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Video Time
Mei Lanfang-great Artist, Cultural Ambassador
These beautiful performances belong to a special art form in China—Beijing Opera, in English often referred to as Peking Opera. Talking about Beijing Opera, we cannot forget to mention one of its greatest performers: Mei Lanfang, a brilliant artist who was instrumental in bringing Beijing Opera to the world.
Mei Lanfang was born in Beijing in 1894. He started to learn the art of Beijing Opera at the age of eight and made his on-stage debut at age eleven. Mei Lanfang worked hard to learn as much as possible from the great artists and masters of Beijing Opera, and by the age of 20, he had become a leading actor in Beijing Opera's dan role.
Mei Lanfang quickly became well-known among Chinese audiences for his acting skill. His fame also began to spread around the world as international visitors to China saw his fascinating performances. The great Indian author Rabindranath Tagore was inspired to write a poem about the young actor after watching one of his performances.
[Text on screen]
You are veiled, my beloved In a language I do not know As a hill that appears like a cloud behind its mask of mist
Mei Lanfang’s skill opened doors for him to become friends with people from all over the world, as he often entertained guests from other countries who wanted to meet the young actor. As Mei Lanfang got to know ambassadors, European royal families, and celebrities from abroad, he longed to bring his beloved Beijing Opera to the rest of the world, so that even more people from other countries might understand and appreciate the beauty of Chinese culture and art.
And so, in 1919, Mei Lanfang began to travel abroad, giving performances in Japan and the Soviet Union. His tours were a great success; audiences were fascinated by this elegant opera from the Orient.
One of Mei Lanfang's greatest goals was to visit the United States, and after eight years of attempts, he and his opera group finally brought Beijing Opera to the USA.
Mei Lanfang and his group toured Seattle, Chicago, Washington, DC, New York, San Francisco, and several other large American cities, and received a warm welcome from city leaders and local celebrities wherever they went. American audiences loved the performances: In some cities, tickets for two weeks of shows were sold out in three days. Fans stood in long queues afterwards to shake his hand.
Clearly, despite the language barrier, the beautiful, elegant performances were a huge success. One critic wrote, " This is the most wonderful and exciting night that I have ever spent in the theatre. ” Americas Pomona College and the University of Southern California both conferred honorary Doctor of Arts degrees on Mei Lanfang for his great work in bringing Beijing Opera to the world and promoting cultural exchange between China and other countries.
Mei Lanfang was and still is greatly loved, not only for his tremendous artistic skill but also for his great kindness to all people and his deep love for his country. Mei Lanfang had performed in Japan and helped the people there during the great Kanto earthquake, but when the Japanese military troops invaded China, he refused to do any performances for their entertainment.
Mei Lanfang dedicated his whole life to the art of Beijing Opera. He constantly sought to improve his own artistry, creating many unforgettable and beautiful characters for the stage. His style became known as the "Mei Lanfang school”, a uniquely graceful style, and is still one of the most popular styles of Beijing Opera today.
Mei Lanfang died in 1961 of heart disease. During his more than 50 years on the stage, Mei Lanfang took traditions from the past and adapted the best parts to create new and enrich old forms of Beijing Opera. Although this great opera master has now joined the heroes of history, he left behind a legacy of cultural wealth for his people and for all future generations.
Beijing Opera is now on the international list of art forms that make up the world's intangible cultural heritage, and is still enjoyed by young and old, men and women, around the world. |
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