Biography

Mei Lanfang, also known as Lan, also known as Heming, with the courtesy names Wanhua and Huanhua, was also signed as the owner of Yuxuan, and her stage name was Lanfang. A native of Taizhou, Jiangsu, he was born in Beijing in 1894. He was born into a family of Peking Opera. He began to learn opera at the age of 8. At the age of 10, he performed on the stage in "The Fairy Pair" at Guanghe Tower in Beijing. People from all walks of life held Peking Opera actor selection activities and posted a chrysanthemum list. Mei Lanfang ranked third and the most beautiful. In 1913, he went to Shanghai to perform for the first time. He performed "Colorful House Pei", "Yu Tang Chun", "Muke Village" and other plays at Dangui No. 1 at the intersection of Sima Road and Daxin Road. When he first came to Shanghai, he became popular throughout Jiangnan. There is a saying in the alley: "When looking for a wife, you should be like Mei Lanfang, and when you have a son, you should be like Zhou Xinfang." He absorbed the innovative elements of Shanghai's civilized drama, new stage, lighting, makeup, and costume design. After returning to Beijing, he created a new fashion drama "The Waves in the Sea". He came to Shanghai again the next year and performed in "Five Flower Cave" and "Zhen Hai". Fake Pan Jinlian", "The Drunken Concubine" and other specialties were performed for 34 days in a row.

After returning to Beijing, Mei Lanfang continued to rehearse new plays "Chang'e Flying to the Moon", "Chunxiang Makes School", "Daiyu Buries Flowers", etc. He came to Shanghai for the third time in 1916 and sang for 45 days in a row. After 1918, he moved to Shanghai. This was the peak period of his dramatic art and he performed on the Tianchan stage many times. It combines the performance methods of Tsing Yi, Hua Dan and Daoma Dan to create a mellow and fluent singing style, forming a unique Mei School. In 1915, Mei Lanfang rehearsed a large number of new plays and made unique artistic innovations in Peking Opera singing, dialogue, dance, music, and costumes, and was known as the master of the Mei School.

In April 1919, Mei Lanfang was invited by the Imperial Theater in Tokyo to perform in Japan, where she performed "The Goddess Scattered Flowers" and "The Story of the Hosta". Return to China in a month. In 1921, he wrote and performed a new play "Farewell My Concubine". In 1922, he presided over Chenghua Society. In 1927, Beijing's "Shuntian Times" held China's first selection of famous female actors. Mei Lanfang, along with Cheng Yanqiu, Shang Xiaoyun and others, were selected as the four famous female actors in Peking Opera because of their profound skills, smooth voice and beautiful appearance.

In the spring of 1930, Mei Lanfang led a delegation to the United States and performed Peking Opera in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities. It was a great success. Newspaper comments said that Chinese opera is not realistic. But the truth of art is a well-regulated performance method, which is deeper than the truth of life. During this period, he was awarded doctorates in literature from Pomona University and the University of Southern California.

After the "September 18th" Incident in 1931, Mei Lanfang moved to Shanghai, first temporarily living in Cangzhou Hotel, and then moved to No. 121 Mas South Road. He rehearsed plays such as "Anti-Golden Soldiers" and "Hate of Life and Death" to promote patriotism. In 1935, he led a troupe to perform in the Soviet Union and Europe and inspect foreign dramas. Among the Peking Opera artists, Mei Lanfang is undoubtedly the one who has traveled the most and received the most foreign artists in China. He introduced the Chinese Peking Opera performing arts and the humility and simplicity of artists to people from all over the world. Therefore, people call him one of the 20th best performers of this century. From the 1990s to the 1950s, he was the cultural envoy of Chinese Peking Opera art.

After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the Japanese and puppets wanted to use Mei Lanfang to win people's hearts and embellish peace. They asked him to appear several times but were rejected. Mei Lanfang considered that he could not stay in Shanghai for long, so he went to Hong Kong in 1938. He performed dramas such as "Liang Hongyu" in Hong Kong to inspire people's fighting spirit. After the fall of Hong Kong in 1941, he arranged for his two children to study in the rear areas, and he returned to Shanghai in 1942.

