183 Beijing Operas - Kong Xiu - Number 81

Kong Xiu

Beijing Beijing Opera - "Crossing of the Five Passes"

Kong Xiu with a purple pointed three-tile face has a leading role in the opera "Crossing of the Five Passes." Kong Xiu, guardian of Dongling Pass was slain by Guan Yu when he refused to let Guan Yu who was escorting Liu Bei's spouses through the Pass.

At this Guan Yu got very angry and made to cut at the commander on the spot, but Kong Xiu withdrew into the gate and beat the drums for an attack. Thereupon the soldiers armed themselves, mounted, and came down to oppose the passage, crying, "Dare you go through, eh?"

The carriage was sent off to a safe distance, and then Guan Yu rode at full speed directly at the commander of the guard, who set his spear and came to meet him. The two steeds met and the men engaged, but at the first stroke of the green-dragon saber the commander of the gate fell to the earth dead. His troops fled.

"Soldiers, do not flee!" cried Guan Yu. "I killed him because I could do no otherwise. I have nothing against you, but I would ask you to tell the Prime Minister how this thing came to pass, that Kong Xiu wished to kill me, and so I slew him in self defense."

The soldiers bowed before him, and Guan Yu, with the carriage, passed through the gates and continued their way to Luoyang. But one of the guards of the pass went quickly in advance and informed the Governor of Luoyang, Han Fu, of the slaughter of Kong Xiu.