The Little Nyonya

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The Little Nyonya (小娘惹)
Genre	Peranakan-themed Drama
Format	4:3
Written by	Ang Eng Tee (洪荣狄)
Directed by	Zhang Rongmin (张荣敏)
Starring	Jeanette Aw Qi Yuwu Pierre Png Joanne Peh Xiang Yun Yao Wenlong
Opening theme	如燕 by Olivia Ong
Ending theme	保温 by 邱意淋 需要 by JS
Country of origin	Singapore
Language(s)	Mandarin Chinese, some dialogues in English, Bahasa Melayu, Japanese and Hokkien
No. of episodes	34
Production
Producer(s)	Xie Minyang (谢敏杨)
Running time	approx. 45 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	MediaCorp TV Channel 8
Original run	25 November 2008 – 5 January 2009 (Final Chapter on 11 January 2009)
Chronology
Preceded by	By My Side
Followed by	Reunion Dinner
External links
Official website

The Little Nyonya (Chinese: 小娘惹) is a 34-episode drama serial which debuted on 25 November 2008 in Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp TV Channel 8. The storyline is set in the 1930s and spans 70 years. The series is partly sponsored by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. The drama ended its run on 5 January 2009.

This drama was produced by MediaCorp in celebration of the channel's 45 years anniversary (45载光芒·8方贺台庆). This drama required 1 year of research, and took four months to film^[1]. More than 150 behind the scenes staff were involved in the production, and the cast also went to Penang and Malacca to film part of the series. The series' production cost was also the highest ever for MediaCorp, with a pair of beaded shoes costing S$1,200, while a dining table costs S$15,000.

Although MediaCorp's series normally have episode counts that ends in multiples of 5 (20, 25, 30 etc.), The Little Nyonya was, however, extended from the initial 30 episodes to 34 episodes due to over-runs in filming, in order to allow the story to be told completely. Possibly as a result, two episodes were aired on Mondays, starting from 15 December 2008.

Huang family

[edit] Elders

• Huang Yuan (黄元, also known as Tow Kay, meaning "Huang, Head of Household", portrayed by Yan Bing Liang (严炳量))- Head of the Huang family.
• Guihua (桂花, also known as Tua Ji, or "Big Sister", portrayed by Lin Meijiao (林梅娇))- The matriarch of the Huang family. She is very protective of her daughters, and hates Tian Lan's side of the family with a passion, treating them in a subservient manner. She later suffers a stroke during her attempt to burn Yueniang, whom she blames for all the misfortunes happening in the family.
• Tian Lan (天兰, portrayed by Xiang Yun (向云)) - Mother of Juxiang. She was a maid of the Huang family. Was raped by Huang Yuan and taken in as second mistress of the house. However, her status in the family is essentially a maid. She was accidentally thrown off the second floor of the Huang residence by Jincheng, after Tian Lan stumbled upon his affair with Xiujuan. Tian Lan died from her injuries.

[edit] First generation

• Huang Jincheng (黄金成, portrayed by Darren Lim (林明伦)) - Son of Huang Yuan and Guihua. Originally, he likes Xiu Juan but is arranged to marry her sister, Xiu Feng instead. He died of a massive heart attack upon learning that Tianbao had been sentenced to death for murdering Chen Sheng, as well as Charlie and Robert Zhang.
• Huang Meiyu (黄美玉, portrayed by Apple Hong (洪乙心)) - Eldest daughter of the Huang family, and sister of Jincheng. Wife of Chen Sheng. However, Chen Sheng does not regard her as his wife. As a result, she shows a great sense of hatred towards Juxiang and Yueniang.
• Xiufeng (秀凤, portrayed by Pan Lingling (潘玲玲)) - daughter in law of Guihua. Married to Jincheng.
• Xiujuan (秀娟, portrayed by Cynthia Koh (许美珍)) - Younger sister of Xiufeng. She had an affair with Jincheng. When Huang Tianbao was arrested for the murder of Chen Sheng, she plotted a scheme to defraud the Huangs of their money, under the pretext of bribing a high-ranking police officer. The plot succeeded, with the Huangs giving her the proceeds from their sale and mortgage of virtually all of the Huang's assets. She ran away to Hong Kong after she received the money. However, she kept the money in a bank during her years on Hong Kong, where it earned a tidy sum of interest. She returned the money to the Huangs after many years.
• Huang Juxiang (黄菊香, portrayed by Jeanette Aw (欧萱))- Although born into a wealthy Peranakan family, she is treated with scorn and insult because of her mother's humble origins. She is deaf and mute from nine years old when she fell sick, as a result, she cannot stand up for herself in many cases. She died of internal injuries soon after her husband, Yamamoto Yousuke, was killed by Japanese soldiers.

