LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas
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11/3
The Orphan of Zhao
During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC) in the state of Jin, minister Tu-An Gu encouraged Duke of Jin act mercilessly against the people. Prime Minister Zhao Dun advised against Tu-An Gu who then orchestrated a massacre of the Zhao family, killing over 300 Zhao members including Zhao Dun and his son Zhao Shuo. Zhao Shuo’s pregnant wife, Princess Zhuang Ji, owing to her being a lady of the royal family, was spared and taken into the palace for protection.
To eliminate the Zhao’s bloodline, Tu-An Gu sought to kill Zhuang Ji's newborn son. Cheng Ying, an old hanger-on of the Zhao’s, and his friend Gong-Sun Chu-Jiu devised a plan: Cheng Ying would sacrifice his own child and Gong-Sun give his life, to save the Zhao orphan and all other children of similar age in Jin. Though branded a traitor, Cheng Ying raised the Zhao’s orphan to adulthood, pretending the orphan was his own child.
Years later, old General Wei Jiang returned from the frontier. He accused Cheng Ying of betrayal and whipped him for being a heartless and shameless deserter. Cheng then revealed his son’s identity. The young man thus regained his last name and was called Zhao Wu. He avenged the death of his family and reunited with his mother, Princess Zhuang Ji.
11/17
Qingfeng Pavilion
Xue Rong went to the capital seeking fortune, leaving behind his concubine, Zhou Gui-Ying, who soon gave birth to a son. Fearing the jealousy of Xue’s wife, Gui-Ying abandoned the baby under Zhou-Liang Bridge, tying a blood-stained letter to him. An elderly couple, Zhang Yuan-Xiu and his wife, found the child and named him Zhang Ji-Bao. They raised him for thirteen years, working hard so he could study.
Years later, Zhou Gui-Ying recognized Zhang Ji-Bao as her son and took him away. Heartbroken and ill, the old couple fell into poverty and became beggars. When they learned that the new scholar champion looked just like their foster son, they hurried to reunite with him. Zhang Ji-Bao, now arrogant, rejected them and called them impostors. He gave them only two hundred coins and drove them away, leading them to die in despair.
That night, a thunderstorm struck. Guilty and terrified, Zhang Ji-Bao ran to Zhou-Liang Bridge, where a lightning bolt killed him. He was found kneeling, one hand holding the coins and the other clutching the blood-stained letter—a vivid picture of “heaven’s retribution.” A local constable passed by and saw the body, he ran crying, “The scholar champion has been struck by lightning!”
11/10
Homecoming of the Phoenix
CHENG Xue-E by HUANG Yu-Lin
CHENG Xue-Yan by SUN Zheng-Yang
MU Ju-Yi by CHAO Yang-Chiang
Eunuch ZHOU by YANG Yan-Yi
HONG Gong by LI Bao-Chun
CHENG Pu by LI Yu-Hsuan
ZHU Huan-Ran by CHEN Ching-He
Madam CHENG by LEE Ching-Ni
Special Acknowledgment: Honorable Madam GU Zheng-Qiu for Artistic Direction
Jinhu (Head of Strings) by CHAO Lu-Chia
Drum (Head of Percussions) by HUNG Shuo-Han
Duration: 155 minutes
Filmed on April 16, 2011, Novel Hall for Performing Arts, Taipei
In the late Ming dynasty, vice minister Cheng Pu had two daughters: Xue-Yan, the elder and unattractive, born by his wife; and Xue-E, the younger, beautiful, born by a concubine. Cheng Pu hoped to marry Xue-E to Mu Ju-Yi, his friend’s son, whom he approved, but his wife insisted on marrying her own daughter Xue-Yan to the young man.
At Cheng’s birthday party, Mu came to celebrate. On Cheng’s invitation, Mu stayed with the family. In the night, Xue-Yan pretended to be Xue-E and tried to meet Mu in his room, but Mu fled. On his way out, he ran into Mr. Zhu Huan-Ran, who had his eye on Xue-E. Posing as Mu, Zhu proposed marriage which was granted by Cheng’s wife. Cheng’s wife quickly married her own daughter to Zhu. Zhu did not find out about the switch until after the wedding ceremony.
Later, vice minister Cheng had to join a campaign against rebels. On his way he met Mu joining the army and taught Mu a lesson about leaving unexcused. Mu only answered ambiguously. When the campaign was over, Cheng again brought up the subject of marrying his daughter, but Mu hesitated, for he thought the daughter who tried to enter his room in the late night was rude and ugly.
Finally, the good old Marshal Hong Gong intervened and forced the marriage. In the bridal chamber, Mu met Xue-E reluctantly but, realizing there were actually two very different ladies, fell in love with Xue-E.
Zhu, now disgraced, with his wife took refuge in his in-laws’. All’s well that ends well.
11/24 KOO CLOUD LIVE
The Goddess Scattering Flowers of Blessing
Goddess by KUNG Yueh-Tzu
This is an episode from a Buddhist sutra. Buddha orders the divine maiden to scatter flowers to pray for Vimalakīrti who is ill. The divine maiden follows the command and leaves the Mountains of Scents for the mundane world. Moreover, she scatters flowers as she travels on the clouds. This opera is a renown work of Maester Mei Lan-Fang. The performance includes dance and songs.
Tale of the Gold Turtle
Madam KANG by LI Zhao-Yun
ZHANG Yi by CHUANG Chiao-Wei
Poor old Mrs. Zhang had two sons, Zhang Xuan and Zhang Yi. When Zhang Xuan was assigned an official position after passing the Imperial Examination, he sent a letter home asking his family to join him in the capital city. His wife, however, hid the letter from the family and went to join her husband alone. Since then young Zhang Yi had to go fishing every day to keep his mother and himself from starving. One day, he caught a gold turtle. He also learned about his brother’s official position. He therefore bid his mother goodbye and went to confront his elder brother and his wife.
Battle of Jingzhou
ZHOU Yu by HSU Yan-Kai
In the period of Three Kingdoms, Zhou Yu, the commander of Wu, planned to take Jingzhou City under the cover of attacking Xichuan region. However, his scheme was seen through by Zhu-Ge Liang of Shu, and he fell into a trap, surrounded by Shu’s forces. Defeated and wounded, Zhou Yu lamented, "Why did God send Zhu-Ge Liang when the world has already had me?"
