Monkey King Play Series:
Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang
猴戲 圖示

The Monkey King on stage is clever and agile. Having gone through countless artistic refinement, it has now become a special performance genre in Chinese opera. In this year of the Monkey, the Festival has put together a series to highlight the monkey plays and to offer entertaining and delightful programmes to be enjoyed by all ages.

Monkey play can be categorised by region and defined as the southern and the northern styles. The northern style is represented by Peking Opera, while Shao Opera of Zhejiang is most widely known for the southern style monkey play. Stylistically, the performance of Shao Opera is gallant and straightforward. Shao Opera Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost was made into a film in 1960. Since then, Shao Opera monkey play has become widely popular across the country. Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang made their Hong Kong debut in 2008 and its performances were enthusiastically applauded by the Hong Kong audience. Returning with critical acclaim, the institute will stage the best of its monkey play with martial acts to astonish the theatre. The audience will look forward to the dynamic cast comprising of Liu Jianyang (Eleven-Year-Old Boy) – famed as “The New Monkey King of Jiangnan” and the proud apprentice of Shao Opera Monkey King master; Yao Baiqing – an exponent of Shao Opera Wang Xiaokui stylistic school and known as the “reborn Bajie of Jiangnan”, as well as the fine actors of the institute. Shao Opera is also reputed as ritual performances at temple fairs. The revived Mulian opera titles selected in the programme of the excerpt performance will highlight the ritual character of the regional opera. Praising Qin Qiong’s Contributions is an excerpt that emphasises on both the singing and the movements; Nine-twist Bridge has a tight-knitted plot; The Fisherman Meeting the Woodcutter, on the other hand, is a classic “duet” play performed by laosheng (old male) and zhengsheng (male lead) actors. The repertoire will stereoscopically demonstrate the artistic qualities of this major local opera genre of Zhejiang.


Shao Opera Monkey King Play

Originally known as “Shaoxing Luantan”, has the common name of “Shaoxing Daban” and is one of the three major regional operatic genres of Shaoxing. The singing is mainly presented in the styles of erfan and sanwuqi. The lengthy style in singing compares to waves rolling at the bottom of the sea; it is sonorous, bold and touches the heart. The stage performance of Shao Opera is one that features both civil and martial acts. Its repertoire is usually themed around kings, generals, prime ministers, as well as their battles and conquests. In the 1940s, renowned Shao Opera artists “Liulingtong” (six-year-old child) and “Qilingtong” (seven-year-old child) arranged and performed all 36 books of Journey to the West. They pioneered in the Monkey King Play of Shao Opera.

The uniquely styled Monkey King Play of Shao Opera features the strengths of various schools. The performance of Sun Wukong has incorporated the qualities of a deity (from the northern school of monkey king play) and the qualities of a monkey (from the southern school of monkey king play). The emphasis is placed on “human” qualities, and “human, deity and monkey” are fused into one. The mask of Sun Wukong in Shao Opera is primarily painted in red, white, black and gold over a red face in the shape of an inverted peach. The eyes are outlined with black and framed by a gold border to highlight the glittering eyes of the Monkey King. This special eye makeup projects the aesthetics of sharp and bright eyes, which are able to see things from a very long distance. “Rolls and Flips” are very frequently performed in Monkey King Play of Shao Opera; they are also the best part of the show. Zhu Bajie, on the other hand, plays his winning card with “foolish looks and skilful acting”. With a traditional black hair cover, the character’s fat body and exaggerating physical language, the performance is filled with a comedian’s touch. The result is a humorous and fun production in which fine acting skills are showcased.

Shao Opera Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost is a milestone in Monkey King Play of Shao Opera. The title was made into a film in 1961 by Shanghai Tianma Film Studio. The film has generated huge repercussions both at home and abroad. The theatre group later created and performed programmes such as The Flaming Mountain, Creating Havoc in Heaven and Earth, Sun Wukong Thrice Saves Baihuaxiu, Journey to the West (first volume), Journey to the West (second volume), The Spirited Mountain Nearby and Who’s the Real Monkey King. All these are highly appreciated by the audience. Amongst them, Who’s the Real Monkey King was awarded Special Prize in Wenhua Awards in 2004 and the Audience’s Favourite Script in the 7th China Art Festival. In 2013, Shao Opera Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost was included in the Excellent Reserved Repertoire of Zhejiang Province.

