Introduction to Cantonese Opera by Dr Tai Suk-yan

(Learning and teaching material for teachers’ reference)

History and Traditions of Cantonese Opera

According to the research conducted by Prof. Chan Sau Yan, early history of Cantonese
opera can be traced to the 51st year of in the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong (1786 A.D.).
Opera performance activities took place in the Temple of Tianhou in Yuen Long in the New
Territories of Hong Kong (Chan Sau Yan, 2007:1). Until the late 1920s, the traditional
repertoire “Baoyu Cries for Daiyu”, staged by Chu Chi Pak (?-1922), transformed the
performing dialect and singing style from guanhua to baihua and from guqiang to pingqiang
respectively. Gradually in the 1930s, the Guangzhou dialect (Cantonese) became the official
performing dialect.

During the 1930s, “Sit and Ma vying for supremacy” appeared on the Cantonese
operatic stage and lasted for nine years. Sit Kok Sin (1904-1956) established Juexiansheng
Troupe and Juexiansheng Nannu Troupe while Ma Si Tsang (1900-1964) organized Taiping
Troupe, presenting such classic Cantonese operas such as Time to Go Home, A Charming
Smile, Prince of Thieves and Pity the Poor Girl.

After Hong Kong was occupied by the Japanese in 1941, Cantonese opera performances
continued. However, it could not compare with the golden period of the 1930s. In 1949,
with the end of the Second World War, an entire generation of well-known Cantonese opera
scriptwriters, musicians and performers came into being, all of whom greatly contributed to
the later development of the genre in Hong Kong. Scriptwriters included Lee Siu Wan
(1916-ca. 2002), Chan Kwun Hing (1920-2003), Tong Tik Sang (1917-1959) and Poon Yat
Fan (1922-1985); and musicians included Wong Yuet Sang (1919-1989), Chu Ngai Kong
(1922-1981) and Lam Siu Lau (1917-1979), etc. Actors and actresses active during that
period were Yu Lai Zhen (1923-2004), Sun Ma Si Tsang (1916-1997), Chan Kam Tong
(1906-1981), Lan Chi Pak (1905-1992), Wong Chin Sui (?-1993), Fong Yim Fun (b. 1929),
Ho Fei Fan (1919-1980), Hung Sin Nui (b. 1927), Yam Kim Fai (1913-1989), Pak Suet Sin (b.
1928), Ng Kwan Lai (b. 1930), Fung Wong Nui (1925-1992), Lam Kar Sing (b. 1933) and
Leung Sing Boh (1908-1981), etc.

Many operas created during this period became repertoire classics and continue to be
staged now such as Goddess of the Luo River (April 1956, featuring Fong Yim Fun, Chan

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Kam Tong & Wong Chin Sui), An Interrupted Dream in the Peony Pavilion (November 1956,
featuring Yam Kim Fai and Pak Suet Sin), The Floral Princess (June 1957, featuring Yam
Kim Fai and Pak Suet Sin), The Purple Hairpin (August 1957, featuring Yam Kim Fai and
Pak Suet Sin), The Moon Pavilion (January 1958, staged by Ng Kwan Lai and Ho Fei Fan),
The Reunion by a White Hare (June 1958, staged by Ng Kwan Lai and Ho Fei Fan), Dream of
the West Chamber (September 1958, featuring Yam Kim Fai and Pak Suet Sin) and The
Reincarnation of Lady Plum Blossom (September 1959, featuring Yam Kim Fai and Pak Suet
Sin), etc.

