183 Beijing Operas - Yuwen Chengdu - Number 105

Yuwen Chengdu

Beijing Opera - "Nanyang Pass"

Yuwen Chengdu with a yellow flowered three-tile face plays a part in the opera "Nanyang Pass," based on a story in Romance of the Tang Dynasty. Yuwen Chengdu was a general under Yang Guang, later Emperor Yangdi of the Sui dynasty. He is revered as the second greatest warrior of the Sui-Tang period. In the opera Yang Guang kills a man called Wu Juanzhang and his family. The ony survivor, a son called Yunzhao, happens to be the garrison commander of Nanyang Pass. Afraid that Yunzhao will revolt, Yang Guang sends troops to arrest him and bring him to the capital. Yuwen Chengdu is in command of a reserve force in the attack on Nanyang Pass, After being defeated un several battles, Yunzhao flees.