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TO ENTERTAIN AND RENEW: OPERAS, PUPPET PLAYS AND RITUAL IN SOUTH CHINA by Tuen Wai Mary Yeung Hons Dip, Lingnan University, H.K., 1990 M.A., The University of Lancaster, U.K.,1993 M.A., The University of British Columbia, Canada, 1999 A THESIS SUBIMTTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Asian Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA September 2007 @ Tuen Wai Mary Yeung, 2007 Library and Bibliotheque et 1*1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-31964-2 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-31964-2 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par Nnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non sur support microforme, papier, electronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privee, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont ete enleves de cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. Canada Abstract Operas and puppet plays have long been performed both to entertain gods and people, and to thank the gods for renewing the life forces of the community. Such performances are carried out all over China. With special attention devoted to the religious dimensions of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong and marionette theatre in western Fujian, this Ph.D. thesis is a preliminary attempt to examine the religious traditions of regional operas in south China. Supplemented by some written sources, the present study is based on face-to-face interviews with actors and puppeteers, as well as direct observations of their religious practices. The first research aim is to discuss the inseparable relationship between traditional opera and religion in China (especially the southeastern part) from the ancient periods up to the present. Important or auspicious occasions are often accompanied by puppet or/and opera performances. The second aim is to examine the beliefs and practices of actors of regional operas in south China, especially Cantonese opera players and marionettists in western Fujian, with special attention devoted to the birthday celebrations their main occupational deities. It is important to point out that no single forms of Chinese traditional opera can be classified in terms of "either- or" categories. The question is a matter of degree. Traditional literary operas contain some religious elements and ritual operas also include some literary or artistic elements. There are neither absolute traditional literary operas nor absolute ritual operas in China. The present study is concerned both with the ritual functions of operas and plays in the communities where they are performed, and with the beliefs and taboos of the performers themselves. Actors or puppeteers of both types of opera usually worship a group of deities as their occupational deities. Hence, their beliefs can be characterized as polytheistic. Moreover, the beliefs and practices of performers of various types of regional operatic genre in south China are related to some extent since the worship of Chinese theatre deities was spread from place to place by lineages, merchants and opera troupes during the imperial times. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ii Table of Contents iii List of Figures v Acknowledgements x INTRODUCTION 1 Part One: Historical Development CHAPTER ONE Opera and Religion: An Overview 19 CHAPTER TWO The Historical Development of Fuj ian Marionette Theatre 79 and Cantonese Opera Part Two: Contemporary Period CHAPTER THREE Opera and Religion in Contemporary Chinese Societies: 105 Western Fuj ian and Hong Kong CHAPTER FOUR Religious Beliefs and Practices of Cantonese Opera Performers 147 CHAPTER FIVE Religious Beliefs and Practices of Marionettists in Western 186 Fuj ian Part Three: Concluding Remarks CHAPTER SIX The Ritual Aspect of Chinese Traditional Operas in 282 South China BIBLIOGRAPHY 312 Appendix One The Marionettes of the Hall of Splendid Success 345 (Huacheng Tang ^^^) Appendix Two The Marionettes of the Hall of Ten Thousand Happiness 350 (WanfuTangH?!