Ningbo History and Humanities | Celebrity Introduction: Ma Yanxiang

Ma Yanxiang (1907-1988), formerly known as Lu, pen name NiYi, Situ Lao, a native of Yinxian County, was born in Shanghai. Son of Ma Heng. In 1925, he entered the department of Chinese of Fudan University, studied drama from Hongshen, and participated in the performance of the Fudan Drama Society and the Xin Youju Opera Society. He graduated in 1928 and joined the Shanghai Opera Arts Society the following year. In 1930, he went to Guangzhou, participated in the Guangdong Theater Research Institute, and edited the bimonthly magazine "Drama", and in 1932, he edited the "Drama Film Weekly". After 1934, he taught at Qilu University and Nanjing National Drama College, participated in the organization of the Chinese Drama Association, directed "Thunderstorm", "Sunrise", "Han Palace Autumn", etc., and performed "Rejuvenation Song".

　　After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Fu cooperated with Hong Shen to direct the drama "Defending Lugou Bridge" and served as the captain of the first team of the Shanghai Rescue Acting Team. Following to Guilin, he edited the semi-monthly magazine "Anti-Japanese War Drama" and directed "Luminous Cup" and "Black Hell" and other dramas. In 1939, he went to Chongqing and successively directed plays such as "Residual Fog", "National Supremacy", "The Death of Li Xiucheng", created and directed "National Thief Wang Jingwei", and concurrently served as a professor at the National Drama College. In 1943, he became the president of the Chongqing Central Youth Drama Society, performing plays such as "Nanguancao" and "Youth Tour".

　　After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, he edited the supplement of Xinmin Bao, Tianqiao, and served as the secretary general of the Beiping Branch of the All-China Association of Literary and Art Circles. In 1948, he attended the First North China People's Congress and was appointed as the chairman of the North China Drama and Music Work Committee. After the founding of New China, he successively served as deputy director of the Xiqu Improvement Bureau of the Ministry of Culture, vice chairman of the China Drama Association, adviser to the China Academy of Arts, adviser to the Ministry of Culture, deputy to the National People's Congress, and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He is the author of the plays "Mother's Portrait", "Fishing Taxation", "Life Road", etc., and his works include "Introduction to Drama", "Qin Cavity Examination", "On Local Drama", "Erhuang Kaoyuan", "Traceability of Local Drama Acting Skills" and so on.

Source: Ningbo Municipal Government Portal