© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Performers Backstage – Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

Chinese opera has been reduced to nothing more than an incidental ‘performance’ limited to temple celebrations and festivals that are often associated with the spiritual need to appease and honour deities. Couple with poorly constructed makeshift stages, unhygienic living conditions, worn-out costumes and intimidating makeup, it is no wonder that I grew up fearing and avoiding these structures usually found in back alleys, abandoned play grounds or fields and alongside temple grounds.

Although I overcame the fear of my self imagined grotesque view of Chinese opera, the fact remains that the Chinese opera is an anachronism where younger generation like myself can no longer understand and appreciate. My personal lack of understanding of the Chinese language and dialects aside, the stylised language, symbolism and feudal stories used by the opera troupes are simply no longer relevant in today’s context.

Making its appearance first in the mid-nineteenth century when large numbers of Chinese migrated to Malaysia (Malaya then) in search of employment and economic opportunities, the Chinese opera was performed by troupes that were brought in from China and the Chinese opera form adhered closely to and were influenced by cultural developments in China.

With many proprietors and performers never returning to China, the troupes continued to perform professionally in Malaya and later Malaysia, with performers receiving income solely from the opera, and lived and traveled together with the troupe’s proprietor.

Even though the Chinese opera is performed in different dialects, the various types of Chinese opera shared many similar characteristics and functions; using the same character types which are identifiable by their facial features, colour, material and decorations of costume and head-ware. Story lines too, focused on the life and deeds of emperors, aristocracy and generals of China, romantic love between scholars and heroine, demons and fairies as well as the conquests of barbaric tribes, with some popular adaptations drawn from classics like Shuihu Zhuan (The Water Margin), San Kuo Yanyi (The Romance of the Three Kingdoms), as well as folklore such as Sam Pek Eng Tai.

Although the Chinese opera was original introduced in Malaya as a source of entertainment for the immigrants, lackluster response and closure of ‘amusement parks’ that once hosted the Chinese opera in the late 1960s, saw a shift in the Chinese opera’s role to one that was performed as offerings to celebrate the birthdays of Chinese temple deities and during the seventh month Phor Tor (Hungry Ghost) festival. For many decades to come, the staging of the Chinese opera remained a community affair during the temple festivals, drawing many temple followers who in addition to making offerings to the deities, gathered socially with friends and indulge in delicacies sold at makeshift side stall near the temple grounds.

However, with increasing proliferation of technological advancement and globalisation, the Chinese opera over the past 2 decades competes with new forms of entertainment such as the movie, radio and television and continues to struggle in terms of relevance in today’s world. Whilst it is still possible to ‘catch’ a Chinese opera performance during the Phor Tor (Hungry Ghost) festival and Kau Ong Yah (9 Emperor God), most are confined to states such as Penang, Malacca and Johor where there’s a concentration on efforts to preserve the Chinese tradition and culture, and it is important to note that most of these performances are by troupes imported from Thailand, Taiwan and China.

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Note: Shot in two locations over two weekends, it is hoped that the pictures will be compelling and sufficient to keep this art form alive through private fund raising.

Many thanks to the troop owners for their hospitality.

Click HERE for FULL slideshow / multimedia on the Malaysian Chinese Opera … a backstage pass