Wu Opera: Where China’s Traditions Unite

At the Chinese Opera Festival 2024 in Hong Kong, the Zhejiang Wuju Art Research Centre presented Sun Wukong Thrice Beats the White Bone Spirit, a Wu opera play that reimagines this beloved classic with a fresh, innovative approach, blending tradition with one-of-a-kind interpretations.

Sense of Wander: ★★★★☆

Wu Opera maestro Chen Xiayun stars as the White Bone Spirit, showcasing the face-changing (“bianlian”) technique borrowed from Sichuan Opera. Image sourced from Internet.

HONG KONG — One of the most exciting cultural events in Hong Kong is the Chinese Opera Festival (COF), now in its 12th edition. However, this year’s COF stands out as a core program of the inaugural Chinese Cultural Festival, which aims to showcase the rich and diverse artistic heritage of Chinese culture.

Each year, COF invites opera troupes from across China, spotlighting both mainstream and lesser-known regional performing arts traditions. This time, I happened to visit Hong Kong during the period when Wu opera was being staged.

Despite being a Chinese opera enthusiast for over two decades, this was my first encounter with Wu opera. Wuju (婺劇), or Wu Opera, is the second major theatrical genre in Zhejiang province, boasting over 500 years of history.

Of the three performances presented by the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre, I chose Sun Wukong Thrice Beats the White Bone Spirit (三打白骨精). This new play, crafted by Wu opera virtuoso Chen Meilan, caused a sensation in the opera circle after its debut in 2023.

Adapted from the beloved classic Journey to the West, Sun Wukong Thrice Beats the White Bone Spirit is a story familiar to most Chinese speakers — one I heard countless times during my childhood. I felt that exploring a new genre like Wu opera through a story I knew by heart would be the perfect way to discover what this art form could bring to the story.

Wukong demonstrates his martial prowess with his legendary staff: The Golden Cudgel. Image courtesy of Chinese Opera Festival.

Sun Wukong Thrice Beat White Bone Spirit revolves around an episode where Monk Tripitaka and his three disciples are on their pilgrimage to Tianzhu (historic Chinese name for India) to retrieve sacred Buddhist scrolls and the various obstacles they face along the way.

In the Prologue, the White Bone Spirit, portrayed by Wu opera virtuoso Chen Xiayun (陳霞雲), makes her grand entrance. The audience is immediately drawn to the character’s shape-shifting abilities, showcased through the mysterious “bianlian” or “face-changing” technique borrowed from Sichuan opera.

In this brilliant act, the performer changes her face mask — and costume — three times, with each transformation taking place in a blink of an eye. Every change leaves the audience in awe, building the excitement to a fever pitch, even though the play is only 10 to 15 minutes in.

Driven by a desire to devour Monk Tripitaka’s flesh, the White Bone Spirit disguises herself three times to deceive him. Each time, however, her trickery is seen through by Wukong, portrayed by Zhou Hongwei (周宏偉), who shatters her illusions with his legendary staff. Yet, to Tripitaka, Wukong’s seemingly brutal actions appear as unforgivable manslaughter, violating Buddhist doctrines. In a fury, Tripitaka has no choice but to banish Wukong.

Back to the Flower Fruit Mountain, where Wukong reigns as the Monkey King, the audience is treated to an exhilarating display of martial prowess, particularly during the acrobatic movements around his throne. These feats are reminiscent of the “chair skills” seen in the Peking opera excerpt “Tong Tian Xi” (通天犀), where the lead actor demonstrates his balance and stability by performing intricate movements on a chair. At one point, the Monkey King even balances one-legged on the arm of the throne chair — an act that is as mentally challenging as it is physically demanding.

Without Wukong’s protection, Tripitaka and his two remaining disciples fall into the clutches of the White Bone Spirit. Zhu Bajie, one of the disciples, manages to escape and flees to Flower Fruit Mountain to seek Wukong’s help. Upon hearing that Tripitaka is in danger, Wukong rushes back to rescue his master, ultimately claiming victory over the White Bone Spirit and her gang.

The comical Golden Toad Demon assists Wukong in rescuing Tripitaka who’s been captured by the White Bone Spirit. Image courtesy of Chinese Opera Festival.

