A Guide to the Formulaic Plays in Cantonese Opera – Appreciation through Decoding

Speaker: Law Ka-ying

Guest Speaker: Wong Chiu-kwan, Chan Hung-chun, Cheng Wing-mui

Moderator: Alisa Shum

In Cantonese

Programme highlights and interview of the Artistic Director: Sun Kim-long

Programme highlights and interview of the Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying and Lung Koon-tin

Traditional Set Piece ofThe Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court

Traditional Set Piece of A Fairy Returns Her Son to the Mortal Father

A Guide to the Formulaic Play in Cantonese Opera – Traditional Set Piece The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court

Traditional Excerpt from Formulaic Plays- A Blood Oath Sworn in the Grotto

Traditional Excerpt from Formulaic Plays-General Kwan Guard the Huarong Pass

Traditional Excerpt from Formulaic Plays-Pan Jinlian Seducing Her Brother-in-law

Traditional Excerpt from Formulaic Plays-Liu Jinding Crashes Four Gates

Traditional Excerpt from Formulaic Plays-Trapped in Calabash Valley

Traditional Excerpt from Formulaic Plays-Xue Pinggui Leaving His Humble Abode

Traditional Excerpt from Formulaic Plays-Che Gong Chastising Cao Cao from White Gate Tower

The 5 live performances concluded successfully in October 2020.  Thank you for your support!

Starting with set pieces for all 5 performances:

The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court,

Eight Immortals Bestowing Longevity,

Blessing by the God of Fortune,

A Fairy Returns Her Son to the Mortal Father

Artistic Director: Sun Kim-long

The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court

Conventionally, The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court is a formulaic playlet performed as a standard stage-opener for matinee shows, and is often staged alongside Eight Immortals Bestowing Longevity and A Fairy Returns Her Son to the Mortal Father.  Some of the routines adopted include the ‘Peach Blossom routine’ and the ‘Sun Moon routine’, played out in traditional style.  In the former, the Peach Blossom Fairy is the flower fairy that often appears in folklore.  She dresses in a set of armour in red, wears the seven-star headdress, with a long silk ribbon on her back and a peach wood sword wrapped in red silk in her hand.  The ‘Peach Blossom routine’ is made up of mincing steps, somersaults, backward bends, etc, all making up the bravura skills of a wudan (military female) but showing elegance and grace.  The ‘Sun Moon routine’ is for the God of Sun and the Goddess of Moon and depicts the movements of the sun and the moon in the sky.  The God of Sun stands tall and straight to suggest sunlight shining from above, while the Goddess of Moon strikes lower posture to suggest the moon rising at night.

The Imperial Emperor of Heaven is holding court.  The immortals report signs of unrest in the mortal world.  So the Emperor dispatches a heavenly host to descend from heaven to save the mortals.  The plot of this set piece exemplifies the Chinese people’s traditional view of the universe: Heaven above is mindful of the well-being of mortals; whenever there is disaster in the mortal world, heaven will send forces to their rescue.

Eight Immortals Bestowing Longevity

A set piece in the traditional repertory of Cantonese Opera, the Eight Immortals – Han Zhongli, Lu Dongbin, Zhang Guolao, Cao Guojiu, Tieguai Li, Han Xiangzi, Lan Caihe and He Xiangu come to the Queen Mother of Heaven’s birthday party and offer their well wishes.

Blessing by the God Fortune

This is a set piece which can be found in the stock repertory of many regional theatrical genres of ancient provenance.  The wusheng (military male) actor in the martial role of the God of Fortune wears a mask (keeping it in place by biting a small piece of wood on the underside).  He holds an official tablet in his hands, delivers flamboyant stylised movements, and ends with a scroll showing words of blessings.

God of Fortune:  Wan Yuk-yu (8,16-18/10) / Leung Wai-hong (9/10)

A Fairy Returns Her Son to the Mortal Father

A Fairy Returns Her Son to the Mortal Father begins with the episode in which the Seventh Fairy hands back her son.  The version performed on this occasion is taken from the long version of the ancient repertory.  The story begins with Dong Yong making his formal appearance on stage and introducing himself.  He describes how he became the top scholar and earned the honour of enjoying community respect through the three-day parade.  This is followed by the Seventh Fairy descending from heaven to meet him and give him their son.  The six fairies would do a transformation stunt with the ‘flipping the court dress’ technique, which shows the exquisite choreography of set pieces as well as the fine design and tailoring of the traditional costumes.

