Chinese Opera Festival to Showcase Classic Films Inspired by Three Kingdoms from May to September 2025.

Chinese Culture Festival 2025 to screen selected Chinese opera films on Three Kingdoms

The Chinese Opera Festival (COF), as a core part of the Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, will launch the screening programme "Chinese Opera Film Shows" from May to September. The programme will showcase 10 classic Chinese opera films from the 1950s to 1980s, featuring Cantonese opera, Peking opera and Yuediao opera. To resonate with the theme of "Three Kingdoms" of this year's COF, most selected films are inspired by the stories of "Romance of Three Kingdoms", with a special focus on the plays related to "Zhou Yu Thrice Humiliated", "Invoking the East Wind", "A Meeting of Heroes" and "The Battle at Changbanpo", making a delightful contrast between the stage performances and film screenings for similar repertories at the festival.

Details of the Cantonese opera film screenings are as follows:

"How Hung Ming Thrice Defeated Chow Yu" (1956)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: May 31 (Saturday)

Starring: Sun Ma Si-tsang, Yam Kim-fai, Ng Kwun-lai, Choi Zhen-chu

Synopsis: Zhuge Liang (Hung Ming) is entrusted to persuade Zhou Yu (Chow Yu) to form an alliance against the State of Wei, but Zhou repeatedly schemes to make things difficult for him. Later, after Shu seizes control of Jingzhou, Zhou attempts various stratagems to reclaim the territory, all of which are cleverly thwarted by Zhuge. Coupled with repeated military defeats, Zhou dies of frustration and despair.

"The Beauty of the Warring States" (1959)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: June 14 (Saturday)

Starring: Ho Fei-fan, Lam Dan, Leung Sing-por, Mak Bing-wing

Synopsis: General Fan Yuqi of Qin is entrusted to invite Crown Prince Dan of Yan and his consort to Qin as guests. The King of Qin breaks his promise and imprisons them instead. Fan helps the royal couple escape successfully. Infuriated, the King launches an assault on Yan on a false claim. Crown Prince Dan accepts the courtier Tian Guang's recommendation to send Jing Ke to assassinate the King.

"Luck Sun" (1957)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: July 12 (Saturday)

Starring: Fong Yim-fun, Yam Kim-fai, Mak Bing-wing, Poon Yat-on

Synopsis: Cao Cao decrees Lady Zhen is to marry Cao Pi. Heartbroken, Cao Zhi loses his creative spirit. Later, Pi ascends the throne. He believes rumours suggesting that Zhi is the father of his child, and forces Lady Zhen to take poison and banishes Zhi to a remote land, forcing the lovers apart forever.

"Lui Bo Captures Diu Sim" (1956)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: August 30 (Saturday)

Starring: Sun Ma Si-tsang, Tang Bik-wan, Lau Hark-suen, Pak Lung-chu

Synopsis: Dong Zhuo holds sway in the imperial court and renders the young king a mere figurehead, aided by the formidable warrior Lü Bu (Lui Bo). Concerned for the state, the songstress Diao Chan (Diu Sim) and minister Wang Yun devise a honey trap. Wang promises Diao's hand to Dong and Lü. Diao begs Lü to rescue her by killing Dong. Meanwhile, Diao tearfully reports to Dong that Lü had taken liberties with her, thus turning the partners into enemies.

Details of the Chinese opera film screenings are as follows:

Peking opera film "Invoking the East Wind" (1957)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: July 9 (Wednesday)

Starring: Xiao Changhua, Ma Lianliang, Tan Fuying, Ye Shenglan

Synopsis: Zhou Yu and Huang Gai stage a ruse, pretending to defect to Cao Cao's army and execute a fire attack. Cao is suspicious, and dispatches Jiang Gan to investigate. Jiang mistakenly believes that there is internal strife in Eastern Wu, and convinces Cao that Eastern Wu poses no real threat. In the end, Zhuge Liang successfully invokes the easterly wind, giving the Wu-Shu alliance the upper hand in battle.

Peking opera film "A Meeting of Heroes" (1957)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: July 30 (Wednesday)

Starring: Ma Lianliang, Tan Fuying, Ye Shenglan, Qiu Shengrong, Yuan Shihai, Xiao Changhua

Synopsis: At Xiakou, Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu come together to resist Cao Cao's advances. To spy on their coalition, Cao dispatches Jiang Gan to visit Zhou under the guise of friendship. Zhou sees through the ruse and organises a grand feast for civil and military elites. He deliberately let Jiang steal a forged letter of surrender from Cao's general and escape back to Cao's camp. The letter leads the suspicious Cao to mistakenly believe that there is treachery within his ranks and to execute several of his own generals.

Peking opera film "The Sworn Brothers' Reunion at the Old City" (1976)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: August 6 (Wednesday)

Starring: Gao Shenglin, Yuan Shihai, Li Shizhang

Synopsis: After Shu's defeat by Wei, Guan Yu is forced to surrender and imprisoned by Cao Cao. Later, he learns of Liu Bei's whereabouts, and escapes to reunite with Liu. On hearing that Zhang Fei is stationed at the Old City, Guan rushes there, but Zhang is suspicious of Guan's intentions. Guan shows his unwavering loyalty by killing Cai Yang of the Cao army who arrives in pursuit. Zhang realises his grave mistake and apologises. The brothers are reunited.

