"Anti-Gold Soldier" debuts on the list
Mei Lanfang's letter to Cheng Yanqiu
The contract signed by Mei Lanfang and Dangui Stage
Guangde Lou volunteer drama "Mother and Daughter Society" drama list
"Roselle" Nanda Po Xue oil on canvas
"Mei's Yuxuan Repertoire"
"Mulan From the Army" ◎ Xin Yousheng
The National Museum's "Mei Lan Fanghua - Mei Lanfang Art Life Exhibition" is extremely eye-catching. Through the exhibition, you can know why Mei Lanfang can become Mei Lanfang, and you can also know how to live to become Mei Lanfang, which is a comprehensive interpretation of his turbulent and very elegant life.
The exhibition displays a number of letters, some written by Mei to others, and some to Mei. These letters run through many stages of Mei Lanfang's life and are a perfect footnote to his life.
Letter
The first letter that appears in the exhibition was written by Mei Lanfang to her grandmother. The letter has no annual model, only signed "Seven Days of the First Year", judging from the contents of the letter, it is roughly written during Mei Lanfang's first performance in Shanghai in the second year of the Republic of China (1913). The Boss Xu mentioned in the letter should be Xu Shaoqing, the general manager of Dangui in the contract between Mei Lanfang and Dangui first Qiaji Company, which is exhibited after this letter. In the contract, it is stated that the time of filing is two years of the Republic of China.
At the time of writing, Mei Lanfang had been in Shanghai for some time. The letter first explained that the fundamental reason for not returning to Beijing on schedule was that the performance was on fire and needed to be performed. The letter said that Xu Boss repeatedly retained, but I did not agree, and because there were too many interlocutors everywhere, I was "less flexible", and the performance was ten days, and the expiration would never be continued. In this process, the actor should be at one end, and the performer should also give the actor face, saying that it not only raises the value of the actor, but also makes the outside world feel that it must seize the opportunity, and it may not be heard if you do not hurry to buy tickets, which is really smart marketing.
In the letter, Mei Lanfang did not have to be obscure to her grandmother, but also showed what she wanted in her heart, and the performance was "very famous" and "for the sake of future fame" was also to be added. Of course, this trip to Shanghai has a lot of income, and the letter specifically states that "the package of silver has been added". According to the contract, Mei Lanfang's silver package is 1,800 yuan per month, and the income after the performance is naturally increased.
In the second year of the Republic of China, Mei Lanfang was 19 years old, the first red, the previous year he had cooperated with Tan Da Boss (Tan Xinpei) to perform, and then the previous year in the Beijing Lingjie Selection, Mei Lanfang was a tanhua. The fame of youth, the cannons in Shanghai, the posture of the horns, the business operations, and the expectation of greater fame can all be read in this short letter. The Shanghai audience's pursuit of Mei and Mei Lanfang's choice of Shanghai as a place of life for many years also laid the groundwork at this time.
Mei Lanfang's contract with Dangui Stage is a very good model contract for the early years of the Republic of China. The contract attaches special importance to the "Middle Person", the Chinese person and both parties to the contract are equally important, and the content of the contract is discussed by the three parties. All the names in the contract, as well as the flowers, the contract date are all luni-solar calendar co-written, the special printing format of the contract and the words "great auspicious" in front of the contract, all suggest that this is an era of alternating between the old and the new, and the new and the old are constantly in conflict and blending. Mei Lanfang, who became famous as a teenager, is also constantly inheriting and innovating, and in this process, everyone in the "Mei Party" will also appear.
socializing
Some of the letters exhibited in the exhibition are exchanged with letters from mei party members. Mei Lanfang's interaction with these characters not only enhances his art, but also provides him with a lot of help in solving problems and handling daily things.
Feng Gengguang, officially known as "Feng Liuye", is the president of the Bank of China and the core of the Mei Party. Mei Lanfang's rehearsal of "Heavenly Girl Scattered Flowers" on the big table of Feng Gengguang's family is a good story in the art world. He has a lot of financial support for Mei Lanfang, and always helps Mei Lanfang solve problems. In the exhibition, there is a letter from Feng Gengguang to Mei Lanfang, which is about the various affairs of Mei Lanfang's performance in Guangdong. In the letter, he found someone for Mei to handle writing work in Guangdong, but it involved two people, and there was no need for anyone to have personal problems. Afraid of Mei's embarrassment, Feng especially said that if it is not easy to handle, it is best to use both of them, and Feng can also bear the burden on the cost. In addition, it is said that on the first day of the Guangdong performance, do not sing "Cosmic Front", Cantonese people psychologically reject "madness", and all plots must be introduced in Cantonese. Because Feng Gengguang is a Guangdong native, he is particularly familiar with the habits of Cantonese people. A letter to Feng's concern and care for Mei is clear at a glance. Mei also trusted Feng, and in a letter to Qi Rushan, he talked about his ring in the safe deposit box at home, the key was brought to Shanghai, and suggested that another seal should be engraved (perhaps the ring pattern is Mei's seal), and what to do should ask Qi Rushan to consult with the sixth master.
