Since the birth of Peking Opera, many well-known performing artists have emerged. Why can these famous characters interpret the brilliance of classic repertoire? Why can so many vivid historical figures be created? In addition to amazing talent and solid basic skills, there is also a secret, that is, self-cultivation, diligent study of calligraphy and painting, in the traditional Chinese culture, to obtain artistic nourishment.
Calligrapher and painter in "Tongguang Thirteen Absolute"
Mei Qiaoling is longer than Han Li
Since the birth of Peking Opera, countless well-known performing artists have emerged. Starting from the first generation of "Tongguang Thirteen Absolutes", these famous characters not only have their own strengths and exquisite skills, but also are unique and unique. A few of them were calligraphers and painters. For example, Mei Qiaoling, the grandfather of Mei Lanfang, the master of the Sixi class and the famous Peking Opera Danjiao performing arts master, is an artist who loves excellent traditional culture. He joined the Sixi class at a very young age. The Sixi class has always been known for its many famous names in the class. The key to Mei Qiaoling's quick emergence is that he understands the importance of culture better than Zhu Ling.
Shen Rongpu painted "Tongguang Thirteen Absolutes" (partial), and the third from the left is Mei Qiaoling.
Drama historian Wang Zhizhang said in his "Biographies of Famous Peking Opera Artists": "His words are more sharp, and people cannot be poor, so they can read books such as "Tongjian" and "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" for a long time, so for the rhymes and classics, they are casually spoken, and they are all scribes. Tongzhizhong has a particularly strong reputation. And the "Thirteen Biographies of Mingling" is more specific: "In the ShijingheTang (Mei's Hall number), the celebrities come and go like carp crossing the river... Qiao Ling has been friends with scribes for a long time and is quite good at writing. Yu Han Li eight points especially called unique, the winner of the treasure, good to read the history of the book to talk about the palm of the past, in addition to the art of governance, the hand does not release the scroll, more work appreciation, soup plate Han bell, over the eyes of the clear, the scholar turned to the teaching. This text not only mentions that Mei Qiaoling is good at calligraphy, eight points of lishu, which can be called a one-step, her reading, her hands can not release the volume, so the various roles he plays, can be excellent, superior, which is related to the depth of his experience of the character. He has no access to words in the text, whether they are Ichii slang or elegant and profound ancient words.
It is precisely because Mei Qiaoling loves excellent traditional culture, so she asks literati to write scripts, so the Sixi class has created the most new plays, and to this day, there are still "Yanmen Guan", "Mei Yu Matching", "Colorful Public Opinion" and other stage plays that can be performed on the stage. There are also many new screenplays, such as "Pansi Cave", "Rouge Tiger", "Yu Linglong", "Proud Edge" and so on.
Calligrapher and painter in the "Four Great Names" and the former "Four Great Su sheng"
Mei Lanfang studied painting with a famous teacher
In the 1920s and 1930s, there were "Four Great Names" and the former "Four Great Su sheng". These Peking Opera artists are more aware of the intimate relationship between calligraphy and painting and acting in traditional culture. For example, Master Mei Lanfang is very good at painting Buddha statues and plum blossoms in flowers. Whenever he has time, he will paint in his "Dropout Yuxuan" study. In the early years of the Republic of China, Mr. Mei created another dance drama shortly after his first song and dance drama "Chang'e Running Moon", that is, "Heavenly Girl Scattered Flowers", which is still staged today. This long-lasting famous drama is that Mr. Mei saw a picture of a lady at a friend's house, he stood silently and watched for a long time, he was painted with the appearance of the lady, gestures, costumes and raised streamers, opened his mind, and thus compiled this "Heavenly Girl Scattered Flowers". Not only are the appearances and costumes of the fairies in this painting inspired by the ladies in this painting, but the silk dance that is loved by the audience is also associated with the streamers of the ladies, and it is more and more similar to the flying fairies on the Dunhuang murals. Master Mei said with deep experience: "I studied painting to enrich my performance, to understand the symmetry of colors, lines and patterns, and to learn from and improve my makeup, costumes and props." ”
Mr. Mei first learned to draw, which teacher taught it? He was Qi Baishi's confidant and Wang Mengbai, who had excellent character and painting skills, and later he asked many Chinese painting masters Chen Banding, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Tang Dingzhi, etc., and had a deep friendship with these great painters, especially with Mr. Qi Baishi. It is said that Qi Baishi's morning glory flowers are as large as a bowl of flowers, and they are painted as the morning glory flowers in Mei Lanfang's family. From this, we can see why the character played by Master Mei is so comfortable? Why is the makeup so elegant and luxurious, and thick and atmospheric? Why is clothing always flowered in tone and, both bright and stable? It turned out that all this was related to Master Mei's profound cultural accumulation. Later, Master Mei grew a beard and mingzhi, and when he stopped acting, he held a painting exhibition and sold calligraphy and paintings, so painting became an indispensable treasure for Mr. Mei.
