A magnificent evening of music, song, mime, glorious costumes, acrobatic tumbling, kung-fu fighting and a traditional Chinese orchestra offers an unforgettable glimpse into ancient China. This action-packed Eleventh Annual Peking Opera Festival showcases the famous Monkey King's battle with the Princess Iron Fan, and other selected scenes from Peking Opera classics. This Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera Company event will be performed in Chinese with English subtitles.
The Monkey and the Princess Iron Fan
The Monkey and the Princess Iron Fan is adapted from one of China’s four celebrated epic tales, The Journey to the West, written by Wu Chengen, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In this mythical tale, a Buddhist Monk and his disciples, including the Monkey King, travel to India to study Buddhism. During their journey, they come across a Flaming Mountain and are unable to pass. The Monkey King pays a visit to Jade Cloud Summit in order to borrow a magical Iron Fan made of palm leaf from the Princess - the only fan that will extinguish the fire at Flaming Mountain. Bearing an old grudge against the Monkey King, the Princess refuses to lend out the Iron Fan and a fierce battle ensues between the the two camps. The Monkey King defeats the Princess and her husband, the great Ox King, and forcing them to surrender up the magical Iron Fan.
The Young Monk in Love
Wuben, a young monk from Green Peach Temple, although sent by his pious parents to live in the monastery at a very young age, longs for the pleasures of lay life. One day, when he is alone at the temple, he escapes down the mountain. Such is his good fortune that on the road he meets a young nun, Sekong, who herself has just fled from the Immortal Peach nunnery. The two fall in love and decide to get married and live together for the rest of their lives. This play is well known for its liveliness and exaggerated humor. It is performed in the Kunqu style of performance, which has been designated by UNESCO as one of the treasures of humanity's intangible cultural heritage.
Stealing the Official Seal
Jiao Guangpu, the son of the famous Song Dynasty General Jiao Zan, becomes trapped in barbarian territory after a fierce battle. Lacking the official seal that would allow him to travel through the mountain pass and back to his home, he decides to bide his time, set up an inn near the barbarian-Chinese border, and wait for an opportunity to return to his homeland. At the same time, Yang Bajie of famous Yang family, receives orders to disguise herself as a man and undertake a reconnaissance mission in barbarian territory. When she passes Jiao’s inn, he notices that she has an official seal tied to her waist. Hoping that he might be able to steal the seal from her, Jiao entreats Yang to take a rest at his inn. As Jiao tries to steal Yang’s seal, he discovers that she is a woman, After a fight, they reveal their true identities to one other and together develop a plan for their safe return home.
The King Bids Farewell to his Concubine
XiangYu, the King of Chu, fights with Liu Bang, the King of Han, for the control of China. Xiang is ambushed and trapped in the dead place. Desperate, he comes back to his camp to have a farewell drink with his beloved concubine, Yu. Yu sings an elegy for him and tries to soothe him by Sword Dancing, but meets a tragic end.
