The Fiery Steed

Introduction

Wang Huaiwei's new version premiered with the Sanyi Troupe in 1954 and became the first colour Qinqiang film in 1958

The Fiery Steed is the signature play of the Sanyi Troupe of Xi'an. It is traditionally credited to the mid-Qing playwright Li Fanggui as a shadow-puppet script for wanwanqiang, and was later adapted for Qinqiang. In the Song dynasty Li Yanrong, fighting on the frontier, is falsely accused of treason by Wang Qiang, and his father Li Shou, the Minister of War, is jailed; his younger brother Li Yangui is cast off by his betrothed's father Huang Zhang, sells water to support their mother, and with the help of the maid Yunxiang meets Huang Guiying. Huang Zhang kills Yunxiang and blames Li Yangui, but the loyal Ai Qian rides the fiery steed across great distances with the news, and Li Yanrong saves his brother at the execution ground. Wang Huaiwei reworked it into the new version that the Sanyi Troupe premiered in August 1954. Shot at the Changchun Film Studio from 1957 and finished in 1958, it became the first colour Qinqiang film, with Xiao Yuling as Huang Guiying and Chen Miaohua as Li Yangui in the water-selling scene.

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