LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas
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5/5 Manhan Feast
The story revolves around two famous eateries in late Qing Dynasty Beijing: "Ji-Qing-Ju," known for its Han-style cuisine, and "Ru-Yi-Xuan," renowned for its Manchu dishes. Their union through marriage shook the capital. However, on the wedding day, the groom, Yang Zhao-Zu, fled due to his aversion to cooking. This triggered a series of dramatic events. Ultimately, Yang Zhao-Zu gained everyone's understanding and married Duan Yun, the leading lady in this opera, happily. The opera highlights culinary culture and genuine emotions; it also reveals the customs and traditions of old Beijing. Unlike traditional Peking operas that often depict tales of emperors and generals, this drama sheds light on Chinese culinary culture, filling a significant gap in the contents of Peking opera.
5/12 Love’s Labor Won
CHEN Xiu-Ying by SUN Ming-Zhu
Mrs. CHEN by SUN Zheng-Yang
KUANG Zhong by LI Bao-Chun
WANG Fu-Gang by CHAO Yang-Chiang
GUAN Feng-Ying by HUANG Yu-Lin
SHI Wen by CHEN Ching-He
SHI Xu-Long by PENG Chun-Kang
WANG Yuan-Long by SHANG Da-Yuan
KUANG Ying-Long by LI Zhao-Yun
WU Yi by PENG Chun-Kang
Jinhu(Head of Strings): YE Guang
Drum(Head of Percussions): LIU Yun-He
Duration: 90 minutes
Filmed on May 12, 2002, Novel Hall for Performing Arts, Taipei
In the Ming Dynasty, there was once a lady named Chen Xiu-Ying who ran a teahouse with her widowed mother. Shi Wen, son of the local commander, wanted to marry her by force. Young Kuang Zhong butted in, and Chen agreed to marry Kuang after an archery contest.
Shi Wen's father, Shi Xu-Long, sent Kuang Zhong's family into exile as a punishment for his intervention. Shi Wen himself returned to force the marriage but was killed by Chen and her mother. Chen fled, disguised as Kuang's friend, Wang Fu-Gang. She joined forces with a bandit queen Guan Feng-Ying. Together they attacked Taiyuan City and killed Shi Xu-Long.
The real Wang Fu-Gang who was the Head Regional Commander sent troops to fight the fake Wang Fu-Gang on hearing about the loss of Taiyuan City. Young Kuang Zhong was also ordered to join the fight against the fake Wang Fu-Gang. Kuang and Chen met on the battlefield and were finally able to marry each other happily.
5/19 Luo Cheng
Once during the early Tang Dynasty, Prince Li Shi-Min was detained. Luo Cheng, a favorite of Li Shi-Min’s, met Prince Qi on his way to visit Li Shi-Min. Prince Qi, to eliminate Li Shi-Min’s followers, suggested Luo Cheng to join him in battling the enemy first. Luo Cheng defeated many enemy generals, yet Prince Qi blamed Luo Cheng for failing to capture Su Lie alive. He punished Luo Cheng for the failure and forced him to fight again. Luo Cheng went fighting, but on returning from the battle fields, he found he was shut outside of all city gates by Prince Qi. His stepson, Luo Chun, tried to warn him of Li Yuan-Ji's plot by yelling to him from up the battlement, but Luo Cheng, determined to fight, asked his stepson to deliver a blood letter to Li Shi-Min, in which he vowed to defeat the enemy. Luo Cheng ended up walking into Su Lie's trap, which was to lead Luo Cheng’s horse into a swamp. There Luo was killed by stray arrows.
5/26 Silk Road, Flower Rain
In the Tang Dynasty, a master painter named Zhang and his daughter, Ying-Niang, were busy painting Dunhuang Murals. Meanwhile, Yunus, a Persian businessman, and his son found themselves under attack by bandits. Zhang stepped in to rescue the son, whom he named Zhang An and adopted as his own. Unfortunately, the bandits took Ying-Niang captive. Fast forward ten years, and the two families unexpectedly reunited in the bustling Dunhuang market. Ying-Niang fled with Yunus to Persia to escape harassment from the Dunhuang mayor.
Yunus was later appointed as an ambassador, and Ying-Niang was to return home with him. However, the Dunhuang mayor conspired with bandits to attack Yunus's camel train. Zhang An lit a fire to signal a warning, while Ying-Niang bravely attempted to shield him from harm, master painter Zhang intervened, protecting them both from poison arrows. He passed his paint brushes to Ying-Niang. Yunus devised a clever trap during a trading convention to rid of the nefarious mayor and secured the silk road area.