After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Mei Lanfang came back in Shanghai and often performed Kunqu opera. In 1948, he filmed the color film "Hate of Life and Death", which was the first color opera film shot in China. After the liberation of Shanghai, he was invited to Peking in June 1949 to attend the First National Congress of Literary and Art Workers and was elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. In 1950, he returned to Beijing to settle down and served as the director of the Peking Opera Research Institute of the Ministry of Culture. In 1951, he was appointed the director of the Chinese Opera Research Institute. In 1952, he was appointed the director of the China Peking Opera Theater. He was successively elected as a representative of the National People's Congress.

In 1955, he filmed "Mei Lanfang's Stage Art", which included his masterpieces from various periods, such as "Universal Frontier" and "Broken Bridge", as well as snippets of his life and plays such as "Chunxiang Noisy School" performed in factories and stages. Fragments. In 1956, he led a Chinese Peking Opera delegation to perform in Japan. In May 1959, he performed "Mu Guiying Takes Command" in Beijing as a gift for the 10th anniversary of the National Day. Died in Beijing on August 8, 1961. He is the author of "Collected Works of Mei Lanfang", "Selected Scripts of Mei Lanfang", "Forty Years of Stage Life", etc. Representative plays include "The Drunken Concubine", "The Goddess Scattered Flowers", "Universal Frontier", "Fishing and Killing the Family", etc., and has trained and taught more than 100 students.

Origin of the stage name

Peking opera master Mei Lanfang was born in a Peking opera family. His grandfather Mei Qiaoling was a famous female actor in the late Qing Dynasty, and his uncle Mei Yutian was a Peking opera huqin player. Her father, Mingrui, whose courtesy name was Zhufen, was changed to Huadan from a young age, and her mother was Changyu, the eldest daughter of Yang Longshou. Zhu Xiaoxia, the elder brother of Zhu Suyun, a famous student who studied art at the age of 8, debuted on the stage at the age of 11. He studied hard and continued to practice, inherited and developed the traditional art of Peking Opera, formed the unique "Plum School", and became the first of the four famous actors. His performing arts have been famous at home and abroad for a long time, but he did not take the stage name "Mei Lanfang" until he was 16 years old.

In the autumn of the 34th year of Guangxu's reign (1908), Ye Chunshan, the leader of Xi Liancheng's class, led his class to perform in Jilin. One morning, Ye Chunshan and Niu Zihou, an enlightened gentleman who raised funds to establish Xiliancheng, went for a walk in Beishan, Jilin. The two of them were hiking up the mountain and chatting when they suddenly noticed a man practicing his sword in the woods. He was light and agile, and the sword shone with cold light as he danced. In the arc circle, Niu Zihou was stunned. He had loved Peking Opera throughout his life and had watched many performances by martial arts masters, but there were not many such superb sword skills as he saw today. He couldn't help but clap his hands in applause. When the sword dancer heard someone cheering, he quickly sheathed his sword, his cheeks turned red, and he wiped the fine beads of sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief. He bowed respectfully to Niu Zihou and saluted: "Boss Niu, you are so embarrassed."

Niu Zihou then came closer and took a closer look. He saw that the young man in front of him was handsome, elegant, and dignified. He was really a leader, so he asked, "Have you ever had a stage name?" Ye Chunshan answered. He replied: "I gave him the stage name 'Xiqun'." Niu Zihou pondered for a long time and said: "This kid has good looks and good manners. He will become a great person in the long run. How about changing his name to 'Mei Lanfang'?" Ye Chunshan, master and apprentice, readily agreed. From then on, he adopted the stage name "Mei Lanfang" which is well-known at home and abroad.

