The sun was shining brightly that morning, and the ancient and mysterious roots of Beijing's old city overflowed with a rich cultural atmosphere. I stepped into a time-honored crosstalk theater with a long history, and the smell of old ink came to my nose, as if I had traveled back in time and space.
At this moment, an old man with messy hair and a wrinkled face walked towards him, he was on a cane, and his gait was hobbling. Despite his short stature, his eyes are sharp and deep, like a wise lion.
With awe, I politely stepped forward to greet him, lest I touch the sore spot of this weathered elder.
The old man smiled in response and invited us to sit down and talk.
"You young generation really don't know much about the long history of cross talk art. The old man's words were full of emotion, "In our grandfather's time, as a cross talk artist, there is no such comfortable living environment as you have now.
I was full of curiosity and took the initiative to ask about the difficult journey of the cross talk industry back then. The old man sighed lightly, and his eyes flashed with melancholy: "At that time, we could only wander around, and in order to survive, we carried heavy benches and bags every day, looking for our own place in the bustling streets.
He paused for a moment, as if immersed in a distant memory, his face filled with the bitterness and joy of the artists of that era who struggled for survival.
"There is no fixed stage, only enthusiasm and firm belief, under the pressure of being expelled and ridiculed, we still stick to the art of cross talk and bring joy to the audience."
A deep sense of admiration welled up in my heart. It turns out that we are able to display our talents on the stage today because those predecessors paved this road step by step with courage and sweat.
It is precisely because of the unremitting efforts and perseverance of such a generation that the art of cross talk can be passed down to the present day and will last for a long time.
Just as we were expressing our sincere admiration for the hard work of the artists who came before us, a middle-aged man in a formal suit and a personable demeanor strode into the theater.
When he saw the old man, he bowed his head respectfully, and his eyes were full of respect.
This is Mr. Zhou Wei, a well-known cross talk actor who is now a household name. The old man introduced to me, "I believe that the young people of your generation are very familiar with him.
As expected, when I heard the name "Zhou Wei", a strong shock immediately surged in my heart.
"Haha, you're serious. Zhou Wei said with confidence on his face, his expression revealing an incomparably deep calmness and calmness, "I'm actually just an ordinary cross talk artist, but I can be regarded as a slight success in the industry."
He glanced at me lightly, and then began to talk about his artistic career: "I graduated from well-known institutions such as the Northern Quyi School, and then successively studied under two masters, Tang Jiezhong and Jiang Kun, especially Jiang Kun, who is my mentor.
Over the years, I have not only appeared on the grand stage of the CCTV Spring Festival Gala many times, but also participated in the filming of many film and television works. Now, I am firmly seated as the chairman of the North Performing Arts Group, and I am naturally well aware of the various situations in the cross talk industry.
Listening to Zhou Wei tell about his glorious history, my heart couldn't help but be deeply attracted by his shining light.
This talented artist deserves to be called a leader in the cross talk industry.
Just as I was respecting Zhou Wei, my mind suddenly flashed back to the scene he had a heated argument with an avid fan a few years ago.
It was that thrilling debate that gave the audience a deep understanding of this talented artist.
If it weren't for that unexpected turmoil, perhaps Zhou Wei's popularity would still not be as well-known as it is today.
Although Zhou Wei's reputation has long spread all over the world, what makes me even more admirable is his solemn accusation of the "hanging" behavior of some cross talk actors.
As soon as he saw us, he frowned slightly, and said with a serious expression: "How can the art of cross talk be treated so rashly! Those so-called 'hanging' performances are undoubtedly breaking the rules of conduct.
Zhou Wei's words were passionate, and his tone became sharp: "As far as I know, the ancestors of our cross talk industry have already established an iron law, and it is strictly forbidden to talk and chatter on the stage.
When I heard the news, my heart was filled with shock and doubt, and at this moment I urgently needed to know more about the situation. So I immediately asked Zhou Wei to know about the cause and effect of this incident.
After a period of silence, he sighed heavily and told me in an extremely serious manner: "Back then, our ancestors taught us that the performance of cross talk actors on the stage must not be adjusted as they wish, otherwise it will destroy the purity of art." Therefore, they are categorically opposed to any improvisation or excessive interaction with the audience on stage, as these can seriously damage the overall quality of the cross talk performance.
Zhou Wei's words were loud and sound, which immediately attracted questions from some young audiences at the scene. The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became tense, and there was a tense atmosphere in the air.
