连升三级

This art film is a puppet animation adapted from the monologue crosstalk "Rising Three Ranks in a Row," one of the representative works of the famous crosstalk performer Liu Baorui after the founding of the People's Republic. In 1958, the Fujian Gaojia Opera Troupe adapted it into a Gaojia opera. 　　 A wealthy young man, dissolute and uneducated, takes a fancy to a graceful and dignified common girl and attempts to marry her. The girl, unable to bear his pestering, tells him that if he can achieve the title of Zhuangyuan (top scholar in the imperial examination), she will marry him. Their conversation is overheard by a fortune-teller, who, in order to swindle a few taels of silver, flatters the wealthy young man, saying that if he goes to the capital to take the imperial exam, he is sure to pass with flying colors. Delighted, the young man quickly packs his bags and sets off for the capital with his servant. On the way, he encounters the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord. Having been arrogant and disrespectful since childhood, he demands that the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord make way for him, boasting that he will achieve top honors in the exam. Intrigued, the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord orders his servant to hand over his name card, curious to see how the young man will succeed. Late at night, as two chief examiners are discussing which "talented" candidate recommended by high officials should be made Zhuangyuan, the wealthy young man knocks on the door. Seeing that he holds the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord's name card, the examiners quickly devise a plan. The next day, the wealthy young man理所当然 becomes the Zhuangyuan. Even more ironically, this illiterate new top scholar later "turns misfortune into blessing" and rises three ranks in a row.