From 1962 to the 1980s, Dalongfeng Troupe headed by Mak Bing Wing and Fung
Wong Nui staged the premieres of A Dream in Yangzhou (1960, co-written by Tsui Tsi Long
[1936-1965] and Lau Yuet Fung [1919-2003]) and The Princess in Distress (1962, co-written
by Tsui Tsi Long and Lau Yuet Fung). Lam Kar Sing and Chan Ho Kau were featured in the
premiere of The Sounds of Battle (1962, co-written by Tsui Tsi Long and Lau Yuet Fung) and
Merciless Sword Under Merciful Heaven (1963, co-written by Tsui Tsi Long and Lau Yuet
Fung). Lam also premiered Beauty in Disguise (1973, written by Lee Siu Wan) and The
Emperor's Lost Love (1988, written by Yip Shiu Tuck) with Ng Kwan Lai and Lee Bo Ying
respectively.

Cantonese operas currently staged in Hong Kong are mostly the works dating from the
1950s. Actors and actresses active on stage now include Lam Kam Tong, Mui Suet Si, Koi
Ming Fai, Ng Mei Ying, Yuen Siu Fai, Nam Fung, Wan Fai Yin, Loong Koon Tin, Sun Kim
Long, Lee Lung, Law Kar Ying and Liza Wang, etc.

Cantonese Opera: Style and Aesthetics

Wang Guowei has defined xiqu as “story-telling through singing and dancing”.
Cantonese opera is a comprehensive multi-disciplinary artform through vocal music
performances (changqiang and nianbai), instrumental music and dancing to tell a story.
Among all the concepts of xiqu, “shou, yan, shen, fa, bu”, “chang, zuo, nian, da” and “sheng,
se, yi”, luzi (budaozi), luyi, daozi and daoyi are essential elements for understanding the style
and characteristics of Cantonese opera.

“Shou, yan, shen, fa, bu” are the five performing techniques employed in Chinese xiqu,
also known as wufa (five techniques). The first four techniques refer to hand gestures, eye
expressions, body gestures, footworkfooting accordingly, and the last refers to overall

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manipulation. “Chang, zuo, nian, da” are the basic requirements of a xiqu performer.
“Chang” refers to an actor’s changqiang. He has to sing with different changqiang to match
with different xingdang (role types) he plays, such singing styles include pinghou, zihou and
dahou. “Zuo” refers to the skills of the performer in bodily movement and hand gestures, as
well as the acting and emotional expressions required on stage. “Nian” refers to nianbai,
which means recitation. It constitutes spoken narration in xiqu. Yet the manner of delivery
is different from our daily life, it is more musical and rhythmic. Examples of nianbai are
koubai, kougu, shibai and bailan, etc. “Da” refers to the acrobatic fights featured in
Cantonese operas, including bazigong (with weapons) and tanzigong (without weapons).
“Sheng, se, yi” are the yardsticks in assessing Cantonese opera actors; referring to their vocal
ability, stage appearance and artistry respectively.

When an actor’s shuobai and singing are clearly delivered to the audience, it is known
as luzi; otherwise, it is called daozi. If the actor succeeds in luzi, he is able to articulate the
story and its message to the audience; otherwise, it is called daoyi.

The appreciation of Chinese xiqu centres around suggestive dance-like gestures,

exaggerated movements and level of abstraction. On stage, xiqu actors have to perform
various dance-like gestures, wearing painted-faces with exaggerated colors and lines, also
presenting abstract movements representing different times and spaces, such as going up and
down a staircase, or opening and closing doors.

Xingdang in Cantonese Opera

Xingdang or jiaose refer to the different role types in traditional xiqu according to sex,
age, status and personalities of the stage characters. Traditionally, there are five xingdang:
sheng (male characters), dan (female characters), jing (also known as huamian, with strong
and distinctive personalities), mo (old male characters) and chou (comic characters).

Initially, Cantonese opera xingdang classification was similar to other genres: sheng,
dan, jing, mo and chou. Before the 1930s, there were ten major xingdang. By the 1950s,
liuzhuzhi (six-pillar system) was firmly established. Each opera features six major
actors/actresses including wenwusheng, xiaosheng, zhengyin huadan, erbang huadan,
zhengyin chousheng and zhengyin wusheng.

