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Beijing has a history of over 1,000 years. There were once many renowned traditional Chinese opera theaters in the capital city. But now these vintage theaters are being swallowed up in the glitz of modernization and urbanization. Nevertheless, people can still make unexpected discoveries of traditional Chinese culture when wandering through Beijing’s hutongs, or alleys. The Zheng Yi Ci Theater is one such surprise. It is a historical relic with over 300 years of history, poised to reinvigorate the traditional Chinese opera.
Xinhuayaji International Cultural Communication Co. Ltd. produced the 2011 Winter Drama Season at the Zheng Yi Ci Theater from November 23 to December 25, 2011, reigniting the fame of the oldest theater in Beijing. The Zheng Yi Ci served as the venue for the 100th production of the Mei Lanfang Classics, a six-part production by the eponymous Peking Opera master. This year will mark the 300th anniversary of the theater’s reconstruction.
“We hope to attract more people to watch traditional opera and care for the ancient theater through the drama season,” said Yang Xiaolin, Vice President of Xinhuayaji. “Traditional Peking Opera and the Zheng Yi Ci Theater are the brilliant heritage of our ancestors. Traditional Chinese stage art and antique theaters must find new ways to attract wider audiences to be revived in modern cities.”
In addition to Mei Lanfang Classics, the theater has introduced several experimental contemporary dramas. Because of the traditional stage condition and unique layout of the theater, directors and artists had to adapt their plays to accommodating the vintage architecture, which lends a mysterious atmosphere to the performance.
Twists and turns
For traditional theaters of Beijing, there is no lack of interesting stories or splendid history. However, most theaters have fallen into obscurity with the coming of the information age. Some have moved to better-equipped buildings such as the Chang’an Grand Theater; others accept investment and diversify to provide additional services such as catering and event hosting, such as the Huguang and Yangping Guild Halls. But the Zheng Yi Ci Theater underwent even more twists and turns on the way toward its reopening.
The Zheng Yi Ci Theater was built earlier than many famous opera houses in the West, such as La Comédie Fran?aise in Paris(constructed in 1680) and the Royal Opera House in London (built in 1732). The theater was originally constructed as a temple during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 1667, during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), merchants from Zhejiang Province bought the temple to enshrine the god of wealth. In 1712, it was rebuilt and expanded, becoming a center of commerce. The opera house, at that time an auxiliary feature of the architectural complex, composed only one sixth of the total area.
The theater became a place of recreation for dramatists during the middle of the 19th century, when Peking Opera experienced a boom in popularity. It hosted many celebrities of the Peking Opera renaissance, including Cheng Changgeng (1811-80), Tan Xinpei (1847-1917) and Mei Lanfang (1894-1961). When the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression broke out in 1937, the theater was overwhelmed in the chaos and remained silent for over 60 years.
In 1994, the Zheng Yi Ci Theater received a favorable turn. Wang Yuming, an enthusiastic entrepreneur from Zhejiang Province, discovered the decrepit theater in an alley by chance and decided to restore it. Wang invited
many artists and celebrities to celebrate the reopening of the theater. But it is difficult for a person to accomplish much single-handedly. Wang’s passion and funds did not sustain the theater for long. It closed again in 1996.
The non-profit Beijing Traditional Culture Protection Development Foundation took control of the theater in 2006 and reopened it once again to great expectations that sound management could protect the site. The performing artists of Xinhuayaji ensure steady box office revenue. Furthermore, the ancient theater hosts significant events, such as a project launch ceremony attended by U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke in December, 2011.
New experiment The Zheng Yi Ci Theater is regarded as a living fossil of the traditional Chinese stage. Coincidentally, retro experimental dramas perfectly fit the antique architectural style of the theater. Therefore, the 2011 Winter Drama Season seems like a dialogue between the ancient and modern through the veil of time.
Cooking a Dream, directed by Huang Ying, is inspired by a fable written by Shen Jiji during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The original tale takes place at an inn, where a young man named Lu Sheng laments his miserable luck to a Taoist monk. The monk gives him an enchanted pillow and bids him to sleep while the innkeeper cooks millet. Consequently, Lu experiences a series of lucky strokes, marrying the daughter of a rich man and amassing a great wealth only to suffer the vicissitudes of life as a high official before waking up in the inn, still awaiting his millet.
An example of a story within a story, the tale in turn inspired a multitude of Chinese idioms, such as huang liang mei meng (beautiful millet dream), which expresses a quintessentially Chinese philosophical sentimentality for the simple things in life.
The drama debuted on July 8 at the 2011 Avignon Theatre Festival in Avignon, France, winning unexpected praise. Particularly, Huang Ying and his team prepared the cooked millet for audiences when the play was over, giving them a surprise and a real taste of Chinese flavor.
The drama is full of traditional Chinese cultural elements and symbols, such as elaborate facial makeup and costumes, pingtan (a Suzhou City vocal style), sanxian (a threestringed plucked instrument), calligraphy and classical long-sleeved dances. However, the drama is not limited to the original story. The director revised the story with his understanding and contemporary ideas. At last, Huang wants to tell people that “cherish what you have now because inner peace is the most valuable wealth of a person.”
“Traditional culture is inherited in our blood and veins from our ancestors even though the lifestyle of Chinese people has radically changed. So this drama can be regarded as a connection between the traditional and the contemporary. And for this time, the Zheng Yi Ci Theater provides a perfect traditional atmosphere for Cooking a Dream,” said Huang.
Huang has been looking for creative inspiration from ancient Chinese culture and traditional stage art. Cooking a Dream is a new attempt. “In my view, Chinese artists should make innovations to traditional stage art to conform to contemporary life.”