▌ Mei Lanfang's paintings
In addition, Shang Xiaoyun is also good at writing and painting, and Xun Huisheng's landscape painting is a famous teacher and professor, which is very level. In his new play "Dan Qingyin", because his role is a female painter, according to the needs of the plot and the portrayal of characters, he also has to sing and paint on the spot. After a period of singing, a painting of ink Danqing was also painted. Therefore, the heir of the Xun Sect, without the foundation of Chinese painting, really can't move this play. And Mr. Cheng Yanqiu, when he was young, under the supervision of his mentor Luo Luogong, poetry and calligraphy had a certain level. Therefore, he was able to introduce the qingren Jiaoxun's "Drama Theory" to the playwright Weng Yihong, and only then could he give birth to the famous drama "Suolin Capsule".
In terms of old students, Yu Shuyan and Yan Jupeng, the former "four major students", have a high degree of traditional cultural accomplishment, especially good at calligraphy. Yu Shuyan Shan Mi Shu, the characters are very pure and standardized; Yan Ju Peng Zheng Kai and Xing Cao are very powerful and decent. Therefore, the characters played by Yu and Yan all have a bookish atmosphere, and the singing voice they sing is also very ethereal and elegant. Yan Jupeng's masterpiece "Wolong Hanging Filial Piety", regardless of the characters' singing and reading, is full of rich cultural atmosphere. Many later generations of artists greatly admired Yu Heyan's profound classical knowledge. Ma Changli, a close friend of the author, has told this writer many times: "If I want to have the knowledge of Third Master Yu and Third Master Yan, then my characters will be more handsome than they are now." ”
Yu Shuyan's calligraphy works
The origin of modern And contemporary Peking Opera famous characters and calligraphy and painting
Li Wanchun painted a fan on the night
Among the modern Peking Opera artists, there are more people who like calligraphy and painting and are good at calligraphy and painting. For example, Mr. Li Wanchun, a famous martial arts performance artist, worshiped under the door of the great calligrapher and painter Zhang Daqian when he was young. Therefore, the paintings he made were often paid for Li Wanchun, a doorman of the Dafeng Hall. Mr. Wan Chun is known for his flowers, and his paintings of peonies, morning glory, orchids, and peach blossoms are very exciting. Li Wanchun is a famous martial artist, and all he sings on the stage is martial arts, with knives and guns being raised at the same time, punching and kicking; swords and swords, shadows, and tumbling and leaping, what does this have to do with his painting of flowers and plants? On the surface, it seems to have little to do with it, but in fact, painting has a great effect on the establishment of his artistic style and the promotion of his mood. In the summer and autumn of 1963, the Xinhua Peking Opera Troupe of Inner Mongolia, which had just been transferred back from Tibet, was going to Shanghai, Wuhan, Nanjing and other areas to tour. These places have not been performed for many years, and Mr. Wan Chun is very excited. The night before we left, we were a guest at Li's house, and it was already more than nine o'clock in the evening, when Mr. Li suddenly said that he wanted to paint. That night, Mr. Li painted a fan. The family took out dozens of plain white fans, Mr. Li colored the pen, began to paint, on a whim, painted dozens of flower fans. It was painted with all kinds of flowers, stones, and grass worms, and by the end it was more than three o'clock in the night, and everyone was still sleepy. We all advised Mr. Li to rest quickly, but he said: "I am not tired or tired, I am very excited, this time the play in Shanghai will definitely be very successful, I am full of energy." "Lo and behold, that's what calligraphy and painting do!" In the 1980s and 1990s, Mr. Li Wanchun, Danjiao artists Zhang Junqiu and Wu Suqiu, as well as Yuan Shihai and Liu Xuetao, visited the home of the great painter Xu Linlu many times to seek advice and paint, and also cooperated many times to draw good pictures.
