57
19
on the stage and never mention the word "Meng" when back stage. What do you do when you have to use the forbidden words in a specific place? You simply substitute, as in the first place, the word “Geng” with the word “Jing”. So instead, the actor will sing, in one play "Ting qiao lou da chu jing," which means "When I heard the Drum Tower strike the first hour .." You will note that in the script the word "Geng" remains, but when the singer sings it, he immediately changed it to “Jing” in order to comply with the Taboo. There is no singing back stage, so when someone struck up a conversation with someone else and needed to use the word "Meng", you simply say “Da Huang Liang” instead. I have asked many people inside the profession, but no one can tell me why it is so and who started it.
Final Word of Appraisal
I have written so many paragraphs of anomalies in the setting and acting of the Peking Opera - the question arises as to why the Chinese people still flock to see it. The answer is that the Opera gives them "beauty" - beauty in singing, beauty in the acting, beauty in the story as written and acted upon. (Sometimes, though, the beauty is far fetched and subject to logical questioning.) This is why some of the audience will go back to see the play a hundred times and never get tired of it. Certainly, in their heart, they have some fondness toward the acting, the singing which they want to enjoy, which they could not do without, like drugs. In China, we have a word for this kind of mentality, we call it "itching". They go back to see the same play many, many times in order to “quench” their itching.
Then what about the anomaly?
In the psychology of the theatre goers, the whole play is a fake, not the real thing and if there is some small misinterpretation of the story, or the wrong costume the actor wears on the stage, why worry. As long as their "itching" is touched and satisfied, everything will be just fine.
A Word of Thanks
On June 16, 1991, the Shenyang Beijing Opera Troupe was in town for a nine-day performance at the City Hall in Hong Kong. My friend,
57
19
on the stage and never mention the word "Meng" "" when back stage L, AYTHE). What do you do when you have to use the forbidden words in a specific place? You simply substitute, as in the first place, the word “Geng" "1" with the word “Jing ”“”. So instead, the actor will sing, in one play "Ting qiao lou da chu jing. “ER, IL..." which means "When I heard the Drum
‘聽譙松,打初更 Tower strike the first hour .." You will note that in the script the word "Geng" remains to be "L" but when the singer sings it, he immediately changed it to “Jing" "" in order to comply with the Taboo. There is no singing back stage, so when someone struck up a conversation with someone else and needed to use the word "Meng" "", you simply say “Da Huang Liang” “If i *** instead I have asked many people inside the profession, but no one can tell me why it is so and who started it
Final Word of Appraisal
I have written so many paragraphs of anomalies in the setting and acting of the Peking Opera - the question arises as to why the Chinese people still flock to see it. The answer is that the Opera gives them "beauty" - beauty in singing, beauty in the acting, beauty in the story as written and acted upon. (Sometimes, though, the beauty is far fetched and subject to logical questioning.) This is why some of the audience will go back to see the play a hundred times and never get tired of it, Certainly, in their heart, they have some fondness toward the acting, the singing which they want to enjoy, which they could not do without, like drugs. In China, we have a word for this kind of mentality, we call it "itching" They go back to see the same play many, many times in order to “quench" their itching Then what about the anomaly?
-
In the psychology of the theatre goers, the whole play is a fake not the ical thing and if there is some small misinterpretation of the story, or the wrong costume the actor wears on the stage, why worry. As long as their "itching" is touching and satisfied, everything will be Just fine.
A Word of Thanks
On June 16, 1991, the Shenyang Beijing Opera Troupe was in town for a nine day performance at the City Hall in Hong Kong. My friend,
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.