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.

“Reunion by the Well, Forcing His Father to Return Home, Reunion at the Mill from The Story of the Rabbit (Remnant Extant Version)”

The Story of the Rabbit is one of the four major stock repertory works of ancient nanxi (Southern Opera) popular during the Song and Yuan period, namely The Story of the Wooden Hairpin, The Story of the Rabbit, The Blessings of the Moon and Killing a Dog to Admonish Her Husband retained in Liyuan Opera. The staging has a quaint charm, and the presentation can be both formal and comical. It has high historical as well as entertainment value. The present production adopts the angle of revival, i.e., returning to the old tradition, in order to recreate for the audience the ancient world of nanxi of a millennium ago.

The story takes place during the Five Dynasties period (907-979). Liu Zhiyuan marries into the Li Homestead at Shatao Village and becomes the husband of Li Sanniang. But his brother-in-law wants to expel him, so he treats Liu to an evening banquet, then tells him a tall tale about the melon patch the family owns. Liu really believes him and goes to keep vigil at the melon patch at night. In fact Li’s intention is to get him killed by the Melon Demon. Sanniang does not want Liu to go, and tries to seize the mallets from his hands. Liu refuses to listen, and goes to wait in the melon patch. He manages to defeat the demon and finds a precious sword as well as a book on the art of war. So he leaves home to join the army in Binzhou. After he is gone, Sanniang suffers under the hand of her brother and sister-in-law. She works day and night at the mill, which is where she gives birth to her son. She has no scissors to cut the umbilical cord and has to bite it off, so she calls the baby ‘Yaoqilang’ (boy with umbilical cord bitten off). She asks Old Dou to take the baby to Zhiyuan in Binzhou. Sixteen years pass, and one day, Yaoqilang goes hunting. The God of Destiny turns into a rabbit and lures him to a well where he meets Sanniang. She writes a letter in tears, and asks him to take it to Liu Zhiyuan in Binzhou. Yaoqilang returns to Binzhou and discovers finally that the woman by the well is his mother. Father and son hurry to the Shatao Village, and the whole family is reunited at the mill.

“Singing the Beggar’s Ditty from Li Yaxian”

This is an excerpt taken from Li Yaxian, a Liyuan Opera in the xianan stream of the traditional repertory. The staging is unique with its quaint format and vivid humour. Notable features include the household tune in southern Fujian, Three Thousand Taels of Gold and the rousing ‘chest-hitting dance’. It promises to be a highly entertaining show.

The story takes place during the Tianbao reign of the Tang period. Zheng Yuanhe is the son of a prefect; he has come to the capital to attend the national civil examination. He meets and falls in love with a famous courtesan, Li Yanxian. The pimp at the brothel cunningly cheats Zheng out of his three thousand taels of gold, and then throws him out. Penniless and ill, Zheng joins the ranks of beggars and street singers. In the bitter cold weather of winter, he sings in the streets, where he happens to meet Agui, the main servant of Yaxian. She takes him to find Yaxian to be reunited.