“Drifting away from the dock, with no end in sight; heading on the stage, with no end in sight…”

Xiang Rong, actress and pillar of Sanhe Troupe, was harassed by Ma Dadan, a local villain, during her performance in Longmen Town, which resulted in her husband’s Jiulingtong’s death on the stage. Ma Dadan and a Paoge (a reactionary gang in southwest China before liberation) named Luo Shanren were greedy for Xiang Rong’s beauty. Sichuan opera talent Yi Dadan, taking advantage of the conflict between Ma and Luo, came up with a scheme of Sacrifice Cliff and scared Ma to death together with all performers in the troupe. They avenged junior fellow apprentice. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. (To covet gains ahead without being aware of danger behind.) The destruction Luo Shanren brought was more serious than the evil of Ma Dadan…