So Luk Neung

Dirs: Zheng Yibao, Lu Yinci
Scrs: Zheng Yibao, Lu Yinci, Law Chi-hung
Prod Co: Sun Luen
Cast: Yao Xuanqiu, Hong Miao, Chen Lihua, Chen Fugui, Cai Jinkun
1960 | Colour | Digital File | Chaozhou Opera | Chinese Subtitles | 104min

Su Liuniang (Yao Xuanqiu) and her cousin Guo Jichun (Chen Lihua) are in love, but their dreams are shattered when Liuniang’s father agrees to marry her off to the son of a powerful man, Yang Ziliang (Cai Jinkun). Liuniang refuses the match, but in vain, following immense pressure from Yang and an elder of the Su family. The night before the wedding, Liuniang attempts to take her life, but is fortunately saved by maid Peach Blossom (Li Qin) and a boatman. Liuniang is finally reunited with her love after all their trials and tribulations.

With a history that traces back to the Ming dynasty, Su Liuniang has long been hailed as the most prestigious of Teochew operas. In 1956, Zhang Huayun and Xie Yin compiled a new libretto for the opera based on the recollections of veteran performers and old handwritten copies, changing the original tragic tale that ended with the lovers’ suicide. After it was staged by the Guangdong Teochew Opera Troupe, it went on to become an enduring classic.

In the spring of 1959, Hung Tu Film Company brought Su Liuniang to the big screen in the form of a stage documentary, preserving the essence and staging of the original. In May 1960, the Guangdong Teochew Opera Troupe performed in Hong Kong for the first time, sparking a wave of interest in the genre. The film achieved excellent box office results when it was released in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and other markets. Its success convinced many film companies into producing Teochew opera films, leading to a boom of nearly 150 such films in the 1960s.

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