Xiqu

Renowned Cantonese Opera artist Sun Kim-long has been an educator of Cantonese Opera for years, promoting Cantonese Opera in schools. The artist has designed a Cantonese Opera education programme centred round the Cantonese Opera classic, The Impeachment of Yan Song. The programme aims to enhance the students’ ability to appreciate Cantonese Opera and to stimulate their interest in the art form. The programme includes pre-performance demonstration workshop and performance cum post-performance discussion.

Programme Content

The Impeachment of Yan Song
During the reign of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, the emperor, addicted to the pursuit of immortality and womanizing, neglects state affairs and delegates all his power to his subordinates and eunuchs. Yan Song, who gains the emperor’s trust by presenting the prayer text of Taoist Zhaijiao ritual, becomes the Shou Fu (Prime Minister), the most powerful officer in the state. Taking bribes and overtaxing, Yan has made every effort to bring misery to the common people. His son, Yan Shifan, is also a wicked and greedy man, and their actions are much lamented by government officials. However, every one of them remains silent as the Imperial Concubine Yan, daughter of Song, is the emperor’s favourite in the harem.

Hai Rui, the Yu Shi (Chief Censor) of the Censorate, is a man of principle who never genuflects to power. He impeaches Yan Song by submitting ten palace memorials despite the emperor’s decree that anyone who indicts Yan will be executed by decapitation. The emperor is enraged by Hai’s disobedience and, to please Yan’s daughter, has Hai demoted and imprisoned, due to be executed.

Fortunately, Hai is saved by a report that Yan Shifan has collaborated with the Japanese on military initiatives. The emperor then orders the confiscation of Yan’s properties, and initiates a thorough investigation into Yan’s crimes. Yan Shifan is found guilty and beheaded. Yan himself is spared for his long-term service, but has to live as a commoner, leading a miserable, homeless life.