The Most Popular Stories of Cantonese Opera

The stories of Cantonese Opera mainly come from the Chinese folk history and daily life events. I'd like to share some popular Cantonese Opera stories with you. Knowing the content of these stories can help you appreciate Cantonese opera better and gain a deeper understanding of the culture of Cantonese Opera.

The Princess Cheung Ping

It was created by the opera master Tang Disheng. It is about the tragic love story of Princess Cheung Ping and Zhou Shixian. It shows the decline of the Ming Dynasty at that time. The story talks about Cheung Ping was ordered by the emperor to marry Zhou Shixian, the son of Taipu.Unfortunately, rebels usurped the country. Eventually, they were persecuted by the rebels and committed suicide by taking poison. After their death, a song was heard from the sky. Therefore, later generations called the two "the golden boy and the jade girl". This Cantonese opera has touched the hearts of countless audiences with its affectionate interpretation and touching plot.

The Purple Hairpin

Also adapted by Tang Disheng, it integrates elements of joys and sorrows and love. It tells the love story between the poet Li Yi and Huo Xiaoyu, a woman living in the demimonde, showing the profound skills of Cantonese opera in depicting the theme of love. In the play, the purple hairpin, as a token of love, runs through the whole drama, and the plot is full of twists and turns.

The Butterfly Lovers

As a well-known love story throughout China, Liang Zhu has been included in the first batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage lists. The Cantonese opera version of Liang Zhu mainly tells the poignant love story of Zhu Yingtai, who disguised herself as a man, and the kind-hearted Liang Shanbo. They fell in love in an academy, but due to opposition from their families, they ultimately sacrificed their lives for love and turned into butterflies. The scene of "turning into butterflies and ascending to immortality" has become a classic segment on the Cantonese opera stage with its beautiful artistic conception and affectionate singing.

Searching the Academy

It tells the story of a student at Qiongtai Academy named Zhang Yimin who loved Cuilian, a maid in the prefectural military commander's mansion. The commander's wife tortured Cuilian because of the poem inscribed by Zhang Yimin on the kite, and later intended to send her to be the concubine of the Dao Tai. Cuilian escaped and took refuge in the academy. After learning of this, the commander came to the academy and searched for her. Xie Bao was the head of the academy. He stopped them and helped Cuilian escape. Thus Cuilian and Zhang Yimin could flee to other places.

The Love Story of the White Snake

It tells the story of Bai Suzhen (the incarnation of the white snake), who envied the true feelings in the human world and came into the world, and then had a love story with Xu Xian. Fahai's actions were only to uphold the law of nature that humans and demons should follow different paths, and he always had a kind heart towards Bai Suzhen. The play is loved by the audience for its heart-warming plot.

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