Retrospective - Chinese Opera Masterpieces on Screen
The Monkey King and the White Bone Demon
孙悟空三打白骨精 (Sun Wukong san da Baigujing) by YANG Xiaozhong and YU Zhongying
China / 1960 / 84' / 35 mm
Starring:Liu Ling Tong, Qi Ling Tong, XIAO Changshun
Shao Opera
Background
The story of the Sun Wukong comes from the 19th chapter of the famous Journey to the West (Xi You Ji), a classical novel written by WU Chengen (1500-1582) during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). This novel is a part of the "four great extraordinary books" of China. The four characters all the time meet various monsters they need to conquer. The Journey to the West is a classic that gave birth to numerous adaptations (films, plays, Chinese operas, animations, TV series, video games, comic books...).
Shao opera comes from Shaoxing, a town in the Zhenjiang province. It was formed at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing dynasty almost three hundred years ago. This opera is an adaptation of Peking Opera performances: Three Battles with the Skeleton Demon (San Da Bai Gu Jing), and To the Pindin Mountain (Da Po Pin Din Shan).
The Film
The film brought glory and fame since it came out in theaters and was distributed in 72 countries. The actor Liu Ling Tong is the third generation of a family of actors who excel in this king of monkey's role. His brother, Qi Ling Tong plays the Pig Zhu Baijie, and his son, Xiao Liu Ling Tong plays the small monkey.
Synopsis
In the Seventh century, a monk named Tangseng of the Tang Dynasty is on his way to India to collect Buddhist books. He is accompanied by Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, the Pig Zhu Bajie ("the Pig of Eight Vows") and by Shaseng (the Bonze Sha). These three fantastical characters protect Tangseng during his journey to the West. When they cross the Wanzi mountain, the White-Bone Demon wants to eat Tangseng in order to obtain the elexir of longevity. Three times, to confuse monk Tangseng, he is turns into three different characters. Every time he is uncovered by Sun Wukong. The demon makes the monk doubt the Monkey. Thus the demon captures Tangseng and Shaseng. Zhu Bajie asks Sun Wukong for help. Sun Wukong forgives Tangseng and kills the demon. In the end, they can continue their journey.
YANG Xiaozhong (1899-1969)
Born in 1899, YANG Xiaozhong is a famous Chinese filmmaker and screenwriter of the first generation. In 1920 he wrote a script of one of the first chinese short films: Nian Rui sheng. In 1925, he becomes a feature director and makes an important contribution to Chinese cinema. Yang Xiaozhong is particularly known for his work in Opera films and childrens' films, like his masterpiece and his last film, The Secret of the Magic Gourd (Bao Hu Lu De Mi Mi, 1963).
Filmography
- Yang Xiaozhong 杨小仲
Director:
- The Secret Of The Magic Gourd 宝葫芦的秘密 (Bao hu lu de mi mi) (1963)
