Page 4 - YunnanTourismCultureTimes (108)

03 VOICE | 声音

Literature and art are projects that cast the soul, and writers and artists are engineers of the soul. Like sunshine in a blue
sky or a fresh spring breeze, good literary and artistic works should inspire the mind, nurture the heart, cultivate our lives, and
sweep away all winds of listlessness and dispiritedness.
——Chinese President Xi Jinping

文艺是铸造灵魂的工程，文艺工作者是灵魂的工程师。好的文艺作品就应该像蓝天上的阳光、春季里的清风一样，能够启迪

思想、温润心灵、陶冶人生，能够扫除颓废萎靡之风。 ——中国国家主席习近平

Continuing the legacy of Yunnan Opera

我们坚守在滇剧传承路上

By Yunnan Daily □ 云南日报

Yunnan Opera, or Dian Opera, is the most The evolving times have posed numerous
prominent local opera genre in Yunnan, boasting challenges to the inheritance of Yunnan Op-
a history of nearly 300 years. In 2008, it was des- era. Zhang Chunli is acutely aware that in the
ignated as a national intangible cultural heritage present day, with the plethora of entertainment
in China. Located in Niujiezhuang, Guandu Dis- options available, people are spoilt for choice.
trict, Kunming City, the Yunnan Opera Museum Additionally, learning Yunnan Opera demands an
preserves the rich legacy of this art form and extended training period and is rather arduous.
plays a crucial role in its inheritance. A dedicated It typically takes around six years to groom a
group of folk Yunnan Opera enthusiasts is quietly professional actor, yet the performance remuner-
working to revitalize this ancient genre, striving ation leaves much to be desired. Under these cir-
to infuse it with new vitality. cumstances, it has become exceedingly difficult
Niujiezhuang has long been recognized as the to entice the public to embark on the journey of
“cradle of Yunnan Opera,” with over 200 years learning Yunnan Opera.
of history in its transmission. The Niujiezhuang Despite being under intense pressure, Zhang
Yunnan Opera Museum is situated here, making Chunli has remained steadfast and refused to
it the only folk Yunnan Opera museum in the re- give up. Alongside the professional teachers in-
gion and home to the largest folk Yunnan Opera vited by the museum, she painstakingly instructs
troupe. This museum serves as a vital hub for the the members of the Yunnan Opera troupe in clas-
preservation and inheritance of intangible cultur- sic Yunnan Opera plays, including “The Women
al heritage in Yunnan Province. Generals of the Yang Family,” “The Case of
The museum was founded by Zhang Yong, Executing Chen Shimei,” and “The Legend of
the father of curator Zhang Chunli. Born into the White Snake.” Simultaneously, with the aim
a family with a rich tradition in Yunnan Opera, of aligning Yunnan Opera more closely with
Zhang Yong was influenced by his esteemed the aesthetic preferences of modern audiences,
relatives—his eldest uncle, Zhang Rong, and they are vigorously rehearsing new productions.
his second uncle, Zhang Kun, were among the Moreover, Zhang Chunli has actively engaged
first-generation Yunnan Opera artists, while his in the “Opera Entering Campus” initiative and
uncle Zhang De’en represented the second gen- introduced Yunnan Opera to six schools. Her
eration. Growing up in an environment steeped aspiration is to sow the seeds of Yunnan Opera in
in Yunnan Opera, Zhang Yong became a well- the hearts of children and foster a reserve talent
known martial male role actor at a young age. pool for the inheritance of this art form.
His passion for the art form led him to serve as The journey of inheriting Yunnan Opera is
the leader of the Niujiezhuang Amateur Yunnan fraught with difficulties, and Zhang Chunli at
Opera Troupe for many years, where he guided times experiences fatigue and confusion. She
the troupe in performances across various loca- frequently thinks of her father, Zhang Yong.
tions. “My father led an extremely frugal life. He was
The museum houses a collection of Yun- only willing to spend 50 to 60 yuan on a pair of
nan Opera cultural relics that Zhang Yong has leather shoes. However, whenever the troupe had
amassed over the course of several decades. learned a new play and needed to purchase cos-
These relics encompass scripts and scores dating tumes and props, even if it cost tens of thousands of
back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties yuan, he would unhesitatingly part with the mon-
(1628-1700), along with costumes, props, and ey.” Her father’s profound love for Yunnan Opera
performance photos of veteran artists from Niu- and his selfless devotion have had a profound
jiezhuang. Under the meticulous stewardship of impact on and inspired Zhang Chunli. She firmly
Zhang Yong and his team, the Yunnan Opera Mu- holds the belief that in this diverse era, traditional
seum has evolved into a crucial window through cultures such as Yunnan Opera can, through peo-
which the public can gain an understanding of ple's endeavors, be rediscovered by the younger
and draw near to Yunnan Opera. generation and radiate with new luster.