the Mountain of Sliding Oil. After talking to his mother about her sufferance, Mu-Lian vowed to rescue her.

At Mount Tielong

JIANG Wei by KAO Hao-Chun

MI Dang by LEE Ching-Fong

SIMA Shi by LIU Shang-Hsuan

GUO Huai by SU Chien-Yu

CHEN Tai by LI Long-Xian

MA Dai by HSU Yan-Kai

XIAHOU Ba by CHANG Yu-Sheng

Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum(Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun

Filmed on August 21, 2022, Cement Hall, Taipei

Grand General Jiang Wei led a campaign against Wei and defeated Sima Shi and Chen Tai, forcing them to retreat to Mount Tielong and join forces with Guo Huai.

Jiang Wei allied with Mi Dang, King of the Qiang, who brought one hundred thousand troops to assist him. Alarmed, Sima Shi sent Chen Tai to persuade Mi Dang to switch sides.

Chen Tai falsely claimed that Jiang Wei had insulted Mi Dang. Believing him, Mi Dang turned against Jiang Wei. Sima Shi and Guo Huai then attacked from both sides, crushing Jiang Wei’s forces and leaving him to flee west with only seven men and five horses.

7/19 Lian Jin-Feng &  At Bai-Men Tower from ”Cao Cao and Chen Gong”

Lian Jin-Feng

LIAN Jin-Feng by KUNG Yueh-Tzu

Clam Spirit by YU Chi-Jou

Shrimp by CHOU Shen-Sing

Turtle by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Head of Percussions): WU Chen-Han

Filmed on March 26, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

“Lian Jin-Feng” is a feast of singing, acting, narration, and dancing. The story describes a poor girl named Lian Jin-feng who jumped into the wild sea to fish for sea cucumbers. One day she came upon a huge clam in the sea bottom. She struggled with the huge clam and was finally able to pick out of it a beautiful pearl.

This opera was created by Maestro Mei Lan-fang, with a dance called An Exploration of the Sea and some of the most enchanting Mei-styled singings which lead the audience onto a fantasy of the wild sea. The role of Lian Jin-Feng is played by Kung Yueh-Tzu, one of the most promising young dan role performers in Taiwan today, and co-performed by Yu Chi-Jou, a talented wu-dan role performer, in the scene called Pricking the Clam.

At Bai-Men Tower

from ”Cao Cao and Chen Gong”

CHEN Gong by LI Long-Xian

CAO Cao by LEE Ching-Fong

LU Bu by LIN Jing-Chen

Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Head of Percussions): CHEN Chun

Filmed on March 26, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

Chen Gong, Mayor of Zhong Mou County, privately released Cao Cao from the county jail out of admiration. He abandoned his position to follow Cao Cao. But Cao Cao killed all in the Lu household due to his suspicious nature. Chen Gong, witnessing the killing, parted his way with Cao Cao. When their paths met again in Bai-men Tower years later, waves of feelings and thoughts were triggered. They had a debate before they parted again.

Maestro Li Bao-Chun created “The heartbroken Farewell” episode to portray the complicated confrontation of emotions and values between Cao Cao, the ruler, and Chen Gong, an intelligentsia. To perform At Bai-Men Tower, we have Lee Ching-Fong as Cao Cao & Li Long-Xian as Chen Gong.

7/26 Koo Cloud Live: 
Lin Chong Fled at Night & Ba-Jie Was Killed & Mi Heng at the Drum

Lin Chong Fled at Night

LIN Chong by CHANG Chung-Hsiang

Kunqu Flute: LEE Yu-Ching

Drum: CHEN Jun

Adapted from Water Margin, this story described how Lin Chong, after killing two snoops sent by Gao Qiu, was pursued relentlessly by the authorities. Chai Jin advised him to seek refuge at Liang-shan Marsh. Fearing he would be recognized under the daylight, Lin Chong traveled by night. One evening, while taking a rest in an old temple, he fell asleep and dreamed of a divine figure warning him that Xu Ning with five hundred soldiers was crossing the Yellow River after him. Lin Chong awoke in alarm and hurried at once toward the Liangshan Marsh.

Ba-Jie Was Killed

MA Jin-Ding by YU Chi-Jou

HU Li by CHOU Shen-Hsing

This short piece was based on an episode from the classic novel《The Green Peony》. Two renown families, the Luos and the Bas, were at odds. The Luo’s son, Luo Hong-Xun, the hero of the novel, was well-learned and good at fighting.  The Ba’s children tended to stay on streets and were deemed rascals by most civilians in the city. One day Ba Jie, a son of the Ba’s, started a fight with Luo Hong-Xun. Many Luo’s friend joined the fight in Luo’s aid. Amidst the chaos, Ba Jie’s was killed. Luo Hong-Xun fled to an inn run by Hu Li. Soon Ba Jie’s mother, Ma Jin-Ding, arrived at the inn for vengeance. She and the inn-owner Hu Li began another fight.  This episode features the fighting between Ma Jin-Ding and Hu Li. It is highly entertaining with sets of martial arts movements accompanied by exciting plots and music. 

Mi Heng at the Drum

MI Heng by LI Long-Xian

CAO Cao by LEE Ching-Fong

Mi Heng At the Drum in the Living World (Peking Opera)

Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Head of Percussions): CHEN Chun

Mi Heng at the Drum in the Nether World (Kunqu Opera)

Kunqu Flute: LEE Yu-Ching

Drum: CHEN Jun

In the Era of Three Kingdoms, the renowned scholar Mi Heng was recommended to Cao Cao by Kong Rong. Showing Mi no respect, Cao Cao appointed him drummer in a banquet. Mi Heng, in disheveled clothes, deliberately hurled insults at Cao Cao while beating the drum.

To eliminate Mi Heng, Cao Cao sent Mi Heng to persuade Liu Biao to capitulate. As expected, Liu Biao had Mi Heng executed. After his death, Mi Heng's grievance persisted in the underworld. The judge of the afterlife summoned the spirits of Cao Cao and all who were present in the banquet for Mi Heng to reenact his accusations as a record. The first half of this opera happened in the human world and was created and played in Peking Opera. The second half of this opera took place in the underworld and was created and played in Kun-Qu Opera. Both are classics, but this is the first time they are performed as one.