LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas

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7/3 Peking Opera《Battle of Wancheng》

Toward the end of Han Era, Cao Cao was on his way to conquer Wancheng, and he strictly prohibited his troops to step on crops while riding. Unfortunately, his own horse stepped into a wheat field when it was startled. Cao Cao put on an act of killing himself, and his subordinate all rushed to stop him. Cao Cao then cut off his hair as a substitute for his head.

Zhang Xiu, Mayor of Wancheng, surrendered to Cao Cao after losing the battle. Lady Zou, Zhang Xiu’s beautiful widowed in-law, got taken by Cao Cao, which infuriated Zhang Xiu. He followed the Jia Xu’s plan, sent Hu Che to steal General Dian Wei’s armors and weapons, and attacked Cao Cao’s camp at night. An armorless General Dian Wei fought to his death, but Cao Cao made an escape. Zhang Xiu, however, was able to stab Lady Zou. The Battle of Wancheng ended with the defeat of Cao Cao.

7/10 Peking Opera《The Return of Lady Wen-Ji》

Cai Wen-Ji, daughter of East Han’s famous scholar - Cai Yong, was well educated and especially talented in music. She was married to Wei Zhong-Dao. After her husband’s death, she returned to stay with her parents. It was a chaotic time with wars waging everywhere. Her father got sentenced to death for being an accomplice of Dong Zhuo, who was also killed.

In this difficult time, Cai Wen-Ji was seized and taken northward by a foreign troop to the Huns, where she spent twelve years and gave birth to two children. Meanwhile, Cao Cao’s troop started to gain power, and it finally unite the Northern states. Cao Cao paid a ransom to bring back Lady Wen-ji, out of his fond memories of his old friend, Cai Yong. Lady Cai Wen-ji traveled back home and was remarried to Dong Si. She spent the rest of her life archiving her father’s works.

7/17 Kunqu Opera《Dream of Handan》

Scholar Lu was an ambitious student. Immortal Lu Dong-Bin wished to free his mind, and in a small inn in Handan, he gave Lu a porcelain pillow to dream on. In the dream, Scholar Lu married the rich Lady Cui and gained wealth and power. He was nevertheless banished to Shanzhou, because he got in a dispute with Yu-Wen Rong. He labored to build canals and develop raw lands, but again he got sent to Yazhou due to Yu-Wen Rong’s manipulations. Eventually, his innocence was proven, and he was summoned back to the capital city and given a leading position in court. He indulged in the plentiful beauties and luxuries, and lost his health and was about to die… He woke up suddenly from the dream and noticed the barley on the stove was not even cooked. With the immortal Lu Dong-Bin’s help, his mind finally grew free, and he became an immortal in heaven.

7/24 Yue Opera《Dream of the Red Chamber》

Lin Dai-Yu was an orphaned young girl who stayed with her grandmother. She was naturally depressed and sick often. Her cousin Jia Bao-Yu and she were very close and in love. However, Grandmother doesn’t want Bao-Yu to marry Dai-Yu, due to her poor health. Grandmother much preferred the healthy Xue Bao-Chai. Wang Xi-Feng, an in-law, tricked Bao-Yu to engage with Bai-Chai. Dai-Yu, upon learning the truth, burned all her poems and died in grief. Bao-Yu learned about the scheme on his wedding night. In agony, he rushed to Dai-Yu’s coffin to moan her and left home afterwards for good.

7/31 Koo Cloud Live from Stage: Taipei Liyuan Peking Opera Theatre

《Rescuing Mother from Hell》

Mu-Lian was a monk following Kṣitigarbha. His study and self-fulfillment was about to complete when he heard his mother Liu Qing-Ti was sentenced to go to hell. Mu-Lian rushed to hell, and discovered his mother was being transferred to the Mount of Sliding Oil for punishment. After talking with his mother, he learned that once his parents used to be a monk and a nun, but they ran away to get married. Liu Qing-Ti told her story about how the two of them met and eventually saw their son, Mu-Lian off to follow Ksitigarbha. Mu-Lian believed his mother was innocent and vowed to rescue her from hell.

《The Little Cowherds》

This light-hearted musical piece depicts how a little boy, tending his cows, meets a little girl from next village. They sing and dance lovers duets and confess to each other.

《Mount Tielong》

In the Period of Three States, Jiang Wei, a general of Han, led his troop eastward to combat Wei. He successfully defeated Si-Ma Shi and Chen Tai and drove them onto Mount Tielong where they waited for Guo Huai’s reinforcement. Jiang Wei befriended Mi Dang, a chief of a tribe outside the northern border, with gold. Jiang and Mi pledged to join forces. When Mi Dang approached with his troop of one hundred thousand, Si-Ma Shi was frightened. However, Chen Tai and Mi Dang were acquaintances. Chen Tai made Mi Dang believe that Jiang Wei insulted him. Mi Dang then changed his camp, and together they defeated Jiang Wei who had to escape westward.