Siu Wang-Ngai, Simon

武則天篡唐

高甲戲

福建省金運陞高甲戲劇團

一九八八年十月十二日於香港演出

角色與扮演者：

武則天：張麗娜

李 治：李聰照

長孫無忌：張世澤

武三思：柯碧旺

程咬金：張清滬

杜 回：洪東溪

李 顯：陳炳聰

王皇后：吳晶晶

殷國泰：黃國長

劇情大綱：

武則天，本名媚娘，唐太宗的侍寢才人，後出宮為尼。高宗為太子時與武則天私通，許願將來登基後立武為后。高宗繼位後王皇后，故只能先納武為妃。

十數年過去，武見高宗未兌諾言，欲施計誣害王皇后，但為顧命大臣所諫阻。王皇后及武妃同時懷孕，武先分娩。武乘帝來訪之機，扼死親生女嬰以嫁禍王皇后。帝入圈套，廢王皇后並將之打入冷宮，並立武為天后。

廢后在冷宮生子李旦，武又密令親信太監杜回前往殺之。杜不忍加害。廢后遂托孤於杜而以血寫書後自盡。杜回護李旦躲入魯王程咬金府。程再將李旦寄養於穩居於翠雲山的好友。

高宗駕崩，由武氏三子李顯即位，是為中宗。未幾，武氏廢李顯自立周朝，自稱則天皇帝。

十年後，武則天察知李旦之下落，詔重臣殷國泰率兵往翠雲山，旦被捕。杜回揭告殷宮闈真相，務求殷救旦。殷乃開國元勛之後，屈事武周，實心念李唐，感杜回高義，刀下留情，李旦才得脫險。李旦即為後來之唐睿宗。

Wu Zetian Usurps the Tang Dynasty

Gaojia Opera

12 October 1988, Hong Kong

Characters and Performers :

Wu Zetian : Zheng Linuo

Li Zhi : Li Congzhao

Changsun Wuji : Zheng Shize

Wu Sansi : Ke Biwang

Cheng Yaojin : Zheng Qinghu

Du Hui : Hong Dongxi

Li Xian : Chen Bingcong

Empress Wang : Wu Jingjing

Yan Guotai : Huang Guochang

Synopsis :

Wu Zetian, originally named Wu Meiniang, served as a concubine to Emperor Taizong of Tang. After Taizong's death, she left the palace to become a nun. During this time, the crown prince, the future Emperor Gaozong, began an illicit relationship with her, promising to make her empress once he ascended the throne. After Gaozong became emperor, however, he first installed Empress Wang, relegating Wu Meiniang to the position of consort.

Over the next several years, Wu noticed that Gaozong had failed to fulfill his promise. She devised a scheme to discredit Empress Wang but was initially thwarted by loyal ministers. When both Wu and Empress Wang became pregnant, Wu gave birth first. Seizing the opportunity during a visit by the emperor, she strangled her own newborn daughter and framed Empress Wang for the crime. Gaozong fell for the ruse, deposed Empress Wang, imprisoned her in the cold palace, and elevated Wu to the position of Empress.

While imprisoned, the deposed Empress Wang gave birth to a son, Li Dan. Wu secretly ordered her trusted eunuch, Du Hui, to kill the infant. However, Du could not bring himself to commit the act. The deposed empress entrusted her child to Du before taking her own life. Du sheltered Li Dan at the residence of Prince Lu, Cheng Yaojin, who later entrusted the child to a trusted friend living in seclusion on Cuiyun Mountain.

After Gaozong's death, Wu's third son, Li Xian, ascended the throne as Emperor Zhongzong. Before long, Wu deposed him and established her own Zhou Dynasty, declaring herself Emperor Zetian.

Ten years later, Wu discovered Li Dan's whereabouts and ordered her minister Yin Guotai to lead troops to Cuiyun Mountain, capturing Li Dan. At this critical moment, Du Hui exposed the truth about Wu's palace intrigues, imploring Yin to spare Li Dan. Yin, a descendant of founding Tang ministers, had served under Wu reluctantly while remaining loyal to the Tang Dynasty. Touched by Du Hui's righteousness, he spared Li Dan, who eventually became Emperor Ruizong of Tang.