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The room is done in soft yellow tones. The glow from
two floor lamps falls on
the plush sofa where Qian Jiang relaxes ready to pick up on his
favorite topic - Peking Opera.
He shifts persona from successful entrepreneur to piaoyou - a passionate
Peking Opera buff.
Born and educated in Shanghai, he spent over 40 years in Hong Kong
where he built up his shipping empire and several real estate companies.
Now in his 70s, he has lived in Beijing for over a decade.
"I like the climate here, I mean environmentally and culturally,"
he said.
His life schedule is relaxed and regular. He spends six to seven
hours in the office every day. "No need to be too busy and
strained. Life should be enjoyed," he likes to say.
"On Saturday, I often go to the Chang'an Grand Theatre to watch
Peking Opera and on Sunday, I like to immerse myself in my opera
club, singing opera with my friends," he smiles.
He now chairs the Beijing International Opera Fans Club, which is
located in one of his luxurious buildings in downtown Beijing.
Established in 1991, the club is a non-profit organization which
brings opera fans together. "Every Sunday many well-known opera
performers come here, including Mei Baojiu, son of the late Peking
Opera master Mei Lanfang. Our group is thought to be of the first-class
quality," Qian said.
It is more than just a place to relax. Actually, the weekly performances
are an index of the vitality and popularity of Peking Opera, Qian
said.
Qian Jiang is also one of the board members of the Beijing Peking
Opera Foundation, which promotes this national art form.
The foundation gives awards to talented Peking Opera performers
and gives financial support to opera academies in China. It also
takes part in the production of video tapes of Peking Opera to satisfy
the demand from the many Peking Opera buffs around China.
When operatic troupes tour Hong Kong, Qian often books a whole theatre
and offers free passes for Hong Kong students in a bid to popularize
Peking Opera among the youth.
"The young generation is crucial to reviving this national
art form. I hope that it will be passed on to future generations
and will never die," Qian said wistfully.
He still remembers the first time his father took him to the theatre.
"As a little child, I enjoyed the martial arts and the lively
music. Children enjoyed sitting in the theatre eating snacks and
sipping tea."
"At that time, it was common to see towels proffered by the
waiters who shuffled among the audience."
"Monkey King was my favorite opera. A sturdy young man in warrior
garb often started the show, somersaulting across the stage. He
was usually followed by a young woman dressed in silk brocade, singing
softly as she danced in a marvelous liquefaction of silk. Then the
famous Monkey King, the hero of the classic novel "Journey
to the West," strode in, scratching, his nose twitching, as
he performed his mischievous antics," Qian continued.
His love for Peking Opera was kindled at that time and has never
faded.
"In Hong Kong, it was not often that you got to see Peking
Opera, since local people prefer Yueju Opera sung in the local dialect,
Cantonese."
However, he still managed to indulge his passion by listening to
Peking Opera records.
He became busier as his business grew. "In Hong Kong, with
its hectic pace, I had no time to pursue my hobby. I felt somewhat
lost and empty."
He did not have a chance to renew his long lost connection to Peking
Opera until he chose to settle in Beijing.
"Peking Opera is one of the gems of Chinese culture. I have
a responsibility to do my part to preserve its vitality and renew
its popularity," Qian said.
In his view, Peking Opera is like a kaleidoscope of exotic colors,
sounds and actions.
The repertoire of Peking operas features both tragic and comic elements,
interspersed with singing, dancing, poetic narration, and the dramatization
of historical events and popular legends. "Since this art form
has evolved to a level of near perfection, there are strict patterns
of music and a precise style of performance. Opening a door, walking
at night, rowing a boat, eating and drinking and the like are all
done with stylized movements," Qian said.
Other elements are no less enchanting, Qian continued.
The costumes in Peking Opera are graceful, elegant and brilliant,
and often intricately hand-embroidered. The types of facial make-up
in Peking Opera are rich and various, depicting different characters
through remarkable images.
These are the reasons why Qian Jiang has devoted so much time and
money to promoting this art form and trying to "keep it from
declining."
Born for opera
Sharing this same passion for Peking Opera is a little 9-year-old
girl named Yu Lu.
A happy and carefree primary school student, Yu Lu is clearly already
a talented rising star in Peking Opera.
"She was born for Peking Opera," Sun Xiaolu, Yu Lu's father
said affectionately, patting his daughter's head.
"Her voice has every quality required for singing Peking Opera:
it is crisp and eloquent and has a wide range," said Sun.
For several generations, the family has had a deep passion for Peking
Opera.
Sun has been an eager agent for his own daughter.
