Xiqu

Liyuan Opera originated in Quanzhou, Fujian. With a history that goes back to more than eight hundred years, it is one of the oldest theatrical genres in China that are still extant today. It is sung in the Quanzhou dialect of the Minnan (southern Fujian) system.

Liyuan Opera is categorically divided into three streams, the shanglu, xianan and the xiaoliyuan. The shanglu stream consists of a large number of traditional libretti and scores of the nanxi (Southern Opera) of the Song and Yuan period (960 – 1368), the content of which is largely inspired by stories on the themes of patriotism, filial piety, chastity and righteous spirits. The libretto of Zhu Maichen has faithfully followed the incomplete edition of the original script that was orally transmitted by actors of the older generations. In reviving the play, the troupe had made no additions or changes to it in a bid to retain as far as possible the original staging, reproduce the plotline, and re-present the folk culture through the use of ancient dialects and slangs of southern Fujian in the lines and lyrics. The play has therefore been lauded as an invaluable gem with high cultural value and is worth of research. In the xianan stream, the stories mostly come from folklore; an example is Singing the Beggar’s Ditty from Li Yaxian, which is imbued with the vivid, interesting details of everyday life. As for the xiaoliyuan stream, its stock repertoire consists of many plays from nanxi that dates back to the early Ming period (the second half of the 17th century). This stream is distinguished by the delicate, insightful acting of artists performing the sheng (male) and dan (female) roles. Lu Mengzheng belongs to the nanxi of the Song and Yuan period (circa 10th to 14th centuries). It is in the stock repertoire of the eighteen pengtou plays of the xiaoliyuan stream. Another xiaoliyuan repertory The Story of the Rabbit, with an alternative title as Liu Zhiyuan, was one of the four major nanxi plays of China. Its ancient provenance makes it a rare legacy of the traditional genre of Liyuan Opera. The upcoming shows are performed by the company cast led by Zeng Jingping, Representative Bearer of Liyuan Opera as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage and two-time winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre. They will re-enact the quaint charm of the theatrical genre dating back to centuries ago.

“To the Cave Dwelling Across the Bridge, Cooking Gruel, Checking Footprints on the Snow, Leaving the Cave Dwelling from Lu Mengzheng (Remnant Extant Version)”

Lu Mengzheng is in the repertory of eighteen pentou plays of the xiaoliyuan stream of Liyuan Opera. According to the New Findings about Southern Opera, it belongs to the nanxi (Southern Opera) of the Song and the Yuan period (circa 10th to 14th centuries). No libretti of it had been survived. But similar stories referencing ‘Lu Mengzheng and his humble abode of a cave dwelling’ were cited in several compendium works of Yuan and Ming period. While this play can be found in Liyuan Opera’s xiaoliyuan and xianan repertories, the presentations are different. Also, in the xianguan (strings-and-wind) music, there are many arias that originated from this play.

The story takes place during the Northern Song period. Liu Yue’e is the daughter of the Prime Minister. When her father openly invites suitors for his daughter, Yue’e chooses the talented but penniless scholar, Lu Mengzheng, by throwing an embroidered ball to him. Her father is strongly against this marriage and wants to go back on his words. Yue’e defies him and marries Lu in honour of her word. The Prime Minister gets so piqued that the two are expelled from his High Residence. The husband and wife can only live in a cave dwelling in the countryside. Her mother is worried about her suffering from hunger and cold, and sends her silver and rice. Lu Mengzheng returns home, discovers tracks on the snow, and suspects his wife of extramarital affairs. It is only after a lot of explaining that the two make up. Lu sits for the national civil examination. And later he does pluck the laurels. He sends a messenger to give his wife the good news as well as a bouquet of viburnum. The couple’s harsh life is finally over, and they bow deep to their former humble abode to take leave of it forever.