Red Performer

In the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth years of the Republic of China (1936-1937), after the "Banquet at Huairen Hall," the Japanese invaders intensified their encroachment on China. The Japanese army provoked incidents and stirred up conflict throughout Beiping. For a time, Beiping became the heart of the maelstrom of the Sino-Japanese War. The people living near the city of Beiping spent their days in fear. Some were lost, some enraged, and some numb. The storm was gathering over Anyuan County. With the Japanese army stationed in the county seat, conflicts grew more intense, and war was about to break out.

Theme: "The Red Performer" was originally a song released by traditional-style singer HITA on September 27, 2018. The first time I heard it, the distinctive Kunqu opera recitation and the forceful notes of its theatrical singing, along with its heartfelt words, "Though lowly, I dare not forget my country's plight," deeply moved and shook me. A poem by Cao Xuequan of the Ming dynasty says, "The righteous are often found among dog butchers, while the faithless are often men of letters." It is also recorded as, "Heroes are often found among dog butchers; chivalrous women have always come from the dust." Over time, the saying "The courtesans of brothels are all loyal, and heroes are all dog butchers" arose among the people. Though things are not entirely as these sayings claim, they always bring to mind that forceful performer singing of the rise and fall of nations onstage: Li Xiangjun...