LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas

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8/2 Stealing the Silver Pot & Mrs. Hong Gave a Lecture

Stealing the Silver Pot

 QIU Xiao-Yi by CHOU Shen-Sing

YANG Cun-Zhong by LI Long-Xian

YANG Yuan-Yu by LIN Jing-Chen

Lieutenant by LEE Ching-Fong

ZHANG Ding by LIU Hsiang-Chih

Madam ZHANG by CHANG Yu-Sheng

ZHANG Luan-Cai by LIN Shih-Ying

ZHAN Long by KAO Hao-Chun

MU Hu by LIU Shang-Hsuan

a servant by SHIH Hung-Chun

Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Leader of Percussions): WU Chen-Han

Filmed on June 25, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

In the Song Dynasty, there was a thief name Qiu Xiao-Yi who was quick and light in his feet. One day, he stole a silver pot from General Yang's house. The guards of the General's suspected it was stolen by Zhang Ding and asked Zhang to pay fifty silvers for it. Zhang Ding was very poor, and was about to sell his daughter to repay when Xiao-Yi returned the pot to save Zhang Ding's daughter. General Yang told Xiao-Yi if he could steal the silver pot from his house again, he would pardon Xiao-Yi. Despite the heavy security the General placed on the pot, Xiao-Yi successfully stole the pot once more.

Mrs. Hong Gave a Lecture

Madam HONG by LI Zhao-Yun

HONG Cheng-Chou by TSAI Yueh-Hsun

Mrs. HONG by KUNG Yueh-Tzu

Son of HONG Cheng-Chou by LIN Jing-Chen

HONG Yi by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

Officers who had surrendered by Huang Chun-Cheng

Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Leader of Percussions): WU Chen-Han

Filmed on June 25, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

Just before the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Hong Cheng-Chou led his troops to defend the border but was defeated. He surrendered and was recruited by the new Qing government as Commander of Armed Forces in the south. As he led his troops to his new station, he stopped to visit his mother in Fujian. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hong thought his son Cheng-Chou had bravely sacrificed himself and was mourning for him. When she found out that her son indeed was alive and had surrendered to the invader, she decided to disown him. In her fury, she closed the door, called Hong Cheng-Chou a traitor, sent her grandson to the resistance force, and burned herself to death. Hong Cheng-Chou's wife, who decided to stand with her mother-in-law, also burned herself to death.

8/9 An Escape from the Temple, Wang Zhao-Jun Marrying Off, Capturing Gao Deng

An Escape from the Temple

Nil by ZHUANG Chiao-Wei

Void by LIN Shih-Ying

Kunqu Flute: LEE Yu-Ching

Drum (Leader of Percussions): WU Chen-Han

Filmed on July 30, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

An Escape from the Temple is a beloved Kunqu episode. Se Kong, a young nun, was forced into the nunnery by her parents. One day she escaped from the temple. On her way, she ran into a young monk, Ben-Wu, who had just escaped from his temple. They helped each other seek the routes to freedom and decided to pursue happiness together afterwards.

Wang Zhao-Jun Marrying Off

WANG Zhao-Jun by YANG Shu-Chin

WANG Long by CHOU Shen-Sing

Groom by CHANG Chong-Hsiang

Kunqu Flute & Suona: LI Yu-Ching

Drum (Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun

Filmed on July 30, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

In the Han Dynasty, Wang Zhao-Jun became a royal concubine although she had refused to pay off the malicious royal painter, Mao Yan-Shou. Her portrait painted by Mao was hideous; thus, she was never favored by the emperor. One day, the emperor saw her playing pipa in her palace and was struck by her beauty and talent. He at once made Wang Zhao-Jun his royal princess.

Mao the painter had to flee. He crossed the borders to the Huns, where he presented Wang Zhao-Jun's true image to the Chief and recommended a political marriage. The emperor of Han feared the Huns. Wang Zhao-Jun was therefore married off.  This episode depicts how Wang Zhao-Jun, sad and alone, left behind a life she just began to enjoy and journeyed to the Huns.

