Today everyone in Taiwan has heard of Ming Hua Garden, an opera troupe from P'ingtung famous for its performances of Taiwanese opera, or ke-tsai-hsi. Fans and students of theater, journalists and reporters, all flock to P'ingtung to discover just how this legendary family troupe has miraculously revived the fading popularity of Taiwanese folk opera. They witness how Ming Hua Garden revitalizes traditional opera with new and wondrous scenarios.
At the sound of gongs, the actors come on stage. Dressed in dazzling costumes and wielding glinting swords, they leap into the air and begin the combat. The audience, people of all ages, is enraptured by the performance from the start.
Originating in Taiwan, ke-tsai-hsi uses a type of song which immigrants from Fukien province brought to the island during the Ming and Ching dynasties. These melodies, called chin-ke, were sung in the southern Fukienese dialect. Most were seven character folk songs which aptly expressed the feelings of the early immigrants as they settled and cleared land for planting.
Chin-ke's popularity spread throughout the area, gradually coming to incorporate the quick rhythms of local folk songs. Originally performed a capella, the songs were eventually accompanied by string instruments--taking the new name ke-tsai-chen. People often gathered in the town square in front of the temple during leisure hours to watch a performance of the ke-tsai-chen. At that time the costumes and stage were very simple, and the gestures and expressions were easily understood dramatizations of daily life.
These simple performances, called lo-di-sao, had all the characteristics of ke-tsai-hsi in a scaled down form. According to historical records, the first actual ke-tsai-hsi was performed in Ilan in northeastern Taiwan. The records also state that the gestures, music, figures and costumes used in ke-tsai-hsi were influenced by the animated Peking Opera.
As ke-tsai-hsi offered the animated, exciting, entertainment of Peking Opera, in a form more readily accessible to less educated audiences, the opera became very popular throughout Taiwan. Farmers organized their own theater groups and performed on outdoor stages and in public theaters.
The Ming Hua Garden troupe was founded in 1926, when the popularity of ke-tsai-hsi was at its height, by a man named Ch'en Ming-ji. Now 73 years old, Ch'en has loved ke-tsai-hsi since childhood. At the age of 11, Ch'en was sent to act in a theater troupe to help support his impoverished family. With visions of becoming a brilliant opera star, Chen worked hard learning all types of roles. His brilliant performances eventually won him the leading role, and at the age of 18 he was chosen to lead the troupe.
Years later he started his own group, Ming Hua Garden, performing in the rural areas of southern Taiwan. Although well received, the troupe's successes were short-lived. In an effort to suppress national spirit, the Japanese government which then occupied Taiwan prohibited the performance of all folk and popular plays. Players were required to dress in Japanese kimonos and to use Japanese music for accompaniment. Wanting no part of such absurdities, Ch'en dissolved his troupe and returned to his home village to farm.
When the Japanese left Taiwan, he reorganized the troupe. Two days after the announcement of the retrocession, Ming Hua Garden was performing in Tainan's Dragon Palace Theater. The enthusiasm of victory brought an endless tide of spectators to the theater, and the opera ran for 52 straight days.
Ten years later, Ming Hua Garden was touring throughout Taiwan performing the ke-tsai-hsi. Upon arriving at each town they put up advertisements, performed short stunt acts, and paraded through the streets. News spread quickly, as did the troupe's fame.
With time, television and movies came to replace ke-tsai-hsi as the predominant form of entertainment in Taiwan. This traditional opera was considered too unsophisticated for the tastes of modern audiences. But Ch'en Ming-ji was not to be discouraged. Convinced that ke-tsai-hsi could change along with the times, he encouraged his players not only to polish and perfect their skills but also to take every opportunity to learn about the tastes and opinions of the audience.
In addition, he began using women in the leading male roles. Ke-tsai-hsi typically has three major characters: a female lead, a male lead, and a clown. While all three roles were originally played by men, women had recently begun playing the female lead. Romance stories performed by both sexes embarrassed conservative audiences. But when Ch'en put women in these parts, audience numbers immediately increased.
Ming Hua Garden has also made innovations in the script. Traditionally, ke-tsai-hsi does not use a set script. An experienced performer will play the narrator and take responsibility for arranging the roles and outlining the main points of the story. The performers then act out a free and emotionally charged, yet often loosely arranged story. Using a script and modern movie methods of writing and directing, Ming Hua Garden has given the opera a new clarity and organization. They have also made the script more accessible to the modern viewer by replacing traditional 'wailing' with modern dialogue. The historical accuracy of costumes and sets has also been upgraded. No longer will a Han dynasty emperor and a Sung dynasty official appear at the same time on stage.
