1. Guo Degang set off a storm of public opinion, once again triggering the controversy over the "old man of Bangzi".
In April 2024, it was supposed to be an online live broadcast of Guo Degang's joyful promotion of the new book, but it unexpectedly detonated the old story about the "old man of Bangzi". When Guo Degang impassionedly recalled the famous sentence "Bangzi is the father of Peking Opera", the atmosphere immediately froze, and then an uproar broke out.
The audience looked at each other, some widening their eyes in shock, and some pursed their lips with a contemptuous expression, obviously extremely shocked by Guo Degang's remarks.
Immediately afterward, voices of skepticism and criticism arose again on the Internet and in real-life chatter.
"Who is the old man Bangzi? What exactly did he say? And what evidence is there to substantiate this? Some netizens asked questions suspiciously.
"It's ridiculous! Peking Opera is the artistic crystallization of many local operas, how can it be said to be the father of Bangzi? Others have mercilessly dismissed the plausibility of such claims.
"It's just nonsense, Peking Opera actors don't necessarily need to be proficient in Bangzi singing!" Some people even questioned Guo Degang's claim that Peking Opera actors must master the Bangzi singing method.
Countless voices of doubt have arisen one after another, both online and in the real world. Obviously, Guo Degang's remarks once again touched the sensitive zone of public opinion, triggering a fierce collision between his loyal fans and opponents.
The scene was once in chaos, with voices for and against intertwined and mutually incompatible.
2. A year ago, Mr. Guo caused a storm because of the joke of "Peking Opera Old Man Caring for Orphans".
To understand why Guo Degang caused such an uproar, we have to go back to the past in April 2023.
At that time, Guo Degang published an article on his personal Weibo, claiming that a mysterious old man of Peking Opera entrusted him with the precious inheritance of Peking Opera. As soon as this remark came out, it immediately aroused widespread attention from the media.
However, soon after, some media revealed the true face of this so-called "old man of Peking Opera": it turned out that he was just a small role actor who had never made a name for himself on the mainstream stage, and the script in his hand was just second-hand information downloaded from the Internet.
In the face of doubts and accusations, Guo Degang quickly fell into the dilemma of being deceived by someone's "little tricks". As a veteran artist, how can he be easily fooled by a young man who "stinks and doesn't dry up"? Netizens' doubts are pouring in like a tide.
After months of waiting and anticipation, Guo Degang finally revealed the true face of the "Peking Opera Old Man Orphan" incident that once aroused heated discussions in a high-profile live broadcast: it turned out that it was just a joke he carefully planned in order to respond to some people's frequent malicious ridicule of "singing like a bangzi".
Although this incident caused quite a stir at the time, it seemed to have laid a hidden danger for Guo Degang's continuous "killing" and hyping up the "Bangzi Old Man Said" in the future, and since then, he has embarked on a long journey to defend the dignity of Bangzi's art.
3. Netizens expressed surprise and were full of doubts about Guo Degang's remarks
Guo Degang once again mentioned "Old Man Bangzi Said" this time, which naturally inevitably attracted the doubts and doubts of the majority of netizens. First of all, people have deep doubts about the authenticity of this so-called "old man".
In addition, netizens also refuted Guo Degang's view that Bangzi is the "father" of Peking Opera. Although Bangzi is indeed an important source of Peking Opera, it would be an exaggeration to simply regard it as the sole origin of Peking Opera.
As we all know, in the process of the formation of Peking Opera, it not only absorbed the essence of Bangzi, but also incorporated elements of many local operas such as Kunqu Opera, Hui Tune, Han Opera, etc., and it is obviously unfair to give the title of "father" only to Bangzi.
More crucially, Guo Degang also emphasized that Peking Opera performers must be proficient in Bangzi tone, but there are serious logical loopholes in this view. Whether or not you are familiar with the tone of Bangzi and whether you can interpret the exquisite Peking Opera are actually two completely different concepts, and the two should not be confused.
Netizens' doubts poured in. Some people speculate that Guo Degang's move is a counterattack to the ridicule he suffered from "singing like Bangzi" before, and others believe that he is trying to replace a "Bangzi father" for Peking Opera through this move to highlight his own status.
All in all, Guo Degang's remarks undoubtedly aroused an uproar in public opinion again, and voices of support and opposition rose one after another on the Internet and various platforms such as forums, Weibo, and post bars in reality, and the scene once fell into extreme chaos.