Capturing Gao Deng

 GAO Deng by KAO Hao-Chun

 HUA Feng-Chun by HSU Yan-Kai

 JIA Si-Wen by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

 XU Shi-Ying by SHIH Hung-Chun

 QIN Ren by LIU Hsiang-Chih

 HU Yan-Bao by LIU Shang-Hsuan

 Madame XU by HUANG Yu-Chen

 XU Pei-Zhu by LIN Shih-Ying

 Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

 Drum (Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun

Filmed on July 30, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

Capturing Gao Deng is based on a chapter in the renowned novel Water Margin. Gao Deng, a bully, had forcefully taken a girl named Xu Pei-Zhu and hid her in Yan-Yang Mansion. The girl's brother Xu Shi-Ying hurried to rescue her with the help of Hua Feng-Chun, Qin Ren, and Hu Yan-Bao of the Water Margin. They broke into Gao’s house, burned down Yan-Yang Mansion, and saved Xu Pei-Zhu. The actor who plays Gao Deng needs to be good at Chinese Kung-Fu, skilled in different weapons and barehanded fighting.

8/16 Night Scouting at Mountain Fu, The Marshal's Seal ,Stealing the Celestial Herbs

Night Scouting at Mountain Fu

HE Tian-bao by HSU Yan-Kai

NIU Tui-Pao by CHOU Shen-Sing

YU Liou by LEE Ching-Fong

YU Chi by SHIH Hung-Chun

Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun

Filmed on August 27, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

The renowned hero He Tian-Bao went night scouting at Mountain 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 swords in hand, fought fearlessly; yet he was injured by a dart and resolved to flee.

The Marshal's Seal

 MU Gui-Ying by KUNG Yueh-Tzi

 SHE Tai-Jun by LI Zhao-Yun

 YANG Wen-Guang by LIN Jing-Chen

YANG Jin-Hua by LIN Shih-Ying

YANG Hong by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Leader of Percussions): WU Chen-Han

Filmed on August 27, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

To quell disturbing regional rebellions, the Emperor of Song ordered a competition of martial arts,  whose winner got to marshal the forces.  Mu Gui-Ying's young and bold son, Yang Wen-Guang, defeated Wang Lun in the competition and won the Marshal's Seal, and it was expected that Mu Gui-Ying would become the marshal. However, since the Yang's were repeatedly framed by corrupted officials, Mu Gui-Ying was no longer willing to fight for the state. Lady She, Mu Gui-Ying's mother-in-law and head of the Yang family, convinced Mu to accept the Seal and lead the forces.

Stealing the Celestial Herbs

BAI Su-Zhen the White Snake by YU Chi-Jou

Crane Boy by HSU Yan-Kai

Deer Boy by CHOU Shen-Sing

Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Leader of Percussions): CHEN Chun

Filmed on August 27, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

This is an episode from The Legend of the White Snake.  On the Double Fifth Festival, Xu Xian persuaded his wife to drink a little liquor to expel evil influences. He then fainted upon seeing the huge white snake his wife turned into. To save her husband, Bai Su-Zhen, the white snake, broke into the heavenly mountains for celestial herbs. She engaged in a fierce battle with the celestial Crane and Deer Boy. Eventually, she was able to obtain the herbs which healed her husband.

8/23 White Water Beach & Rescuing the Zhao's Orphan

White Water Beach

MU Yu-Ji by CHANG Chung Hsiang

XU Shi-Ying by SHIH Hung-Chun

XU Pei-Zhu by YU Chi-Jou

LIU Ren-Jie by HSU Yan-Kai

Lieutenant XIA by KAO Hao-Chun

Ground Breaker by CHOU Shen-Sing

Drum: CHEN Chun

Suona: LI Yu-Ching

Filmed on September 24, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

Xu Shi-Ying, regarded by people as a "Robin Hood", got captured by the local authorities when he was drunk. He was escorted to the capital city, heavily guarded by officer Liu RJ and lieutenant Xia's troops. Just when they passed White Water Beach, they were ambushed by Xu's sister, Pei-Zhu, and bandits of Tong Tian Xi.  By chance, Mu Yu-Ji, an onlooker, got mixed up in the fight, and he accidentally wounded Xu. Xu and his sister were consequently defeated. Xu ended up returning to his stockade with the bandits, marveling at Mu's kung fu.