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 Figure 1 Wenwusheng (6th March 2012, photo by Leung Yu Hang)

Figure 2 Zhengyin huadan (5th March 2010, Sheung Shui Kam Tsin Village, photo by
Dr Tai Suk-yan)

Notation, Music, Mode and Instrumental Ensemble in

Cantonese Opera

Dingban constitutes the system of symbols that comprise the gongchepu, which is the
musical notation used in Cantonese opera, where beats and rhythms are marked alongside of
the lyrics. Popular dingban symbols used nowadays are zhengban “X”, diban “X”,
zhengding “、” and diding “└”. The following are various combinations of dingban:

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1. With dingban (with a steady beat)

 Yiban sanding: e.g., baziju erhuang manban

Erhuang manban consists of yiban sanding. The example below is selected from
the first scene of The Floral Princess, sung by pinghou solo in quick tempo.
After taking out chenzi, the phrase is divided into three dun with four, two, two
words in each dun respectively, as follows:

Comma 1 Comma 2 Comma 3

× 、 、 ∟ × ∟ 、 ∟× 、 ∟∟ ×∟∟ ∟

Line 1 瑤 池 俗客， 只 配， 凰 遊

Line 2 公 主 一言， 君 皇， 回 奏。

Music Example 1 Baziju erhuang manban, from the first scene of The Floral
Princess

 Yiban yiding: e.g., fanxian shiziju shigong zhongban

The selected example shiziju fanxian zhongban is taken from the first scene of
The Princess in Distress, sung by pinghou solo in yiban yiding. After taking out
chenzi, each phrase consists of ten regular words, divided into four dun with three,

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 three, two, two words in each dun respectively, as follows:

Comma 1 Comma 2 Comma 3 Comma 4

× 、 × 、× ∟ × 、× ∟ × 、 × 、× ∟

Line 1 半 含悲， 為歡笑， 顧 影， 自慚

Line 2 貴 懸殊， 玉金枝， 王 侯， 青盼。

Music Example 2 Fanxian shiziju shigong zhongban from the first scene of The
Princess in Distress

 Liushuiban: e.g., qiziqing zhongban

The selected example is taken from the second scene of The Floral Princess, sung
by pinghou. The qiziqing zhongban sung is composed of only ban, no ding, as
follows:

× × × × ×

Line 1 宮 中 悶 飲 嘆 時艱

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 Music Example 3 Qiziqing zhongban from the second scene of The Floral
Princess

2. Sanban (without dingban and without steady beats)

 E.g. shigong gunhua

Gunhua is sung in sanban, which means without dingban. Thus, chenzi can be
inserted in different places so as to create variations in the structure. This
example is taken from the third scene of The Reincarnation of Lady Plum
Blossom. It belongs to ougouti, consisting of fourteen words:

First half Second half

Line 1 不請自來堂上客， 惹人疑惑在心間

Line 2 目光如炬察秋毫， 何以今時全相反。

Music Example 4 Shigong gunhua from the third scene of The Reincarnation of
Lady Plum Blossom

Gongchepu is the adopted musical notation in Chinese xiqu, and that used in
Cantonese opera consists of the following puzi: he, shi, yi, shang, che, gong, fan
and liu. These puzi represent different musical pitches which in Cantonese opera
are commonly known as qiang.

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 Figure 3 Comparison among puzi of gongchepu, number notation and staff notation
(from Yueju He Shi Shang)

There are three categories (tixi) in Cantonese opera changqiang: banqiangti, qupaiti and
shuochangti. Banqiangti has no fixed melody, performers improvise on the spot according
to the tonal inflections of the lyrics as well as emotions expressed. This performing practice
is called yizixingqiang, but performers must adhere to rules when handling with banshi
(melodic formulas), ending pitches and regular division of phrases. There are two principal
banqiangti categories in Cantonese opera: bangzi and erhuang. Qupaiti contains fixed
melodies including paizi such as Yingao and Yintaishang; datiao such as Drunken Concubine,
Mayulang, Qiujiang Kubie and Liantanlang; xiaodiao such as Pinghu Qiuyue. Shuochangti
in Cantonese opera includes longzhou, muyu, nanyin, banyan and yue’ou, each consisting of
three parts: opening couplet, main body and closing quatrain. Except opening couplet and
closing quatrain, the phrase is largely composed of seven words and two seven-worded
phrases make up a pair of lianju.