The story of Mei Lanfang

Escape from the tiger's den by practicing painting and growing a beard

On August 13, 1937, the Japanese army attacked Shanghai and the Songhu War broke out. Not long after the Japanese invaders occupied Shanghai, they learned that Mei Lanfang, the world-famous Peking Opera number one, lived in Shanghai, so they sent someone to invite Mei Lanfang to speak on the radio, asking her to express her willingness to serve Japan's "Imperial Musicians". After Mei Lanfang realized the Japanese conspiracy, he decided to leave Shanghai and go to Hong Kong as soon as possible to get rid of the Japanese invaders. So he sent a message to the Japanese saying that he would be going out to perform in a play soon, and at the same time he took a starry night boat ride with his family and a group to Hong Kong.

After Mei Lanfang came to Hong Kong, he lived in seclusion and refused to show up. In order to kill time, in addition to practicing Tai Chi, playing badminton, learning English, reading newspapers and watching the news, he devoted his main energy to painting. He likes to paint birds, Buddha statues, grass insects, swimming fish, shrimps and the dances of foreigners. Family members and troupe members were very happy after seeing these works and said they brought them a lot of beauty and joy.

In late December 1941, the Japanese army invaded Hong Kong. Mei Lanfang was miserable and worried that the Japanese would come to him to act. What should he do? After discussing with his wife, he decided to take a bold move: grow a beard, stop singing and dancing, and not perform for the Japanese and traitors. He said to his friends: "Don't look at my beard, it will be useful in the future. If the Japanese are unreasonable and force me to come out to sing, then they will have to leave it to them to be jailed and beheaded."

The organizers selected the Double Ninth Festival to be exhibited at the Shanghai Exhibition Hall, and invited Mei Lanfang and his wife to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

However, the news spread like wildfire. After learning about it, the Japanese and puppet traitors colluded with each other and caused wanton trouble. They sent a group of plainclothes policemen to enter the exhibition hall in advance to perform tricks. Many people who came to visit saw this. leave. Mei Lanfang felt strange when she saw the deserted door. When he walked into the exhibition hall, he found that each painting had a note pinned with a pin, which said "Ordered by Chairman Wang", "Ordered by Vice Chairman Zhou", "Ordered by Vice Minister Nei Okamura"... and some wrote "Send to Tokyo Exhibition". When Mei Lanfang and his wife witnessed this scene, their eyes were so angry that they immediately picked up the paper knife on the table and stabbed the pictures. "Wow! Wow! Wow!" Within a few minutes, the Chinese painting was reduced to shreds of paper.

Mei Lanfang’s indignant action of destroying paintings quickly spread throughout Shanghai and spread all over the country. The newspaper of the Shanghai authorities rushed to publish the top news, saying: "Minister Chu is dumbfounded, one painting exhibition and one false alarm!" Soong Ching Ling, Guo Moruo, He Xiangning, and Ouyang Yuqian gave speeches of support, praising Mei Lanfang for her awe-inspiring national integrity, which is admired by the world. . The masses also sent letters one after another to support Mei Lanfang's patriotic actions. Mei Lanfang was moved to tears when he saw that the people across the country were so appreciative and supportive of him. He excitedly said to his wife, "I, Mei Lanfang, am no longer a lonely bird!"

Going through debt Surviving every day is difficult

Mei Lanfang's financial resources were cut off, and his life was naturally difficult. He had no choice but to sell his house in Beijing in tears, and then sold the collection he had collected over the years. Despite this, he later borrowed money to survive and borrowed money from relatives and friends. Some friends learned that his family's life was in dire straits, so they donated money to help. The old painter Ye Yuhu proposed to cooperate with him to hold a traditional Chinese painting exhibition to highlight the themes of plum and bamboo to expand social influence.

Shanghai in the occupied area was in chaos and panic. There were either water and power outages or air raid sirens. Citizens lived in fear. Mei Lanfang painted in this difficult environment and overcame a series of unimaginable difficulties, and his painting skills improved greatly. After eight months of hard work, he painted more than 170 pieces by himself, with a wide range of themes, including ladies, Buddha statues, flowers, pine trees, plum blossoms, etc. Together with Ye Yuhu's works, he painted them on Chengdu Road in Shanghai in the spring of 1945. It was exhibited in a bungalow of the Bank of China and was well received by visitors.

