272 Beijing Opera Performers - Wu Zhu - Number 212

Wu Zhu

Beijing Opera - "Niutou Mountain"

Wu Zhu, or Jin Wu Zhu (?-1148), with a black-and-gold broken-flower face plays a role in "Niutou Mountain," also called "Overturning the Battle Wagons." "Overturning the Battle Wagons," an opera about Yue Fei's fight against the Jurchen general Wu Zhu at Niutou Mountain. Yue Fei's army is hard pressed in the early part of the battle. Goa Chong, one of his subordinates who has been ordered to guard the rear, comes up to help him and they rout the Jurchen army. Wu Zhu, the Jurchen commander, now orders Hei Fengli, one of the captains, to hurl his iron battle wagons down the mountain slope to block Yue Fei's advance. Gao Chong overturns a number of wagons, but in the end both he and his horse are exhausted and he is knocked down and killed.