Monkey King Play Series:
Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang
24/6   (Fri)   7:30pm
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing

Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost

Inspired by Unit 27 – “The Corpse Fiend Thrice Tricks Tang Sanzang, The Holy Monk Angrily Dismisses the Handsome Monkey King” – and other chapters of Journey to the West. Staged for more than 2,000 times for half a century, the Shao Opera production of Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost has already been played by five generations of actors and actresses. The timeless and extraordinary title has never lost its charm.
This is a story about Sun Wukong eliminating the Bony Ghost when his master Tang Sanzang and two other students are on their way to the West to acquire the books of Buddhist studies. The Bony Ghost, a thousand-year-old corpse fiend, has always been very gluttonous. Hoping to capture Tang Sanzang for his meat, the Bony Ghost shape-shifts three times to seduce and confuse Tang Sanzang. Sun Wukong sees through the tricks of the Bony Ghost and beats the monster three times. Since Tang Sanzang is a mortal and is incapable of seeing Bony Ghost as a monster, he wrongs Wukong for killing and casts him back to Huaguo Mountain. Tang eventually becomes the captive of the Bony Ghost. After hearing from Bajie’s updates on Tang, Sun Wukong forgives his master and leaves Huaguo Mountain to his rescue. The Monkey King outwits the monsters and saves Tang Sanzang.
Cast    Liu Jianyang, Zhang Lixin, Yao Baiqing, Luo Jiqiang, Xu Feng
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25/6   (Sat)   7:30pm
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Excerpts
Naihe Bridge
A renewed creation and arrangement inspired by the segment “Over the Bridge of Helplessness” in the middle volume of Monk Mulian Rescues His Mother – Script to Guide People to be Good and Benevolent, written by Zheng Zhizhen during the reign of Wanli in Ming dynasty. Art direction from Kunqu Opera artist Wang Shiyu has brought innovation to the heritage of the artistic fundamentals of this Shao Opera excerpt.
Four typical characters walk through the bridge of helplessness on their way to hell. The characters include a student, a widow, a county governor and a butcher – played by the sheng (male), dan (female), jing (painted face), chou (comic) roles of Shao Opera. This is a psychological narrative that projects the changes and enlightenment from life of each character, which illustrates the true natures of human.
Cast    Yao Baiqing, Hu Jianxin, Ye Jing, Zhu Danxian
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Praising Qin Qiong’s Contributions
Both singing and acting are emphasised in the play. Qin Qiong is an impressive character who is brave and brainy. His image is deeply rooted in people’s mind.
Qin Qiong has offended Yang Lin because he laughed wildly at Yuanmen. Yang Lin orders Li Yuan to supervise the execution of Qin Qiong. Delivering his final speech about his past achievements in the battlefield, Qin Qiong mentions of his rescue of Li Yuan at Lintong Mountain. Li Yuan is reminded of the incident and he releases Qin Qiong to fight with Luo Cheng at the frontline.
Cast    Zhang Lixin
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The Righteous Messenger of Death
Wuchang – which means “impermanence” - is a monologue excerpt from a Mulian opera title of the Shao genre. Wuchang is a reaper of the afterworld, but he is no friend of evilness. He is very articulate about his opinions, and he can speak with humour. In people’s impression, he is not a ferocious demon, but rather a creature of the afterworld with a human touch.
“Of all spirits, he is the only one with some kind of human sensibilities. We are no ghosts, but if we were to turn into one, he would naturally be the only one who we can become closer with.” – Wuchang, Lu Xun
Cast    Luo Jiqiang
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Nine-twist Bridge
Inspired by the traditional play How a Dead Cat Was Substituted for a New-born Prince, the production features a complex plot and its characterisation is full of emotions. Suspense laid out in the dramatic storylines struck a deep chord in the hearts of the audience. This is a play that pleases both refined and popular tastes.
Middle-aged Zhao Heng – Emperor Zhenzong of Northern Song – has no heir. He challenges his consorts, Li of the Eastern Palace and Liu of the Western Palace, and wagers the place of the empress to whoever gives birth to a boy first. Liu and her chamber servant Guo Huai plot an evil plan to swap the baby of Li with a skinned cat when she delivers. They secretly instruct the chamber maid Kouzhu to discard the innocent baby into the river. Kouzhou cannot perform the act and she discusses the matter with Chen Lin the house steward on the Nine-twist Bridge. Chen Lin takes his chances and sneaks the baby into a box to send him out of the palace. The boy is then entrusted with and cared by a kind prince Baxianwang.