- The Stage Art of Zhou Xinfang 周信芳的舞台艺术 (Zhou Xinfang de wu tai yi shu) (1961)
- Le roi des Singes vainc le démon de l'os-blanc / Monkey Subdues the White-Bone Demon 孙悟空三打白骨精 (Sun Wukong san da bai gu jing) (1960)
- Hao Hai Zi 好孩子 (1959)
- Lan Lan and Dong Dong 兰兰和冬冬 (Lan Lan he Dong Dong) (1958)
- Chen San Wu Niang 陈三五娘 (1957)
- Seeing Mother in the Buddhist Convent 庵堂认 (An tang ren mu) (1956)
- Da Jia Huan Xi 大家欢喜 (1951)
- You Sisters in the Red Chamber 红楼二尤 (Hong lou er you) (1951)
- Fu Nv Chun Qiu 妇女春秋 (1951)
- A Lady's Body 荒园艳迹 (Huang yuan yan ji) (1949)
- The Last Days of the Winter 残冬 (Can dong) (1949)
- A Fantastic Idea 异想天开 (Yi xiang tian kai) (1949)
- A Burglar with Sense of Justice 悬崖勒马 (Xuan ya le ma) (1948)
- Looking for A Marriage 痴男怨女 (Chi nan yuan nu) (1948)
- The Net 626 六二六间谍网 (Liu er liu jian die wang) (1948)
- Story of A Street-singing-girl 十步芳草 (Shi bu fang cao) (1948)
- The Hairpin with A Phoenix 钗头凤 (Chai tou feng) (1947)
- Qing He Bo Ming 卿何薄命 (1947)
- Lust Tide 欲海潮 (Yu hai chao) (1947)
- Sparks of the Nation 民族的火花 (Min zu de huo hua) (1946)
- Nian Zai En Qing 廿载恩情 (1945)
- Jie Hun Jiao Xiang Qu 结婚交响曲 (1944)
- Kai Feng 凯风 (1944)
- Mo Fu Shao Nian Tou 莫负少年头 (1944)
- Three Flowers 三朵花 (San duo hua) (1943)
- Mei Ren Guan 美人关 (1943)
- Autumn 秋 (Qiu) (1942)
- Compassion 博爱 (Bo ai) (1942)
- Spring 春 (Chun) (1942)
- Joyful Endlessly 欢乐年年 (Huan le nian hua) (1942)
- Zhuo Wenjun 卓文君 (1942)
- Two Trampers 上海淘金记 (Shanghai tao jin ji) (1941)
- Lady Body's Revenge 艳尸复仇记 (Yan shi fu chou ji) (1941)
- Love Story of the Yao Nationality 瑶山艳史 (Yao shan yan shi) (1941)
- Phoenix with Two Pearls 双珠凤 (Shuang zhu feng) (1941)
- New Story about Twin Sisters 新姊妹花 (Xin zi mei hua) (1941)
- The Full Moon Again 明月重圆夜 (Ming yue chong yuan ye) (1941)
- Legend of Sui Dynasty 隋宫春色 (Sui gong chun se) (1940)
- Give Her Son A Lecture 三娘教子(San niang jiao zi) (1940)
- A Ghost 女鬼 (Nu gui) (1940)
- The White Snake 白蛇传 (Bai she zhuan) (1939)
- A Legendary Pipa 琵琶记 (Pi pa ji) (1939)
- Exchanged 化身人猿 (Hua shen ren yuan) (1939)
- Play Dead 地狱探艳记 (Di yu tan yan ji) (1938)
- Visiting Shanghai after Sixty Years 六十年后上海滩 (Liu shi nian hou shang hai tan) (1938)
- Unexpected Luck 飞来福 (Fei lai fu) (1937)
- Little Orphan Girl 小孤女 (Xiao gu nu) (1936)
- Spring Dream in the Peach Garden 桃源春梦 (Tao yuan chun meng) (1936)
- The Legend of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom 红羊豪侠传 (Hong yang hao xia zhuan) (1935)
- Women as Vipers 蛇蝎美人 (She xie mei ren) (1935)
- Four Sisters 四姊妹 (Si zi mei) (1935)
- A Beautiful Night 良宵 (Liang xiao) (1934)
- Yao Shan Yan Shi 瑶山艳史 (1933)
- Heartache 心痛 (Xin tong) (1931)
- Two Great Funs 两大天王 (Liang da tian wang) (1931)
- Burns Pingyang City 火烧平阳城 (Huo shao pingyang cheng) (1931)
- Heroine from the South 江南女侠 (Jiang nan nu xia) (1930)
- How Lu Sanniang Flies in the Air 飞侠吕三娘 (Fei xia Lu sanniang) (1929)