In addition, shuobai tixi is frequently used in Cantonese opera, with examples such as
koubai, langlibai, luogubai, shibai, kougu, yunbai, bailan, yingxiongbai and yinbai.

A steady beat on the buyu provides the pulse for bailan, which is commonly used in the
beginning section of an opera by an actor in a minor role, to serve the function of introducing
the background of the story. The following example is taken from The Reincarnation of
Lady Plum Blossom, in which the second chousheng, acting as Jia Lin’er, a servant of the
prime minister, provides the background to the story with a bailan solo. The complete

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bailan text consists of twenty phrases with eighteen phrases with five words and two phrases
with seven words:

X X X X

Line 1 莫作 太平 人。 (five words)

Line 2 寧為 官家 僕。 (five words, in rhyme)

Line 3 主人 賈太 師。 (five words)

Line 4 酒色 唯徵 逐。 (five words, in rhyme)

Line 5 元兵 困襄 陽。 (five words)

Line 6 祇知 買妾 營金 屋。 (seven words, in rhyme)

Line 7 家有 七夫 人。 (five words)

Line 8 於心 猶未 足。 (five words, in rhyme)

Line 9 還添 廿九 釵。 (five words)

Line 10 共成 三十 六。 (five words, in rhyme)

Line 11 新收 李慧 娘。 (five words)

Line 12 貌美 而孤 獨。 (five words, in rhyme)

Line 13 因貧 鬻顏 色。 (five words)

Line 14 尚未 諧花 燭。 (five words, in rhyme)

Line 15 載酒 蕩西 湖。 (five words)

Line 16 停船 走馬 射糜 鹿。 (seven words, in rhyme)

Line 17 慧娘 在船 中。 (five words)

Line 18 伏欄 時痛 哭。 (five words, in rhyme)

Line 19 難得 半日 閒。 (five words)

Line 20 買酒 偷納 福。 (five words, in rhyme)

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 The instrumental ensemble in Cantonese opera is commonly known as pengmian and
consists of melodic and percussion instruments. The melodic section is also called xile 1,
yinle or wenchang while the percussion section is known as zhongle 2, luocha or wuchang.
Besides providing accompaniment to singing, pengmian also supplies the requisite dramatic
mood and effects in a performance. The leader of the percussion section is called zhangban
or daluo while the leader of the melodic instruments is called toujia. Often, toujia performs
either the violin or gaohu.

Figure 4 Instrumental ensemble in Cantonese Opera (5th March 2010, Sheung Shui
Kam Tsin Village, photo by Dr Tai Suk-yan)

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Xile is the collective name for melodic instruments used in Cantonese opera and Cantonese operatic song.
Both western and Chinese instruments are used, such as gaohu, violin, cello, ruan, xiao, di, yehu, houguan,
saxophone and yangqin etc.
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The percussion section of the orchestra is called zhongle, which includes buyu, shadi, dashadi (banggu,
shuangpigu), muyu, pengling, luo, gaobianluo, wuluo, bo (cha), xiaoluo (gouluo), datanggu, zhangu, etc.

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 Figure 5 Instrumental ensemble in Cantonese opera, view from backstage (5th March
2010, Sheung Shui Kam Tsin Village, photo by Dr Tai Suk-yan)

The key or tonality in Cantonese opera is commonly known as mode or xian, which
includes zhengxian (heche and shigong), yifanxian and fanxian.

