Genre: Civil and suspense drama (wenxi)
Main Roles: Dan (female), Sheng (male), Chou (comic or supporting)
Plot Summary:
“Stealing the Treasury Silver”, or Dao Ku Yin (盗库银), is a classic suspenseful Peking Opera drama, blending emotional conflict, disguise, and intrigue. The story is set during the Ming Dynasty and centers around a young woman named Dou E, whose husband has died under suspicious circumstances. She lives with her blind mother-in-law in poverty.
Facing starvation and desperate to survive, Dou E decides to steal silver from the local government treasury to support her family. However, she is caught and falsely accused of theft and murder. The opera follows her tragic fate, marked by corrupt officials, a rigged trial, and emotional pleas for justice.
The climax occurs in the courtroom, where Dou E proclaims her innocence and predicts three supernatural signs to prove her virtue after her execution: blood will spill onto white silk without staining it, snow will fall in midsummer, and a three-year drought will follow in her hometown. All of these signs come true, ultimately vindicating her.
This opera is famous for its heart-rending arias, powerful emotional delivery, and criticism of social injustice. The role of Dou E is performed by a qingyi (a serious, virtuous female role), requiring superb vocal technique and expressive acting.