A Peking Opera Classic’s Guide to Surviving Office Politics

Peking opera classic, Xu Jiujing: Rise in the Officialdom, imparts an invaluable lesson in navigating office politics while upholding one’s integrity, offering insights for modern professionals.

Sense of Wander: ★★★★★

Xu Jiujing holds the “Imperial Sword” bestowed to him from the emperor, granting him invincible power. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.

With a twisted mouth, tilted neck, crooked shoulders, askew facial features, and uneven limbs, Xu Jiujing linkens his unique appearance to a slanted-neck tree at the crossroads, setting the stage for the opening scene of Xu Jiujing: Rises in the Ranks of Officialdom (徐九經升官記). This compelling show is brought to life by the GuoGuang Opera Company at the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Centre this summer.

Despite these perceived “faults” in appearance, Xu possesses the knowledge and talent of a zhuang yuan — the person who achieves the highest score in the imperial examination in ancient China. Yet, his success in the imperial examination didn’t secure him the coveted “black gauze cap”, a metaphor for an official position.

Xu was appointed as the county magistrate of Yutien province, a post of seventh rank (with one being the highest and nine being the lowest). He spent nearly a decade in this role, often drowning his sorrows in alcohol, feeling his life was going nowhere. Until one day, Prince Bingjian unexpectedly promoted him to take charge of a civil case at Dali Temple, the capital’s Supreme Court.

But why would Prince Bingjian grant this promotion to someone like Xu Jiujing from a province to the capital? What’s the hidden scheme? Upon arrival at Dali Temple and reading the papers of his first civil case, Xu found himself doomed: caught between representatives of two highly prestigious and influential families — Prince Bingjian and the Marquis of Anguo — fighting over the bride, Li Qianniang.

Xu Jiujing: Rises in the Ranks of Officialdom (徐九經升官記) revolves around how Xu Jiujing, having taken over his new post, uses tactics and wit to navigate the waters of office politics while upholding his integrity. After some investigation and having received the confession of the bride, Xu discerns lies and truths, piecing together the entire story.

The civil case arises from accusations submitted by Eugene, the nephew of Prince Bingjian, and Liu Yu, the son of the Marquis of Anguo. Eugene accuses Liu Yu of raiding his house and abducting his bride-to-be, Li Qianniang, while the Marquis asks Xu to punish Eugene for stealing his son’s bride. Faced with the influential power of both parties, the Dali Temple dares not interfere, and the six ministers before Xu flee in fear of offending both parties.

Xu Jiujing (centre) bids farewell to his drinking buddy, Li Xiaoer (left), from the tavern in Yutian, who gifted him a cask of Yutian old wine that would later be used as Xu’s strategy upon arrival in capital. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.

Upon assuming his position, Xu Jiujing learns of the impending marriage between Liu Yu and Li Qianniang the next day. Disguising his visit as a congratulatory gesture, he engages in a verbal battle with the Marquis, using psychological tactics to lure Li out of the residence and resolve the case entrusted to him by Prince Bingjian. Despite being unwelcomed, Xu Jiujing lowers himself to achieve his goal — Lesson: Lower yourself to achieve your goal.

Xu then visits Prince Bingjian’s residence, where Eugene shows him the marriage contract. Due to pressure from the Marquis, Xu requests the Imperial Shangfang Sword, ensuring he could impartially enforce the law without fearing the Marquis’s threats. Always having a backup plan, Xu Jiujing demonstrates preparedness — Lesson: Always have a plan B.

With solid evidence in hand, Xu is confident, but during a night interrogation, he discovers the truth: Li Qianniang and Liu Yu were engaged, and Eugene had snatched another man’s wife. Li Xiaoer, his drinking buddy from Yutian county, turns out to be the bride’s cousin and a key witness of their engagement — Lesson: Look around, the person around you may be the key to solving your problem.

