Sunday evening I saw Meng Lijun , a classic Yue Opera show, at the Xiaoshan Theatre in Hangzhou.

The tickets were 180 RMB, all 1361 seats were sold out.

I learned the most basic difference between Shaoxing Opera and Yue Opera. Yue is softer — fewer drums, more strings. It suits the romantic, emotional stories the style is known for.

Here's something interesting: in the West, every theatre performance starts with a loud, threatening reminder that filming is prohibited. Maybe they're scared of flaws being exposed. Maybe they're jealous about copyright. Either way, it's ugly. In China, everyone can film as much as they want. I liked that.

The plot:

Meng Lijun is a smart and brave young woman. To save her family from trouble, she dresses as a man. She takes the national exam (another important Chinese topic to study) and gets the top rank. Later she works as a high-ranking officer in the court. She solves many difficult cases and helps a lot of people. For a long time, nobody finds out her secret. The story praises her wisdom, courage, and loyalty to her family. There are complications, but in the end virtue triumphs.

An evergreen story, beautifully told, in a full house. A good Sunday.