The destitute Dong Yong sells himself into bondage to give his father a proper burial.  Moved by his filial piety, the Seventh Fairy secretly descends to the mortal world to marry him.  When the Imperial Emperor of Heaven learns about this, he orders her to return to heaven, and husband and wife are separated.  Dong Yong later earns the honour of Top Scholar, while the Seventh Fairy gives birth to a son in heaven.  By His Majesty’s order, Dong would have a parade in his honour for three days.  The Seventh Fairy pleads with the Emperor to let her descend to the mortal world with her six sisters to give Dong their son.  Having accomplished this, she returns to heaven.

Excerpts from Formulaic Plays

8.10.2020 (Thu)

Xue Pinggui Leaving His Humble Abode

Artistic Director: Lung Koon-tin

This is a play taken from the grand formulaic set, Eighteen Dapaichang Plays, of the Qing Dynasty.  It is a bravura piece for actors specialising in xiaowu (young military male) and huadan (lead female) roles – Xue Pinggui coming back to his cave abode only to saddle his horse to go on another expedition, the heart-wrenching duet between him and his wife, Wang Baochuan and the expressive yet graceful stylised movements of the devastated wife, all make this a perennial favourite in Cantonese Opera.  This repertory is also found in other genres of Chinese opera, an example being the Peking Opera The Red-maned Horse.

The Prime Minister’s daughter Wang Baochuan marries a poor man, Xue Pinggui.  After joining the army and taming the red-maned horse, Xue is dispatched to go on an expedition to Xiliang, and has to say goodbye to Wang.  As the couple expresses their sorrow over having to part again, three military calls come to order Xue to return to the barracks.  He is forced to leave his wife with only a small amount of money and rations.  Wang vows to wait for him at their humble cave abode, fearless of the extreme impoverished state that she will have to face.  She bids him farewell with a bowl of water.

Trapped in Calabash Valley

Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying, Lung Koon-tin

Trapped in Calabash Valley is a formulaic presentation often adapted for use in different plays, such as the fierce battle scene in A Hero’s Blood on Mount Pipa written by Lee Siu-wan, starring Mak Ping-wing and Yu Lai-chun.  With the plot of The Fifth Watch Sounds, the marshal has to demonstrate his martial art skills, and while fighting, needs to sing the set tune of Trapped in Calabash Valley and deliver intricate hand gestures.  This play is known as a ‘test piece’ for actors in xiaowu (young military male) of the Southern school of Cantonese Opera.

The marshal is in battle against the barbarian invaders, and has been winning at the beginning, but later on he falls victim to the stratagem of the King of the enemy side and is trapped in Calabash Valley.  His camp is also under a fire attack.  He has no choice but to put up a desperate fight lasting from early evening till the fifth strike of the watch (around 3 am).  He manages to break out of the encirclement, and eventually returns with reinforcement and wins the battle.

9.10.2020 (Fri)

A Blood Oath Sworn in the Grotto

Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying

This is a play taken from the grand formulaic set, Eighteen Dapaichang Plays, of the Qing Dynasty. It has an alternative title of Accompanying Jingniang at Night.  It is the bravura piece for a hualian (painted face) and huadan (lead female).  It features the traditional routine of ‘preparing the horse for action’, which includes a series of miming actions carried out by the male actor – saddling and bridling the horse, stepping on the stirrup to mount, etc.  The distinguished singing of Jingniang is known as ‘the grotto aria’, performed with her kneeling and telling of who she is, and what has happened to her to bring her to the grotto.  There are also more formulaic routines related to the ‘sworn pledge’ in Cantonese Opera, extracted from this play but embellished with more content details to fit into the plot of other plays.

This is a story about Zhao Kuangyin, the first emperor of Song before he ascends the throne.  He is a fugitive, wanted for killing someone when trying to help another.  On the road, he comes to the Grotto of the God of Thunder.  He hears a woman crying, and goes on to open it up.  The young woman is Zhao Jingniang, who is abducted by bandits when she goes to sweep the ancestor’s grave and is trapped here.  Out of chivalry, Zhao Kuangyin offers to accompany her home all through the night.  To avoid social taboos, he and Jingniang become sworn brother-and-sister.

General Kwan Guards the Huarong Pass

Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying

This is a play taken from Chapter 50 of the novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ‘Zhuge Liang Foresees the Huarong Pass Episode, Guan Yu Releases Cao Cao in Reciprocation of a Former Kind Deed’. The operatic presentation is a duo between Guan Yu, a general with the highest sense of morals and righteousness, and Cao Cao of the State of Wei.  Through the singing narrative between the two characters, delivered in the varying moods of bangzi in slow, moderate and fast tempi, Cao Cao speaks of a former kind deed he had done to Guan Yu, while Guan relates how he repays Cao Cao by slaying Yan Liang and Wen Chou.