After the exhibition, Mei Lanfang was forced to sell most of the works in order to make a living. The income earned was used to pay off debts, arrange family livelihood, and support those in the troupe who were more difficult to live. Mei Lanfang bitterly recalled the vicissitudes of the past few years, and said to a friend in a melancholy mood: "When an actor is in the prime of his performance, he grows a beard and refuses to perform on stage because he resists the harsh social environment. He doesn't even dare to use his voice. Damn, I can’t describe this pain in words. I paint partly to make a living and partly to entertain myself.”

Mei Lanfang is here. During the Anti-Japanese War, he resolutely kept his beard clear and refused to perform for the national enemies, which showed the indomitable strength of a generation of artists. This incident became a touching story in the land of China, widely sung among the Chinese people, and greatly inspired the determination of the Chinese people to fight bravely.

Good at roles

In the Peking Opera industry, Mei Lanfang is best at playing "Dan". In Peking Opera, women are collectively referred to as "Dan". According to the age and personality of the characters, they can be It is subdivided into many professions. Women who play the role of ladies and distinguished women are called "Zhengdan". Zhengdan is commonly known as "Qingyi" in Peking Opera. This is because the role played by Zhengdan often wears a blue gown. The heroine Dou E in the Peking Opera "The Injustice of Dou E" is a typical Tsing Yi character. Tsing Yi's performance is solemn, demure, elegant and soft, focusing on singing skills. Generally speaking, Tsing Yi's singing voice is melodious, delicate and graceful.

Contributions

Mr. Mei Lanfang has made outstanding contributions in promoting cultural exchanges between my country and the world. He is a pioneer in spreading the art of Peking Opera overseas in my country.

He visited Japan three times in 1919, 1924 and 1956, the United States in 1930, and the Soviet Union twice to perform in 1935 and 1952. He gained high reputation and met many internationally renowned artists, dramatists, singers, Dancers, writers and painters established sincere friendship with them. These activities of his not only enhanced people's understanding of Chinese culture from all over the world, but also made my country's Peking Opera art among the world's dramas.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Mei Lanfang was successively elected as a representative of the National People's Congress, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, vice chairman of the Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and director of the Chinese Drama Theater Vice Chairman of the Chinese Opera Association, he successively served as the president of the Chinese Opera Research Institute, the Chinese Opera Academy, and the China Peking Opera Company. He joined the Communist Party of China in July 1959 and made various contributions to the socialist construction of the motherland.

Mr. Mei Lanfang is a symbol of Chinese performing arts and the pride of our people.

Chronology of Mei Lanfang

Mr. Mei Lanfang

He was born on October 22, 1894 in the former residence of a pear garden family on Li Tieguai Xiejie outside Qianmen, Beijing.

In 1899

Mei Lanfang was studying in a private school near Baishun Hutong in Beijing.

1902

Officially accepted Wu Lingxian as his teacher and studied Qingyi Opera. The first play he learned was "War at Puguan", and later he learned "Second Entry into the Palace" , "Sanniang's Goddess" and other more than 30 dramas.

1904

On August 17 (July 7 of the lunar calendar), he made his first stage appearance at the "Guanghe Building" theater in Beijing, performing in "The Palace of Eternal Life: The Secret Oath of the Magpie Bridge" "Weaver Girl".

In 1907

Mei Lanfang’s family moved to Lucaoyuan from Baishun Hutong. Officially performed with "Xiliancheng".

1908

On August 14, his mother Yang Changyu died of illness. Later, the family moved to Toutiao, Whip Lane.

1910

Mei Lanfang married Wang Minghua. Starting this year, I started raising pigeons as a hobby.

1912

Performed on the same stage with Tan Xinpei for the first time in the play "The Sons of the Mulberry Garden".