The scale of zhengxian is:

C=1 (shang)

he shi yi shang chi gong fan liu

An example of zhengxian can be found in Music Example 3.

Fanxian consists of a heptatonic scale, but the notes “7. ” and “4” are comparatively less

used:

G = 1 (shang)

he shi yi shang chi gong fan liu

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An example of fanxian can be found in Music Example 2.

Yifanxian consists of a pentatonic scale:

C=1 (shang)

5. 7. 1 2 4 5

合 乙 上 尺 反 六
he yi shang chi fan liu

Below is an example of yifanxian:

Music Example 5 Yifan nanyin in the Cantonese operatic song The Pearl Pagoda

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Performing Practice of Cantonese Opera

Cantonese opera are mainly performed in two types of venues in Hong Kong: xiyuanxi
(theatre performance) and shengongxi (ritual performance). Xiyuanxi refers to those
performances held in cinemas, town halls, theatres and community centres. Compared with
shengongxi, xiyuanxi allows the audiences to concentrate on the performance. Therefore,
actors and stage personnel are more cautious and alert, performances contain less
improvisation. Since shengongxi are mostly staged in open areas or temporary sheds, both
actors and audiences can easily be distracted, and improvisation frequently takes place in
these performances.

Cantonese operatic music is composed of changqiang, percussion and melodic

accompaniment. The accompaniment of Cantonese opera is not recorded in any score, but
according to traditional skills and rules so as to match singers’ changqiang, in an improvised
form.

Shengongxi is opera performances with the purpose of ritual. In Hong Kong,

shengongxi refers to all Cantonese opera performances held to celebrate birthdays of deities,
temple dedication, dajiao for the annual Ghost Festival, taiping qingjiao and traditional
festivals. Funds are raised from the community to entertain both gods and men. Besides
zhengbenxi, there are also lixi which must be staged for each performance series. They
include Birthday Greeting from the Eight Immortals, Minister of the Six States, Promotion in
the Court, Goddess Returns Her Child to the Husband, Closing the Stage and Promotion in
the Court and Establishing the Stage (i.e. Offering Sacrifices to the White Tiger), etc. A
ritual performance series lasts from three to five days.

In Hong Kong, sheds for ritual performances are built temporarily facing the temple so
that the deities are able to watch the performances. However, if the sheds cannot be built
according to this principle due to geographical limitations, zhuhui must erect a temporary
shack at the back of the shed, so that the deities can be placed there, facing the stage, to watch
the performances.

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Figure 6 West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre (21st January 2012, photo by Dr Tai
Suk-yan)

Figure 7 West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre (21st January 2012, photo by Dr Tai
Suk-yan)

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Figure 8 Ho Sheung Heung (6th March 2012, photo by Leung Yu Hang)

Figure 9 Jibaihu (18th January 2012, photo by Milky Cheung)

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 Figure 10 Minister of the Six States (6th March 2012, photo by Leung Yu Hang)

Figure 11 Tigang 3 (5th March 2010, Sheung Shui Kam Tsin Village, photo by Dr Tai
Suk-yan)

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Tigang is an outline of the script written by tichang (equivalent to stage manager) including stage sets and
props needed, actors’ roles, the sequence of and luogudian that mark entrances of an actor for every scene.

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Bibliography

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1997 《實地考查與戲曲研究》
，香港：香港中文大學音樂系粵劇研究計劃。

1999 《香港粵劇導論》，香港：香港中文大學音樂系粵劇研究計劃。

2007 《香港粵劇劇目概說：1900-2002》
，香港：香港中文大學音樂系粵劇

研究計劃。

2008 《神功戲在香港：粵劇、潮劇及福佬劇》，香港：香港中文大學音樂

系粵劇研究計劃。

Chan, Sau Yan

1991 Improvisation In a Ritual Context: The Music of Cantonese Opera. Hong

Kong : The Chinese University Press.

Yung, Bell

1989 Cantonese Opera: Performance as Creative Process. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

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