Yuediao opera film "Zhuge Liang Mourns Zhou Yu" (1980)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: August 27 (Wednesday)

Starring: He Quanzhi, Shen Fengmei, Chen Jing, Mu Baicheng

Synopsis: Zhou Yu is determined to reclaim Jingzhou. His negotiations with Zhuge Liang prove fruitless, triggering a fierce battle in which Zhou suffers a crushing defeat and dies of grief at Baqiu. Zhuge travels to Wu to attend Zhou's memorial. General Zhang Zhao lays an ambush with the intent of capturing Zhuge. Zhuge points out to Zhang that any strife between the states of Shu and Wu would only benefit Cao Cao. At that moment, Cao is advancing with an army of hundreds of thousands. Zhang quickly apologises to Zhuge, and they begin discussing a joint plan to repel the invasion.

Peking opera film "The Goddess of Luo River" (1955)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: September 3 (Wednesday)

Starring: Mei Lanfang, Jiang Miaoxiang

Synopsis: Cao Pi crowns Lady Zhen as royal consort, but she is drawn to the literary brilliance of his younger brother, Cao Zhi. The two begin a forbidden romance in the face of grave danger. Upon discovering Lady Zhen's infidelity, Pi executes her in a fit of rage. Years later, Zhi dreams of a divine calling from the Goddess of River Luo, and he goes to the appointed place, astonished to find Lady Zhen waiting for him. She has become the Goddess of River Luo, a celestial being, forever separated from the mortal realm.

Peking opera film "The Battle at Changbanpo" (1976)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: September 10 (Wednesday)

Starring: Yuan Shihai, Li Jialin, Yu Dalu

Synopsis: Liu Bei's retreat from Xinye is pursued by Cao Cao's forces through the night at Changbanpo. Liu becomes separated from his troops and family. Zhao Yun charges into the enemy camp alone and rescues the local governors Jian Yong and Mi Zhu. He also fights valiantly to protect Lady Gan and Liu's infant son, A Dou, leading them safely through the encirclement.

Traditional Chinese subtitles will be provided for the lyrics of the Cantonese opera films. Simplified Chinese subtitles will be provided for the lyrics of the Chinese opera films "A Meeting of Heroes", "The Sworn Brothers' Reunion at the Old City", "Zhuge Liang Mourns Zhou Yu", "The Goddess of Luo River", and "The Battle at Changbanpo". "Invoking the East Wind" will have no subtitles.

The above-mentioned Cantonese opera films will be screened at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum at 7.45pm, and the Peking opera and Yuediao opera films will be screened at the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive at 7.30pm. Tickets priced at $70 per screening are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Group booking discount and package booking discount are available for purchasing selected CCF stage programmes, the "Chinese Opera Film Shows" of the COF 2025 and the "Legacy and Vision: Conversations with Chinese Cultural Masters" lecture. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/chinese-opera-film-shows/ .

The programme will also feature two sessions under the "Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series", featuring the film of Peking opera "A Meeting of Heroes" (1957), to be held at 11am and 2.30pm on September 8 (Monday) at the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive. Free admission specially for local primary and secondary school students to allow them to have the opportunity to appreciate the traditions and essence of Peking opera through the timeless masterpiece. Interested schools can call 2268 7325 for details.

In addition, extension activities including talks on "Three Kingdoms" Opera, the Art of Kunqu Opera and the Culture of Chinese Opera, Masterclasses and Demonstration Talk of Kunqu Opera, the "Three Kingdoms in Chinese Opera" Exhibition, meet-the-artists sessions, a backstage tour and a demonstration performance of Peking opera will be held during the CCF period to promote the artistry and culture of Chinese traditional opera. For more information about the COF 2025, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1839.html.

The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public's national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from both the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 will be held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the COF, "Tan Dun WE-Festival", film screenings, exhibitions, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

Chinese Culture Festival 2025 to screen selected Chinese opera films on Three Kingdoms Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Chinese Culture Festival 2025 to screen selected Chinese opera films on Three Kingdoms Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Chinese Culture Festival 2025 to screen selected Chinese opera films on Three Kingdoms Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Chinese Culture Festival 2025 to screen selected Chinese opera films on Three Kingdoms Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Notes exchange service and electronic lai-see for Chinese New Year

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

As the Chinese New Year draws near, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the three note-issuing banks (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited) announced today (January 13) that new notes and good-as-new notes, i.e. used notes which are in good condition and suitable for use as lai-see, will be available for exchange at branches of the three note-issuing banks from February 3 (Tuesday) to February 16 (Monday).

The HKMA encourages the public to use electronic channels including the Faster Payment System available via online or mobile banking, or other e-wallet services for giving lai-see. Giving electronic lai-see is simple and convenient, and will contribute to sustainable development by reducing the usage of physical red packets and banknotes. Major banks and electronic payment operators will encourage giving electronic lai-see by various promotional programmes. The public may refer to the details of these programmes as and when announced by banks and operators.

The three note-issuing banks will put in place appropriate measures to facilitate the notes exchange, including:

(1)

Advancing the opening hour to 8am on the first 3 days of the service period, i.e. February 3 (Tuesday) to February 5 (Thursday), and dedicating the aforesaid additional operation hour, i.e. 8am to 9am, exclusively for providing the notes exchange service;

(2)

Offering online booking service for both new notes and good-as-new notes starting from January 27 (Tuesday), details of which will be announced by individual note-issuing banks within next week; and

(3)

Putting in place crowd management measures such as distributing physical tickets and implementing queue management when needed.

Members of the public who desire to use cash for giving lai-see may wish to check for any remaining stock of new notes or good-as-new notes at home before going to a bank. Also, there is no need to rush to exchange for new notes and good-as-new notes during the first few days of the service period as banks will ensure the supply of these notes throughout the service period.

Source: AI-found images