1913

On October 31, he accepted the invitation of Shanghai Xu Shaoqing to perform in Shanghai for the first time (it was the first time Mei Lanfang left Beijing). On November 16, he performed the Zha'ao opera "Muke Village" for the first time and it was also his first time singing a major opera. This year, I started to study new tunes and learn Kun Opera. The family moved to Santiao, Whip Lane, Beijing.

In January 1914,

In January 1914, he and Wang Huifang became students of Chen Delin in Qingfeng Hall. This year, he also studied Kun Opera from Qiao Huilan, Li Shoushan, and Chen Jialiang. He also learned opera from Lu Sanbao and Wang Yaoqing. From July to October, he made the first attempt to create a new fashion drama "The Waves in the Sea" at "Yi Wenshe". This year, Mei Lanfang made reforms in makeup and headwear.

1915

On April 10, the new fashion drama "The Tide of Officials" was staged in Beijing Jixiangyuan.

On April 16, the new fashion drama "Deng Xiagu" was staged at Beijing Jixiangyuan.

On October 31, the new costume drama "Chang'e Flying to the Moon" premiered at Beijing Jixiangyuan. For the first time using chasing light on the Peking Opera stage, Mei Lanfang took the role of lighting one step further.

This year, Mei Lanfang began to learn painting from the painter Wang Luobai. After that, he got acquainted with painters Chen Shizeng, Jin Gongbei, Yao Mangfu, Chen Banding, Qi Baishi, etc. At the same time, he established a relationship with collector Zhu Yi'an and extensively viewed paintings, calligraphy and ancient artifacts.

1916

On January 14, the newly created play "Daiyu Buried Flowers" was performed in Beijing Jixiangyuan.

From April 19th to 21st, the new fashion drama "A Wisp of Hemp" will be staged in Jixiang, Beijing.

In 1917

Mei Lanfang created and choreographed the mythological musical "The Goddess Scatters Flowers".

1918

Mei Lanfang performed "A Dream in the Garden". Mei School's "A Dream in the Garden" can be called a wonder in the field of Chinese opera.

In the same year, he created and performed "Ma Gu's Birthday" and "Red Line Stealing Box".

1919

From April 21st to May 27th, at the invitation of the Japanese Imperial Theater, he visited Japan with the "Kikunshe" to perform. Has performed in Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and other places.

In December, at the invitation of modern industrialist Zhang Jian, he performed in Nantong, Jiangsu for the first time.

1920

The first silent film "Chunxiang Makes School" was filmed.

At the beginning of 1921,

he cooperated with Yang Xiaolou to organize the "Chonglin Society" theater troupe. At the end of the year, she married Fu Zhifang.

1922

On February 15, the new play "Farewell My Concubine" premiered on the First Stage in Beijing.

In the summer, Mei Lanfang formed the "Chenghua Society" theater troupe alone.

October 15th-November 22nd, at the invitation of Hong Kong Taiping Theater, he led more than 140 people from the "Chenghua Society" theater troupe to perform in Hong Kong.

1923

Being the first to add the erhu to the accompaniment of Peking Opera, making Peking Opera music richer.

In November, a new play "Luo Shen" was performed at Beijing Kaiming Theater.

In November, a new play "Lian Jinfeng" was performed at Beijing True Light Theater.

In May 1924,

received Rabindranath Tagore, a famous Indian scholar, poet and writer, at his residence in Beijing.

October 9th-November 22nd, Mei Lanfang visited Japan for the second time at the invitation of the president of the Japanese Imperial Theater. He has performed in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and other places.

1925

This year, a new drama and two volumes of "Taizhen Gaiden" were created.

1926

This year, three new plays and four "Taizhen Gaiden" were created.

We received the visiting Swedish crown prince and his wife at the Mei House in Wuliangdaren Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing.

1927

This year, she was named the first of the "Four Famous Dancing Stars" in Peking Opera.

Created and composed a new play "Jun Xi Ren".

1928

On April 6, the new play "The Phoenix Returns to the Nest" premiered at Beijing Zhonghe Theater.

