Traditional

 Show Name: Chin Chiung Toppling the Bronze Flag (秦瓊倒銅旗) 

Info: A traditional copy using Pei-Kuan Old Tune (古路), Chin Chiung Toppling the Bronze Flag (秦瓊倒銅旗), by Chiu Huo-Jung (邱火榮).
Adapted by: Lin Yung-Chih (林永志).
Synopsis: 
At the end of the Sui Dynasty, Li Mi defected to the Wa-Kang army. Cheng Yao-Chin gave the throne to Li, who later made Chin Chiung the Grand Marshal to take the Sui regime and break through the five passes. After conquering three passes in a row, Chin Chiung arrived at the Ssu-Shui Pass. Yang Lin, the Kaoshan King, set up a Bronze Flag Formation on the decree of Sui Emperor Yang and wrote to Luo Yi to ask for help. Luo Cheng was sent to back Yang Lin up. Before he left, he told his mother that his cousin Chin Chiung was the man coming to topple the flag. The mother ordered him to help his cousin secretly. Luo Cheng met Chin Chiung at the western border first and told him about the mechanism and solutions of the Bronze Flag Formation. The generals guarding the bronze flag, Tung-Fang Pai and Tung-Fang Hung, were training their troops and arranging the formation with Luo Cheng at the training ground in advance. While guarding the bronze flag, Luo Cheng ordered them not to hurt anyone with arrows. They thus became suspicious of Luo Cheng. Chin Chiung attacked the flag four times and finally brought it down with the help of the soul of his late comrade, Pei Yuan-Ching.
Features of the Show: 
Chin Chiung Toppling the Bronze Flag is one of the classic plays of traditional Pei-Kuan puppetry and is a Pei-Kuan "Ancient-Book Play (古冊戲)*". It is also a representative work of transplantation from Peikuan "Basket-Bottom Play (籠底戲)**" to puppetry. The play is a combat scene performed with the Combined Set (聯套) of Kun Opera. It is a powerful, burning and passionate scene and is one of the most famous Taiwanese Luan-Tan (亂彈) operas. In Taiwan, an old saying goes, "Even a weak horse has a step to kick; even a bad troupe can perform Toppling the Bronze Flag". This means that even the worst troupe will still be able to perform the beloved plot "Toppling the Bronze Flag". The saying not only reflects the difficulty of performing Chin Chiung Toppling the Bronze Flag but provides a vivid testimony to the popularity of the play in the folk theatre in the past.

Show Name: The Black Basin (烏盆記)

Info: Traditional plot. / Adapted and instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志) and Chen Ssu-Ting (陳思廷).
Synopsis:
The story of the black basin is one of the classic plots from The Strange Cases of Magistrate Pao (包公奇案). Li Hao was a successful businessman in Tingchou. He stayed at Ting Wan's house for a night on his way home. Noticing that Li Hao was wealthy, Ting Wan decided to kill the man, mash his body, and mix him into clay to make a basin. For some reason, a man named Wang Jin brought the black basin home. The black basin told Wang Jin what he had suffered; he asked him to go to Kaifeng and appeal to the magistrate. Magistrate Pao Cheng started a trial and questioned Ting Wan and his wife, who refused to confess. Pao Cheng had no choice but to order Wang Jin to take the basin back. The couple was acquitted of the charges, but Pao Cheng sent someone to track them. Ting Wan was afraid that Ting Chien, who knew the truth, would confess, so he tried to kill him. Pao Cheng's subordinate, Chang Lung, arrived just in time, knocked Ting Wan unconscious, and brought the three of them to Kaifeng for trial. With the grudge against Ting Wan, Ting Chien confessed everything to Pao Cheng. The case was finally brought to justice.

