''Time Before Time'' (Chinese title: 大鬧廣昌隆) was the most successful

TVB Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB; zh, t=電視廣播有限公司) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong. The company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Canton ...

series released in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

in 1997, the year that Hong Kong was transferred back to China.RTHK.org.hk.
RTHK.org.hk
" ''八月份電視節目收視分折.'' Retrieved on 2010-07-05. The series stars Gordon Lam and Kathy Chow with the storyline dealing greatly with the themes of fate, love and traditional Chinese supernatural beliefs.

Synopsis

1920s

In 1922 a young couple, Luk Wan-kwong ( Gordon Lam) and Siu Fu-yung ( Kathy Chow) were murdered in

Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. From the time of their death, the warehouse store "Guang chang lung" passes to Luk's surviving brothers. The mystery of their deaths is never solved, though rumours begin that the store has become inhabited by a female ghost.

1940s

In 1947 Hong Kong a lazy 25-year-old

coolie Coolie (also spelled koelie, kouli, khuli, khulie, kuli, cooli, cooly, or quli) is a pejorative term used for low-wage labourers, typically those of Indian people, Indian or Chinese descent. The word ''coolie'' was first used in the 16th cent ...

named Dai-kwong finds work in the same warehouse store. One night in the allegedly haunted store, he accidentally releases the ghost of Siu Fu-yung from an old oil-paper umbrella. She mistakes Dai-kwong for her lover since he looks exactly the same as her husband Wan-kwong who died 20 years ago. Frightened half to death, Dai-kwong explains that he is not the one she’s looking for and reluctantly promises to help her find her lost lover. Through a radio station, the ghost of Siu Fu-yung retells her tragic life by possessing the body of the radio host. As time goes on Dai-kwong falls in love with the female ghost and jeopardizes his relationship with his real wife. Later during a stormy night, memories of Dai-kwong’s previous life return and he realises that he is the

reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the Philosophy, philosophical or Religion, religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new lifespan (disambiguation), lifespan in a different physical ...

of Luk Wan-kwong. Both in his present and past life he has coincidentally been given the same name, "Kwong". The mystery of who killed Luk Wan-kwong and Siu Fu-yung begins to unravel.

1990s

In the 1990s, Fu-yung and Kwong are again reincarnated and it is again their

fate Destiny, sometimes also called fate (), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predeterminism, predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often used interchangeably, the words wiktionary ...

to meet again. Fortunately, unlike their previous two lifetimes, it is hinted that this time the two lovers will live happily ever after.

Cast

Music

The opening theme song "Holding Your Beloved" (抱緊眼前人) was written by Anthony Lun, Terry Chan and composed by George Lam with lyricist Pun Yun-loeng (潘源良). The song was performed by

Anita Mui Anita Mui Yim-fong (; 10 October 1963 – 30 December 2003) was a Hong Kong singer and actress who made major contributions to the Cantopop music scene and received numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout her career, and i ...

. The insert song (我愛風光好) was composed by Joseph Koo with lyrics by

Albert Leung Albert Leung Wai Man (, born 7 December 1961), better known by his pen name Lin Xi (), is a Hong Kong lyricist and writer. A prominent figure in Cantopop and Mandopop, he has written lyrics for nearly all major Hong Kong singers, with notable ...

. It was also performed by Mui, together with Anthony Lun. The song "Waiting For You to Return" (等著你回來) was originally by performed by

Bai Guang Shi Yongfen (; 27 June 1921 – 27 August 1999), known professionally as Bai Guang (; also credited as Pai Kwong, Bai Kwong and Bai Kwang), was a Chinese actress and singer. By the 1940s, she became one of the Seven Great Singing Stars. Early l ...

, a 1930-1940s singer from the

shidaiqu Shidaiqu () is a type of Chinese popular music that is a fusion of Chinese folk, American jazz and Hollywood film music that originated in Shanghai in the 1920s.Shoesmith, Brian. Rossiter, Ned. 004(2004). Refashioning Pop Music in Asia: Cos ...

era. Throughout the series the song played a role in the story.

Legacy

In 1997, the year when Hong Kong's sovereignty returned to China, the average

prime time Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...

rating was only about 32. Time before Time was the surprise success of the year as a second-line TVB series. The show began with a rating of 34 points and finished with an average rating for 40 points by the end. This was quite high when compared to other averages of the period. Kathy Chow's wearing of

qipao ''Cheongsam'' (, ), also known as the ''qipao'' () and sometimes referred to as the mandarin gown, is a Chinese dress worn by women which takes inspiration from the , the ethnic clothing of the Manchu people. The cheongsam is most often see ...

also left a good impression with the audience and continued to play future roles in other series in similar attire. Her partnership with Gordon Lam also won the series the "most touching romantic award for the year". The main theme song "Holding Your Beloved" (抱緊眼前人) was one of the few TV series songs performed by

in her "Anita Classic Moment Live" final concert. just weeks before her death in 2003. The television series has led to a wider knowledge of the Guang Chang Lung story, especially amongst younger generations, with some searching out the real store and ghost, some have even posted pictures possibly of the real store in the Hong Kong Discuss Forum.

Cultural Background

The warehouse store Guang chang lung (廣昌隆) and the ghost story is based on the

folk legend of the same name, a staple of the naamyam style of sung narrative story telling, the original story has also been adapted into Cantonese opera form both in the past and present. The story has appeared in film multiple times, in a black and white 1949 Hong Kong film with the English title "Ruckus at Kwong Cheong lung",Hong Kong film archive.
ipac.hkfa.lcsd.gov.hk
" ''大鬧廣昌隆.'' Retrieved on 2010-07-05. Other versions include the "Musical ghost that causes an uproar in Kwong Cheong Lung" a 1952 film. Part of the story is similarly used for the 1993 movie ''"Finale in Blood"'' by

Fruit Chan Fruit Chan Gor (; born 15 April 1959) is a Hong Kong filmmaker who is best known for his style of film reflecting the everyday life of Demographics of Hong Kong, Hong Kong people. He is well known for using amateur actors (such as Sam Lee (ac ...

, which uses the same Chinese name for the film title.Yahoo.com.
Yahoo.com
" ''Finale in Blood.'' Retrieved on 2010-07-05. The TVB series has elements found in the different versions.

Folk beliefs

* Throughout the series, paper models of things such as clothes, bicycles and letters burnt. As a traditional belief, the Chinese see this as the only way to send things to persons who exist in the afterlife. See hell money. * The Chinese philosophy of

Yin and Yang Originating in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (, ), also yinyang or yin-yang, is the concept of opposite cosmic principles or forces that interact, interconnect, and perpetuate each other. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary an ...

is frequently referred to throughout the series. It is used to describe the human and ghost world. Yin energy is associated with passiveness, femininity and yielding therefore, the spirit world whilst on the other hand, Yang is associated with strength, masculinity and brightness – the human world. * According to Chinese superstition, it is inauspicious to carry an open umbrella inside the home from the outside. The Chinese believe that ghosts find shelter from the sun under umbrellas, and may enter one's home if 'carried' inside.

External links

Official TVB page

References

, align="center" colspan="4", Before:
Drunken Angels
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TVB Jade TVB Jade (), or simply Jade, is a Hong Kong Hong Kong Cantonese, Cantonese-language Terrestrial television, free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) as its flagship service, alongside its sister n ...

Second line series

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

Time Before Time
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Detective Investigation Files III
September 1 - {{DEFAULTSORT:Time Before Time TVB dramas 1997 Hong Kong television series debuts 1997 Hong Kong television series endings