Fourth, an in-depth analysis of the complex psychological struggle behind the speech
In fact, as long as we deeply analyze Guo Degang's remarks, combined with his various performances over the past year or so, we can gain insight into the deep-seated psychological needs contained in them.
First of all, as a well-known outstanding successor of Bangzi art, Mr. Guo Degang undoubtedly has a strong will to use the power of public opinion to fully stand up the banner of Bangzi art and defend its respected status and unshakable honor among many varieties of opera! For a long time, Peking Opera, Kunqu Opera and other operas have often occupied a dominant position in the minds of the public due to their well-known and extremely high popularity, enjoying abundant resources and generous treatment.
However, although Bangzi has deep roots in some regions, its influence and public recognition are relatively limited in comparison, and if he can use Mr. Guo Degang's own huge influence to elevate Bangzi's status to a level comparable to that of Peking Opera, it will undoubtedly be a great event that makes him feel very excited! After all, he is not only an outstanding successor of Bangzi's art, but also a skilled performing artist, and if Bangzi's status is improved, then his voice in the opera industry will also rise, which is an important wish in his heart.
Secondly, as a senior opera actor who has gone through vicissitudes, Mr. Guo Degang must be deeply dissatisfied with the ridicule of "singing like a bangzi" in the past. In his eyes, Bangzi is one of the dramas he is best at and has poured countless efforts into, and this kind of seeming contempt for Bangzi undoubtedly deeply stabbed his self-esteem.
He doesn't want to see his beloved art form belittled or questioned, so he tries again and again to justify Bangzi, even with seemingly far-fetched statements.
Finally, in addition to the above-mentioned strong desire to defend Bangzi's status and protect his personal reputation, Mr. Guo Degang actually has great ambitions to strive for greater voice and influence in the opera industry.
As a person dedicated to the promotion of opera, he has stood in front of the public for many years, playing the role of "opera ambassador", which undoubtedly inspired his ambition In order to achieve this grand goal and expand the influence and recognition of Bangzi art in all walks of life, it is undoubtedly a crucial step From this point of view, Mr. Guo Degang has frequently hyped up topics such as "Bangzi Old Man Said" in recent years, obviously using his huge influence to try to shake and even reshape the discourse pattern of the opera industry.
The way he behaves seems to be closely related to the pursuit of fame, but a deeper inquiry reveals that he is thoughtful on the level of personal emotion and dignity. Whether it is a commitment to maintaining the high reputation of art or seeking greater social influence, there is an intricate inner struggle behind it.
Fifth, the fierce disputes inside and outside the industry, the opera industry still needs to work together in the future
As soon as Mr. Guo Degang's remarks of "Old Man Bangzi Said" were published, they immediately set off a wave of heated discussions and division in the online world. The field of public opinion instantly fell into a fierce confrontation, and the confrontation between supporters and opponents was in full swing, and the scene was chaotic for a while.
Some netizens expressed dissatisfaction with this, they thought that Guo Degang was too persistent, knowing that it was just a joke but still having to worry about it, it was really a big fuss.
However, there is also another school of thought that appreciates Guo's behavior. Controversy and criticism inevitably arise in the process of artistic creation, and Guo Degang, as an outstanding artist, has every right to defend his artistic ideas without catering to everyone's tastes.
At the same time, there are also some neutral but slightly reproachful voices on the Internet, who believe that Guo Degang's behavior is indeed a bit excessive, and he can completely ignore public opinion and put down his body.
The voices of online and offline tears and confrontations have come and gone, and there have been some disagreements within the opera industry. Some people think that dividing Bangzi, Peking Opera, Kunqu Opera, etc. into different grades is itself a prejudice, and that each genre should be respected and passed on equally.
There are also some people who strongly support Guo Degang, believing that folk art such as bangzi has long been on the fringes of public opinion, and it is not easy to fight for the right to speak, and there is nothing improper about Guo Degang's behavior.
This kind of reflection and action is undoubtedly the most precious treasure. After all, the road of cultural inheritance is long and arduous, and we have the responsibility to put forward constructive suggestions for this, welcome new things with an open and inclusive heart, and work together to protect the bright future of the opera industry.
Whether it is our peers in the industry or the audience, we should uphold the principle of mutual respect, listen to each other's voices with tolerance and understanding, rather than making value judgments lightly.
Only in this way can this ancient art be revitalized in the midst of inheritance and innovation.