[edit] Second generation

• Huang Tianbao (黄天宝, infrequently called Alexandre Huang, portrayed by Andie Chen (陈邦鋆)) - The only son of Huang Jincheng and Xiufeng. He sent someone to kill Chen Sheng with hopes that Robert would reinstate him as deputy GM, but was laughed at instead. He was sentenced to death for instigating the murder of Chen Sheng as well for the murder of Charlie and Robert Zhang.
• Huang Zhenzhu (黄珍珠, portrayed by Eelyn Kok (郭蕙雯)) - first daughter of Xiufeng and Jincheng. A wilful girl who fancies Chen Xi. She witnessed Yuzhu being raped by Robert, but did nothing. She managed to marry Chen Xi but in the end, she ran away with another man as she didn't want to stay with Chen Xi, who ends up hating and disliking her.
• Huang Yuzhu (黄玉珠, portrayed by Joanne Peh (白薇秀)) - Second daughter of Xiufeng and Jincheng. A demure girl who fancies Chen Xi, but eventually suffers an ill fate after being forced to marry Robert Zhang who raped her. She was committed to a mental institution for the rest of her life, after giving birth to Zuye, the father of Angela. It is not known what happened to her after that.
• Yamamoto Yueniang (山本月娘, portrayed by Jeanette Aw (欧萱), elder version portrayed by Xiang Yun (向云))- The daughter of Juxiang. She looks exactly like her mother, it was due to her parents' deaths that she became a rather strong-willed and feisty woman, and she is still forgiving towards Guihua and her other relatives in spite of how much they had mistreated her and her family.

[edit] Third generation

• Zuye (祖业, young version portrayed by Lim Yongxun (林泳勳), elder version portrayed by Zzen Zhang (章缜翔))- Son of Yuzhu, but due to Yuzhu's mental condition, he was adopted and raised by Yueniang. He became a lawyer and had two sons and a daughter, who is none other than Angela.

[edit] Fourth generation

• Angela (安淇, portrayed by Felicia Chin (陈靓萱)) - A university student in Canada. Originally considered to be the biological granddaughter of Yueniang, it was revealed in the end that she is the biological granddaughter of Robert Zhang and Yuzhu, as her father (Zuye) was adopted by Yueniang due to Yuzhu's mental illness. During a time before the series, she had an unlucky run in romance, and decided to briefly return to Malacca. It was in Malacca that she learnt about her adoptive grandmother's bitter past.

[edit] Chen family

[edit] Elders

• Madame Chen (陈老太, portrayed by Li Yinzhu (李茵珠)) - Chen Xi's great-grandmother (Chor Chor), Chen Sheng's grandmother (Ma Ma). Likes to eat rembah udang very much. She places great emphasis on women's ability to cook Peranakan dishes and sewing beaded shoes.

[edit] First generation

• Chen Gong (陈功, portrayed by Chen Xiang (陈翔)) - The eldest son of Madame Chen, frequently comes into conflict with the Zhang family.
• Chen Sheng (陈盛, portrayed by Pierre Png (方展发)) - Married to Meiyu, but harbours love for Juxiang. He spent his free time drinking away merrily as well as singing and dancing pantun with young women. Sheng was murdered on the orders of Huang Tianbao, who believed that it was what Robert Zhang wanted.

[edit] Second generation

• Chen Xi (陈锡, portrayed by Qi Yuwu (戚玉武))- So named because on the day of his birth, his family signed a lucrative Tin contract, he is the only child in his family. Having been educated in the UK, he has always been more liberal than his conservative family. Although he wanted to marry Yueniang, his family forced him to marry Huang Zhenzhu instead. After he thought Yueniang had died in the fire where Robert Zhang had set up, he later married to Libby and had six children. His career was very successful and did a lot of charity.

[edit] Zhang family

• Charlie Zhang (查里张, portrayed by Desmond Sim (沈金兴))- A baba who returned from the United Kingdom, he is generally disapproving of the Peranakan culture, earning him scorn from the older generation of high Peranakan society. He has affairs with many women, and makes use of his wealth and status to collaborate with the Japanese. It is heavily implied that he had something to do with the deaths of Yousuke and Juxiang. He was accidentally killed during a scuffle between Robert Zhang and Huang Tianbao, when a pistol was accidentally fired, hitting Charlie in the head.
• Robert Zhang (罗伯张, portrayed by Zzen Zhang (章缜翔)) - Son of Charlie Zhang. A cunning one like his father, he raped Yuzhu and tortured her endlessly after marrying her, even to the extent of drugging & betraying her physical self to other men in exchange of business benefits. He was killed by Huang Tianbao, despite Robert's promise to return the money and distributorship to the Huangs.