- The Secret Treasure 秘密宝窟 (Mi mi bao ku) (1929)
- My Son Was A Hero 儿子英雄 (Er zi ying xiong) (1929)
- The Mountain of Fire 火焰山 (Huo yan shan) (1928)
- Evil's Shadow 妖光侠影 (Yao guang xia ying) (1928)
- Gan Fengchi 大侠甘凤池 (Da Xia Gan Fengchi) (1928)
- Hate of a Arrow 一箭仇 (Yi jian chou) (1927)
- Cuiping Mountain 石秀杀嫂 (Shi Xiu sha sao) (1927)
- Bloodshed on Mandarin Duck Mansion 武松血溅鸳鸯楼 (Wu Song xue jian yuan yang lou) (1927)
- We Have To Go Home 不如归 (Bu ru gui) (1926)
- Vagrant Ma 马浪荡 (Ma lang dang) (1926)
- The Hearts of Mothers 母之心 (Mu zhi xin) (1926)
- Regret in Drunken 醉乡遗恨 (Zui xiang yi hen) (1925)
Screenwriter:
- The Secret Of The Magic Gourd 宝葫芦的秘密 (Bao hu lu de mi mi) (1963)
- You Sisters in the Red Chamber 红楼二尤 (Hong lou er you) (1951)
- Da Jia Huan Xi 大家欢喜 (1951)
- A Fantastic Idea 异想天开 (Yi xiang tian kai) (1949)
- A Burglar with Sense of Justice 悬崖勒马 (Xuan ya le ma) (1948)
- Shadows in the Old House 古屋魔影 (Gu wu mo ying) (1948)
- Story of A Street-singing-girl 十步芳草 (Shi bu fang cao) (1948)
- The Hairpin with A Phoenix 钗头凤 (Chai tou feng) (1947)
- Qing He Bo Ming 卿何薄命 (1947)
- Lust Tide 欲海潮 (Yu hai chao) (1947)
- Sparks of the Nation 民族的火花 (Min zu de huo hua) (1946)
- Nian Zai En Qing 廿载恩情 (1945)
- Jie Hun Jiao Xiang Qu 结婚交响曲 (1944)
- Kai Feng 凯风 (1944)
- Mo Fu Shao Nian Tou 莫负少年头 (1944)
- Three Flowers 三朵花 (San duo hua) (1943)
- Mei Ren Guan 美人关 (1943)
- Autumn 秋 (Qiu) (1942)
- Spring 春 (Chun) (1942)
- Zhuo Wenjun 卓文君 (1942)
- Joyful Endlessly 欢乐年年 (Huan le nian hua) (1942)
- Two Trampers 上海淘金记 (Shanghai tao jin ji) (1941)
- Lady Body's Revenge 艳尸复仇记 (Yan shi fu chou ji) (1941)
- Phoenix with Two Pearls 双珠凤 (Shuang zhu feng) (1941)
- New Story about Twin Sisters 新姊妹花 (Xin zi mei hua) (1941)
- The Full Moon Again 明月重圆夜 (Ming yue chong yuan ye) (1941)
- Legend of Sui Dynasty 隋宫春色 (Sui gong chun se) (1940)
- A Ghost 女鬼 (Nu gui) (1940)
- The White Snake 白蛇传 (Bai she zhuan) (1939)
- Exchanged 化身人猿 (Hua shen ren yuan) (1939)
- Play Dead 地狱探艳记 (Di yu tan yan ji) (1938)
- Visiting Shanghai after Sixty Years 六十年后上海滩 (Liu shi nian hou shang hai tan) (1938)
- Unexpected Luck 飞来福 (Fei lai fu) (1937)
- By the Fuchun River 富春江 (Fuchun jiang) (1937)
- Little Orphan Girl 小孤女 (Xiao gu nu) (1936)
- Spring Dream in the Peach Garden 桃源春梦 (Tao yuan chun meng) (1936)
- Four Sisters 四姊妹 (Si zi mei) (1935)
- Burns Pingyang City 火烧平阳城 (Huo shao pingyang cheng) (1931)
- Heartache 心痛 (Xin tong) (1931)
- The Queen and the Magician 侠义英雄传 (Xia yi ying xiong zhuan) (1930)
- Heroine from the South 江南女侠 (Jiang nan nu xia) (1930)
- How Lu Sanniang Flies in the Air 飞侠吕三娘 (Fei xia Lu sanniang) (1929)
- The Mountain of Fire 火焰山 (Huo yan shan) (1928)
- Evil's Shadow 妖光侠影 (Yao guang xia ying) (1928)
- Vagrant Ma 马浪荡(Ma lang dang) (1926)
- Regret in Drunken 醉乡遗恨 (Zui xiang yi hen) (1925)
- Predestined 松柏缘 (Song bo yuan) (1923)
- Good Brothers 好兄弟 (Hao xiong di) (1922)
- Yan Ruisheng 阎瑞生 (1921)