A Photowayang

Alvin Eng Hui Lim

Figure. 1. Shen Bao 14 December, 1897.

On Tuesday 14 December 1897, or the 21st day of the 11th month of the year of Guangxu Emperor, Tong Qing Teahouse (Chinese: 同慶茶園) in Shanghai advertised in Shen Bao the staging of hua jing xi (畫景戲) by a troupe from Singapore (“星架坡”, an alternative Chinese transliteration of “Singapore”). “Spending a lot of money” to bring the “Singapore troupe” to Shanghai, another advertisement described the performance as a co-performance with local star actors. The performance featured hua jing (most likely painted backdrops) that depicted scenes of spirits, deities and buddhas emerging from the clouds.

The next day, a separate advertisement appeared in Shen Bao (Figure 1) with a more detailed description:

啓者近日星架坡新出一種畵景戱其中景緻活動如生大有巧夺天工之妙灵巧趣致難以细述不过將其大概情形略列奉闻凡演神祇仙佛化出雲頭

 [To whom it may concern, recently a new type of painted scenery play was introduced by Singapore. Each scenery looks lifelike, demonstrating a divine skill that makes them difficult to describe. Nevertheless, I can inform you that one of them can be described as gods, immortals and buddhas emerging from the clouds.]
 
 

“Tong qing cha yuan” [Tong qing teahouse], Shen Bao 15 December,
1897. My translation.

 
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