Perspective Journeys

Understanding a culture is similar to appreciating Chinese opera.

Every society has its cultural "shorthand" that enables its members to communicate complex cultural notions.

Once you understand the cultural "script", you achieve a better understanding of the people and society.

It is not about knowing the story but understanding the larger social context in which the story unfolds.

That is how Perspective Journeys programs makes a difference. 

The following scenes are extracts from different operas.

To audience who are not familiar with Chinese opera, a typical opera seems to be a session where actors goes on stage in different costumes, make a few turns, screams a bit and hop off the stage. Another actor comes along and repeats the scene in another costume.

This impression is common because Chinese opera is highly symbolic and the audience often watch with knowledge of the story.

Audience enjoys the story as it unfolds while appreciating the ways in which actors present the story in its symbolic form.

Now see what happens when you know the context of a story.

"The Patriotic Princess"

Lets use the example of a Cantonese opera, "The Patriotic Princess", one of the most popular Cantonese opera in recent times.

"The Patriotic Princess" made its debut in 1957 in Hong Kong with great success. It was performed by various artistes and made into a television serial in the 1980s.

This is a story of a Princess's suicide as a form of political resistance and as a means to protect her half brother (former crown prince) for possible restoration of her fallen dynasty.

Historical Background

The Ming Dynasty was the last ethnic Han Chinese dynasty in China and ruled from 1368 to 1644.

In 1368, the first Ming Emperor has chased the Mongol rulers out of China to establish the Ming dynasty. The throne was passed to Emperor Jian Wen, grandson of the founding Emperor. His uncle seized the throne and made himself Emperor Yong Le, the third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He shifted the capital from Nanjing to Beijing and initiated large scale construction that included the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven.

Under Emperor Yong Le, China embarked on maritime expeditions led by Admiral Cheng Ho.

The later Ming Emperors neglected their duties giving rise to extensive corruption and infighting between political factions.  By the time Emperor Chong Zhen became the 16th Ming Emperor in 1627 at the age of 17 he faced a declining empire and attempted to resuscitate the fortunes of the dynasty.

In the north, the Manchurians were building their empire outside of the Great Wall by incorporating Chinese political institutions and recruiting Han Chinese into their political system. They were a military threat and resources has to be directed to northern defenses. The Great Wall in Beijing that tourists visit today were built during the Ming Dynasty against northern invasions.

Internally, the years of corruption, neglect and famines damaged the social structure.

Large populations were marginalized leading to uprisings against the Imperial Court.

In April 1644, the rebel army headed by Li Zhi Cheng moved towards Beijing. The rebels had captured South China cutting off resources to the court.

Emperor Chong Zhen realized the end was near. His Empress Zhou hanged herself in the Kun Ning Palace inside the Forbiden City while Emperor Chong Zhen hanged himself on a tree in the coal hill (Jing Shan Park).

He was 34 years when he died. He left a suicide note regretting his unsuccessful efforts to save the dynasty:

"I should not be the emperor of a subjugated nation, but you, my subjects, must be resigned to such a fate.

I have never mistreated any of the officials in my service; yet on this day,

why does nary a single one remain by my side?"

Emperor Chong Zhen's suicide marked the fall of the Ming Dynasty and Li Zhi Cheng proclaimed himself as the First Emperor of the Shun Dynasty.

The fall of Ming offered the Manchurians an opportunity to seek the "Mandate of Heaven" to rule China. In May 1644, the Manchurians defeated Li Zhi Cheng and Emperor Shun Zhi became the First Manchu Emperor to rule China. It took the Manchurians another 18 years to consolidate the entire China.

The Manchus founded the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in China, the last imperial dynasty of China when they were overthrown in 1911.

The Opera

The chief character in "The Patriotic Princess" is Princess Chang Ping, eldest daughter of Emperor Chong Zhen. As Rebel attacked into Beijing, Emperor Chong Zhen had ordered his Empress and concubines to commit suicide to avoid being dishonored if captured by rebel forces.

The emperor tried to kill Princess Chang Ping but only hurt her arm. She managed to escape and later reunited with her fiancée, the Prince Consort Zhou. At the time of their union, the Manchus had invaded China and captured the Crown Prince of Ming Dynasty, the half brother of Princess Chang Ping.

The couple came up with an idea to offer themselves as hostages to the Qing court.

Their conditions were:

1) Release of the crown prince. This way, if the Ming dynasty were restored, the dynasty would have an immediate leader.

2) Proper burial of Emperor Chong Zhen and Empress Zhou.

The Qing court was happy to co operate as the couple's wedding could be used as a sign that former Ming royal family had submitted to Qing rule, confirming the Manchu's mandate of heaven to rule China.

After their conditions were met, the couple proceeded with a wedding ceremony in the the Ming Royal style. On their wedding night, they would sacrifice themselves.

This way, they were able to secure the release of the Crown Prince, fulfill filial obligations to the Emperor and Empress, demonstrate loyalty to the Ming dynasty and prevent the Manchus from proclaiming Mandate of Heaven.

Through their death, they demonstrated the ultimate political resistance.  

A highlight of "The Patriotic Princess" opera is the last scene showing the couple in wedding gowns about to perform the ultimate act.

This segment can be found in You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzF0uSngsVs&search=Cantonese opera

1) The scene starts with the Prince Consort  dismissing their attendants. (notice the couple are in Ming Costume)

2) Princess pays respects to her parents (in front of the alter) expressing her determination to sacrifice herself and for a moment, she wondered if the Prince Consort might have regretted his decision.

3) The Prince Consort expressed his desire to be together dead or alive.

4) They regret that a tragedy is about to happen on their wedding night but look forward to being together in death.

5) The Prince Consort uses willow leaves to symbolized curtains in a traditional bridal bed.

The Prince Consort adds poison into their wine.

6) The couples go through a final ceremony of toasting each other as husband and wife.

They drink the poison wine and collapse in each others arms.

At the end of this scene, the director adds a twist to the story showing them being led by celestial beings to the heavens.  (The last section is not part of opera performance)

This is a typical treatment of death as transitional and how the couple who used suicide as means of social/political resistance is reunited after death.

What they could not have achieved in their lives is achieved through the mechanism of death as a transition.

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