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Young enthusiasts are seeking to revive and modernize traditional Chinese art forms, blending innovation with heritage to appeal to a new generation, Gui Qian reports.
Peking Opera, Huangmei Opera, Pingju Opera - whenever traditional Chinese opera is on TV, Zhang Yang can't help but stop and watch.
This 29-year-old from Beijing has an innate passion for opera. Although she studied journalism and directing, she now works as a drama teacher at a children's palace (a center for extracurricular activities). Despite her profession not being directly related to opera, she actively seeks opportunities to learn and perform it.
"No matter if it's quyi (a collection of storytelling, crosstalk, and singing) or opera, our traditional Chinese performing arts are incredibly charming if you delve into them, as they embody a unique Chinese aesthetic," Zhang said.
Passion unleashed
Recently, Zhang has been particularly fascinated by Yueju Opera, which originated in East China's Zhejiang province. Last year, performances by young Yueju actors Chen Lijun and Li Yunxiao went viral on Chinese social media, sparking a newfound love for Yueju among many viewers, including Zhang.
In her view, Chen and Li's performance of New Dragon Gate Inn is a pioneering adaptation of traditional Yueju. It blends immersive theater with martial arts and a more rugged aesthetic, expanding beyond the typical scholar-beauty themes of traditional Yueju.
Zhang strongly agrees with Chen's perspective that Yueju needs both preservation and promotion, and that it's important to "make intangible heritage fashionable and classics popular".
"This kind of innovation is why Yueju Opera can break out of its niche and ignite a passionate wave among the public, particularly among young people," she said. "Personally, whether I'm eating or resting, I always have Yueju playing on a small speaker. At home, I sing it all the time, as if I'm possessed."
Zhang has joined a free, amateur Yueju Opera club in Beijing, where most members are in their 20s - a surprising sight,...