[edit] Other characters

• Ah Tao (阿桃, portrayed by Ng Hui (黄慧), elder version portrayed by Zhu Xiufeng (朱秀凤))- An amah for the Huang family. Originally a personal servant of Huang Yuan's elder sister, Tua Koh (who abused her heavily), she was bought by Tian Lan, and became her kitchen helper. She is loyal to Juxiang and Yueniang, and served Yueniang all the way to the present day. Her right leg was broken by Guihua sometime at the beginning of the show.
• Yamamoto Yousuke^[2] (山本洋介, portrayed by Dai Yangtian(戴阳天)- An ethnic Japanese, he was very interested in Peranakan culture. In order to protect Juxiang from the philandering Charlie Zhang, he married her. Yousuke was murdered by invading Japanese when Singapore fell to Japanese forces. It is implied that Charlie Zhang had a role in his murder.
• Liu Yidao (刘一刀, portrayed by San Yow (姚玟隆) - A butcher who had an arranged marriage with Yueniang, but later accepted her as his sworn sister. He and his brotherhood later assisted Yueniang with her business. At the advice of Yueniang, Yidao gave up his bullying and gangster-like ways, in favour of a more civilized lifestyle.
• Libby (丽贝儿, portrayed by Pamelyn Chee(齐騛) - A woman who is more liberal than social norms at the time, she eventually married Chen Xi, and had six children with him.
• Jonathan Li Xiuwen (李修文, portrayed by Nat Ho (鹤天赐) - A native of Hong Kong who grew up in Canada. He fell in love with his university schoolmate Angela, and followed her from Canada to Malacca.
• Da Sha (大傻) - A simple-minded lunatic who saved Yueniang's life when she was in a coma after being rescued from a well. Pioneer of bird's nest dish and helped her with her business.
• Paul (portrayed by Bobby Tonelli)- A British lawyer who was originally retained by Robert Zhang, but eventually helped the Chens in a lawsuit. He later married Yueniang. The couple have no children of their own, as Yueniang had 2 miscarriages.

[edit] Roles

The role of Xiufeng was rumoured to be offered to May Phua originally, but she was not able to accept the role, due to her pregnancy. The role of Tian Lan and an elderly Yamamoto Yueniang was originally offered to Huang Biren, but was offered to Xiang Yun instead, as Huang chose not to renew her contract with MediaCorp. It was also rumoured that Zoe Tay wanted a role in this series, but there were no suitable roles for her.

[edit] Synopsis

The story spans over 70 years, from the 1930s till the present day.

Huang Juxiang is born into a large Peranakan family where her mother is a mistress. She is gentle, beautiful and a fantastic cook. Due to a serious illness when she was 9 years old, Juxiang becomes a deaf-mute. Because of her handicap, she is ostracized by people. Right before the Japanese Occupation in Singapore, she is forced to marry Charlie Zhang, a rich Peranakan, and become his mistress. Juxiang resists the marriage and runs away from home. She then meets Yamamoto Yousuke, a young Japanese photographer, and after overcoming many obstacles, they finally get married and Juxiang gives birth to a daughter Yueniang. During the World War, Juxiang is tortured and both she and her husband die, leaving behind their 8-year-old daughter.

The orphaned Yueniang eventually walks to her grandfather's house on her own. Under the supervision of her grandmother, she learns to cook Peranakan dishes and sewing. She grows up looking exactly like her mother and is exceptionally beautiful. After the war, her maternal relatives who ran away to England to seek refuge return home. Yueniang ends up leading the life of her mother – always discriminated against, beaten up and tortured. She puts up with all these in order to protect her grandmother.

Yueniang's pretty looks incurs jealousy from her cousin and attracts the attention of many rich Peranakans. However, she only has eyes for penniless driver Chen Xi. Chen Xi actually comes from an educated and wealthy family. Yueniang's kindness, purity and persistence move Chen Xi and he falls deeply in love with her, and hides his identity to be with Yueniang. Unfortunately, their relationship is filled with many obstacles and difficulties. Under pressure from his family, Chen Xi is forced to marry Yueniang's cousin instead. Yueniang is then sold to a butcher, Liu Yidao.

Yueniang is unwilling to accept the fact that her life is always manipulated by others and decides to end her own life. Yueniang's strong personality impresses Liu Yidao and they become sworn siblings instead. Yueniang decides to choose her own path in life. She begins learning how to run a business and in the process, she is framed and ousted from her business. Despite the odds, she manages save her declining family business. Sadly, her love life has yet to begin a new chapter with no news about her love interest, Chen Xi.