Show Name: The Nan-Kuan Puppet Show — Lu Chun-I (南管布袋戲 盧俊義)

Info: Traditional plot. / Adapted and instructed by Lin Wen-Jung (林文榮), Hsu Jui-Lien (徐瑞簾), and Chen Kuang-Huang (陳光煌).
Form of Performance: Traditional, colourful and finely carved stage.
Running Time: 60 ~ 90 min.
Suitable Venue: Indoor theatre.
Synopsis: 
Lu Chun-I, nicknamed "Jade Chi-Lin", was originally a landed gentry. He was an incredibly tall man with bright eyes. With his generous and kind nature, he always fought for justice. When Sung Chiang heard of this man, he wanted him to join his team. Wu Yung then planned to go with Li Kui to persuade Lu Chun-I to leave his hometown and escape from disaster. Lu Chun-I was caught by the outlaws of Liangshan when he passed by the Liangshan Lake. Instead of forcing him to join the gang, Sung Chiang let him go. When Lu Chun-I returned to Beijing, he got betrayed by his butler, Li Ku, and the butler's wife, Mrs Jia. They accused him of colluding with bandits and put him in prison. Lu Chun-I was exiled to Shamen Island and was fortunate to be rescued by his foster son, Yen Ching. However, he was soon arrested again. The Liangshan Lake outlaw heroes attacked Taming, Beijing, to save Lu Chun-I. Sung Chiang and his men captured Kuan Sheng and So Chao, then broke through Beijing to rescue Lu Chun-I.
Features of the Show: 
There are many written and audio-visual records of the development phases of traditional puppetry, including the "Nan-Kuan Period", "Indoor-Commercial Period", and "Television Period". But the Nan-Kuan puppetry has remained unfamiliar to the public. The play is directed by Huang Kuang-Huang (黃光煌) and Hsu Jui-Lien (徐瑞濂), former instructors of the puppet troupes in Chuanchou. We hope to preserve the most traditional Nan-Kuan Puppetry in its original form.

Show Name: Havoc in Crystal Palace (大鬧水晶宮)
Info: Traditional Play by Li Tien-Lu (李天祿) / Adapted and instructed by Chen Hsi-Huang (陳錫煌) and Li Chuan-Tsan (李傳燦).
Form of Performance: Traditional, colourful and finely carved stage / Golden Light (金光) setting.
Running Time: 60 min.
Suitable Venue: Indoor theatre.
The play is based on the story of Sun Wu-Kung wreaking havoc in Crystal Palace. Sun Wu-Kung was the Monkey King in Shuilien Cave, Huakuo Mountain. One day, the Bull Demon King saw the beautiful scenery and ordered his demons to occupy the place. A battle broke out between them and the little monkeys. Sun Wu-Kung had no weapon, and the fight between him and the Bull Demon King was fierce. With the help of the little monkeys, he went to the Crystal Palace in the East Sea to borrow weapons. However, he ended up wreaking havoc in the Crystal Palace...
Features of the Show: 
The play is ideal for families, children and international friends to enjoy together. Sun Wu-Kung's martial arts, window jumping and juggling with the Golden Staff show the art in the palms of traditional Taiwanese puppetry. The elaborate aqua soldier puppets are also playful, matching the atmosphere of the Crystal Palace in the underwater world. It is a demonstration of the innovative aspect of traditional puppetry. The perfect match of the backstage musicians and the frontstage puppeteers makes the play more of a must-watch!

Show Name: Hsueh Ting-Shan Conquering the West (薛丁山征西)

Info: Traditional plot by Liao Kun-Chang (廖昆章). / Adapted by Chen Ssu-Ting (陳思廷) / Instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志).
Synopsis:
Hsueh Ting-Shan was the son of Hsueh Jen-Kuei, a famous general of the Tang Dynasty. When he was young, he was taken back to the Shuilien Cave in Yunmeng Mountain. Wang-Ao-Lao-Tsu took him as his disciple and taught him with books about the arts of war and martial. One day, Wang-Ao-Lao-Tsu predicted that the Purple Star, representing the emperor's fortune, was trapped in Soyang City. He ordered Hsueh Ting-Shan to come down and help the emperor of Tang.
Cheng Yao-Chin fought his way out of Soyang City and returned to Changan to ask for help. The crown prince immediately ordered to post an announcement, calling for reinforcements. Hsueh Ting-Shan took the announcement and, as the prince ordered, led his troops to the battle. On the way, they passed by Chipan Mountain, where they met the head of the bandits, Tou I-Hu, and Tou Hsien-Tung, who were both skilled fighters.  When seeing Hsueh Ting-Shan, the young woman immediately adored him. She used an enchanted instrument, the Deity-Binding Rope, to capture him back in her fortress and force him to marry her. After destroying the fortress, Hsueh Ting-Shan finally arrived at Soyang City. The troops defused the critical situation and went into the city to meet Emperor Li Shih-Min.