"When she was still a baby, her loud cries surprised our neighbors,"
Sun smiled as he recounted Yu Lu's childhood.
When she had just turned three, Sun took her to the children's Jingkun
(Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera) Art Troupe for training.
Yu Lu was the youngest and smallest in her class. But with her talent
and strenuous practice, she gradually became the teacher's favourite
student.
In the training school, the little girl runs through a series of
strenuous exercises designed to increase her body's flexibility
and strength.
She clenches her teeth, abdomen arching upward, arms stretching
behind, grunting with the effort, until her palms are pressed on
the ground behind her. After a while, she begins practicing difficult
leg stretches, grimacing as she struggles to hold each posture.
Or she works on backward and forward flips.
"Yu Lu is a good girl. She never cries or shows reluctance
in the rigorous training," the father said.
"That's because I like it. It is full of fun!" Yu Lu interrupted.
Her efforts have paid off.
In recent years, she has won a handful of top awards for her Peking
Opera performances. She is on TV and people read about her in the
newspapers.
Yu Lu left the Jingkun Opera children's training troupe when she
entered primary school. She now has a Peking Opera tutor with whom
she takes lessons twice a week. When she comes home from school,
singing Peking Opera for an hour has become almost a ritual for
her.
On weekends she heads for the park near her house. But she is not
going there to play with the other children; rather, she sings and
does physical exercises.
Day in and day out, the practice never bores or burdens Yu Lu. When
she begins her daily practising, the happy family scene glows with
harmony.
His fingers slipping deftly along the strings, her father is immersed
in playing his Jinghu, a two-stringed bowed instrument with a high
register usually used in Peking Opera. His head tilted and his eyes
closed, he is lost in the music and the opera,
Yu Lu, standing by her father, has forgotten her mischievousness
and focuses seriously on her singing. She sings with emotion and
feeling, oblivious to all but the character in the story.
Her mother watches quietly with a peaceful smile on her face.
In contrast to the appearance of the innocent little girl, Yu Lu's
voice is the perfect medium for the Elderly Sheng, or old man's
role, in Peking Opera.
"Audiences are often amazed to see her performance of an elderly
man. If you listen with your eyes closed, you can hardly believe
the voice comes from a little girl," Yu Lu's father said.
A young fan of Peking Opera herself, Yu Lu has many fans in the
Hu Guang Guild Hall, an ancient building now used for the gathering
of opera buffs. Yu Lu goes there to perform every other week and
people there love their little star very much.
Contest winner
Yang Yongshu, 63, is another "die-hard" Peking Opera buff.
Possessing a deep and rich voice, he was one of the winners of the
Fifth Peace Cup Peking Opera Buff Invitational Competition.
The contest, held in Tianjin in October, was a big festival, with
thousands of Peking Opera buffs participating in the event.
Yang got the highest score with his impeccable rendition of all
his arias.
"At the age of four, I was fascinated by Peking Opera. I learned
Peking Opera from recordings and live performances in the theatre,"
Yang said.
Yang's deep and rich voice seems to be perfect for the Peking Opera
role qingyi, which involves the portrayal of faithful wives, chaste
women, and maidens in distress or poverty but noble in character.
He loves Peking Opera because he believes it is the highest expression
of the profundities of Chinese culture.
"Peking Opera has a history of over 200 years. It may be the
most influential and representative of all opera forms in China,"
Yang said.
It combines stunning martial arts, unique singing, graceful dancing,
and the traditional music of Chinese opera.
All this creates a dazzling feast for the eyes and ears.
His passion for Peking Opera also grows out of the deep social and
family values the form conveys. The experiences of acting and stage
life give the artists an amazingly broad understanding of all levels
of society.
"The most touching things I have learned from Peking Opera
deal with truth, beauty and virtue," Yang said.
Life after retirement is never drab for Yang. He is happy to have
more time to devote to Peking Opera.
Every Sunday, Yang is a regular performer at the Hu Guang Guild
Hall, where the audience can relax in antique style chairs before
old fashioned tables, sip Chinese tea and savour some local snacks
while watching opera.
More than a simple pastime, Yang's performance brings happiness
to other Peking Opera lovers. "When I sing on the stage and
see the audience applaud, I believe my efforts have been rewarded."
He is also a volunteer instructor for the Opera Channel of Beijing
Television.
Warm and kind, Yang has made lots of friends. "Most of my friends
are Peking Opera lovers. Many young friends like to call me 'Grandpa
Yang.' They visit me frequently for opera and my cooking as well,"
Yang said.
When holidays come, his cramped house overflows with delicious food
and Peking Opera lovers.
(China Daily 12/07/2000)
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