9/6 The Battle of Puyang

LU Bu by LIN Jing-Chen

DIAN Wei by GAO Hao-Chun

CAO Cao by LEE Ching-Fong

CHEN Gong by LI Long-Xian

Jinhu (Head of Strings): TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum (Head of Percussions): WU Chen-Han

Duration: 70 minutes

Filmed on March 31, 2024, Cement Hall, Taipei

In the Era of Three Kingdoms, General Lu Bu seized control of Puyang and made it his military base. Cao Cao wanted to recover Puyang. He sent his troops to attack. Lu Bu’s advisor Chen Gong ordered Lord Tian to fake surrender and give Cao to know that Puyang was being guarded by only one general. Cao Cao attacked Puyang. His army were ambushed and burnt to the ground. He lost his battle and fled.

9/13 Fights in a Melon Garden

TAO Hung by CHOU Shen-Sing

ZHENG Zi-Ming by SHIH Hung-Chun

TAO San-Chun by YU Chi-Jou

Maid by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

Jinghu & String Leader by TSENG Hsiao-Chu

Drum & Percussion Leader by CHEN Jun

Zheng Zi-Ming, an oil vendor, passed by a melon garden one summer. Hot and thirsty, he secretly plucked a watermelon from the garden. This was seen by a maid who reported the theft to the owner’s daughter Tao San-Chun. A fight ensued between San-Chun and Zheng Zi-Ming; San Chun lost. Tao Hung, garden owner and father of San-Chun, showed up. Despite Zi-Ming's initial disregard for Tao Hung, a disabled old man, he was defeated. Impressed by Zi-Ming's martial skill and straightforwardness, Tao Hung decided to marry his daughter to him.

9/20 Li Kui Visited His Mother

LI Kui by LEE Ching-Fong

Madam LI by LI Zhao-Yun

SHIH Hung-Chun

LI Da by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

Madam LIU by LIN Shih-Ying

ZHU Fu by CHOU Shen-Sing

ZHU Gui by LI Long-Xian

Tiger by CHANG Chung-Hsiang

The story was adapted from the famous novel "Water Margin." Li Kui returned to Yizhou to take his mother to Liangshan. On the way, he met Li Gui, a robber pretending to be him. Li Gui, caught by Li Kui, begged for his life, claiming he had an elderly mother. Touched, Li Kui gave him silver and let him go. That night, Li Kui stayed at Li Gui's house, but Li Gui tried to kill him. Li Kui defended himself by killing Li Gui.

When Li Kui finally got home, he found his mother blind from crying and mistreated by his brother. He endeavored to take her to Liangshan. Tragically, his mother was eaten by a tiger on the way. Li Kui killed the tiger but was pursued by soldiers.

9/26

Beauty of Kunqu Opera: a Shared Passion between Kunshan and Taipei

Taipei Liyuan Peking Opera Theatre & Kunshan Contemporary Kunqu Theater

The Generals of the Yang Family: The Female General in Disguise
 

YANG Ba-Jie by ZHANG Yue-Ming

JIAO Guang-Pu by TUN Qi-Shuo
 

Disguised as a man, Yang Ba-Jie entered Liao territory to gather military intelligence. On her way back, she stopped at an inn and encountered Jiao Guang-Pu, a Song warrior stranded far from home. Seeing Ba-Jie’s military pass, Jiao tried to seize it so he could return to Song territory. Unaware of his identity, Ba-Jie mistook him for a Liao spy, and the two engaged in a fierce fight. Their misunderstanding was eventually resolved, and they returned to the Song border together.

Combining singing, dialogue, dance, and martial arts, the piece was especially noted for its demanding legwork and thick-soled boot techniques. Highlights included pheasant-feather movements, chair work, swordplay, stylized horseback movements, and fast-paced combat using tables and chairs. These techniques showcased the sculptural beauty and precision of Peking Opera martial performance while vividly portraying Yang Ba-Jie as a courageous and resourceful young heroine.

The Red Pear: Garden Encounter
 

ZHAO Ru-Zhou by HUANG Zhu-Yu

XIE Su-Qiu by WANG Jie-Yu
 

Written by Xu Fu-Zuo in the Ming dynasty, The Red Pear tells the love story of the scholar Zhao Ru-Zhou and a courtesan, Xie Su-Qiu, during the Northern Song dynasty.

In Garden Encounter, Xie Su-Qiu disguised herself as the governor’s daughter and came to a garden pavilion in the moonlight. She deliberately recited a poem to catch Zhao Ru-Zhou’s attention; the two met in the pavilion. Zhao invited her to continue their conversation in his study, but before they could leave, Xie was suddenly called away. She bid him a hurried farewell and promised to meet him in the study the following night.