In the summer, he wrote and performed the full version of the new play "Universal Frontier" in Beijing.

This year, it is the second time to perform in Hong Kong.

1930

January 18 - July led some actors of the "Chenghua Society" troupe to perform in the United States via Yokohama, Japan and Victoria, Canada. It performed for 72 days in Seattle, Chicago, Washington, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Honolulu and other places.

Pomona College and the University of Southern California respectively awarded Mei Lanfang an honorary doctorate in literature.

In May 1931,

he founded the "National Opera Society" with Yu Shuyan, Qi Rushan, Zhang Boju and others.

This year, it is the third time that the group has led a group to perform in Hong Kong.

In 1932

Mei Lanfang moved from Beijing to Shanghai.

In 1933

A new play "Anti-Golden Soldiers" was performed on the Tianchan Stage in Shanghai.

1935

From February 21st to April 21st, he led the troupe to perform in the Soviet Union. In the Soviet Union, he met with drama masters Stanislavsky and Brecht.

From April to August, he went to Poland, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom and other countries for theater inspections. Later he returned to China via Egypt and India.

1936

On February 26, a new play "Hate of Life and Death" was performed on the Tianchan Stage in Shanghai.

At the beginning of 1938,

he went to Hong Kong to perform again with his family and troupe cast and crew. The whole family lives in Hong Kong.

1941

This year, I grew my beard and made my ambition clear, and stopped showing off the stage.

1942

This summer, he returned to Shanghai from Hong Kong. From then on, Dumen thanked his guests.

1945

In October 1945, he returned to the stage and collaborated with Yu Zhenfei to perform Kunqu opera "Broken Bridge" and "A Dream in the Garden" at the Shanghai Majestic Theater.

1948

From June to November, the color film "Hate of Life and Death" was filmed at Shanghai Lianhua No. 3 Factory.

In July 1949, he attended the First National Congress of Literary and Art Workers in China.

On September 30, he was elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

On October 1, participated in the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China and the Central People's Government.

1951

In April, Mei Lanfang was appointed president of the Chinese Opera Academy.

In July, the family moved back to Beijing from Shanghai and settled at No. 1 Huguosi Street. (Now Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall)

1952

In December, he attended the World People's Peace Conference held in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

This year, I met with the famous Soviet dance master Ulanova in Beijing.

1953

In October, Mei Lanfang was elected vice chairman of the Chinese Dramatists Association.

In September 1954, Mei Lanfang was elected as the first National People's Representative of the People's Republic of China.

In January 1955, Mei Lanfang was appointed director of the China Peking Opera Company.

In April, the Ministry of Culture, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and the Chinese Dramatists Association jointly held a commemorative event for Mei Lanfang and Zhou Xinfang’s 50 years of stage life.

The opera film "Mei Lanfang Stage Art" was filmed from February to August, and the production was completed in December.

1956

From May 26th to July 16th, at the invitation of Japan's Asahi Shimbun and other groups, with the direct care and help of Premier Zhou Enlai, the strongest lineup was formed Mei Lanfang was the leader of a large Peking Opera delegation visiting Japan. This is also Mei Lanfang’s third visit to Japan. He has performed in Tokyo, Kyushu, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya and other places.

1957

On June 7, Helga, Chairman of the International Dance Association, came to Beijing to award Mei Lanfang the Medal of Honor.

1959

On May 25, the new play "Mu Guiying Takes the Command" was performed at the Beijing People's Theater.

1960

On January 21, the color film "A Dream in the Garden" was completed.

On April 15, the Beijing Municipal People's Committee appointed Mei Lanfang as the leader of the Mei Opera Troupe.

1961

On May 31, "Mu Guiying Takes Command" was performed for scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This was Mei Lanfang's last performance in his stage career.

On July 9, Mei Lanfang was appointed president of the Chinese Academy of Opera.

At 5 a.m. on August 8, Mei Lanfang died of illness in Beijing.

Attached is a chronology of Mei Lanfang’s activities: see /person.php?name=E6A285E585B0E88AB3