Zhang Junqiu is painting
Not long ago, Beijing Rongbaozhai held the "Threesome - Qi Baishi, Li Kuchan and Xu Linlu Art Group Exhibition", exhibiting the works of Qi Baishi and the two beloved disciples. In addition to their outstanding artistic achievements, the three masters and apprentices also have a common feature, that is, their boundless love for Chinese opera. Mr. Li Kuchan can sing Peking Opera Wusheng, and can actually "vote" for the Great Wusheng drama "Iron Cage Mountain". Mr. Xu Linlu not only has a good study of Yu Pai Laosheng, but also makes friends with Zhang Boju, a famous ticket of Yu Pai, and talks about painting and art with Bo Ju and Pan Su every time they go together. And October 18 every year is the birthday of Mr. LinLu and his wife, Ms. Wang Lingwen. Every day, Peking Opera artists who studied painting from Mr. Xu gathered at the Xu family, and everyone painted a painting together to congratulate the second elder on his double birthday. Mr. Lin Lu's philosopher Xu Huachi once showed the author two collaborative paintings. A painting of "Double Shou", Mr. Xu Linlu's inscription reads: (Zhang) Junqiu sixty-six years old to paint peach and write the two characters of double life, (Wu) Su Qiu planted Huang Ju, year sixty-six, (Wang) Ling (Ling) Wen painting wine, Xu Linlu seventy-three to supplement the plum branch.
Mr. Xu Linlu's inscription "Double Life"
Another masterpiece of cooperation is also painted to congratulate The elderly couple on their double birthday, and there are more Peking Opera artists and celebrities in the field of calligraphy and painting who participated in the painting and congratulations this time. 90-year-old calligraphy everyone Xiao Lao's personal title: Lin Lu Ling Wen and his wife double life. Participating in the painting were (Zhou) Huaimin Supplementing Plum, Qiyi Sou (Qin) Lingyun Supplement waterfall, Guo Chuanzhang Writing Stone, (Hu) Shuang'an Ink Bamboo, Lu Guangzhao Painting Butterfly Flower, (Xu) Linlu Planting Orchid, Li Wanchun Painting Chrysanthemum, (Zhang) Junqiu Old Boy, wu Suqiu Supplementing Green Peony. It is really a group of talents who have shown their strengths.
90-year-old calligrapher Xiao Lao personally inscribed "Qunxian Zhu Shou Tu Lin Lu Ling Wen Couple Double Shou"
At present, Xi Xiaobo's re-disciples, Zhang Jianguo and Zhang Jianfeng, who had been trained by Ouyang Zhongshi, and Du Zhenjie, who was also taught by Ouyang Zhongshi, were quite good at calligraphy. In particular, Zhang Jianguo has acted in many successful literati plays, such as "Fan Jinzhongju", "Dong Zhongshu" and the recent performance of "Ji Kangto Lonely". The images of these literati he created are elegant and ethereal, but also steady and dignified, and there is a sense of elegance between their hands and feet. In recent years, Zhu Qiang, a famous master of the Ma School of the Beijing Opera House, and his disciple Zhang Kai have also worked hard to learn Qi Pai calligraphy and painting, and the master and apprentice often make a painting together, or the master paints the scenery, and the apprentice pairs with the stone; or the apprentice paints flowers and the master matches the insect, which is a great pleasure in the amateur life of his master and apprentice.
Zhang Jianguo
You see, why do so many Peking Opera artists like calligraphy and painting? Because this is a kind of artistic accomplishment, an artistic temperament, it is part of the overall art of Peking Opera actors.