Peking Opera Silang Visits His Mother

From 10th to 12th Century, there were two political states in China. One is called Liao, ruled by a minority group in northeast China. The other is called Song, ruled by the Han majority. Liao intruded Song from time to time. The two states had been at war for a long time.

In the Song state, there was a family of Yang serving as senior military officials. All family members, father, mother and their eight sons, were adept in martial arts skill.

One day, Liao invited the Song Emperor for a peace talk. Song didn't know whether it was a trick or not. So they sent Yang family's eldest son to disguise as the Song emperor to go for the talk, guided by the other seven sons. On the way, there were ambushed by the Liao troop. Three sons died and the fourth son, Silang, was captured. He didn't tell Liao troop his true identity.

Silang then lived in the Liao territory. He was a handsome guy with excellent martial art skills. The Liao empress liked him very much and betrothed her daughter to him. He and the princess loved each other and later they had a son. Nobody in the Liao knew that Silang was the son of the Yang family that served for the Song state.

The war continued between the two states. Fifteen years later, Liao state carried out a military operation on a large scale. Silang, the princess and the Liao empress all went to war along with other Liao troops. The Song state sent Silang's brother, the sixth son of the Yang family, as commander-in-chief of the Song troops.

Hearing that his mother and brother came, Silang wanted to see them. But he couldn't pass the strategic pass unless he got the arrow from Liao empress. Silang worried but he couldn't tell anyone about his situation. The princess saw that he was upset all the time, so she asked why. Silang then told her his true identity. He asked the princess to help him get the arrow so that he could see his mother. The princess agreed to do so but she was concerned Silang wouldn't return. Silang promised to be back overnight.

So the princess took her son to see the Liao empress. She pinched the baby and the baby cried. Not knowing what happened, the Liao empress came to care for her grandson. The princess took the chance to say that her son wanted to have the arrow to play with. The empress was fond of her grandson very much, so she took out the arrow and asked the princess to give it back the next day.

Silang took the arrow with him and passed the strategic pass. He went to the Song military camp and met his younger brother. The two brothers cried emotionally over each other's shoulders when they met for the first time after a separation of 15 years. Silang also went to visit his mother. Knowing that her son was still alive, mother was very happy and surprised. The three talked for the whole night and soon it was daybreak. Reluctantly, Silang waved goodbye to them and set off for the Liao military camp.

When passing the Liao strategic pass, however, he was recognized and then arrested. Knowing that her son-in-law was indeed a senior military official of the Song state and that the Liao princess even helped him to the see his mother without permission, the Liao empress was very angry and ordered to kill Silang. The princess, taking the baby with her, asked her mother to forgive him. The empress finally allowed Silang to go home to visit his relatives.