Cast    Shi Jiejing, Yang Jiong
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The Fisherman Meeting the Woodcutter
A delightful play that reveals the life of a fisherman and a woodcutter. The intense, sonorous singing style and the unpretentious rustic music are the unique characteristics of Shao Opera.
It is the end of the Yuan dynasty and the red turbans rebel. Xu Da, the military commander of the red turbans is stationing at Haoliang. The prime minister of Yuan Tuotuo personally leads the army to attack Haoliang. Tuotuo puts on the disguise of a fisherman and observes the geography of Haoliang to seek intelligence about the red turbans. To defend Haoliang, Xu Da puts on the disguise of a woodcutter to observe the surroundings. The two commanders meet without knowing each other’s identity. They begin to chat and slowly realise who the other person is. Yet, both discreetly avoid revealing the other’s identity. A battle of the tongues between the two persons kick off with metaphors, secretive words, and analogies begins.
Cast    Hu Jianxin, Zhang Jingang
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Bai Yuan Saving His Mother
A renewed creation and arrangement inspired by the segment “White Ape Opening the Road” in the middle volume of Monk Mulian Rescues His Mother – Script to Guide People to be Good and Benevolent, written by Zheng Zhizhen during the reign of Wanli in Ming dynasty. The ancient yet everlasting “humanistic” theme of drama is manifested through the performance.
The mother of the White Ape has died unexpectedly because the King of Hell and his assistant were too drunk and wrote her name wrongly to be the next to die. To rescue his mother, the White Ape dashes towards Hell to seek justice for his mother. He survives a narrow escape and makes his way through the biggest barriers. His loyalty and love for his mother moves the world so much that even the King of Hell is touched. The King of Hell returns vitality to the mother of White Ape. The son reunites with his mother.
Cast    Wang Haoshuang
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26/6   (Sun)   7:30pm
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
The Flaming Mountain
Inspired by Unit 59 – “Sanzang’s Way is Blocked at the Fiery Mountains, Sun’s First Attempt to Borrow the Plantain Fan” – and other chapters of Journey to the West, this energetic play progresses briskly with distinguished martial skills.
Tang Sanzang and his three students are travelling west to acquire the books of Buddhist studies. They are stopped by 800 miles of flaming mountain. Using his skills called True Samādhi Fire, the Red Child - owner of the Fiery Cave - recklessly intercepts Tang Sanzang and his students. As the sworn brother of Red Child’s father the Bull Demon King, Sun Wukong seeks help from Bodhisattva Guanyin so that the young boy could become her disciple. Princess Iron Fan, the mother of the Red Child, refuses to lend her precious magical fan to the party and attempts to avenge for her son for a few times. Upset by his failed loan attempts, Sun Wukong becomes furious and snatches the iron fans. He finally puts out the fire and reopens the path to continue their journey.
Cast    Liu Jianyang, Zhang Lixin, Yao Baiqing, Luo Jiqiang, Yang Qinfeng, Ye Jing, Hu Lianghong
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Monkey King Play Series:
Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang
Formerly known as the Shao Opera Troupe of Zhejiang, the art group has been active since the 1950s. Its theatrical repertoires include Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, Fighting for Life or Death, Yu Qian, Xiangguo Zhi, Great Yu Controls the Waters, The Spirited Mountain Nearby, Who’s the Real Monkey King, Qiu Jin, Flight of Life. Of these productions, Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost was made into a film and distributed in 72 countries and locations, becoming a highly popular title at home and abroad. The film version received the Best Opera Film prize in the 2nd People’s Hundred Flowers Awards in 1963. The group has toured multiple times in Japan, Denmark, Austria, Germany, the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The programmes that they created and performed have received the Class 1 Prize in Performance from the Ministry of Culture, Wenhua New Play Award, Special Prize in Wenhua Awards, as well as the Five “One” Project Award of the Central Propaganda Department.





