Preface
Mother Earth has regained a lovely son, the former old drama bone Shi Weijian died on May 12 and left the stage that had just celebrated Mother's Day. At the age of 89, he is like a film film that has been worn out by time, leaving only a little residual image of memories that linger in our minds. Tears swirled in his eyes, and an emotion called "regret" rippled in his heart: Why did such an old actor say that he would leave? His curtain call came so suddenly!
1. Review Shi Weijian's artistic career
Shi Weijian, who walked out of the small county town of Huai'an, has been deeply attracted by the art of opera since he was a child. At that time, the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army performed revolutionary plays in the square of his hometown, and the raging fire ignited his artistic dream in his immature heart.
In 1950, fate entrusted his dream to him like a bookboy. Among the more than 2,000 aspirants, Shi Weijian became the leader of the "one-fiftieth" in the training class. His drama unfolds from here.
Later, after the high-temperature forging of the Central Experimental Theater, Shi Weijian shined even more brilliantly on the stage. He has played the leading role in "One Servant and Two Masters", "Peach Blossom Fan" and other plays, making the audience hit the festival repeatedly. The subsequent film and television works such as "Bear Fan" and "The Legend of Tianyun Mountain" made this young man from a humble background leave a strong mark under the Chinese lantern.
"The Legend of Tianyun Mountain" is undoubtedly the highest moment of Shi Weijian's life. Director Xie Jin carefully selected from more than 2,000 people, and finally fell in love with the smart eyes of this ordinary young man, allowing him to play the male protagonist Luo Qun. In order to make the character image fuller, Shi Weijian interviewed many intellectuals who had similar encounters with Luo Qun, supplemented by his own experience. Finally on the big screen, the vivid image of Luo Qun jumped on the paper.
The film has caused great repercussions because it vividly reproduces the humanistic scenes of that era. Many awards such as the Golden Rooster Award and the Hundred Flowers Award came one after another, adding an additional dazzling halo to Shi Weijian, who had just reached the peak of his career.
Since then, Shi Weijian has vividly presented the image of Sun Yat-sen, a well-known great man, on the big screen, and is known as the first actor to truly modernize Sun Yat-sen, and can be called the first "Sun Yat-sen" spokesperson in China.
In his decades-long artistic career, Shi Weijian's character works are vast. Whether it is the uninhibited "Li Bai" in "Tang Ming Emperor", or the stern "Father Lin" in "Chinese-style Divorce", or the mentally controlled Hou Junshan in "Xun Huisheng", he is all brilliant and vivid. The audience praised his acting skills, saying that he was a "living ancestor" in the stage, film and television industry.
2. Shi Weijian's persistent pursuit of performing arts
Time flies, the years go by, but Shi Weijian's dedication to performing arts has never changed. In his opinion, "there are no small roles, only small actors". Every character, every character, is worthy of being carved with heart and performed with all his might.
With this obsession in mind, he worked tirelessly on the road of art. Tragedy, comedy, farce, ancient and modern Chinese and foreign characters are all swaying freely in his selfless style. Even if the role of a passer-by with a very small role, Shi Weijian will make sufficient preparations in advance and strive to make the characters lifelike, full and vivid.
According to insiders, Shi Weijian always leaves early and late during rehearsals, and he deliberates and repeats every line and every subtle action. Good drama speaks with strength, and dedication is his unchangeable professional ethics. In the words of the director, Mr. Shi is a real "workaholic" who values art more than life.
It is precisely this persistent pursuit of art that has not faded in the slightest when he entered his old age. Some young people retired to their homes to recuperate, but Shi Weijian was unmoved, and still walked tirelessly on the stage. Whenever a stunning figure flies on the stage, there will always be long-lasting applause from the audience.
In 2014, the 79-year-old Shi Weijian collaborated with the Beijing People's Art Theater to perform the drama "Barber Shop", which also became the last character he created on the stage. At the drama press conference, when asked why he was still swaying freely on stage at such an advanced age, he responded indifferently: "I can act in these three theaters, which is really a great happiness for drama actors."
The humble words of great wisdom and foolishness contain Shi Weijian's unique views on art. He once said: "Drama, tragedy, comedy, farce, positive and negative, all kinds of Chinese and foreign roles must be played, so that they will not be imprisoned by the role." Only by constantly challenging oneself can an actor finally be with life. In plain language, he takes stock of his artistic beliefs.
In life, Shi Weijian also lived to the fullest. At the age of 80, he still likes to talk about art theory with young people. When he falters, he is also willing to walk all over the mountains and villages, just to let art shine in any corner. This artistic pursuit still shines brightly on the old artists who have faded away on the rivers and lakes.
There will be a dispersion, but before the moment of dispersion, Shi Weijian has always perfectly interpreted the artistic concept of "living to old age and acting to old age" with an indomitable attitude. His life book will always guide future generations in the long journey of pursuing art.
