Cantonese Opera Ancient Tune of Guangling to Premiere at Chinese Culture Festival 2026 in Sha Tin Town Hall.

2026-08-12 11:00 Last Updated At：11:13

New Cantonese opera "Ancient Tune of Guangling" to premiere at Chinese Culture Festival in September to honour timeless legend and scholarly integrity of Wei-Jin period

The Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2026, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), brings together an outstanding local creative and artistic team this year to present the new Cantonese opera production "Ancient Tune of Guangling". Serving as the finale of the 14th Chinese Opera Festival, this highly anticipated work will be staged at the Sha Tin Town Hall from September 11 to 13. Renowned Cantonese opera virtuosos Loong Koon-tin, Tang Mi-ling, Yuen Siu-fai and Liu Kwok-sum will share the stage with emerging young artists Man Shuet-kau, To Wing-sum and Ng Lap-hei to portray the unyielding spirit and scholarlyintegrity of Ji Kang - one of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" during the turmoil of the Wei-Jin era. Together, they will recreate the Wei-Jin style through the traditional artistry of Cantonese opera.

Click to Gallery

Photo

Phoo

Photo

New Cantonese opera "Ancient Tune of Guangling" to premiere at Chinese Culture Festival in September to honour timeless legend and scholarly integrity of Wei-Jin period Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

More Images

Photo

Phoo

Photo

New Cantonese opera "Ancient Tune of Guangling" to premiere at Chinese Culture Festival in September to honour timeless legend and scholarly integrity of Wei-Jin period Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The "Ancient Tune of Guangling", an ancient "qin" (Chinese zither) masterpiece, carries a tragic legend of the famed scholar Ji Kang that has endured for millennia. Set during the Sima clan's usurpation in the late Cao Wei dynasty, the play follows Ji Kang, who receives this "qin" music from an immortal in a dream. As Sima Zhao seeks to draw intellectuals into his service, Ji Kang evades the conscription by severing ties with his close friend Shan Tao, who was ordered to summon him to office. Later, speaking out for justice in the Lü brothers' legal dispute, Ji Kang is falsely accused by scholar Zhong Hui, giving Sima Zhao the pretext to execute him. At the execution ground, Ji Kang calmly plays the "qin", his soul departing as the strings snap amid the final echoes of the "Ancient Tune of Guangling".

The production strictly follows the traditional "bang-huang" melodic system and established "qupai" (set tune-patterns), complemented by an elevated, classical diction to evoke once more the ways of the world and societal ethos during the Wei-Jin period. While contributing to the preservation of the Cantonese operatic tradition, this new creation embodies a core artistic spirit of Chinese opera - namely, to "stir the emotions, sharpen observation, foster fellowship, and give voice to grievance" - with the aspiration of touching the cultural sensibilities across different generations and striking a contemporary chord. The play delineates the intricate complexities of human nature and political intrigue amidst a turbulent era, while integrating modern stage aesthetics and lighting design to breathe new life into this traditional tale.

The play is penned by local poet Woo Kwok-yin as playwright, alongside veteran Cantonese opera practitioner Leung Wai-hong as artistic director and director. Celebrated stars Loong Koon-tin (as Ji Kang), Tang Mi-ling (as Ji Kang's wife, Lady Cao), Yuen Siu-fai (as Shan Tao) and Liu Kwok-sum (as Sima Zhao/the immortal) join forces with a talented cohort of young performers including Man Shuet-kau (as Sima Zhao's wife, Wang Yuanji), To Wing-sum (as Zhong Hui) and Ng Lap-hei (as Lü An). Together, they grace the stage to carry forward the heritage of Cantonese opera traditions and illuminate the brilliance of Chinese culture.

"A New Cantonese Opera 'Ancient Tune of Guangling'" will be held at 7.30pm on September 11 and 12 (Friday and Saturday), and at 2.30pm on September 13 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall.Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $180, $280, $380 and $480 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. The CCF 2026 offers various discount schemes, such as group booking discounts, package booking discounts and the newly introduced "Generations Together 1+1" discount. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/a-new-cantonese-opera-ancient-tune-of-guangling/.

The programme offers a pre-performance talk and a post-performance talk in Cantonese. The pre-performance talk will be held at 7.30pm on September 3 (Thursday) at AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers include Loong Koon-tin, Tang Mi-ling, Yuen Siu-fai, Woo Kwok-yin and Leung Wai-hong while To Wai Sau-ming, Marilyn will be the moderator. Admission is free, and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1963.html#tab_13_0). If the spaces for online registration are full, those interested may wait at the venue's entrance for a standby space on the day of the session. Any unclaimed spots will be released 10 minutes after the session begins on a first-come, first-served basis. The post-performance talk will be held after the performance on September 13 (Sunday). The speakers are Loong Koon-tin, Tang Mi-ling, Yuen Siu-fai, Liu Kwok-sum, Man Shuet-kau and Ng Lap-hei while To Wing-sum will be the moderator. Members of the audience are welcome to stay behind to join.

The programme will also feature a session under the "Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series" to be held at2.30pm on September 11 (Friday) at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall, with free admission specially for local primary and secondary school students. Loong Koon-tinandTang Mi-ling will join hands with To Wing-sum and Ng Lap-hei to perform an excerpt fromthe "Ancient Tune of Guangling", accompanied by easy-to-follow demonstrations and guided appreciation, allowing students to experience the unique charm of Cantonese opera, a world-class intangible cultural heritage item. Interested schools can call 2268 7325 for details.

