The Four Great Su Sheng is the collective name of the Peking Opera Veteran Shengxing in the eyes of the audience, and the skills are higher than those of their peers, and with the passage of time, their specific meaning has also changed. The first four major Su sheng, referring to Yu (Shu Yan), Yan (Ju Peng), Gao (Qing Kui), and Ma (Lian Liang), all initially used "Zong Tan" as a call, but the result was that they all had their own style, which was praised by people, and they were the leaders of the old shengxing in Beijing that followed the "Later Three Dingjia" in the early years of the late Qing Dynasty.
Yu Shuyan
Yu Shuyan, originally known as "Little Yu Sansheng", in 1818, used Yu Shuyan as his stage name, Tan Xinpei entered the room as a disciple, Chen Delin's son-in-law. Grandfather Yu Sansheng, father Yu Ziyun, a three-generation three-master, can be described as a pear garden wonder. Together with Yang Xiaolou and Mei Lanfang, he became the representative figures of Lao Sheng, Wu Sheng and Dan Xing, and was known as the "Three Sages". He once formed the Shengyun Society, and Yang Xiaolou formed the Shuangsheng Society, and after 1928, he rarely appeared on stage for health reasons. There are 18 semi-surviving records, which are the guizhi of later generations to learn the "Yu Pai", and the disciples are Yang Baozhong, Wang Shaolou, Li Shaochun and Meng Xiaodong.
Stills from Yu Shuyan's "Shilang Visits His Mother"
Yan Jupeng
Yan Jupeng, a Mongolian, served in the Mongolian and Tibetan Academy and the Ministry of Finance in the early years of the Republic of China, and was appreciated by the industry with the "Tanpai Famous Ticket". In 1924, under the name of "Yanjun Jupeng", he went to Shanghai with Mei Lanfang, and in addition to the Shengdan children's play, he also starred in the Tan Pai drama, and after returning to Beijing, he was dismissed, so he went to the sea with the art name Ju Peng. In 1939, he formed the Chunyuan Society, and co-performed with Zi Shaopeng and Female Huizhu, known as the "Yanjia Class". The "Yan Sect" was passed down by Xi Xiaobo, Tang Zhipeng, and daughter-in-law Zhang Shaolou.
Stills from Yan Jupeng's "Ning Wuguan"
Gao Qingkui
Gao Qingkui, father Gao Shijie, was famous and ugly during the same light years. As a young student, he once played a doll for Tan Xinpei. After changing his voice, on the basis of Zong Tan, he was known for his old life drama "three slashes and one touch" ("Chop Yellow Robe", "Chop Horse Rumor", "Yuanmen Chop", "Bumping Monument"), and could perform Red Sheng Drama, Black Head Play, Lao Dan Drama and Wusheng Drama, which was called "High Mix". In 1919, he accompanied Mei Lanfang to perform in Japan, and in 1929, he formed the Qingsheng Society and cooperated with Hao Shouchen for a long time. The "Gao Pai" lineage includes Bai Jialin, Wang Binfen, Yu Zhongheng, Fan Junhong, and son-in-law Li Shengzao.
Stills of Gao Qingkui's "Bead Curtain Village"
Ma Lianliang
Ma Lianliang, Hui, eight years old into the rich Liancheng, row ligatures, good name. In 1919, he began to perform as a tan pai old student, and in the 1920s, he was already on a par with Yu Shuyan and Gao Qingkui. In 1824, in Shanghai and Zhou Xinfang cooperated for the first time, the "Southern Qi and Northern Horse" gradually became known. In 1930, the Fufeng Society was formed, and the "New New Grand Theater" was built with collaborators, which was completed in 1937 and was expected to be the performance base of the Fufeng Society. Ma Lianliang's stage activities have a long period, and he is still listed among the "Last Four Great Su sheng". The disciples of the "Ma Sect" were Li Muliang, Wang Helin, Yan Shaopeng, Chi Jinsheng, Ma Changli, and Zhang Xuejin.
Stills of Ma Lianliang and Wang Yurong's "Wujiapo"
Text reference: The book "Narrative of Old Beijing - Opera and Opera Art" organized by the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese Political Consultative Conference