3. Evaluate the legendary life of Shi Weijian's artistic path
From the grassroots in Huai'an Town to the famous teacher in the Chinese art world, Shi Weijian has experienced countless "ice and fire tempering" along the way. The road of art is boundless, and only persistent pursuers can last for a long time.
He used his life to interpret the truth that art is endless. From the stage to film and television, from ancient costumes to modern times, Shi Weijian's drama path is indeed unique. Whether it is Luo Qun who plays the tragedy, Sun Yat-sen, who interprets the national hero, or the vivid image of Li Bai, he can be brilliant and vivid, making the audience fascinated.
As the so-called "endless sea of art", Shi Weijian is a great navigator who wanders the sea of art, and uses his enthusiastic boat of life to swim on the ocean of characters. The stern father in the idol drama "Chinese-style Divorce", and the wise and brave Shuangquan Hou Junshan in the Peking Opera masterpiece "Xun Huisheng...... Everywhere he stopped, there was a bubbling spring of living water.
The core of each character is brought to life by him. Throughout the more than 100 artistic images he has created on the stage and screen, the characters have different personalities, but all of them are vivid and vivid, making the audience feel as if they are in the scene and immersed in the scene. Drama can realize dreams, and dreams can also become dramas. In Shi Weijian's artistic career, which has lasted for more than half a century, he has used an almost paranoid artistic pursuit to gather an undercurrent of perfection in the great river and sea of Chinese drama stage and film and television career.
He is the first actor in China to truly "modernize" the image of Sun Yat-sen, and has brought a rare classic to the giant screen in film and television works such as "The Legend of Tianyun Mountain". For a time, his name was like thunder, and his influence was so far-reaching that future generations even sighed. In the face of the breadth of his drama and roles, even some performing artists of the same age are often dwarfed. Some comments praised "he is the living ancestor of the stage, film and television industry".
For Shi Weijian, art has long been integrated into the spirit and flesh, and injected into the flesh and bones. This dedication to theatre and performance is almost equivalent to life itself. He often quoted the proverbs of his predecessors to encourage himself: "Drama, tragedy, comedy, farce, positive and negative, all kinds of Chinese and foreign roles must be played, so that the drama road will be wider and wider." It can be seen that the reason why Shi Weijian can achieve a legendary artistic career is precisely because he has integrated his infinite love for art into himself. His life was condensed into a drop of seawater, and it was already heavy with immortal brilliance.
Fourth, say goodbye to Shi Weijian and remember the legendary life of this old drama bone
Life is indeed fragile and short. Shi Weijian's curtain call of this veteran actor is suffocating, but his brilliance when he is alive is enough to warm the world. In recent years, Shi Weijian has been riddled with illness, and his movement has become increasingly inconvenient. The family saw it in their eyes and felt pain in their hearts, so they could only take care of him wholeheartedly and invite special nursing to accompany him. Even so, in his later years, he was still suffering from illness.
But fortunately, the deadline has not yet come, and he has not suffered any more. Early in the morning of May 12, he suddenly became unwell and was rushed to the hospital. However, providence made people, and in an instant, the fire of his life was quietly extinguished, leaving only endless melancholy. I have to say that this is a happy curtain call. The pursuit of art is Shi Weijian's lifelong obsession, and now he can finally be freed from this endless imagination, and his curtain call is really too sudden and free.
Although Shi Weijian's death makes us deeply saddened, the bits and pieces he left behind in the world will always exude a warm light. Those superb acting skills, brilliant character creation, and unique insights into artistic concepts are destined to continue the legend of this hot land. The years have only left his body from us, but his artistic spirit will remain in the hearts of the people forever, and continue to live in the depths of the soul of every person who loves drama. Those inspiring figures that depict Sun Yat-sen, the father of the nation, and those bloody shots that depict Luo Qun's encounter and rise up to resist, will forever be remembered in the memory of the public.
Life is like a dream, clutch Miao. Today we have to watch this old actor depart with regret, but when the clouds in the sky disperse, a round of bright moonlight will surely illuminate the earth again. May Shi Weijian rest in peace in the spirit of heaven, and may he be forever missed by the world and become an art star who will never be dimmed. Those figures who sway freely on the stage, those moments that shine in front of the screen, have turned into eternal artistic imprints in the long river of time, and will exist forever in the world. Life is just a dream, but the monuments and legends outlined by the old drama bones with their own lives have transcended the finitude of life and achieved the eternity of art.
epilogue
After all, life is like a dream, fleeting. But an old actor like Shi Weijian has used his life to interpret the eternity and immortality of art. With his persistent pursuit and outstanding achievements, he has built a monument that will never fade in the river. Let's draw spiritual energy from this master of art, firmly pursue our dreams, and live a wonderful and extraordinary life. Just like those classic roles played by Shi Weijian, he illuminates every corner of life with a shining posture and blooms with a unique light!