Yu Opera Movie Seventh Grade Magistrate Buys Sweet Potato Main Content Summary

The Seven-Pin Magistrate Sells Sweet Potatoes is a local Chinese opera--Yu Opera repertoire, which expresses the integrity and wit of Tang Cheng, the seventh-pin magistrate, in a comedic form, and satirizes a series of crookedness in the society.

Opera art films have had a glorious chapter in the history of Chinese cinema, and the first Chinese film in 1905 was the opera art film Dingjunshan. Later in the 1950s and 1960s, there were "Dream of Red Mansions", "The Fairy of the Sky", "The Fish Chaser" and "Yang Men Women Generals", all of which were masterpieces that were highly prized by the public and were seen by thousands of people. Around the 1980s, there were still "Seven Sesame Officers", "Five Daughters' Birthday", "Spring Grass" and so on, which were unique for a while.

However, in the last decade or so, opera art films seem to be declining. There are fewer movies, and even fewer amazing masterpieces. In my mind, I always suspect that this may have something to do with our misunderstanding of the national tradition; another reason is that we have somewhat neglected the peasant audience, and the market for opera films is mainly in the countryside.

In such a background to see the Changchun Film Studio and Henan Province, Hebi City Bureau of Culture jointly produced comedy opera art film "seven governor selling sweet potatoes" can not but extraordinarily happy. And it has been shot so well, it is even more delightful.

On the surface, this is a comedy. The comedy story,, the comedy characters, the comedy style, all make people laugh. Who would have thought that Tang Cheng, the county magistrate of Qingyuan, would escort Yan Xuejiao, the enjoined person who committed the murder, to the capital for retrial, but on the way, he received the imperial decree of "escorting the enjoined person". In an instant, the top and bottom of the shift, the host and guest upside down, Yan Xuejiao domineering. In a fit of pique, Tang Cheng posted a notice saying he was going home to sell sweet potatoes, and went to the capital with his bookkeeper and his old classmate.

This is just the beginning, and what follows is even more surprising and hilarious. After "escorting" the grant to the Yan residence, Tang Cheng was rejected by the Yan siblings. Being rejected by the door of the Tang Cheng also can not act at will, must wait for Yan Song's summons at any time. Day after day, like a beggar, prisoner, Tang Cheng freezing and starving, grief and anger.

But he is not a tragic figure, not a person who can be defeated at will. His comedic character prompted him to pick up the weapons of wisdom to continue the fight. He sold sweet potatoes on the street and sold them all the way to the State Duke's residence. When the Duke Xu Yanzhao hesitated, Tang Cheng "provoked" him into a duel with the powerful forces of evil.

The reason why we prefer to call it "drama" is that comedies often deliberately set up gags to make people laugh in pursuit of comedic effects, with false contradictions, vulgar jokes and poor taste; not so in "Seven Types of Sweet Potatoes". It makes you laugh, but not for the purpose of "laughter". Its conflicts are real and typical, its characters are vivid and realistic, and its meanings are universal and profound. All of the above, so you can not take the general "comedy" and see it.

All this is mainly reflected in the portrayal of the artistic image of Tang Cheng. His character can be said to be both distinctive and rich, and both relatable and respectable. He is a "clean official", impartial law enforcement, for the people; but he is also a "commoner", smoking bag, selling sweet potatoes, to the powerful and noble struggle, to the people's daughter kneeling. His fight with the enjoined, the traitorous minister, not only out of loyalty to the top, more out of that cynicism, sympathy for the weak heart of justice. He was able to defeat the powerful and noble, justice, mainly relying on, not the power in his hands, but the wisdom of the mind on his shoulders. His victory is not the victory of the "clean official" loyal to the emperor, but the victory of the fighter's justice and wisdom.

Traditional opera is difficult to revitalize and develop in modern society, and one of the disadvantages is that awareness and concepts often lag behind the times. The precious thing about "The Seven-Professional Governor Sells Sweet Potatoes" is that it keeps pace with the times and embodies modern consciousness in its works.

The transformation of the image of the "Qing official" in the traditional drama with the character and identity of a "civilian governor", a fighter for justice, and a clever and wise person is a clear manifestation of the sense of the times in the work; and Lin Xiuying's giving up in the middle of the play leads us to a deeper reflection. In the past "Qing official's play", the victimized people are often only the object of the Qing official's grace, favor, sympathy and help; but in this work, Lin Xiuying becomes the main body of the struggle. If she withdraws from the struggle, Tang Cheng will accomplish nothing. It is also the joint struggle of Lin Xiuying and Tang Cheng that finally brings down the mountain of Yan Song.

The end of the movie is also interesting. Tang Cheng did not get carried away after bringing down the treacherous prime minister and enfeoffment, but chose the wise path of "retiring after accomplishing his mission". The artist let Tang Cheng back to the countryside, do a cultural heritage of the teacher. He taught his descendants to "be an official for the people" and "be upright". This is a simple truth, but also an eternal truth.

Filled with righteousness and justice, the movie breaks through the "comedy" and transcends the "comedy"; therefore, we are more willing to call it a "drama".