The breathtaking acrobatic feats performed by Wu Opera star Zhou Hongwei live up to the revered title of The Monkey King. Image courtesy of Chinese Opera Festival.

Wu opera is predominantly performed in Jinhua, formerly known as Wuzhou (婺州), which is why Wu opera is also referred to as Jinhua opera.

Rooted in rural traditions, many of Wu opera’s early performers came from farming backgrounds. Back in the old days, these performances took place in open-air pavilions and ancestral halls during religious festivals.

Wu opera’s plots are designed to captivate popular audiences; they are filled with twists and turns that have stood the test of time. The lively music, emotionally charged performances, and vividly contrasting costumes all have helped shape Wu opera into a truly unique performing art form.

And if these characteristics seem a bit too general or abstract, you’re not alone — I felt the same when I first learned about Wu opera. Even after watching my first Wu opera play, I could only begin to make out what sets it apart through comparison: unlike the refined and lyrical Kun opera, Wu opera is bold and dynamic. Compared to Peking opera, Wu opera places even greater emphasis on dramatic staging effects, and excels at conveying an imposing atmosphere and intense emotions on stage.

For newcomers, pinpointing what makes Wu opera special can be challenging, as it’s essentially a melting pot of styles drawn from various Chinese opera genres. Its vocal styles includes six distinct singing modes: gaoqiang (高腔), kunqiang (昆腔), luantan (亂彈), Anhui opera (安徽戲), tanhuang (灘簧), and shidiao (時調).

I must admit that, even as an opera enthusiast, I find it challenging to distinguish between these various modes until I witnessed a live demonstration by the troupe on the eve of their performance.

To my surprise, the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre has also played a pivotal role in preserving and reviving Anhui opera, which was instrumental in the development of Peking opera, and has influenced Cantonese opera and various other regional operas as well.

In the White Bone Cave, the White Bone Spirit and her gang celebrate the capture of Tripitaka. Image courtesy of the Chinese Opera Festival.

If I had to pinpoint what makes Wu opera truly remarkable, it would be its flexibility — its ability to embrace and incorporate some of the finest traditions from other Chinese opera genres. Take, for instance, Sichuan opera’s “bianlian” act featured in Sun Wukong Thrice Beat White Bone Spirit.

In this new classic, the choreography of is particularly fascinating, as the performers’ movements are said to be inspired by the postures of iconic figures from Chinese mythology. This wonderful blend of traditions, combined with the occasional use of contemporary words and phrases, testifies to Wu opera’s innovative spirit.

Wu opera excels at blending “literary” and “martial” elements, as emphasised by its famed formula, “Martial scenes performed with literary finesse, literary scenes performed with martial vigour” (武戲文做、文戲武做). This unique integration not only showcases a balance of strength and finesse but also highlights the demanding nature of being a Wu opera performer — one must be able to sing, act, and even dance with equal prowess.

While Wu opera may not have a singular mode of expression — be it through vocal styles or movements — its versatility is what sets it apart from other operatic traditions in China.

In a time when the boundaries of tradition are more fluid than ever, can Wu opera, with its amalgamation of styles, carve out its place in the opera world, or does this fusion of elements dilute its identity?

As an opera enthusiast, I’m intrigued to see how Wu opera now stands at a crossroads where various traditions meet, but I’m also curious where it goes from here.

The extent to which a tradition like Chinese opera can innovate is a challenge that nearly every opera troupe has been exploring and experimenting with. And whether Wu opera’s multifaceted nature will become its defining characteristic is a question that only time can answer.

In the final scene, Wukong successfully rescues his master from the clutches of the White Bone Spirit. Image courtesy of Chinese Opera Festival.

Reference:

Zhejiang Wuju Art Research Institution. (2024, July 25). Artist Talk: The Inheritance and Development of Contemporary Wu Opera Art [Lecture]. Hong Kong.

As part of Hong Kong’s Chinese Opera Festival 2024, Su Wukong Thrice Beat White Bone Spirit (“San Da Baigujing”) was staged at the Sha Tin Town Hall on July 26, 2024.