The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public's sense of national identity and cultural confidence, thereby facilitating patriotic education. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Chinese Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. This year's CCF is held from June to September. For more information, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

Hong Kong: The Strategic Gateway for Business Expansion into China and Malaysia

Speech by SCED at "Hong Kong: Your Strategic Springboard to Chinese Mainland and Malaysia" business seminar and networking lunch in Kuala Lumpur

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, at the "Hong Kong: Your Strategic Springboard to Chinese Mainland and Malaysia" business seminar and networking lunch in Kuala Lumpur today (August 12):

YB Sim (Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Sim Tze Tzin), Mr Shamsul (Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Mr Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is a great pleasure to join you all here in Kuala Lumpur for this important event.

First, let me extend my warmest welcome to our friends from Malaysia, the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong. We are honoured to have with us today so many esteemed business leaders, investors, professionals and pioneers from various fields. Your presence here speaks volumes about the shared ambition and the deep economic ties that bind these three economies.

I have always loved visiting Malaysia, both for business and for leisure. This is my second visit in 2026 and fourth visit to the country during this term of Government, reflecting the significance of this market and how much I value the connections I have built here.

Hong Kong and Malaysia have enjoyed close business ties for decades, with Malaysia being Hong Kong's eighth-largest trading partner. With our strong ties, both of our economies are growing rapidly. In the first quarter this year, Hong Kong's economy recorded its most substantial quarterly expansion in this decade, with GDP (Gross Domestic Product) surging 5.9 per cent year-on-year as driven by the strong export performance. Malaysia has also turned in an impressive first-quarter result, expanding 5.4 per cent and exceeding market expectations for the second quarter in a row. Also, bilateral trade between our economies amounted to US$21.5 billion in the first 10 months of last year.

These figures clearly demonstrate that our bilateral relations possess genuine dynamism and mutualism. It is therefore imperative that we continue to explore and develop new avenues for economic growth, which is the very purpose of our presence here.

Hong Kong has always been serving as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" connecting the East and the West, and bringing together both capital and opportunities. With this strategic role, coupled with the many strengths of Hong Kong, Hong Kong is prepared to serve as the ideal springboard linking the Chinese Mainland and Malaysia.

For Chinese Mainland companies looking to go global, Hong Kong is your ideal launch pad, as we offer a unique combination of advantages that no other city can replicate: the practice of the common law system, the free flow of capital, a simple and low tax regime, world-class professional services, a quality pool of international talent, and sophisticated business networks for trade and investment. And these are some advantages on top of our international reputation as the freest economy and one of the most competitive cities in the world.

As such, Hong Kong is in the best position to assist Chinese Mainland enterprises to expand overseas businesses.

To turn this vision into reality, I am leading the GoGlobal Task Force (Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global) which was set up last October, providing a one-stop platform and tailored support services for Chinese Mainland enterprises to expand into overseas markets, including Malaysia. The GoGlobal Task Force provides Chinese Mainland enterprises with Hong Kong's world-class professional services including legal, accounting, testing and certifications. We assist them to set up the necessary corporate functions like regional headquarters and corporate treasury centres, raising funds for overseas expansion, and building strong reputation in the international market, thereby getting them ready for international business development. With our broad business networks, we also curate introductions to established Malaysian industry players, trade associations, and government agencies, to accelerate the trust-building process essential for successful partnerships and encourage knowledge exchanges between the two places.

In addition, the GoGlobal Task Force organises various outbound missions to enable Chinese Mainland enterprises planning to visit target overseas markets to gain a better understanding of the local market situation. The Kuala Lumpur mission this time round is one of them.

This time I am bringing a delegation of representatives from Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland enterprises spanning across sectors such as finance, professional services, healthcare, automobile and innovation and technology. They are here to meet with and establish collaboration and partnerships with the Malaysian business community, thereby enhancing mutual benefits and opportunities.

The go global initiative will create vast opportunities for Malaysian businesses and industries to join hands with Chinese Mainland counterparts wishing to establish a presence in Malaysia. For instance, Malaysian business and professional service providers will benefit from the new demand for services from incoming Chinese Mainland enterprises. Enterprises from both countries can form joint ventures and partnerships to jointly expand businesses in Malaysia and across the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region, or reciprocally venture into the Chinese Mainland market. The key is that, we see new opportunities arising from collaboration and investment from Chinese Mainland companies, and this collaboration will translate into stronger bonding and mutual benefits that will be a win-win outcome for both countries.

Additionally, Hong Kong will always serve as the premium gateway for Malaysian companies to enter the vast Chinese Mainland market. Hong Kong has established deep connections with the Chinese Mainland, particularly through the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). CEPA is nationality-neutral and does not impose any restrictions on the source of investments. A foreign company may also establish itself in Hong Kong, optimise its business with Hong Kong's comprehensive professional services, and gain convenient access to the Chinese Mainland market.

Besides, we are proactively driving the 30 000-hectare Northern Metropolis development, which will serve as a strategic location to foster the growth of strategic industries and economic opportunities. We also introduce preferential policy packages covering concessionary land premium, land grant and tax incentive to attract strategic industries and enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong.

I sincerely encourage you all to leverage the new opportunities in Hong Kong. Our newly-established Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur ETO) will provide you with all the necessary advice and support.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong is fully committed to facilitating two-way investment flows between our two economies. With the opening of the Kuala Lumpur ETO, and with events like this one today, we are building the bridges that will connect businesses and opportunities, and elevate the partnership and mutual prosperity of Malaysia and Hong Kong to a new level.

I wish you a productive seminar, a fruitful networking lunch, and many long-lasting partnerships to come.

Thank you.

Cantonese Opera Ancient Tune of Guangling to Premiere at Chinese Culture Festival 2026 in Sha Tin Town Hall.