Info: Traditional plot by Chen Shan-Lin (陳山林). / Old recordings provided by Cheng An-Cheng (鄭安成). / Adapted by Wu Sheng-Chieh (吳聲杰) / Instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志).
Form of Performance: Traditional, colourful and finely carved stage.
Running Time: 90 min.
Suitable Venue: Outdoor theatre.
Synopsis:
To usurp the kingdom, the grand chancellor of the Ming Dynasty, Wang Li-Mou, organised a masked clique. He ordered the One-eyed Monk to take over the Chinshan Temple. The temple was so heavily guarded that anyone who entered it by mistake would be killed by thousands of arrows. The masked clique was well organised. If any member were caught by the authorities, they would either bite their own tongues or take poison to die. The authorities could not do anything about them. The grand saint of the West, Buddha Julai, had a disciple named Yeh Fei-Yun. Seeing the mortal world in ruins, Buddha Julai asked his beloved disciple to follow the enchanted sword, Five-Shield Sword, and go down the mountain. As soon as the Five-Shield Sword appeared, the crowd knew that Yeh Fei-Yun was about to come. The battle between Yeh Fei-Yun and the One-eyed Monk broke out. How would it evolve?

Show Name: The Pei-Kuan Puppet Show — Splitting the Mountain (劈山救母)

Info: Traditional Play by Li Tien-Lu (李天祿) / Adapted and directed by Liu Hsin-Cheng (劉信成).
Form of Performance: Golden Light (金光) setting.
Running Time: 60 ~ 90 min.
Suitable Venue: Both indoor and outdoor.
Synopsis: 
A scholar named Liu Hsi went to the capital for the imperial exam. On the way, he passed by the foot of Hua Mountain and saw the beautiful image of the Goddess San-Sheng-Mu. He inscribed a poem on the wall to express his feelings for her. Goddess San-Sheng-Mu was moved and secretly fell in love with this mortal man. God Erh-Lang, Goddess San-Sheng-Mu's brother, was furious when he found out. He imprisoned her in the Fengleishuihuo Cave under Hua Mountain. Soon after, the Goddess gave birth to a baby in the cave and named him Chen Hsiang. One day, Chen Hsiang and his brother were in school. They saw the Grand Chancellor's son bullying others, so they went to confront him but accidentally took his life. The two brothers, terrified, desperately ran back home, both turning themselves in to their father. Liu Hsi decided to let his son escape. He told Chen Hsiang about his mother and asked him to go to Hua Mountain to save her. Enduring great hardship, Chen Hsiang finally managed to split open Hua Mountain and save his mother.
Features of the Show: 
This is a representative play of the Taiwanese Pei-Kuan puppetry. Originating in Taiwan at the end of the nineteenth century, Pei-Kuan puppetry was a popular leisure pastime for the general public. Its unique musicality and theatrical effects were quickly absorbed and adapted by other theatrical genres, including traditional puppetry. The fusion of the two genres resulted in a distinctive style of performing art.

Info: A traditional copy using Pei-Kuan New Tune (新路), South Gate of Heaven (南天門) by Chiu Huo-Jung (邱火榮). / Adapted and Instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志).
Synopsis:
During the reign of Emperor Hsi of the Ming Dynasty, the eunuch Wei Chung-Hsien dominated the imperial court. He framed the righteous Minister of Personnel, Tsao Cheng-Pang, dismissed him from his post, and sent his man, Su Yu, to ambush his family and kill them on the road. Only the young daughter Tsao Yu-Lien and her servant Tsao Fu escaped. They encountered many difficulties on their way to their relative, Li Lun. Still, the faithful servant accompanied the lady all the way, so they arrived safely. The old servant, Tsao Fu, eventually froze to death in Kuanghua Mountain, but Goddess Jinmu honoured his loyalty and made him the Earth God.
Features of the Show:
This is one of the most famous plays in the Taiwanese Pei-Kuan repertoire. The unique Pei-Kuan singing style is a favourite among audiences. As there are so many different singing styles, postures and characters in this play, it is seldom performed on stage (this form is called 上棚) but mainly performed in a set-up performance space, with playing and singing (this form is called 排場). This is the first time that this play has been performed in the form of traditional puppetry. Audiences who love Pei-Kuan will be able to enjoy it!

