183 Beijing Operas - Jin Dali - Number 206

Jin Dali

Beijing Opera - "Bala Temple"

Jin Dali with a rubbed-in black full face plays a minor role in "Bala Temple," adapted from a story in "Magistrate's Shi's Casebook." Fei Degong, a despot, and his henchmen go to the Bala Temple where they abduct a number of local girls. Huang Tianba, a law officer, sees them and devises a plan to arrest them. He has his wife dressed as a girl burning incense in the temple. True to his expectations, the tyrant abducts her too and takes her to his home where he forces her to marry him. She pretends to agree, but secretly steals his precious sword and the darts he concealed in his sleeves. Huang Tianba and his men arrive, and after a fierce struggle arrest the tyrant. Jin Dali is a friend of Huang Tianba.