Cao Cao is defeated at Red Cliff.  Zhuge Liang sends Zhang Fei and Zhao Zilong to intercept his escape but to no avail, so he sends Guan Yu to station at the Huarong Pass to wait for Cao Cao to pass by.  Cao has done Guan a favour before, so when he sees Guan Yu guarding the Huarong Pass, he thinks he has seen through Zhuge Liang’s plot and bursts out laughing.  He believes that he has every hope to escape unscathed.  Cao asks Guan to let him go, beseeching until he goes down on his knees to beg in tears.  Guan, who always puts righteousness first, is in dilemma.  Finally resolving that ‘an upright man would leave his name in history for his true adherence to righteousness’, he decides to let Cao go by setting up a snake formation (a military setting). Cao is finally able to flee.  The situation evolves into the establishment of the three kingdoms.  Actually, the happenings are all within Zhuge’s plan: he purposely lets Guan return the favour to Cao so that from now on, he owes Cao nothing.

16.10.2020 (Fri)

A Blood Oath Sworn in the Grotto

Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying

This is a play taken from the grand formulaic set, Eighteen Dapaichang Plays, of the Qing Dynasty. It has an alternative title of Accompanying Jingniang at Night.  It is the bravura piece for a hualian (painted face) and huadan (lead female).  It features the traditional routine of ‘preparing the horse for action’, which includes a series of miming actions carried out by the male actor – saddling and bridling the horse, stepping on the stirrup to mount, etc.  The distinguished singing of Jingniang is known as ‘the grotto aria’, performed with her kneeling and telling of who she is, and what has happened to her to bring her to the grotto.  There are also more formulaic routines related to the ‘sworn pledge’ in Cantonese Opera, extracted from this play but embellished with more content details to fit into the plot of other plays.

This is a story about Zhao Kuangyin, the first emperor of Song before he ascends the throne.  He is a fugitive, wanted for killing someone when trying to help another.  On the road, he comes to the Grotto of the God of Thunder.  He hears a woman crying, and goes on to open it up.  The young woman is Zhao Jingniang, who is abducted by bandits when she goes to sweep the ancestor’s grave and is trapped here.  Out of chivalry, Zhao Kuangyin offers to accompany her home all through the night.  To avoid social taboos, he and Jingniang become sworn brother-and-sister.

Pan Jinlian Seducing Her Brother-in-law

Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying

Also known as Wu Song Kills His Sister-in-Law and Wreaking Havoc at the Lion Mansion, this is a play taken from the grand formulaic set, Eighteen Dapaichang Plays, of the Qing Dynasty.  It is a bravura piece for actors specialising in huadan (female lead) and xiaowu (young military male) roles.  As the title suggests, Pan Jinlian is all whims and wiles in her seduction, while Wu Song is all righteousness in his rejection.  The actors must be mindful not to overact in their delivery.  One of the jewels of this piece is the singing in xipi that distinguishes it from other singing in Cantonese Opera.

Wu Song is honoured with a fanfare parade for three days after he subdued a fierce tiger on Jingyang Ridge.  He pays his elder brother, Wu Dalang, a visit.  But Dalang is out when he arrives.  His wife Pan Jinliang is enamoured of the handsome brother-in-law famous for his fighting prowess, and tries all means to seduce him Wu Song refuses to succumb, gives her a good set down, and leaves in righteous anger.

17.10.2020 (Sat)

Liu Jinding Crashes Four Gates

Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying

Also known as Triple Conquest of Southern Tang and The Heroine Who Conquered the Four Gates, this is a play taken from the grand formulaic set, Eighteen Dapaichang Plays, of the Qing Dynasty.  It is a bravura piece for actors specialising in huadan (female lead) and xiaowu (young military male) roles.  Dressed in full armour with flags on the back, the huadan wields a sword and performs with her feet bound, deftly executing movements from the Southern school of Cantonese Opera, including hand-to-hand combat against two, three, or four people, as well as flipping over.  Cantonese Opera scenes featuring a huadan teasing a xiaowu tend to reference this set piece from The Heroine Who Conquered the Four Gates, such as the production Law Shing at the Gate starring Yam Kim-fai and Yu Lai-chun.

Zhao Kuangyin and his general Gao Junbao invade Southern Tang and are besieged in Shouzhou.  Liu Jinding leads her troops to their rescue.  She breaks through the city’s heavy defences, starting from the east gate, south gate, west gate, all the way to the north gate.  Fierce yet graceful stylised movements and gestures are showcased at each fight.  After a fierce battle, Liu successfully rescues the emperor and her husband.