However, no matter how others refute, Zhou Wei always remained calm and adhered to the "iron law" of his grandfather.
This news quickly spread on the Internet, instantly igniting a heated discussion among the majority of netizens. Most people believe that Zhou Wei's remarks are too harsh and unreasonable.
After all, the superb skills of cross talk actors can not only enhance the comedy effect, but also strengthen the interaction with the audience, so that the audience can be more deeply immersed in the cheerful atmosphere.
Looking at the fierce debate on the Internet, I can't help but start to reflect on the development of cross talk art. It turned out that as early as the sixties of the last century, the art of cross talk had been highly valued by the state and was included in the propaganda scope of the Central Radio Rap Troupe and major literary and artistic groups.
In that era, cross talk was no longer a juggling skill on the streets, but a major political propaganda task. In order to better spread positive energy among the people, cross talk actors had to change their thinking and shift their creative focus to the so-called "praise" cross talk.
In the process of performing at a large-scale gala, in order to ensure the publicity effect, the cross talk actors must perform in strict accordance with the pre-set lines, and there is no chance to show their improvisation ability.
As long as it shows a hint of humor and funny elements, it is possible to be accused of being "vulgar and low-class".
With this as the background, when the TV set entered the homes of ordinary people, the art of cross talk also entered a new and vibrant stage of development.
More and more outstanding cross talk actors began to show their talents in front of the TV screen, and actively participated in the recording and broadcast of various cross talk variety shows.
However, whether it is at a grand theatrical evening or during the recording of a TV program, cross talk performances face strict rules and restrictions - absolutely forbidden any improvisation, and must be performed according to a pre-set process and rhythm to ensure the quality and effect of the entire work.
Another important issue that deserves our attention is that there is a certain sense of distance between both forms of performance and the audience, which makes it difficult for the actors to form a real interaction with the audience on stage.
Therefore, the vast majority of mainstream cross talk actors generally lack the skills and experience to interact with the audience, and cannot deeply understand and appreciate the importance of the current hanging to create a comedy atmosphere.
It is precisely because they have been in such a stylized and standardized environment for a long time that Zhou Wei and others will have such strong prejudice and resistance to the phenomenon of hanging.
They stick to the rules, overemphasize the so-called "artistic purity", ignore the unique charm of direct interaction with the audience, and even forget that the ultimate mission of comedy art is to make the audience laugh and bring people joy.
It can be seen that the reason why Zhou Wei is so resolutely opposed to the current hanging is largely due to the rigidity and stereotype of the performance method in the mainstream cross talk circle in which he lives.
They are accustomed to following established patterns and are skeptical of any attempt at innovation, so they naturally hate the unconventional way of performing now.
In the face of the doubts of the majority of netizens, I decided to refocus the topic of discussion on the mysterious "ancestor master" mentioned by Zhou Wei before.
After in-depth reflection, I found that this patriarch's opinion was too arbitrary and lacked sufficient evidence to support it.
In order to verify Zhou Wei's remarks, I specially consulted several senior cross talk artists at the scene and asked them what the ancestor said back then.
Surprisingly, they had no idea about it, as if they had never heard of it.
"You must not believe all of Mr. Zhou Wei's remarks!" The oldest old man in the corner pointed out without hesitation, "As a generation of ancestors, how can he say such words that restrict the creators and the performances of the actors? What he taught us was only how to survive in the bustling street market, and how to win the applause and appreciation of the public."
Indeed, let his lies be hidden.
The reason why Mr. Zhou Wei has never explicitly quoted the original words of his grandfather is precisely because such a so-called 'iron law' no longer exists at all! He only used this as an excuse to cover up his narrow viewpoint and find an excuse for his own prejudice.
What is even more surprising is that Mr. Zhou Wei's admiration for his grandfather is in stark contrast to his strong opposition to the master-apprentice system.
As far as I know, Mr. Zhou Wei's master, Jiang Kun, and his uncle, Ma Ji, were both staunch advocates of transforming the master-apprentice system into a teacher-student system, and they were deeply disgusted by the rigid thinking of the master-apprentice rules.
Judging from these contradictory words and deeds, I can almost certainly say that the reason why Mr. Zhou Wei lashed out so violently at the phenomenon of Xianhang is largely due to his narrow concept and the limitations of his own ability.
His understanding of the teachings of his ancestors is seriously skewed, and his adherence to the rules is also full of hypocrisy of double standards.