“In the literature of our country, there are only two works that embody the spirit of world-weariness and liberation: ‘The Peach Blossom Fan’ and ‘Dream of the Red Chamber.'” – Commentary on ‘Dream of the Red Chamber,’ Chapter Three, ‘The Aesthetic and Spiritual Aspects of Dream of the Red Chamber’ (Wang Guowei, a Han scholar of the late Qing and early Republican period, 1904)

“The Peach Blossom Fan” (1699) is a historical play written by Kong Shangren (1648-1718), a playwright of the Ming Dynasty. It is considered to be the historical play that is closest to historical truth. Set in the late Ming Dynasty in Nanjing, it portrays the political struggles during the final years of the Southern Ming Dynasty, reflecting on the downfall of the Ming Dynasty and expressing concerns about the fate of the nation. Within a year of its publication, “The Peach Blossom Fan” became popular throughout the capital and enjoyed great success, leading to a golden age for Kunqu Opera. However, in his later years, Kong experienced literary persecution and died as an exile.

‘Drowning’ (Chen Jiang) is Act 38 of “The Peach Blossom Fan,” depicting the tragic story of General Shi Kefa during the defense of Yangzhou in the Ming Dynasty. He chose to defend Yangzhou and ultimately, after his forces were defeated, he chose to commit suicide by drowning himself in the river… Leading the Ming garrison, he fought bravely against the Qing army. However, when the city fell and he had no support from the court and no troops left, he had no choice but to defend Yangzhou to the end and ultimately chose to drown himself in the river. Was he loyal or foolishly loyal? Was his fate predetermined or a matter of chance?

“Gazing at the beacon smoke, the air is filled with heavy slaughter. Yangzhou is in turmoil, with exhausted soldiers and generals, gasping for breath, leaving behind only a pile of soft feet felled. This massacre is all because of my foolish loyalty, refusing to change. Lives are being swept away…” – The Drowning General 

“The Outcast General” (Tiao Huache) is a traditional Peking Opera repertoire featuring the roles of zhangkao wusheng (male warrior wearing long armor). The story is adapted from the 39th chapter of the epic heroic novel “The Complete Story of Yue Fei,” written by Qian Cai during the Qing Dynasty in the era of Emperor Kangxi (approximately during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the early Qing Dynasty). The complete novel consists of 20 volumes and 80 chapters, revolving around the tale of Yue Fei and his valorous heroic deeds in resisting the Jin Dynasty and caning Qin Hui the traitor. After its publication in 1744, the work gained significant popularity but was later banned from publication by the Qing imperial court in the 47th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign (1782).

In the tragedy of Gao Chong, a young general under the command of Song commander Yue Fei, who met his demise on the battlefield due to his arrogance, it seems that only victory or death awaits warriors, leaving no room for compromise. During the early period of the Southern Song Dynasty, when the Jin Dynasty invaded and the two armies clashed, the Song army suffered defeat. Gao Chong, valiant and fierce, relentlessly pursued the enemy, exhausting all his strength. Yet, he could not budge the enemy’s chariot, and ultimately, due to the exhaustion of his horse, he perished on the battlefield.

In traditional performances, the portrayal of Gao Chong dying on the battlefield depicted anxiety and indignation. What does this represent in terms of the characteristics of traditional cultural development of Hong Kong and China? Is the search for liberation already confined within the act of “seeking,” with no possibility of attaining true liberation?

“…I shall sweep away the beacon fires! Ah, filled with joy and rid of worries, yes, I must vanquish the remaining enemies in one fell swoop!” – The Outcast General

Wusheng refers to a male role skilled in martial arts, such as the soldiers, henchmen, and fighters we see in traditional Chinese opera. It also includes some important heroic roles. Wusheng can be further divided into zhangkao wusheng (male warrior wearing long armor) and duanda wusheng (male warrior specializing on close-combat fighting). Those who wear the traditional military attire called kao (worn by generals or marshals) usually have a command flag inserted in the back, symbolizing their authority to issue orders. Zhangkao wusheng wear large kao, helmets, thick-soled boots, and use long-handled weapons, like Gao Chong in the famous play “The Outcast General.” Duanda wusheng wear tight-fitting shorts and use short weapons. They perform agile and acrobatic movements, such as Wu Song in “Fight a Tiger” or Lin Chong in “Flee by Night.”

There is a common characteristic among wusheng characters: they seem to yearn for dying on the battlefield. As martial artists, they believe that only through sacrifice can they achieve the completeness of life, either by triumphantly returning from victory or by dying in defeat. The fate of wusheng characters corresponds to the arduous physical training and exhaustion that wusheng actors endure from a young age, and everything is inseparable from politics.

Excerpt from “The Wusheng of Tragedy and the Tragedy of Wusheng”, Liu Xiaoyi (2023)

In 2005, Danny Yung organized the “Meeting of the Gods – Festival of Experimenting Traditions 2005” inviting traditional Chinese opera performers to participate in exchanges and innovative performances. At the same time, they launched the “Experimenting Tradition” research and development project. Danny Yung’s experimental opera “Startup of Wusheng” is a continuation of the “Meeting of the Gods” series. Through the re-examination and treatment of the artists’ artistic framework in the context of Chinese opera, the performers are encouraged to reflect on their relationship with the historical traditions and share this exploration process and content with the audience. The performance consists of two plays, inviting five traditional and contemporary performing artists from different backgrounds to portray the encounter between two fictional characters, Shi Kefa and Gao Chong, from the plays “The Drowning General” and “The Outcast General,” respectively, forming the Meeting of the Gods.

“Each time we meet, it would be like looking into the mirror; and everything reflected from it could all be the future audience who had been performers, and performers who would become audience in the future. Everybody is looking for the past and the future in the mirror, searching and transcending, mischievously changing the rules of the game into another legend of doing this doing that.” Excerpt from “Meeting of the Gods: Festival of Experimenting Traditions 2005” Danny Yung (2005)

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Running time approximately 80 minutes

No latecomers will be admitted, until a suitable break in the performance

Zuni Icosahedron reserves the right to add, withdraw or substitute artists and/ or vary advertised programmes and seating arrangements