It has become clear that Prince Bingjian recommended Xu for the position, aware of Xu’s old grudge with the Marquis who, despite Xu achieving the highest score in the civil examination, didn’t grant him the position he deserved.

Shocked, Xu Jiujing faces a moral dilemma: if he did as Prince Bingjian told him to and assigned the bride to Eugene, he would be promised a bright future and career. However, this would mean sacrificing the happiness of the innocent Li Qianniang, entrusting her to a man she doesn’t love. Conversely, if he assigned the bride to the man she loves — Liu Yu — then his career would be finished. Trusting no one completely, he navigates through conflicting interests — Lesson: Never put full trust in others; seemingly good deeds may have bad intentions.

The day of the trial arrives, and Xu uses tactics to catch his opponents off guard, preventing Marquis and Prince from interfering the trial with the Imperial Sword. Leading Eugene to confess, he secures convictions and reunites Liu Yu and Li Qianniang. Tactics and wits, even with risks, are key to achieving his goal — Lesson: Tactics and wits are crucial, even if it means taking risks.

After the trial, Xu Jiujing leaves the Dali Temple, abandoning his official robe to become a wine vendor. In the face of self-interest, he upheld his integrity, choosing not to sacrifice others for personal gain — Lesson: Always follow your heart; your integrity shapes who you are.

Upon arrival at Dali Temple and reading the papers of his first civil case, Xu found himself doomed: caught between representatives of two highly prestigious and influential families. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.

After driving out their the Marquis and the Prince, Xu Jiujing uses his wits and tactics to solve the case. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company

More about the Peking Opera Classic “Xu Jiujing”

First staged in 1980, Xu Jiujing: Rise in the Ranks of Officialdom made its debut as a groundbreaking Peking opera produced by the Hubei Provincial Peking Opera Theatre. The play quickly garnered attention and acclaim across China’s opera scene. Zhu Shihiu’s innovative portrayal of the "chou sheng" role defied artistic conventions by blending two traditional Peking opera roles: the old man ("sheng") and the clown ("chou"). This innovation earned her the esteemed reputation of the No. 1 Clown in Peking opera circles.

In the rendition presented by the GuoGuang Opera Company, Artistic Director Wang An-Chi decided to omit the opening scene of seizing the bride, allowing the audience to engage their imaginations as the play unfolded.

Chen Yuan-Hong, a celebrated opera performer in Taiwan, masterfully embodied the comedic role of Xu Jiujing, capturing the essence of the "chou" character. Xu’s wit not only extricated him from precarious situations but also provided comedic relief throughout the entire performance.

The experience was particularly delightful from the second row, where I could discern every nuance of the performers’ expressions, especially Chen Yuan-Hong’s. He brought Xu Jiujing to life in a way that made it feel as if the character existed among us, navigating a highly competitive workplace with wit and tactics — an environment familiar to many of us.

Beyond being a Peking opera classic, “Xu Jiujing” stands out as a unique production where a clown role takes the lead. It serves as a guide, imparting lessons on surviving the jungle of office politics, adeptly juggling hidden agendas and the interests of various stakeholders. Most importantly, it teaches us to resist temptation, even when aware that someone else may be sacrificed in the process.

Some may perceive Xu Jiujing as a fool for relinquishing a significant opportunity. Others may argue that the story doesn’t necessarily guide one through surviving in a workplace but rather serves as a means to exit it — after all, Xu Jiujing ultimately resigns from his position. However, his tactics must have worked in some way, allowing him to resolve the case, restore justice to the couple, and distance himself from the treacherous waters of the office jungle.

Now, if you were in Xu Jiujing’s shoes, what decision would you have made?

After closing the case, Xu Jiujing retires from his position, giving up his official robe and hat to make a living by selling wine. Image courtesy of GuoGuang Opera Company.

As part of GuoGuang Opera Company’s Midsummer program, Xu Jiujing: Rises in the Ranks of Officialdom was staged at the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Centre on August 25, 2023.