Retrospective - Chinese Opera Masterpieces on Screen
The Romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai
梁山伯与祝英台 (Liang Shanbo yu Zhu Yingtai) by SANG Hu and HUANG Sha
China / 1954 / 113' / 35 mm / Color
Starring: YUAN Xuefen, FAN Ruijuan, ZHANG Guifeng
Yue (Shaoxing) Opera
Background
Like many operas, the story of LIANG Shanbo and ZHU Yingtai takes its roots in the classical texts of Chinese folk literature. LIANG and ZHU are two of the four greatest Chinese folk stories. It founds its inspiration in the book Shi Dao Si Fan Zhi, written in the seventh century by LIANG Zaiyan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It was later on developed into a version identical to the modern Yi Zhong Wang Miao Ji written during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and attributed to LI Maocheng. The last chapter, entitled "Fly Like a Butterfly", appears from the version of the Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911).
There are at least 30 different versions of this play. The best known are the Yue Opera and the Chuan Opera. Liang-Zhu inspired about 15 films from the year 1926 until our time. Only between 1940 and 1960 six films were produced. The best known versions are: The Romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (1954), The Tragic Story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai directed by LI Tie (1958), Eternal Love (1963) produced in Hong Kong by LI Hanxiang and Butterfly Lovers (1994) filmed by TSUI Hark.
Synopsis
ZHU Yingtai is a young girl from a rich family. She is disguised as a man in order to be able to study in the city. During her three years at school, she becomes friends and then secretly falls in love with her classmate LIANG Shanbo. Unfortunately, Zhu's father suddenly summons her back, saying that he has found her a rich and noble husband. She tries to make LIANG understand her feelings, making him promise to go to her father an ask for "her sister's" (her own) hand. Before her departure, Yingtai reveals her true identity to her headmaster's wife and requests that she gives her jade pendant as a betrothal gift to Shanbo. LIANG hurries to Zhu's home and asks for her hand in marriage, but is rejected and thrown out. In despair, he falls ill and dies. ZHU is broken-hearted when she hears the news. On the day of her marriage, she decides to visit Shanbo's grave. The whirlwinds prevent the wedding procession from escorting her beyond Shanbo's tomb. Suddenly, the sky becomes dark and the grave opens. Faithful to her love, ZHU leaps into a grave to join her beloved. ZHU and LIANG's spirits are turned into a pair of butterflies and emerge from the tomb, never to be apart again.
SANG Hu 桑弧 (real name: LI Peilin, 李培林) (1916-2004)
SANG Hu comes from Shanghai's artistic circles. In 1941 he writes his first script. He is the author of The Bodily Desire (Ling Yu Rou), 1941 and Liaisons After Sunset (Ren yue huang hun hou), 1942. Between 1946 et 1948, SANG Hu worked as a director and scriptwriter for the Wenhua studio in Shanghai. His masterpieces of that period include: Long Live the Wife! (Tai tai wan sui, 1947), Miserable At Middle Age (Ai Le Zhong Nian, 1949), Love Without End (Bu Liao Qing, 1947) and the script of The Marriage of the Fairy Princess.
Filmography
- Sang Hu 桑弧
Director:
- The Bureau Head's Boyfriend 女局长的男朋友 (Nu ju zhang de nan peng you) (1986)
- Romance In philately 邮缘 (You yuan) (1984)
- Midnight 子夜 (Zi ye) (1981)
- Twins come in pairs 她俩和他俩 (Ta liang he ta liang) (1979)
- The Second Spring 第二个春天 (Di er ge chun tian) (1975)
- Song Of Acupuncture Treatment 无影灯下颂银针 (Wu ying deng xia song yin zhen) (1974)
- The White-Haired Girl 白毛女 (Bai mao nu) (1972)
- Spring In Shanghai 上海之春 (Shang Hai Zhi Chun) (1965)
- Strange Adventrue Of A Magician 魔术师的奇遇 (Mo Shu Shi De Qi Yu) (1962)
- Spring Reigns Everywhere 春满人间 (Chun man ren jian) (1959)
- New Year Sacrifice 祝福 (Zhu Fu) (1956)
- The Romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai / Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai 梁山伯与祝英台 (Liang Shanbo yu Zhu Yingtai) (1954)
- There is a Family 有一家人家 (You yi jiarenjia) (1951)
- Spring of Peace 太平春 (Tai ping chun) (1950)
- Quintessence of Yue Opera 越剧精华 (Yue ju jing hua) (1949)
- Happiness and Sadness of Middle Age 哀乐中年 (Ai le zhong nian) (1949)
- Long Live the Wife 太太万岁! (Tai tai wan sui) (1947)
- Love Without End 不了情 (Bu liao qing) (1947)
- Ren Hai Shuang Zhu 人海双珠 (1945)
Screenwriter:
- The Bureau Head's Boyfriend 女局长的男朋友 (Nu ju zhang de nan peng you) (1986)
- Romance In Philately 邮缘 (You yuan) (1984)
- Lu Ling 鹿铃 (1982)
- Liu Yin Ji 柳荫记 (1963)
- Strange Adventrue Of A Magician 魔术师的奇遇 (Mo Shu Shi De Qi Yu) (1962)
- Spring Reigns Everywhere 春满人间 (Chun man ren jian) (1959)
- Song Shi Jie 宋士杰 (1956)
- The Marriage of the Fairy Princess / Marriage of the Fairy Princess 天仙配 (Tian xian pei) (1955)
- Spring of Peace 太平春 (Tai Ping Chun) (1950)
- Happiness and Sadness of Middle Age 哀乐中年 (Ai le zhong nian) (1949)
- Fake Phoenix 假凤虚凰 (Jia feng xu huang) (1947)
- Ren Hai Shuang Zhu 人海双珠 (1945)
- Long Life the Teacher 教师万岁 (Jiao shi wan sui) (1944)
- Nong Ben Duo Qing 侬本痴情 (1943)
- Liaisons After Sunset 人约黄昏后 (Ren yue huang hun hou) (1942)
- The Wedding Night 洞房花烛夜 (Dong fang hua zhu ye) (1942)
- Flesh 肉 (Rou) (1941)
Actor:
- Long Life the Teacher 教师万岁 (Jiao shi wan sui) (1944)
- Yuan Xuefen 袁雪芬(1922-)
Actress - Role: Zhu Yingtai
- Mistress Xiang Lin 祥林嫂 (Xiang lin sao) (1978)
- The Romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai / Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai 梁山伯与祝英台 (Liang Shanbo yu Zhu Yingtai) (1954)
- Xiang Si Shu 相思树 (1951)
- Quintessence of Yue Opera 越剧精华 (Yue ju jing hua) (1949)
- Look at the Weather When Rooster Crows / The Dawning 鸡鸣早看天 (Ji ming zao kan tian) (1948)
- New Year Sacrifice 祥林嫂 (Xiang lin sao) (1948)
- Fan Ruijuan 范瑞娟 (1924-)
Actress - Role: Liang shanbo
- The Romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai / Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai 梁山伯与祝英台 (Liang Shanbo yu Zhu Yingtai) (1954)
- New Year Sacrifice 祥林嫂 (Xiang lin sao) (1948)