A Visit of the Emperor Zhao Kuang Yin to a Taoist Temple

The plot of this opera is based on a fairytale. Characters in this play can be found in Chinese history, but there are no similar records in history books with respect to the events related in these stories.

Zhao Kuang Yin (A.D. 927-976) is a brave warrior who becomes the Emperor of the Song Dynasty. One day, he rescues a girl named Jingniang, who has been kidnapped by a group of bandits. He makes the girl his sworn sister while escorting her home, in order to avoid the rumour that he may have had an affair with her. The girl's father wants them to marry, but Zhao Kuang Yin declines, insisting that they are sworn brother and sister. The girl commits suicide, and her soul escorts Zhao to his destination.