Indeed, the question about how to inherit and promote China’s cultural essence concerns all Chinese people. The Zheng Yi Ci Theater and its winter drama season have made a positive attempt to answer it.
Xinhuayaji International Cultural Communication Co. Ltd. produced the 2011 Winter Drama Season at the Zheng Yi Ci Theater from November 23 to December 25, 2011, reigniting the fame of the oldest theater in Beijing. The Zheng Yi Ci served as the venue for the 100th production of the Mei Lanfang Classics, a six-part production by the eponymous Peking Opera master. This year will mark the 300th anniversary of the theater’s reconstruction.
“We hope to attract more people to watch traditional opera and care for the ancient theater through the drama season,” said Yang Xiaolin, Vice President of Xinhuayaji. “Traditional Peking Opera and the Zheng Yi Ci Theater are the brilliant heritage of our ancestors. Traditional Chinese stage art and antique theaters must find new ways to attract wider audiences to be revived in modern cities.”
In addition to Mei Lanfang Classics, the theater has introduced several experimental contemporary dramas. Because of the traditional stage condition and unique layout of the theater, directors and artists had to adapt their plays to accommodating the vintage architecture, which lends a mysterious atmosphere to the performance.
Twists and turns
For traditional theaters of Beijing, there is no lack of interesting stories or splendid history. However, most theaters have fallen into obscurity with the coming of the information age. Some have moved to better-equipped buildings such as the Chang’an Grand Theater; others accept investment and diversify to provide additional services such as catering and event hosting, such as the Huguang and Yangping Guild Halls. But the Zheng Yi Ci Theater underwent even more twists and turns on the way toward its reopening.
The Zheng Yi Ci Theater was built earlier than many famous opera houses in the West, such as La Comédie Fran?aise in Paris(constructed in 1680) and the Royal Opera House in London (built in 1732). The theater was originally constructed as a temple during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 1667, during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), merchants from Zhejiang Province bought the temple to enshrine the god of wealth. In 1712, it was rebuilt and expanded, becoming a center of commerce. The opera house, at that time an auxiliary feature of the architectural complex, composed only one sixth of the total area.
The theater became a place of recreation for dramatists during the middle of the 19th century, when Peking Opera experienced a boom in popularity. It hosted many celebrities of the Peking Opera renaissance, including Cheng Changgeng (1811-80), Tan Xinpei (1847-1917) and Mei Lanfang (1894-1961). When the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression broke out in 1937, the theater was overwhelmed in the chaos and remained silent for over 60 years.
In 1994, the Zheng Yi Ci Theater received a favorable turn. Wang Yuming, an enthusiastic entrepreneur from Zhejiang Province, discovered the decrepit theater in an alley by chance and decided to restore it. Wang invited
many artists and celebrities to celebrate the reopening of the theater. But it is difficult for a person to accomplish much single-handedly. Wang’s passion and funds did not sustain the theater for long. It closed again in 1996.
The non-profit Beijing Traditional Culture Protection Development Foundation took control of the theater in 2006 and reopened it once again to great expectations that sound management could protect the site. The performing artists of Xinhuayaji ensure steady box office revenue. Furthermore, the ancient theater hosts significant events, such as a project launch ceremony attended by U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke in December, 2011.
New experiment The Zheng Yi Ci Theater is regarded as a living fossil of the traditional Chinese stage. Coincidentally, retro experimental dramas perfectly fit the antique architectural style of the theater. Therefore, the 2011 Winter Drama Season seems like a dialogue between the ancient and modern through the veil of time.
Cooking a Dream, directed by Huang Ying, is inspired by a fable written by Shen Jiji during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The original tale takes place at an inn, where a young man named Lu Sheng laments his miserable luck to a Taoist monk. The monk gives him an enchanted pillow and bids him to sleep while the innkeeper cooks millet. Consequently, Lu experiences a series of lucky strokes, marrying the daughter of a rich man and amassing a great wealth only to suffer the vicissitudes of life as a high official before waking up in the inn, still awaiting his millet.
An example of a story within a story, the tale in turn inspired a multitude of Chinese idioms, such as huang liang mei meng (beautiful millet dream), which expresses a quintessentially Chinese philosophical sentimentality for the simple things in life.
The drama debuted on July 8 at the 2011 Avignon Theatre Festival in Avignon, France, winning unexpected praise. Particularly, Huang Ying and his team prepared the cooked millet for audiences when the play was over, giving them a surprise and a real taste of Chinese flavor.
The drama is full of traditional Chinese cultural elements and symbols, such as elaborate facial makeup and costumes, pingtan (a Suzhou City vocal style), sanxian (a threestringed plucked instrument), calligraphy and classical long-sleeved dances. However, the drama is not limited to the original story. The director revised the story with his understanding and contemporary ideas. At last, Huang wants to tell people that “cherish what you have now because inner peace is the most valuable wealth of a person.”
“Traditional culture is inherited in our blood and veins from our ancestors even though the lifestyle of Chinese people has radically changed. So this drama can be regarded as a connection between the traditional and the contemporary. And for this time, the Zheng Yi Ci Theater provides a perfect traditional atmosphere for Cooking a Dream,” said Huang.
Huang has been looking for creative inspiration from ancient Chinese culture and traditional stage art. Cooking a Dream is a new attempt. “In my view, Chinese artists should make innovations to traditional stage art to conform to contemporary life.”
Indeed, the question about how to inherit and promote China’s cultural essence concerns all Chinese people. The Zheng Yi Ci Theater and its winter drama season have made a positive attempt to answer it.