cn-opera-jargonlol

[cn-opera-jargonlol]

打金磚 (Dǎ jīn zhuān) Demise of the Emperor

Based on a real emperor [Liuxiu Emperor (劉秀）], but fictional story

Opera Synopsis:

Yáo Qī  姚期 (is a 忠臣 zhōng chén, a loyal and righteous minister) and another minister (the emperor's 太師 Tài shī (tutor) and father-in-law) are not on good terms. When Yáo Gāng (姚刚), Yáo Qī's son, is declared a general, the minister shares unkind words with him. Being young and hotheaded, Yáo Gāng does not take this lightly.

At the beginning of the opera, Yáo Gāng pays the minister a visit, and kills him. When Yáo Qī  finds out, he binds his son and takes him to the emperor's court to ask for forgiveness. The emperor chooses not to kill him, instead exiles Yáo Gāng to a faraway land. Unsure if this will appease the emperor, Yáo Qī begs the emperor to strip him of his rank. The emperor recalls fondly on the years when they were younger, and pledges that he will not consume alcohol for 100 days to show his commitment to his promise. Yáo Qī and Yáo Gāng will not be harmed.

Guofei (? ), one of the emperor's concubine, hears about the emperor's decision, and when he visits, she encourages him to drink with her. All at once, he forgets his promise to Yáo Qī as he drinks cup after cup. We find out the minister whom Yáo Gāng killed is her father, and she wants revenge. When the emperor is completely drunk, she gets him to call Yáo Qī to the Imperial Harem (后宮, Hòu gōng), where only other concubines and eunuchs (宦官, Huàn guān) are allowed.

Upon his arrival, Yáo Qī spills a cup of wine given to him by the emperor, and Guofei takes him to be executed for his disrespect.

While Yáo Qī is on his way to the execution site, Prime Minister Dèng Yǔ (邓禹) hears news about this, and tries three times to send a messenger to the emperor, but Guofei dismisses him each time, keeping the message from reaching the emperor.

Unable to do anything, Dèng Yǔ asks for help from Mǎ Wǔ (马武), a fellow minister, who rushes into the Imperial Harem, and creates a scene outside the room to get the emperor's attention. The emperor is shocked out of his drunkenness, and gives an imperial decree to be carried to the execution site of Yáo Qī pardon. But they are too late - Yáo Qī's head has been severed.

The emperor goes into shock and becomes insane. He strips Dèng Yǔ of his status, and Dèng Yǔ, rather than suffer such embarrassment, kills himself by hitting his head against the wall. The emperor then calls to have all his prime ministers executed. Mǎ Wǔ  is enraged at the emperor at his unjust and impulsive decision. He takes a yellow brick and runs at the emperor, who runs for his life. The emperor and a eunuch blockade themselves in a room, and Mǎ Wǔ, still furious, bashes his head against the yellow brick he holds, committing suicide.

Finally, the emperor calms down and comes to his senses, finally realizing why Dèng Yǔ and Mǎ Wǔ committed suicide. He visits a temple (太廟, Tàimiào) after understanding what happened from Guofei and killing her, and there he sees the spirits of the ministers he killed, along with Mǎ Wǔ holding the yellow brick. He dies from shock and terror, or from being hit by Ma Wu and his yellow brick.

Interesting bit:

The dead ministers wear black veils over their headpieces to signify they're ghosts.

The move where the emperor falls on his back is known as the "Zombie Fall" (摔殭屍, Shuāi jiāng shī). You hear the audience yell "hao!" (好, good!), cheering the actor on for his stunt. (1:42:00 of the first link)

https://www.bilibili.com/video/av839349233/ (1985, 60yr emperor actor)

https://www.bilibili.com/s/video/BV1BW411h781?fbclid=IwAR3uwAo7lE-bYZIbUa7pxiYyuMGUEfNHleX-Rfn2x9MaJcIEJhb1SEi4Vdo (year unknown)

For additional information click link below:

[cn-opera-jargonlol]

三岔口 At the Crossroads

(焦贊發配: Exile of Jiāo Zàn）

Excerpt from Generals of the Yang Family （杨家将, Yáng jiā jiāng)

Opera Synopsis

General Jiāo Zàn (焦贊) is on his way to Shamen Island for killing the traitor, Xiè tíngfāng (謝廷芳), a son of another general. He is escorted by two prison guards, and a comedic skit ensues where Jiāo Zàn starts ordering them around.

Behind them trails Rèn Tánghuì (任堂惠) who is trying to catch up, as he's been sent to protect General Jiāo Zàn on the way to Shamen Island. On the way there, they happen upon a small inn, and meet the innkeeper (劉利華, Liú Lìhuá) and his wife. The General demands two rooms - one for him, and the other for the guards. Rèn Tánghuì appears later, also requesting a room for himself, and Liú Lìhuá finds him suspicious. Believing he is here to kill the captured general, Liú Lìhuá sneaks in to Rèn Tánghuì 's room and attempts to murder him, but Rèn Tánghuì hears him coming in. The two of them stumble around in the dark unlit room, trying to find each other, and eventually get into a fight. At one point, the table falls on Liú Lìhuá's foot, and he yelps in pain.

Much later, Jiāo Zàn barges into the room, and the three scuffle. Liú Lìhuá's wife comes in to see the commotion. Rèn Tánghuì introduces himself as his bodyguard to clear up the misunderstanding, and he and the innkeeper make up.

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Below are my favorite versions of the opera, due to the skill and technique of the actors.