Tag Archives: China

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Cantonese opera talents to re-run “A Fan to Remember” and “The Cosmic Mirror”

     Promising young Cantonese opera actors will collaborate with other local Cantonese opera performers in the re-run of two acclaimed works, “A Fan to Remember” and “The Cosmic Mirror”, in December and January. The productions are directed by Liu Xun and produced by Yeung Chi-sum, and details are as follows:

“A Fan to Remember”
Cast: Ruan Dewen, Hong Wah, Chan Ka-ming, Liu Kwok-sum, Hung Hoi, Lui Hung-kwong, Wong Hai-wing, Kim Lun and Kim Ying
7.30pm, December 14 and 15 (Friday and Saturday)
Auditorium, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing
Tickets: $120, $240 and $320

     “A Fan to Remember” takes place at the end of the Ming dynasty when a titled scholar, Hou Chaozong, and a famous courtesan, Li Xiangjun, are very much in love. Hou writes a love poem on a fan as a gift for engagement. Ruan Dacheng wants Hou to join his faction. He offers Li dowry gifts but Li humiliatingly turns them down. Ruan then holds a grudge against Li. Ruan becomes a trusted courtier of the new emperor Prince of Fu and eradicates dissidents. Hou receives a secret letter from Shi Kefa and immediately takes leave of Li. With Yang Longyou as the go-between, Ruan coerces Li to marry his adherent. Li throws herself against a pillar and blood stains her fan. As a reminder of the tragedy, Yang adds a few strokes to turn the stains into a painting of peach blossoms.

“The Cosmic Mirror”
Cast: Song Hongbo, Zong Yun-sin, Hong Wah, Chan Ka-ming, Hung Hoi, Lin Xinling, Kim Lun and Kim Ying
2.30pm, January 13 (Sunday)
Auditorium, Yuen Long Theatre
Tickets: $120, $220 and $280
7.30pm, January 25 (Friday)
Auditorium, Tsuen Wan Town Hall
Tickets: $120, $160, $220 and $280

     The story begins when the country is suffering a three-year drought. The Dragon King, who administers rainfall, issues a mandate to Du Shuangcheng, an officer in the mortal world, to find a Cosmic Mirror at a precipice in order to end this disaster. Du and his wife Yuexi secretly discuss ways to get out of this. Du’s elder sister Shuangyi even kills herself to make him realise his duty as a public servant. With tears in their eyes, the couple embark on the journey. When they get stranded in a snowstorm, Yuexi sacrifices her life for Du’s survival by feeding him with her own blood. After Du has barely managed to escape to safety, he meets two beautiful temptresses. At the critical moment that he is about to give up his mission, Yuexi and Shuangyi’s spirits suddenly appear, castigating him for such weakness of will. Du realises the importance of his mission and is now determined to break away from the temptresses.

     The above performances are under the “Revisiting a Fine Selection of Cantonese Opera” programme presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_672.html. read more

Free influenza vaccination to start tomorrow

     With the launch of the Government Vaccination Programme (GVP) 2018/19 tomorrow (October 24), the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (October 23) reminded eligible persons to receive free seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) in a timely manner to better protect themselves in the coming winter influenza season.

     The GVP will be implemented in phases. Starting from tomorrow, the GVP will provide vaccination to the following eligible groups who are Hong Kong residents:
 

  • Pregnant women who are Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients or Certificate for Waiver of Medical Charges (Certificate) holders can get vaccinated in Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) of the DH or Antenatal Clinics of the Hospital Authority (HA);
 
  • Children aged 6 months to under 12 years receiving CSSA or holding the Certificate can receive vaccination in MCHCs (6 months to under 6 years) and Student Health Service Centres of the DH (6 to under 12 years). Those seeking telephone booking for eligible schoolchildren may call the Student Health Service hotline (2856 9133);
 
  • Elderly persons aged 65 or above attending public clinics, persons who are CSSA recipients or Certificate holders aged 50 to under 65 and those aged below 50 with chronic medical problems, eligible in-patients (including paediatric patients) of the HA and eligible paediatric out-patients, and eligible persons with intellectual disabilities and community-living persons receiving Disability Allowance can receive vaccination during their follow-up or stay in public clinics/hospitals; and
 
  • Residents of homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities, public/institutional healthcare workers, poultry workers and pig farmers can also get vaccinated accordingly.
 
     Further to the above, community-living elderly persons aged 65 or above can get vaccinated in General Out-patient Clinics of the HA and designated Elderly Health Centres of the DH starting from November 5.

     In parallel, the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme (VSS) started on October 10 to provide subsidised SIV to eligible persons. The coverage of the VSS has been extended from elderly persons aged 65 or above to Hong Kong residents aged 50 or above, further enhancing the vaccination rate of the community. The subsidy for SIV under the VSS will also be increased from $190 to $210 per dose for all eligible groups. Under the VSS, enrolled private doctors can provide subsidised vaccination to eligible groups in their clinics, or organise outreach vaccination activities.
 
     The DH also introduced the School Outreach Vaccination Pilot Programme this year to increase the SIV uptake rate among primary school children. The pilot programme was rolled out yesterday (October 22) to reach out to 184 primary schools and provide SIV to their students through a Government Outreach Team or a Public-Private-Partnership Team.
 
     “Influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons. Given that vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza and its complications, all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications, are recommended to receive SIV for personal protection. Eligible groups of both the GVP and the VSS should receive SIV before the influenza season arrives,” a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     Meanwhile, free/subsidised pneumococcal vaccination (PV) for eligible persons will continue to be provided under the GVP and the VSS to prevent pneumococcal infections. Those aged 65 or above who do not have high-risk conditions will be eligible for one dose of 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccination (23vPPV). Elderly persons with high-risk conditions who have not received PV before will be eligible for one dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and one dose of 23vPPV one year later.
 
     The public, especially eligible groups, may call the CHP’s hotline (2125 2125) for enquiries during office hours or visit the vaccination schemes page for more information. read more

SHA to attend cultural ministers’ meeting in Chengdu

     â€‹The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, will depart for Chengdu, Sichuan, tomorrow evening (October 24) to attend the fourth cultural ministers’ meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

     Mr Lau will attend the meeting as a member of the Chinese delegation, led by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Luo Shugang. Mr Lau will return to Hong Kong in the morning on October 26 (Friday). read more