Rescuing the Zhao's Orphan

CHENG Ying by LI Long-Xian

TU-AN Gu by LEE Ching-Fong

Madam Cheng by KUNG Yueh-Tzu

GONG-SUN Chu-Jiu by TSAI Yueh-Hsun

Jinhu (Leader of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Leader of Percussions): WU Chen-Han

Filmed on September 24, 2023, Cement Hall, Taipei

The tyrannous Duke Jin-Ling oppressed his people. Premier Zhao Dun gave the Duke countless advice in vain and was murdered by the backbiting Tu-An Gu, a colleague in court. Along died the whole Zhao family, except Zhao Dun's daughter-in-law, Princess Zhuang-Ji, who fled back to the palace where later she gave birth to a baby boy. Cheng Ying, a protege of the Zhao's, rescued the baby out of the palace. Tu-An Gu came after the baby, too, but he couldn't find the baby in the palace, so he ran a decree throughout the state saying if the baby boy was not delivered to him in ten days' time, all babies around the same age would get killed. Cheng Ying and his friend, Gong-Sun Chu-Jiu, came up with a plan. Cheng Ying would sacrifice his baby son. Gong-Sun would sacrifice his own life. The Zhao's Orphan was thus rescued, and he would grow up to avenge the injustice.

8/30 Koo Cloud Live:  

Wu Song Fought the Tiger, The Banquet Was Cancelled, Ma Chao and Zhang Fei

 Wu Song Fought the Tiger

WU Song by CHANG Chung Hsiang

Adapted from a famous episode in the Chinese classic Water Margin, Wu Song Fought the Tiger told the story of Wu Song, who set out alone across Jingyang Ridge after drinking heavily. Along the way, he was suddenly attacked by a fierce tiger. Armed with nothing but his bare hands, Wu Song dodged, struck, and wrestled with the animal before finally overpowering it. His extraordinary feat made him one of the best-known heroes in Chinese folklore.

The Banquet Was Cancelled

Nurse LIU by LI Zhao-Yun

KOU Zhun by TSAI Yueh-Hsun

The Banquet Was Cancelled was a rare Peking opera piece built around the laodan, or elderly female role. Set during the Song dynasty, the story followed Prime Minister Kou Zhun as he an extravagant banquet was prepared for his birthday. No expense was spared hiring singers and dancers, purchasing costly antiques and jade ornaments, and lighting the hall with so many candles that wax ran across the floor.

Distressed by such lavishness, Nurse Liu, who had cared for Kou Zhun since childhood, tearfully reminded him of his family's humble beginnings. She recalled the frugal life they had once led and the sacrifices his mother had made so that he could read and rise to high office. Moved by her words and ashamed of his extravagance, Kou Zhun ordered the banquet to be cancelled.

Ma Chao and Zhang Fei

MA Chao by HSU Yan-Kai

ZHANG Fei by SHIH Hung-Chun

Adapted from the Chinese classic Tales of the Three Kingdoms, Ma Chao and Zhang Fei took place during Liu Bei's campaign to conquer the western province of Sichuan. Seeking assistance against Liu Bei's advancing forces, Liu Zhang appealed to Zhang Lu, the ruler of Hanzhong. Zhang Lu responded by sending the renowned warrior Ma Chao to attack Jiameng Pass and disrupt Liu Bei’s campaign.

Knowing that Ma Chao was a formidable fighter, the strategist Zhuge Liang sent Zhang Fei to face him. The two mighty generals proved evenly matched, battling from daylight into the night without either gaining the upper hand.