Hairpin, Butterfly and Tong Tik-sang Revisited 

Tong Tik-sang penned his ‘Dynastic Tetralogy’—The Legend of Purple Hairpin, Butterfly and Red Pear Blossom, The Reincarnation of Lady Plum Blossom, and Princess Chang Ping—for the Sin Fung Ming Opera Troupe in the 1950s. This series of masterworks provided an opportunity for local audiences to reinforce their identification with traditional Chinese culture, while critiquing the ills of dynastic monarchy. The two films selected for screening, The Legend of Purple Hairpin (1959) and Butterfly and Red Pear Blossom (1959), were both adapted for the silver screen by Tong himself. They share similar themes, featuring courtesans who refuse to passively accept their lot in a feudal, rigidly hierarchical society. They fall in love with the male leads of their respective stories, and despite great obstacles, the lovers ultimately triumph in their love. The two works thoroughly earn their reputations as two of Tong’s most timeless and touching love stories; they are also classic adaptations of Cantonese Opera into the film medium. The post-screening talks will discuss valuable, recently uncovered details about Tong’s life.

Presented by:

Organised by:

The Chinese Culture Festival (CCF), presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the LCSD's Chinese Culture Promotion Office, aims to enhance the public's appreciation of Chinese culture and cultivate citizens' national identity and cultural confidence. The inaugural CCF will be held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the Chinese Opera Festival, exemplary local arts projects recognised by the China National Arts Fund, performing arts programmes from arts and cultural organisations, film screenings, exhibitions, talks and more, the festival allows members of the public and visitors to experience the broad and profound Chinese culture with a view to promoting Chinese culture and patriotic education as well as enhancing national identity amongst the people of Hong Kong, making contributions to the steadfast and successful implementation of "one country, two systems". Please visit the CCF website (www.ccf.gov.hk) for details.

The LCSD has long promoted Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.

The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.