LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas

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10/4 《Liu Jin-Ding Broke Open City Gates & At the Crossroad

🔺Liu Jin-Ding Broke Open City Gates🔺

LIU Jin-Ding by YANG Shu-Chin

Kant Lose by LIU Hsiang-Chih

LEI Xian by KAO Hao-Chun

LIN Wen-Bao by LIU Shang-Hsuan

Stable boy by ZHANG Zhong-Xiang

Zhao Kuang-Yin was under siege in Shouzhou while at war with the South Tang. He ordered Han Chi to seek reinforcements. Gao’s nephew Gao Jun-Bao led his troupe in a rescue mission, but ended up bring trapped, too. Gao Jun-Bao’s wife, Liu Jin-Ding, came to rescue. She broke all four gates of the city open and defeated the Tang troops.

🔺At the Crossroad 🔺

REN Tang-Hui by HSU Yan-Kai

LIU Li-Hua by CHOU Shen-Sing

JIAO Zan by LEE Ching-Fong

Mrs. LIU by LIN Shih-Ying

Guard A by TSAI Yueh-Hsun

Guard B by CHANG Yu-Sheng

Jiao Zan was in exile to Shamen Island for killing a corrupted officer. Commander Yang, fearing Jiao would get murdered on the way, sent Ren Tang-Hui to secretly protect Jiao Zan. When Ren followed Jiao Zan into an inn at a crossroad, he broke into a fight with the innkeeper Liu Li-Hua due to misunderstanding.

10/11 Nine Dragons Cup

🔺Nine Dragons Cup🔺

YANG Xiang-Wu by CHOU Shen-Sing

HUANG San-Tai by LEE Ching-Fong

JI Quan by HSU Yan-Kai

ZHOU Ying-Long by SHIH Hung-Chun

WANG Bo-Yan by CHUANG Chiao-Wei

TIAN Hua by LIU Shang-Hsuan

Emperor Kangxi's treasured Nine Dragons Cup went missing, prompting him to order Huang San-Tai, a hero who had previously saved the royal carriage, to find the cup. The entire Huang family was at risk of calamity if the cup was not found. During an investigation, Huang San-Tai’s apprentice Ji Quan learned that the cup had gone through Wang Yan’s hands and ended up in Zhou Ying-Long’s. Yang and Wang devised a plan to present a lavish gift to Zhou Ying-Long on Zhou’s birthday and, through a decoy, successfully retrieved the Cup and delivered it to Huang San-Tai.

10/18 The Goddess Scattering Flowers of Blessing & Tale of the Gold Turtle

🔺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.

10/25 Judge Bao and Qin Xiang-Lian

🔺Judge Bao and Qin Xiang-Lian🔺

Judge BAO by YANG Yan-Yi

QIN Xiang-Lian by KUNG Yueh-Tzu

CHEN Shi-Mei by LI Long-Xian

HAN Chi by LI Bao-Chun

Queen Dowager by LI Zhao-Yun

Princess by LIN Shih-Ying

In the Song Dynasty, Chen Shi-Mei became son-in-law of the emperor after having won the first place in the national examination. Later, his lawful wife Qin Xiang-Lian arrived in the capital with their children. Chen Shi-Mei pretended not to have known them. He subsequently sent an armed guard to kill them. Qin Xiang-Lian and the children survived the murder, and Qin decided to sue Chen Shi-Mei. The righteous Judge Bao Zheng designed a plan that caused Chen to confront his wife and children at court. Chen took himself for granted and refused to tell the truth. He was sentenced to death by Judge Bao. Both the Queen Mother and Chen’s current wife, the royal Princess, tried in vain to save him from the guillotine.