Trapped in Calabash Valley 

 Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying, Lung Koon-tin

Trapped in Calabash Valley is a formulaic presentation often adapted for use in different plays, such as the fierce battle scene in A Hero’s Blood on Mount Pipa written by Lee Siu-wan, starring Mak Ping-wing and Yu Lai-chun.  With the plot of The Fifth Watch Sounds, the marshal has to demonstrate his martial art skills, and while fighting, needs to sing the set tune of Trapped in Calabash Valley and deliver intricate hand gestures.  This play is known as a ‘test piece’ for actors in xiaowu (young military male) of the Southern school of Cantonese Opera.

The marshal is in battle against the barbarian invaders, and has been winning at the beginning, but later on he falls victim to the stratagem of the King of the enemy side and is trapped in Calabash Valley.  His camp is also under a fire attack.  He has no choice but to put up a desperate fight lasting from early evening till the fifth strike of the watch (around 3 am).  He manages to break out of the encirclement, and eventually returns with reinforcement and wins the battle.

18.10.2020 (Sun)

Xue Pinggui Leaving His Humble Abode

Artistic Director: Lung Koon-tin

This is a play taken from the grand formulaic set, Eighteen Dapaichang Plays, of the Qing Dynasty.  It is a bravura piece for actors specialising in xiaowu (young military male) and huadan (lead female) roles – Xue Pinggui coming back to his cave abode only to saddle his horse to go on another expedition, the heart-wrenching duet between him and his wife, Wang Baochuan and the expressive yet graceful stylised movements of the devastated wife, all make this a perennial favourite in Cantonese Opera.  This repertory is also found in other genres of Chinese opera, an example being the Peking Opera The Red-maned Horse.

The Prime Minister’s daughter Wang Baochuan marries a poor man, Xue Pinggui.  After joining the army and taming the red-maned horse, Xue is dispatched to go on an expedition to Xiliang, and has to say goodbye to Wang.  As the couple expresses their sorrow over having to part again, three military calls come to order Xue to return to the barracks.  He is forced to leave his wife with only a small amount of money and rations.  Wang vows to wait for him at their humble cave abode, fearless of the extreme impoverished state that she will have to face.  She bids him farewell with a bowl of water.

Chen Gong Chastising Cao Cao from White Gate Tower

Artistic Director: Law Ka-ying

This is a play taken from Chapter 19 of the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ‘Cao Cao Makes Flood in Xiapi, Lu Bu Perishes at the White Gate Tower’.  This Hong Kong premiere is not to be missed.  The story is based on the earlier parts of Romance of the Three Kingdoms when Cao Cao is still Prime Minister of the Han court and Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are serving under him.  In the pair’s heated exchange between Cao and Chen, Chen will enthrall the audience with recitations and long sung passages in bangzi manban and zhongban which require great singing skill and depth.  The scene ‘Execution of Lu Bu’ also shows the very different dispositions of the three characters.

Cao Cao and Chen Gong have known each other for a long time.  After gaining an insight into Cao’s character, Chen left him to join Lu Bu’s camp.  Chen is a seasoned strategist but Lu does not heed his advice.  Sitting on an ample food reserve, Lu stays put and refuses to go to battle.  Instead he lives the good life in the company of Lady Yan and Diao Chan, ending in their capture by Hou Cheng and Wei Xu who present them as trophies to Cao.  Chen is also captured along with them.  Chen cites a litany of Cao’s evil deeds: killing Boshe in shameful treachery and holding the Han emperor hostage.  In their sung passages, Cao’s ambitions and vile disposition unravel, with Chen revisiting Cao’s unsavoury assertions.  Chen maintains his loyalty to the Han Dynasty and faces his execution with bravery and integrity.  After the execution of Chen Gong, Cao Cao orders Lu Bu’s execution.  Lu used to be a valiant general under Dong Zhuo but later killed him for the beautiful Diao Chan. Lu does not accept Chen’s advice, ending in his capture.  Lu once saved Liu Bei; when he sees Cao mourning Chen outside after ordering the latter’s execution, he pleads with Liu to put in a good word for him.  Liu agrees but when Cao asks for his opinion, he remarks, ‘Think of what happened to Ding Jianyang and Dong Zhuo!’ Cao immediately orders Lu’s execution.  Lu throws up blood and says, ‘When I shot the arrow at the halberd at the camp gate to defuse a crisis, I put my life in danger. Now you repay me with spite and treachery’.

Programme was be performed in Cantonese and guanhua.

Information provided by the arts group.

The programme does not represent the views of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

Coordination Team: Liza Wang (Producer), Ko Yun-hung, Sun Kim-long, Lung Koon-tin, Law Ka-ying

Production Manager︰Lam Hak-fai, Lam Kwan-ling (8-9/10), Chan Po-lin Ancid (16-18/10)

Percussion Leader: Ko Yun-kuen

Ensemble Leader: Ko Yun-hung

Administrative Coordinator: Alisa Shum, Kenji Lin