A Chinese woman overseas sends a letter to a friend in Taiwan requesting that she videotape Taiwanese opera television performances here and send the tapes to her. It seems that when the woman's children visited Taiwan, they became infatuated with Taiwanese opera; she wanted to give them the tapes as a New Year's present. This instance is among many indicative of the growing popularity, of the art both at home and abroad.
Taiwanese opera is now the most popular form of theater on Taiwan. It incorporates elements of folk music, folk songs, and classical music, and has roots set firmly in the Chinese tradition of didactic tales. Its themes are serious, yet its movements are very lively, very accessible to audiences, accounting for its great popularity. "Sinorama" recently interviewed three of the more popular actresses on the stage today--Hsu Hsiu-nien, Yeh Ching, and Li Ju-lin--and talked to them about the past, present, and future.
When Hsu Hsiu-nien appears on the television screen, she is a classic beauty from the Tang Dynasty. She remarks, "It is probably because my face is a little fat; I have the full look of the Tang women."
When "Sinorama" interviewed her, she was still recovering at home from an automobile accident which occurred late last year. For the time being she cannot perform, but she appears very confident, not at all like someone recovering from an accident. She pointed out, "Physical recovery is a responsibility shared with doctors and nurses; spiritual recovery depends on me alone!" Sitting at home, she was the "girl next door," nothing at all like the TV star.
Hsu Hsiu-nien's involvement with Taiwanese opera was no accident. When she was young, her parents separated; her mother went to work backstage with an opera troupe, bringing Hsu and her brothers along with her. There, they prepared meals and washed costumes. But, slowly, she learned the ropes of the theater and, at age 15, chose it as a career. She began playing male roles and her talents won her recognition.
Her big break came at Taiwan Television studios. At a time when she was still playing male roles, the female lead left temporarily, and Yang Li-hwa, the queen of Taiwanese opera, recommended Hsu as the replacement. She shed her men's costumes for women's robes, and her career blossomed.
Hsu Hsiu-nien thinks that successful operatic actresses must have natural ability, sensitivity, a beautiful voice, and a personal style. Besides this, they must be serious and hard working. Hsu sees herself also as a warm, emotional person. When she is at home watching her own performances on TV, she confided, she gets so involved in the story she often bursts into tears. Her family laughs at her, but she retorts, "If you cannot move yourself emotionally, how can you move others?"
She hopes her recovery will come soon so she can resume her career and repay the continued support she has received from concerned fans with even better performances. Taiwan Television is planning sponsorship of an overseas opera tour for Chinese living abroad, and Hsu Hsiu-nien especially hopes she will be back with the troupe by then.
Yeh Ching is considered by many to be the most outstanding male impersonator in Taiwanese opera. She is not only capable of portraying many different male roles, but has her own personal style. Yeh, the only daughter in her family, grew up a tomboy, playing with her brothers, climbing trees, catching insects, and shooting slingshots. Sometime later, she even began to study kung fu, never imaging the influence it would have on her future life. She often visited an aunt's theater and was captivated at a young age by theater life.
Once she left school, she tried her hand at many different occupations, but none satisfied her. Finally Yeh Ching decided that only by being on stage would she find happiness. Her first opportunity came at the age of nineteen, when she began starring in Taiwanese language films. However, such movies declined in popularity, and she became a singer. Shih Wen-hu, a China Television Company director, discovered her and signed her up for TV performances of Taiwanese opera. Although she had never sung Taiwanese opera, she was determined to give it a try, relying on her past interest and previous training in the martial arts to help her on stage.
Yeh Ching was the first woman in the history of Taiwanese opera to play the role of Kuan Kung (a martial god). Her admirers say a major reason for her success is her ability to put herself entirely into her characters, producing all the different nuances of emotion and feeling. One director claims that when Yeh Ching was playing the role of actress Hwa Chen-chen's husband, the two of them acting, were hand-in-hand. When the scene was over, he says, Hwa Chen-chen, an actress with ten years experience, was blushing with embarrassment. She temporarily forgot that Yeh Ching was a woman.