Monkey King Play Series:
Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang

Liu Jianyang

National Class One Performer specialises in wusheng (military male). Stage name is “Shiyilingtong” (11-year-old child). Trained under “Liulingtong” (6-year-old child), a Shao Opera master. He is the National Class Intangible Cultural Heritage - Shao Opera’s representative bearer, and an icon of the performing art of monkey king play, reputed as “Monkey King of Jiangnan”. Some of his representative works are Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, The Flaming Mountain, The Battle Between Monkey King and Red Child, Monkey King Making Havoc in Heaven and Earth, The Spirited Mountain Nearby and Who’s the Real Monkey King. He is the winner of the 11th Wenhua Award for Performance, the Audience’s Favourite Actor Award in the 7th China Art Festival; he also topped the list at the Shanghai White Magnolia Awards.
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Yao Baiqing

National Class One Performer specialises in ermian (deviance clown), a second-generation student of the two major schools of Shao Opera, namely the Wang (Xiaokui) school and the Qi (lingtong) school. Exerts artistic charm in performing the role of “Zhu Bajie” in Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, The Other Story of Bajie, The Flaming Mountain, The Spirited Mountain Nearby and Who’s the Real Monkey King. Reputed as “Reborn Bajie of Jiangnan”, “The First Boar on Stage”. Winner of the 26th Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre, the Best Actor in a Leading Role Prize at the 22nd Shanghai White Magnolia Awards for Theatrical Art. He is also a multiple winner of the First-class Actor Prize and Grand Performance Prize in the Zhejiang Province Drama Festival.
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Shi Jiejing

National Class One Performer specialises in xiaosheng (young civil male) and laodan (old female). A winner of the 27th Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre, the Actor in a Leading Role prize at the 25th Shanghai White Magnolia Awards for Theatrical Art , a number of Excellent Performance Awards from Zhejiang Province Drama Festival, the first Zhejiang Province Jingui Performance Award, a Gold Prize in the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition and the Zhejiang Province Excellent Xiaobaihua Award.
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Hu Jianxin

National Class One Performer specialises in laosheng (old male). Student of renowned Shao Opera performance artist “Shisanlingtong” (13-year-old child). Awarded the Best Actor in a Leading Role Nomination Prize at the 26th Shanghai White Magnolia Awards for Theatrical Art, First-class Young Actor Prize in the 2nd Zhejiang Province Drama Festival. A winner of the Zhejiang Daily Drama Top 10 New Flower Awards, the Distinguished Xiaobaihua Award in the 2nd Zhejiang Province Drama Xiaobaihua Variety Show, the Silver Prize in the 1994 Chinese Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Festival and Performance Gold Award in Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition.
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Zhang Jingang

National Class Two performer specialises in laosheng, Zhang is a student of the renowned Shao Opera performance artist “Shisanlingtong”. Outstanding repertoires include Fighting for Life or Death, Two Wolves Mountain, Huo Guang Dethrones the Emperor, Huang Feihu’s Rebellion and Vermillion Ball. He is a winner of the first prize, gold award in the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition, the Chrysanthemum Prize from Shaoxing Chinese Opera Award Competition as well as performance prizes from the 8th and 10th Theatre Festival of Shaoxing City.
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Zhang Lixin

National Class Two Performer specialises in wenwu laosheng (old male military and civilian). He is renowned for his handsome looks and a crystal-like voice. His outstanding repertoires include Huang Feihu’s Rebellion, The Xue Gang Rebellion in Tang Dynasty, Xiangguo Zhi, Fighting for Life or Death, Vermillion Ball and Three Calls to Fan Lihua. Awarded the Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nomination Prize at the 26th Shanghai White Magnolia Awards for Theatrical Art, the Gold Prize in the young actor category in the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition and the Silver Prize in Zhejiang Province Young Actor Excerpt Competition.
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Xu Feng