Feng Liuye is always helping Mei solve various problems, and Qi Rushan uses his meticulousness to help Mei cook performances and daily things. In another letter, Mei asked Qi Rushan why the costume of "Beauty Plan" had not been received, and thanked Qi for helping to write the letter. Without the assistance of Qi Rushan, perhaps Mei Lanfang's overseas visit would not have been so smooth. Qi Rushan's book "Mei Lanfang's Travels to the United States" on display in the exhibition details his preparations for Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States. For example, the organization compiled the "Mei Lanfang Song Score", in order to make foreign audiences better understand, Mei Lanfang's various stage shapes were drawn into bilingual maps in Chinese and English, including clothing maps. Before Mei Lanfang's visit to the Soviet Union, he wrote "Mei Lanfang Art Spots" that introduced Mei Lanfang's art, taking photos of Mei's various fingerings, and a large number of facebook catalogues in the exhibition were stamped with "Qi RuShan Zang".
Speaking of performing abroad, Hu Shi's letter to Mei Lanfang for this purpose is also very interesting. Compared with Feng Gengguang, who wants to help Mei share the cost, Hu Shi wants Mei to help solve the cost. Before Mei Lanfang's visit to the Soviet Union in 1935, Hu Shi introduced the drama educator Yu Shangyuan to accompany him. Yu studied at Columbia University, was fluent in Western Chinese, was in Tianjin at the time, and had plans to study theater in Europe. Yu accompanied the trip, on the one hand, to solve the problem of exchanges between Mei and the Soviet theater industry, and at the same time to meet Yu's desire to go to Europe for an inspection. It was only the drama agency where Yu served did not have this funding, which was introduced by Lao Hushi. Later, Yu Shangyuan also went to the Soviet Union with Mei and went to Western Europe to investigate.
During the exhibition, Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States and the visit to the Soviet Union were held in Shanghai before and after the farewell and welcome party, and the invitation card was also a rare material. Among them, it can be seen that people at the time attach great importance to Mei's going abroad, and more fundamentally, it is the desire for Chinese art to be concerned by foreigners, believing that "the development of mainland culture and art is very large" is great. When he returned to China, he was delighted that "his achievements were remarkable" and that "the period of international promotion had the glory of gaining art". The makers of several invitations were Song Ziwen and Kong Xiangxi, important members of the Republic of China Government, Wu Tiecheng, mayor of Shanghai, Yang Hu, director of the Security Department, Li Yuying and Gu Weijun, politicians of the older generation, Cai Yuanpei and Hu Shi, celebrities in cultural circles, Pei Zuyi and Xu Xinliu of the financial circles, and Jin Rong, Du Yuesheng, and Zhang Xiaolin, who were "people who heard from the sea," and all kinds of leading figures in Shanghai. It can be seen that Mei Lanfang's social scope is wide, and it can also be seen that all walks of life in Shanghai have attitudes towards Peking Opera and Peking Opera actors.
Peer
In addition to social interaction, the relationship with peers is also something that Mei needs special attention to. Wang Yaoqing, the "Master of the Tongtian Sect" in the Peking Opera circle, and the four famous Dans have the friendship of teachers and students. There is a letter from Wang Yaoqing to Mei in the exhibition, which is to listen to the sixth master and others say that Mei is sick with eye disease, and write a letter to greet her. The letter called Mei Lanfang "big brother", called herself "brother", according to traditional etiquette, the elders called the disciples brothers, called themselves brothers, and called themselves brothers to their peers, regardless of whether they were older or younger. When the juniors reply, they cannot call the elders brothers, but must be called teachers. Although I did not see Mei Lanfang's reply, it is estimated that this rule should also be followed. From this letter, it can be seen that the opera industry attaches great importance to traditional etiquette, pays special attention to language norms, and is also very thoughtful to its peers.
