HAJI MAJI

Sorry Dave, I took forever!
Initial asking around, one said this record is recorded in Thailand
The red words on the left lines can be loosely translated as “Thailand Capital Teochew Tunes”

From my research for an exhibition on Teochew traditional arts in Singapore, Teochew opera and music only became popular in Singapore around 1957 with the influx of Teochew Opera movies from the Shantou of Guangdong – mainly from the Opera School there.

Before 1957, Teochew Opera and music was deemed as a low-class art form for the average masses, as
a) the language used were daily speech & slangs (versus Official Court jargon used by the officials during the last few Dynasties of China in Wai Jiang Opera {The 1st Teochew Opera form popular in SG, Malaysia & Indonesia since 1910 – 1960s)
b) the opera is performed by male & female children who are earning a living (versus Wai Jiang – the high-class opera performed for the elites & educated, & also a popular recreation form for the rich)

Teochew Opera is a relatively new opera form in China, evolved from a juxtaposition of multiple opera forms that trickled into Teochew-speaking region of Guangdong (a political & economic backwater location for centuries).

The characteristics of Teochew Opera & music displays clear signs of its evolution from Nan Opera (The earliest form of Chinese Opera, which all major Chinese operas have evolved from), Wai Jiang Opera, Qin Opera & Gui Opera. All synergizing together during the late Qing Dynasty to create a distinctive southern China flavour in Teochew Opera & music.

In fact, my society is in the process of recording a DVD of Teochew music now, led by a famous composer & conductor from Shantou China now.

We’ll be quite appreciative if you support our production. Be it advice on our DVD educational contents, or financially, it will be great.

Hi Dave

It is remarkable to note your interest in Chinese opera.
Judging from the label, it was indeed a very old troupe from
China. The title is about a ‘bodyguard of the well known
justice Pao. Background is China Song (or Sung) dynasty.
However, I believe there is a set of several LPs.

That’s all I can describe.

Hello Chia,
Teochew Opera existed in China since the end of the Qing Dynasty and they did come into Singapore as well. But they were considered crude and coarse and not worthy of the educated & better-off China residents of Singapore to learn as a hobby. The amateur Teochew musicians and actors (males only; proper girls don’t go out and disgrace themselves) took up Waijiang or Gua Gang Opera and music. Teochew Opera troupes before the influx of TC Opera movies were professional troupes with children slaves (boys and girls) performing scripts in bai hua or normal conversational Teochew language about day to day life, etc. Gua Gang on the other hand is performed in Mandarin and in Official Language. i.e. Legal Chinese, so difficult that only the officials and highly educated would understand. (similar to your law books, English that only lawyers would understand.)
Therefore, in the streets, TC Opera was for the masses, illiterate or educated does not matter. In theatres, amateurs pay money to perform “posh” difficult to understand Gua Gang, “proving that they are so polished”. =)

There were so many TC opera companies in Thailand 50 years ago. There were more 5 opera theatres in Yaoyalat (Chinatown in BKK). It is so sad that there is nothing now. There are a few TC opera in Thailand, but they are not Chinese. They are Thai who are from countryside. They can sing and dance, but they don’t know the meaning. Chinese opera in Thai is Ngiew.

Ben USA