Info: Adapted from the traditional plot,  Stories of Judge Peng (彭公案). / Instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志).
Synopsis:
Mrs Hsaio, the wife of Li Chen, was having an affair with Wu Pan-Hsi, a wealthy local shopkeeper in Wuchang. The ruthless Mrs Hsiao planned to kill her husband to stay with Wu Pan-Hsi forever. She came up with the idea of causing a natural "heart-burning death" so that the authorities could not investigate. A thief, A-Hsi-Ta, accidentally witnessed the whole process. He was about to steal something but was scared out of the door. Thinking that what she had done was a well-covered mystery, Mrs Hsiao claimed that Li Chen was ill and started to arrange his funeral.
Judge Peng was on his way to inspect the Wuchang area and saw Hsiao managing her husband's funeral. At that moment, a mysterious wind suddenly blew up Hsiao's silk mourning clothes and revealed her red dress. Judge Peng knew there was something suspicious, and it must be the ghost of Li Chen who showed up to cry for justice. However, there was no evidence of injuries or signs of poisoning. The daring Mrs Hsiao even asked for the judge's black official hat as compensation. For the sake of the black hat and Li Chen's injustice, Judge Peng persistently looked for clues. In the end, Li Chen's ghost led him to find A-Hsi-Ta, but instead of frightening him, the judge leveraged A-Hsi-Ta to make Wu Pan-Hsi confess his guilt. The case was solved, villains were brought to justice, and A-Hsi-Ta got his identity transformed from a thief to a good citizen.

Info: Traditional plot. / Adapted by Liu Hsiu-Ting (劉秀庭) / Instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志) and Wu Sheng-Chieh (吳聲杰).
Synopsis:
The story happened in the Chia-Jing Era of the Ming Dynasty. Chu Su-Chen was the daughter of the Minister of Rites, Chu Wen-Li. She was sued at the imperial court for having killed Chien Wen-Hua's son, who was a villain. After the investigation, the emperor not only did not condemn Chu Su-Chen but appointed her as the inspector to investigate the rebellion of King Ji in Ssuchuan. Chu Su-Chen set off on a journey to investigate the rebelling king. When she dressed as a man and arrived in Shanhsi, on the necessary route from the capital to Ssuchuan, she found something unusual and started to investigating.

Info: Traditional plot. / Adapted and instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志) and Wu Sheng-Chieh (吳聲杰).
Synopsis:
Emperor Wu-Tsung of the Ming Dynasty, also known as Emperor Cheng-Te, changed his name to Wei Shou and went to Chiangnan in civilian disguise. When he was robbed by Li Chung, Yu Yuan-Lang, the son of the Yu Chief Commander of Tung Pass, Yu Chie, saved him. The emperor arrived at Tien-Hsiang Mansion in Yangchou, where there were many beautiful women and rare treasures, such as paintings and antiques. To see and enjoy the treasures, Emperor Cheng-Te took out the national treasure, the Jade lion, as illumination, but but Kung-Sun Chih stole it. At the same time, the emperor's whereabouts were revealed. Li Chung intended to lead a team to kill him. Luckily, Teng Hsiu came and saved the emperor in time. He then put Ou Hung to the sword.

Info: Traditional plot. / Adapted and instructed by Lin Yung-Chih (林永志) and Chen Ssu-Ting (陳思廷).
Synopsis:
Emperor Li Shih-Min marched into the Goryeo Kingdom and aggressively seized the capital, San-Chiang-Yueh-Hu City. The King of Goryeo, Kao Chien-Tsung, ordered his commander, Kai Su-Wen to gather the troops and besiege Li Shih-Min. When the Tang army was trapped in the city, Cheng Yao-Chin returned to the court for help. The imperial court ordered Luo Tung to be the commander of the reinforcements. Chin Huai-Yu, still in his mourning clothes, also volunteered to be the vanguard. The two men led their troops to rescue the emperor. Chin Huai-Yu fought and reached the eastern gate all by himself, but Yu Chih-Kung refused to let him enter the city to get back at him. Chin Huai-Yu had no choice but to break the four gates to relieve the siege of the Tang army.