This thoughtfulness and euphemism in the opera world can also be seen in Mei's letters with the others of the four famous dans. Shang Xiaoyun wrote a letter to Mei Lanfang, first saying that he had not heard from Mei Lanfang for nine years (there were factors in the War of Resistance Against Japan), introducing his own opening of classes and his children's study of drama, and hearing that Mei Baojiu had also begun to learn drama, he expressed great satisfaction. Then the conversation turned sharply, mentioning that some people in Shanghai were not satisfied with him, Mei Lanfang explained for him, "a hundred and twenty points of protection", and the matter had been written to inform (it can be known that the news was transmitted quickly), very grateful. Later, he specifically pointed out that he and Mei were "close and friendly", although he was followed by a sentence of "why say thank you", it can also be seen that the relationship between the two sides is getting closer.
One of Mei's letters to Cheng Yanqiu is that Mr. Luo (should be Luo Gonggong) and Mr. Wen are writing and ink lawsuits, speculating that it is a comparison between Mei and Cheng art. Feng Gengguang persuaded Mr. Luo to stop the pen and ink dispute, which once again showed Feng's role in Mei. Mei also told Mr. Wen that Cheng was his disciple and asked Wen to send a message to the Times and praise Cheng more. Then he said that I am like your brother, and no one else can be separated. Mei's language switch between disciples and brothers, how many twists and turns there are, can also arouse people's reverie. In another letter from Cheng to Mei, Cheng holds the disciple ceremony, saying that he is still suffering, and he is often expected to feel that he is not able to enjoy the blessings of Mei than Mei.
The letters between Mei and Xun Huisheng selected for the exhibition are exchanges of letters after 1949. Xun explained to Mei that when performing in the northeast, the troupe recruited several actors in the local area, and then the reasons why several people left the troupe and passed by. Judging from the letter, it is estimated that the former situation is that the actors who left the group have opinions on Xun and reflected to Mei. Xun's title for Mei is "Dean Mei", which should be after Mei Lanfang became the president of the China Academy of Opera in 1957, and Mei may have questioned it because of her identity.
The exhibition also has several letters from local opera actors to President Mei, Cantonese opera actors Bai Jurong and Xue Juexian hope to ask for the training plan and training course materials of the Central Academy of Opera, the "fresh cherry" of the Shandong Wuyin Theater Troupe hopes that Mei can help the troupe to report to Beijing to perform, and Chen Bohua of the Han Opera Troupe enters Beijing to perform in the hope that Mei can support.
In the letter, Mei Lanfang could participate in the foreign affairs activities of the Yugoslav delegation and the solidarity of Chinese artists with Hungary and the commemoration of the October Revolution. After the founding of New China, Uncle Mei became President Mei, and the problems he handled and faced were different due to the transformation of identity and social status.
In this letter, Mei Lanfang has the assistance of friends, has the social status corresponding to his artistic achievements, and has the interaction with his peers, and it can also be seen that he is a person with high emotional intelligence.
This is just a small part of the exhibition. Others, such as "Mei's Yuxuan Repertoire", list Mei Lanfang's performance repertoire with more than 80% off (part), not all known repertoire. Can Peking Opera Danjiao actors learn to act in so many plays in their lifetime? In addition, Mei Lanfang's painting experience, interaction with painters, comprehensive artistic accomplishment in all aspects, life interest, etc., are all within the scope of the exhibition.
Jumping out of Mei's life experience, the exhibition also provides many social details from the late Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China to the early new China. Shen Rongpu's Peking opera paintings that appeared many times in the late Qing Dynasty, in which the combination of Western painting techniques and traditional Chinese painting methods, is an aspect of the development of Chinese painting. In the exhibition, the names of the actors are gradually unified after the founding of New China, regardless of the starring and supporting roles, and then to the introduction of actors in the order of appearance; the male and female seats in the early drama list, to the male and female seats, are the embodiment of changes in social customs. The "Nantong Women's Workers' Training Institute" presented to Mei Lanfang on two embroidery screens is the earliest embroidery-based arts and crafts school in the mainland and a pioneer in modern arts and crafts education in China. The embroidery screen authors Shen Li and Shen Pujian are both famous modern embroiderers, and Shen Pujian is Mrs. Zou Taofen. If you pay attention, there are many such details in the exhibition.
Almost all the exhibits in this exhibition are Mei Lanfang's old collection. On the one hand, we must lament the wealth of Mei Lanfang's collection, on the other hand, we are also glad that his collection can be preserved relatively completely and systematically, so that curators have sufficient materials, so that the audience can understand the multi-dimensional understanding of Mei Lanfang's life, not just a stylized symbol, but also through mei Lanfang's entry point, there is more understanding of the politics, culture, fashion, etc. of the late Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China to the early days of the founding of New China.
Image credit/National Museum