Tan San and Ngo Nian
CHAOCHOW OPERA IN COLOUR
Film Director: Producer: Opera Director:
SHEK LOONG HSIA BEU CHENG YIH-PIAO
Produced by: THE ROC FILM CORPORATION, HONG KONG
The Story
Thisfilm is based on a Chaochow Opera form Kwantung Province.
Legend has it that during the Lantern Festival long ago, Chen San (Tan San), a young scholar was passing through the town of Chaochow in Kwantung Province in company with his sister-in-law and his brother, who going to take up an official post. The streets of Chaochow were hung with innumerable lanterns and decorations, and music could be heard everywhere. While watching the lanterns, Chen San encountered Huang Wu-niang (Ngo Nian). The two fell in love at sight.
Lin Ta,son of a rich family in the locality, also saw Wu-niang by the light of the lanterns and, attracted by her beauty, arranged to send a go-between with gifts to her family. The girl’s father, Huang Chiu-lang, was imdpressed with the Lin family’s wealth and promised his daughter’s hand to Lin Ta. Wu-niang objected to the betrothal. But in those times a father had the right to dispose of his daughter as wished, and she could only resign hersslf to misery.
On a warm day in July, Wu-niang was standing at the window of her room enjoying the cool breeze with her maidservant Yi-chun. Chn San came by on horseback. He had been searching for Wu-niang everywhere. When they recognised one another they were filled with delight. As a token of her love, Wu-niang threwdown handkerchief with some lichi in it. Chen San fell more deeply in love with her than ever.
A few days afterwards Chen San came to the house disguised as a mirror-polisher, to polish a valuable mirror belonging to Wu-niang’s father. In carrying out this task, he broke the mirror. Huang Chiu-lang was enraged at his clumsiness. Chen San, to compensate for the damage, offered himself as a slave to the household.
Chen San had broken the mirror deliberately so that he might approach Wu-niang. But there was still a great distance between them and he found it very difficult even to see her. Wu-niang herself was perturbed by the young man’s presence in her home, knowing that she was powerless to break the engagement her father had made for her. Distress made her ill.
A year went past. Chen San still in doubt as to Wu-niang’s attitude toward him. Ignorant of | her betrothal, he began to despair and thought of returning home. Yi-chun, the maid, persuaded I him not to give up hope. He wrote a letter which the maid carried to her young mistress. Deeply moved, Wu-niang arranged to meet him secretly. The two lovers declared their affection for one another.
Just at this time Lin Ta, angry at the excuses that had been made to delay his marriage to Wu-niang, came to Huang Chiu-lang to demand his bride. The father promised to send his daughter in three days. Chen San entreated Wu-niang to elope with him, and, seeing no other way out, she agreed to do so.
In the quiet of a moonlight night Chen San, Wu-niang and Yi-chun fled from the house and set off down the highway towards their happiness.