Abstract
Having discussed the origins of Hokkien theatre and its historical development from the modern to the contemporary, which are largely shaped by socio-political factors, this chapter offers a more concrete study of the theatrical art forms based on ethnographic fieldwork, including observing and conducting oral history interviews with existing practitioners in the three sites—Taiwan, Kinmen and Singapore. Through thick descriptions of the actual practices in Hokkien theatre, a comparative analysis of these three sites is provided to link the past with the present and illustrate how practices differ. Some of these theatrical practices are on the verge of extinction and faced various issues, such as the lack of successors to continue the art form, making documentation of these customs even more necessary.
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Notes
- 1.
Ruizendaal, Marionette Theatre in Quanzhou , 45; Piet van der Loon, The Classical Theatre, 35.
- 2.
Van der Loon, The Classical Theatre, 19.
- 3.
Ruizendaal, Marionette Theatre in Quanzhou , 44. This is also verified by Hsueh Ying-Yuan 薛熒源of the Chin Fei Feng 錦飛鳳 puppet troupe in Kaohsiung. Hsueh Ying-Yuan, Personal interview, Taipei, 27 July 2016.
- 4.
Ruizendaal, Marionette Theatre in Quanzhou, 45.
- 5.
In Chap. 2, a Ming dynasty source A Complete Collection Concerning the Origins of Deities of the Three-in-One Religion (Sanjiao Yuanliu Soushen Daquan 三教源流搜神大全) was cited to demonstrate the magical powers of the God of Theatre.
- 6.
Margaret Chan, Ritual is Theatre, 135–136.
- 7.
Ruizendaal, Marionette Theatre in Quanzhou, 26.
- 8.
Ye Mingsheng, Fujian kuileixi shi lun, 302.
- 9.
Shih Kuang-Sheng and Wang Ch’un-Mei, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui yishi juchang, 14–15.
- 10.
Richard von Glahn, The Sinister Way: The Divine and the Demonic in Chinese Religious Culture, Berkeley: University of California Press, c2004, 123.
- 11.
For a more detailed description of the troupes and their locations, see Shih and Wang, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui, 12.
- 12.
These taboos were mentioned by Lin Chin-Lien, the master exorcist of Ching Ch’un T’ang and the recollection by Chung Jen-Pi (鍾任壁) of his father Chung Jen Hsiu Chih (鍾任秀智)’s accounts. See Shih and Wang, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui, 28–30.
- 13.
This is mentioned by Chung Jen-Pi and is still a practice observed during the ‘Exorcist Dance of Zhong
Kui’ rite performed by Ching Ch’un Tang today. See Shih and Wang, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui, 30.
- 14.
Shih and Wang, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui, 27, 97.
- 15.
Shih and Wang, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui, 91.
- 16.
Shih and Wang, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui, 98.
- 17.
Information provided by Lin Chin-Lien.
- 18.
Shih and Wang, Lin Jin Lian Tiao Zhongkui, 98; Chiu Kun-Liang, “Taiwan de tiao Zhongkui”, Minsu Quyi, Vol. 85, 1993, 362.
- 19.
Personal Interview of Yang T’u-Chin in Kinmen, 16 October 2016.
- 20.
Wang Chen-Han, Dongmen chuanqi: Jinmen Minnan wenhua zhi mei, Taibei shi: Wang Chen-Han, 2009.
- 21.
Guningtou Li shi zongqinhui huikan, 2012, 281.
- 22.
Tong Chee Kiong, Chinese Death Rituals in Singapore. London; New York: Routledge Curzon, 2004, 128.
- 23.
Chang Ching-Yü, “Fen yu fen: Jinmen houshuitou chun dian-an yishi de renleixue yanjiu”, Masters’ Thesis, Guoli qinghua daxue, 2007, 32.
- 24.
For a detailed description of the various inscribed boards and their uses in Kinmen, see Yang, T’ien-Hou and Lin Li-Guan, Jinmen bian-e renwu.
- 25.
Chang Ching-Yü, “Fen yu fen: Jinmen houshuitou chun dian-an yishi de renleixue yanjiu”, 58.
- 26.
This information is gathered from various Hokkien performers such as Ong Lipeng, Goh Guat Beng and Goh Swee Theng.
- 27.
Although most Gezai opera performances also mainly draw upon the existing repertoire, there are occasions when the need to create new plays arises. For example, the Lorong Koo Chye Sheng Hong temple invites various troupes, local and overseas, annually to perform and often attracts hundreds of spectators. I have observed that in June 2013 when Shuang Ming Feng was invited to perform at the temple , new plays were created hours before the performances. The performer directing the play would engage in ‘giving instructions of the play’ (jiangxi 講戲) where performers gather to listen to the story. They would be assigned the various characters later. Most performers do not rely on a script or notes. Occasionally, some may write down notes for their personal reference.
- 28.
The differentiation between string puppet and glove puppet theatre is a recollection of Ng Yew Kian when his father was involved in the puppet trade. Ng Yew Kian, Accession Number 000874, 19 January 1988, 8, 17.
- 29.
Personal interview, X (anonymous), 21 December 2017.
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Chia, C. (2019). In Practice. In: Hokkien Theatre Across The Seas. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1834-4_5
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