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December 12, 2015

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Home » Feature » Art and Culture

Troupe makes 2016 year of the Monkey King

By Xu Wei | December 12, 2015, Saturday | Print Edition

THE Shanghai Peking Opera Company will perform a series of shows next year based on the legendary Monkey King.

The serial performances will take place throughout 2016, coinciding largely with the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese lunar calendar.

These performances will star celebrated Peking Opera artist Yan Qinggu and will feature vocal, acting and martial arts stylings developed by Zheng Faxiang, the late founder of the Zheng vocal school.

Zheng is widely known for his own vivid on-stage depictions of the Monkey King.

He was also an enthusiastic fan of “Journey to the West,” the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel which features the mythical primate as its main protagonist.

To refine his portrayal of this legendary simian, Zheng is said to have studied the movements and facial expressions of monkeys in zoos.

His kung-fu stage routines were also said to be influenced by these animals.

“The shows are meant to pay tribute to Zheng’s theater achievements,” says Yan, a third-generation student of the Zheng school. “They are also a chance for me to preserve and promote the art of Peking Opera by portraying the Monkey King — and hopefully bring more young fans to Peking Opera.”

On January 1, Yan will perform in the series’ first installment, based on the early chapters of “Journey to the West.” The show will explain how the Monkey King was born from a heavenly stone. It will also center on his fight with the forces of heaven.

On May 14 and 15, a second installment will depict the Monkey King’s growth after being tamed and jailed by Buddha at the bottom of a mountain for 500 years. He is eventually rescued by the Buddhist monk Xuanzang, whom he escorts on his pilgrimage to bring Buddhist sutras from India to China — the journey referenced in the book’s title.

The third chapter is scheduled for September 3 and 4, and will center on the Monkey King’s efforts to overcome an imposter attempting to trick Xuanzang. The final show in the series will come on December 31 and conclude with the completion of Xuanzang’s mission.

Over the decades, the Monkey King saga has been adapted into numerous films, TV shows and operas. To this day, the colorful character and his rollicking escapades are considered cornerstones of popular Chinese culture.

Shan Yuejin, director of Shanghai Peking Opera Company says the serial shows represent an innovative attempt to rejuvenate traditional theater. Looking ahead, the theater hopes to use the broad appeal of the Monkey King to turn these serial shows into a long-term cultural program.

 

Date: January 1, May 14-15, September 3-4, December 31

Venue: Yifu Theater, 701 Fuzhou Rd

Tel: 6322-5294

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