^) Appendix Three Red Boats {Hongchuan &T.)tu) 355 iii Appendix Four The Six Great Pillars {Liu Da Taizhu A^Stt) 363 Appendix Five The Story of Delivering an Immortal (Duxian Ji Jf-tflllfC) 364 Appendix Six Great Birthday Greetings at Fragrant Flower Mountain 368 {Xianghua Shan Da Heshou ^~$L ill JZJM. H) Appendix Seven The Celestial Maiden's Great Bestowing of a Son 392 {Tianji Da Songzi ^KMXM.^) Appendix Eight The Legend of the Sovereign Empress (Huangjun Gushi ^M^M) 405 or The Story of the White Serpent (Baishe Ji &4£fS) Appendix Nine [The Liturgical Text] for Crossing the Barriers and Inviting the Deities 435 Appendix Ten A Brief Summary of the Journey to the South (Nanyou Ji WMM) 443 Appendix Eleven The Aria Sanchun Jin (Three Spring's Brocade) in 445 Zheng Zhizhen's Mulian Opera Script IV List of Figures Diagrams 1. The Control of Great Lord Tian (Da Tian Gong ± EH £, Huacheng Tang ¥^4^) 349 2. The Control of the Eldest Lord Tian (Da Tian Gong^ffi^-, Wanfu TangH?§:t) 354 3. The Layout of the Heaven Boat 357 4. The Layout of the Earth Boat 360 Photographs Figure 4.1. The Shrine of Master Huaguang (November 28, 1996, the 179 Headquarters of the Bat Wo Institute of Cantonese Opera, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong) Figure 4.2. The Shrine of Master Huaguang and the Two Masters of 180 Field and Hollow Figure 4.3. The Shrine in the Temple of Golden Flowers (July 30, 2004, Ping Chau, 181 Hong Kong) Figure 4.4. A View of the Shrine on Master Huaguang's Birthday (November, 8 182 1996, the Haicheng Restaurant, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong) Figure 4.5. A Photograph of Guanyin in the Performance of the Great Birthday 183 Greetings at Fragrant Flower Mountain on Huaguang's 1996 Birthday Figure 4.6. A Scene from the Performance of the Celestial Maiden's Great Offering 184 Of a Son on Huaguang's 1996 Birthday (November 8, 1996, the Haicheng Restaurant, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong) Figure 4.7. Effigies of the Seven Hands and Eight Arms, Master Huaguang and Guanyin 185 (December 18, 1996, the Huaguang Temple, Tai O, Lantau Island, Hong Kong) v Figure 5.1. The Image of Lord Tian (July 22, 2003, Wang Hua's House, 246 Huang Jing Shan Village, Qingshui Township, Central Western Fujian) Figure 5.2. The Marionette Deity of Lord Tian (July 23, 2003, Wang Hua's 247 House, Huang Jing Shan Village, Qingshui Township, Central Western Fujian) Figure 5.3. The Effigy of Lord Tian (April 19, 2003, the Hall of Lord Tian, 248 Shui Zhu Yang Natural Village, Baisha Town, Southwestern Fujian) Figure 5.4. The Temporary Stage in the Main Hall of Wang Hua's House 249 (July 22, 2003, Huang Jing Shan Village, Qingshui Township, Central Western Fujian) Figure 5.5. The Main Altar in the Main Hall of Wang Hua's House 250 (July 22, 2003, Huang Jing Shan Village, Qingshui Township, Central Western Fujian) Figure 5.6. The Appropriate Points of the Twelve Earthly Branches in the Left Hand 251 Figure 5.7. Wang Hua Performing the Ritual for Sealing the Stage on 252 Lord Tian's 2003 Birthday (July 22, 2003, Wang Hua's House, Huang Jing Shan Village, Qingshui Township, Central Western Fujian) Figure 5.8. The Secret Names of the Department of Fire and Wind of Nine 253 Heavens Figure 5.9. The Secret Characters of the Three Pure Ones, the School 254 of the Numinous Treasures and the World Figure 5.10. The Secret Names of the Favorable-Wind Ear, Lord Guan, 255 the Thousand-li Eye and Zhao Gongming vi Figure 5.11. The Secret Name of the Marionette Deity of Lord Tian 256 of the Wanfu Tang Marionette Troupe Figure 5.12. The Talisman of the Mysterious Chop of the Numinous Treasures 257 Figure 5.13. The Talisman of the Three Thousand Disciples of the Jade Dragon 258 Figure 5.14. The Secret Name of Chen Haiqing 259 Figure 5.15. A Photo of Guanyin in the Performance of the Legend of the 260 Sovereign Empress on Lord Tian's 2003 Birthday (July 22, 2003, Wang Hua's House, Huang Jing Shan, Qingshui, Central Western Fujian) Figure 5.16. An Extra Altar at the Main Hall of Wang Hua's House in 261 Lord Tian's 2003 Birthday Celebration (July 23, 2003, Huang Jing Shan, Qingshui, Central Western Fujian) Figure 5.17.