City of Vancouver Archives
The Chinese Empire Ladies Reform Association was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1903. A division of the Chinese Empire Reform Association (1899-1911), it is the first known Chinese Canadian women’s organization in the region, with representatives from Vancouver and nearby New Westminster, British Columbia. The Chinese Empire Reform Association was an overseas Chinese political organization, established by the wealthy merchant class who advocated for constitutional reform of the Chinese Qing dynasty as an alternative to revolution. Little is known about the activities of British Columbia’s Chinese Empire Ladies Reform Association.
A programme for an April 25, 1937 performance by the Jin Wah Sing provides a synopsis of the opera’s plot and profiles the lead actors. Roughly translated to 'Havoc in Guang Chang Long,' the opera is based on a well-known story about a businessman who is robbed and murdered while staying at a roadside inn in Guangzhou. The programme also notes how the production’s playwright and director, Liang Bao, was the first to adapt the story for the stage. Li Cuiping (photo second from right), a female actor, plays the lead male role.
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