Li Ju-lin, one of the newer martial arts heroes in Taiwanese opera, is also an important member of Yang Li-hwa's opera troupe. She grew up in a Taiwanese opera family and first appeared on stage at the age of six. The head of the opera troupe immediately saw her talent and took it upon himself to teach her personally. Although he was a strict teacher, Li stuck with him, and the training paid off by giving her a solid base in opera right at the start of her career.
From the beginning Li Ju-lin wanted to be an opera star. At the age of eighteen she began appearing regularly on TV, and it was from her TV appearances that Yang Li-hwa discovered her. TV, though, was different from stage opera, and Li worked very hard to succeed in the new medium. Even now she still reads every script twice through carefully, then goes to see how older actresses handle the role. When she does not understand, she asks. She credits constant study and practice with enabling her rise to the top.
Li Ju-lin's big break came three years ago when she was called on to play the male lead in a Taiwan Television production. She received critical acclaim for her performance and established a name for herself. Since, she has often appeared opposite long-time stars of Taiwanese opera, improving her abilities as she learns from them more about the art and about human nature.
She has learned, she says, that there are "no limits" in the world of opera, "In acting there is really no such thing as overnight success. I don't know how much sweat and blood go into one successful performance. Although luck is important to an artist, I believe hard work, talent, and self-reliance are more important."
Hsu Hsiu-nien, Yeh Ching, and Li Ju-lin all became involved with Taiwanese opera in their own ways and for their own reasons, yet their love for the opera is shared. Although the roles, styles, and real life characters are all different, in their dedication to their profession they are united.
Their success and popularity is proof that, professionally speaking, in Taiwanese opera today, there is no impediment to success, regardless of family background. All anyone has to do, given sufficient talent is to decide what they want and work hard toward that goal; odds are that one day they will succeed.
[Picture Caption]
1. Hsu Hsiu-nien (left) and Yeh Ching in a rare appearance on stage together. 2. Hsu Hsiu-nien being courted on stage. 3. Hsu brings a classic beauty to every role she plays. 4. Hsu off stage.
1. In her personal life Yeh Ching is a person with determination, bringing a little of her stage masculinity with her wherever she goes. 2. Yeh Ching in the movie "Bodhisattva Kuanin". 3. Yeh playing the part of a knight errant. 4. Yeh directing newcomers to the theater as to how to play their roles.
1. Li Ju-lin playing a young student of the martial arts. Her strength comes from hardships she endured as a child. 2. Li Ju-lin (center) with Hsu Hsiu-nien (right) and Ching Jung. All famous actresses on the Taiwanese opera stage. 3. Li playing a youth.
Top: Li Ju-lin in her latest role. Center: Li Ju-lin's career really took off after her performance as the male lead in this production. Bottom: Even in her free time Li practices Kung fu and stretching exercises.
2. Hsu Hsiu-nien being courted on stage.
3. Hsu brings a classic beauty to every role she plays.
4. Hsu off stage.
1. In her personal life Yeh Ching is a person with determination, bringing a little of her stage masculinity with her wherever she goes.
2. Yeh Ching in the movie "Bodhisattva Kuanin".
3. Yeh playing the part of a knight errant.
4. Yeh directing newcomers to the theater as to how to play their roles.
1. Li Ju-lin playing a young student of the martial arts. Her strength comes from hardships she endured as a child.
2. Li Ju-lin （center） with Hsu Hsiu-nien （right） and Ching Jung. All famous actresses on the Taiwanese opera stage.
3. Li playing a youth.
Top: Li Ju-lin in her latest role.
Center: Li Ju-lin's career really took off after her performance as the male lead in this production.
Bottom: Even in her free time Li practices Kung fu and stretching exercises.
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@List.jpg?w=522&h=410&mode=crop&format=webp&quality=80)