Pellets in the Tiger-skin Pouch: At the Monastery Gate
 

LU Zhi-Shen by CAO Zhi-Wei

XU Min
 

Written by Qiu Yuan in the Qing dynasty, Pellets in the Tiger-skin Pouch tells stories of Lu Zhi-Shen, the righteous outlaw known for defending the weak.

In At the Monastery Gate, Lu Zhi-Shen had become a monk at Mount Wutai but still struggled with the strict rules of monastic life. Sneaking down the mountain for wine, he was refused service because he was a monk. Enraged, he drank two entire barrels and returned to the monastery thoroughly intoxicated. Along the way, he launched into the “Eighteen Arhats Fist,” eventually smashing the monastery gate and bringing down a pavilion.

Lu Zhi-Shen is performed as a jing (painted-face) role. One of the scene’s signature feats requires the performer to balance on one leg for more than ten minutes while demonstrating a series of Arhat poses—a celebrated display of traditional Chinese opera technique.

The Lute: Raking Pine Needles

ZHANG Guang-Cai by LI Bao-Chun

LI Wang by LI Hong-Liang
 

After Zhao Wu-Niang left for the capital in search of her husband, their neighbor Zhang Guang-Cai tended the graves of her parents-in-law. When Li Wang arrived with a letter from Cai Bo-Jie, he met Zhang raking pine needles in the cemetery. Zhang angrily condemned Cai for committing unfilial behavior. Li Wang, however, tried to explain the complexities Cai had encountered and defend him.

Maestro Li Bao-Chun portrays Zhang Guang-Cai with refined beard-work techniques, sharing the stage with celebrated Kunqu clown-role performer Li Hong-Liang. Together, they bring the contrasting traditions of Peking Opera and Kunqu into an outstanding cross-genre performance.

9/27

At Hu Village
 

HU San-Niang by ZHANG Yue-Ming

WANG Ying by TUN Qi-Shuo
 

Adapted from Water Margin, At Hu Village is a classic Kunqu wudan (female warrior) piece. When Song Jiang led an attack on Hu Village, Wang Ying was the first to volunteer to fight against Hu San-Niang. After several fierce exchanges, he was defeated, captured, and tied high up to a pole for all to see.

Combining singing, spoken dialogue, dance, and martial arts, the piece features traditional Kunqu vocal passages, fast-paced combat, and demanding pheasant-feather techniques. The contrast between powerful martial movement and the graceful melodies of Kunqu creates a striking and highly expressive stage performance.

The Jade Hairpin: The Stolen Poem
 

CHEN Miao-Chang by WANG Jie-Yu

PAN Bi-Zheng by HUANG Zhu-Yu
 

Written by Gao Lian in the Ming dynasty, The Jade Hairpin tells the love story of the scholar Pan Bi-Zheng and the Daoist nun Chen Miao-Chang.

In The Stolen Poem, Chen sat alone in her room, lost in thought, and gradually fell asleep. Pan arrived unexpectedly, discovered a love poem on her table revealing her feelings for him, and took the paper away. When Chen woke, Pan confronted her with the poem although Chen tried to deny her feelings. Their hidden affection was then acknowledged, marking the beginning of their romance.

The Drunken Constable

LU Feng-Xuan by LI Hong-Lian

Written by Xu Fu-Zuo in the Ming dynasty, The Red Pear tells the love story of the scholar Zhao Ru-Zhou and the courtesan Xie Su-Qiu. In The Drunken Constable, Lu Feng-Xuan was sent by the county magistrate to invite Zhao Ru-Zhou to get a drink and admire the moon together. Having had some wine himself, Lu set off already tipsy and caused one comic mishap after another along the way.

This lively chou (clown-role) piece features exaggerated drunken movements, witty dialogue, and playful physical comedy, creating a lighthearted showcase of the performer’s comic timing and technique.

Escorting Jing-Niang Home
 

ZHAO Kuang-Yin by LI Bao-Chun

ZHAO Jing-Niang by KUNG Yueh-Tzi
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“Escorting Jing-Niang Home” is a little love episode that happened during Zhao Kuang-Yin’s exile. Zhao Kuang-Yin rescued Zhao Jing-Niang from a bandit attack and decided to escort Jing-Niang home. They pretended to be siblings traveling together. Jing-Niang fell for Zhao Kuang-Yin and expressed her feelings for him. Zhao, however, declined. The two parted their way upon reaching the village Jing-Niang lived in.