Ming Hua Garden is now managed by Ch'en Ming-ji's seven sons and two daughters. Including dependents, a total of over thirty family members are involved in this masterful troupe. While supported by opera profits, none receive set salaries, being motivated rather by enthusiasm for opera.
The major roles are also played by Ch'en's sons and daughters. Real-life relationships are often confused on stage. The white-haired grandfather and orphaned child on stage are actually husband and wife offstage. Real-life brothers find themselves engaging in combat on stage, and a mother and her daughter may perform as lovers.
Perhaps due to the familial nature of the troupe, Ming Hua Garden is free of the vices common to other theatrical groups. Drinking, smoking and cursing are strictly prohibited. Their dynamic group spirit is evident at the end of each performance, when all the players bow together at curtain call. Afterwards they hold a meeting to discuss and evaluate the performance.
Fueled by their spirit of discipline and cooperation, the troupe has drawn large audiences all over Taiwan in an era when the popularity of ke-tsai-hsi seems to be waning. Locals from the troupe's home town muse at the stacks of fan letters which pile up after every tour season like autumn leaves.
The ninth of December, 1982, was an important day for Ming Hua Garden. On that day the troupe took first prize in the national ke-tsai-hsi competition, surpassing 400 other troupes and affirming the success of their hard work and creativity. In following days, they received numerous invitations, including one to perform in the impressive Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, where they were well received by a full house.
Ming Hua Garden has come a long way--from the crude outdoor stage to impressive opera halls. But fame is not a priority for this family opera troupe. They act purely out of an undying and devoted love for Taiwanese opera. Stayed by troupes like Ming Hua Garden, the curtain will never fall for ke-tsai-hsi.
(Jill Ardourel)
[Picture Caption]
1. The Ming Hua Garden Taiwanese Opera troupe is a family operation, and its members all work together harmoniously. 2. Ming Hua Garden travels throughout Taiwan performing on open-air stages. They use fabulous backdrops and dazzling lights to create impressive stage effects.
Ming Hua Garden performs "Feelings Between Father and Son": 1. The troupe's costumes are bright and lavish, and quickly attract the eye of the audience. 2. A young family member, Ch'en Chao-hsiang is handsomely made up. 3. From left to right are Ch'en Ch'iu-lan, Ch'en Sheng- tien, and Liu Shu-tse. The latter two are Ch'en Chao-hsiang's parents. 4. The clown, Ch'en Sheng-tsai applies his make-up.
1. Ming Hua Garden's founder, Ch'en Ming-ji is 73 years of age this year. 2. The instrument used to create sound effects for an outdoor stage. 3. Ming Hua Garden's performers use exaggerated stage gestures. 4. A performer holds a small child, who stares at a performer playing the fox's role.
1. Ming Hua Garden performs for a "standing room only" crowd. 2. The founder's grand- daughter plays the male lead. 3. Family members often gather at home to discuss performances. 4. Performers rehearse in a temple which is under construction. 5. The theatre troupes' extensive variety of costumes and caps are intricate and exquisitely made.
2. Ming Hua Garden travels throughout Taiwan performing on open-air stages. They use fabulous backdrops and dazzling lights to create impressive stage effects.
Ming Hua Garden performs "Feelings Between Father and Son": 1. The troupe's costumes are bright and lavish, and quickly attract the eye of the audience.
2. A young family member, Ch'en Chao-hsiang is handsomely made up.
3. From left to right are Ch'en Ch'iu-lan, Ch'en Sheng- tien, and Liu Shu-tse. The latter two are Ch'en Chao-hsiang's parents.
4. The clown, Ch'en Sheng-tsai applies his make-up.
1. Ming Hua Garden's founder, Ch'en Ming-ji is 73 years of age this year.
2. The instrument used to create sound effects for an outdoor stage.
3. Ming Hua Garden's performers use exaggerated stage gestures.
4. A performer holds a small child, who stares at a performer playing the fox's role.
1. Ming Hua Garden performs for a "standing room only" crowd.
2. The founder's grand- daughter plays the male lead.
3. Family members often gather at home to discuss performances.
4. Performers rehearse in a temple which is under construction.
5. The theatre troupes' extensive variety of costumes and caps are intricate and exquisitely made.
5. The theatre troupes' extensive variety of costumes and caps are intricate and exquisitely made.
5. The theatre troupes' extensive variety of costumes and caps are intricate and exquisitely made.
5. The theatre troupes' extensive variety of costumes and caps are intricate and exquisitely made.
5. The theatre troupes' extensive variety of costumes and caps are intricate and exquisitely made.
5. The theatre troupes' extensive variety of costumes and caps are intricate and exquisitely made.