National Class Two Performer specialises in wudan (military female). Her outstanding repertoires include Xiangguo Zhi, The Lady Generals of the Yang Family, Vermillion Ball and The Flaming Mountain. A winner of the Excellent Performance Award in the 12th Zhejiang Province Drama Festival and the Gold Prize in the young talent category in the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition.
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Luo Jiqiang

Specialises in hualian (painted face). His outstanding repertoires include The Righteous Messenger of Death, Wreaking Havoc at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Fight at Mid-hill, Two Wolves Mountain, Outwitting Monkey King and Identifying the Dowager. A winner of the Bronze Prize in the National Chinese Opera Cup Xiqu Competition, the Gold Prize in Eastern China Regional Opera Competition and the Gold Prize in the top 10 New Actors Awards in the Zhejiang Province Chinese Opera Competition.
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Yang Jiong

Specialises in huadan (young female). Her outstanding repertoires include Vermillion Ball, Three Calls to Fan Lihua, Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost and Ghost of a Woman Who Hangs Herself. Winner of the New Actor in a Leading Role Prize at the 24th Shanghai White Magnolia Awards for Theatrical Art, the Gold Prize in Zhejiang Province New Pine Scheme Young Actor Excerpt Competition and Class 1 Prize at the 6th Zhejiang Province Top Ten City Opera Singing Performance Competition.
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Yang Qinfeng

A fine young actor specialises in wuchou (military clown). Outstanding repertoires include Stealing the Precious Armour, The Mausoleum Raider, Yang Xiangwu Stealing the Nine-dragon Goblet for Three Times and Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost. Awarded the Silver Prize in the young talent category in the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition, the Bronze Prize in the Zhejiang Province New Pine Scheme Young Actor Excerpt Competition, as well as an Excellent Performance Award in the 12th Theatre Festival of Shaoxing City.
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Ye Jing

A fine young actor specialises in huadan. Her outstanding repertoires include Lock of Dragon and Phoenix, Three Calls to Fan Lihua, Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost and The Flaming Mountain. A winner of the Gold Prize in the young talent category of the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition, the Bronze Prize in Zhejiang Province New Pine Scheme Young Actor Excerpt Competition and the Excellent Performance Award in 12th Theatre Festival of Shaoxing City.
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Hu Lianghong

A fine young actor specialises in dahualian (painted face). Outstanding repertoires include Fighting for Life or Death, The Xue Gang Rebellion in Tang Dynasty, Xiangguo Zhi and Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost. Awarded the Silver Prize in the young talent category of the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition.
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Zhang Jun

A fine young actor specialises in wusheng. Outstanding repertoires include Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost, The Flaming Mountain, Wreaking Havoc in the Dragon Palace and Jie Pai Guan. Winner of the Silver Prize of the young talent category in the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition, Performance Prize in the 12th Theatre Festival of Shaoxing City, and a Gold Prize in the young professional’s category in the Shaoxing Excerpt Competition.
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Zhu Danxian

A fine young actor specialises in erhualian (supporting painted face). Outstanding repertoires include The Xue Gang Rebellion in Tang Dynasty, Fight at Mid-hill, Lock of Dragon and Phoenix and Monkey King Thrice Beats the Bony Ghost. Won an Excellent Performance Award in the 12th Theatre Festival of Shaoxing City, a Bronze Prize in the young talent category in the first Zhejiang Province Shao Opera Excerpt Competition, a Bronze Prize in the young professional category in the Shaoxing Excerpt Competition.
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Monkey King Play Series:
Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang
24-26/6   Fri - Sun   7:30pm
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Price   票價顏色 1 $280   票價顏色 2 $200   票價顏色 3 $120
Internet Booking: www.urbtix.hk
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing 舞台
  • With Chinese and English surtitles.
  • Please refer to the ‘Extension Activities’ page for details of extension activities
  • The running time of each performance is approximately 2 hours including an intermission of 15 minutes.
Programme Enquiries: 2268 7325
Ticketing Enquiries: 3761 6661
Credit Card Telephone Booking: 2111 5999


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Monkey King Play Series:
Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang
南北猴戲系列 浙江紹劇藝術研究院 背景色
Monkey King Play Series:
Shao Opera Art Research Institute of Zhejiang