He Jingzhi and Zhu Peijun talked freely. Courtesy of Zhu Peijun
"Several times back to Yan'an in my dreams, I put my hands around Pagoda Mountain." A thousand voices call out to you--Mother Yan'an is here..."
"Back to Yan'an", a simple and unpretentious poem that has influenced generations, has accompanied me all the way from my youth.
Mr. He Jingzhi, the author of works such as "Back to Yan'an", "Nanniwan", "White Haired Girl", "Song of Lei Feng", "Singing Loudly" and other works, is a famous poet I have looked up to since I was a child. In recent years, I have had a lot of intersection with the elderly. As a junior, as a Qin actor, I have listened to him many times about the past events of the people's theater troupe.
Twenty years ago, on a summer day, I followed Teacher Zhou Ming to visit the elderly He Jingzhi at the Sanlihe Apartment. Elder He came out of the study with a smile on his face, and Teacher Zhou introduced him to Elder He: "Her name is Zhu Peijun, she is my Fellow Villager in Shaanxi, she is a Qin actor, and she once worked at the Shaanxi Provincial Opera Research Institute. Elder He immediately said, "I know from the Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Opera, the predecessor was the People's Theater Troupe of the Yan'an Period. It seems that Yang Xing also served as a dean, right? There are also Huang Junyao and Li Ruifang, several of which I am very familiar with. When I think of the People's Theater Company, I think of many past events, when the actor who played "Twelve Scythes" was Shi Lei. Elder He's kind and easy-going made my original nervous mood suddenly relax a lot, and he actually took the initiative to take over the stubble and said: "Yes, yes, it is Shi Lei, the old principal of our provincial art school." Also coming from the people's theater troupe are Ma Lanyu, who is known as the 'phoenix in the fire', and Teacher Li Yingzhen, who played Yun Xiang in the Qin Film "Flame Foal". ”
Recalling those unforgettable experiences during the Yan'an period, the old man's eyes flashed with excitement, and he talked about his youth like several family treasures.
Elder He said: "Our generation has found a spiritual home and roots in Yan'an. Yan'an is the hometown, and Yan'an is the mother. We grew up under the cultivation of the Yan'an spirit. "Yes, He Jingyi dedicated his literary creation to the masses of the people and to the party's literary and artistic cause. He has a deep affection for Yan'an, and many of the works he has created are also inseparable from Yan'an.
A few years ago, Elder He was very happy to learn that I had been transferred to the Art Review magazine of the China Academy of Arts. He said: "I am very familiar with the China Academy of Arts, I have also read the Art Review magazine, it is an academic journal, it is very good to be able to transfer to the past, and I can learn a lot of things at work." ”
In 2018, writers published my first collection of essays, Qin Lu Yuan, with the inscription on the cover of the book. With joy, I went to deliver him a book. Elder He still maintained the poet's elegance and peace, took the small book, and while flipping through the book, he said: "Qin Cavity Edge, well, I also like Qin Cavity, and it can also be regarded as having a relationship with Qin Cavity!" ”
He also excitedly recounted the repertoire performed by the People's Theater Troupe: "At that time, the influence of the People's Theater Troupe was very great, and the reason why it was so popular with the masses was because the themes were derived from life, very grounded, and inspiring! ”
Elder He has strong feelings for Yan'an, for the people's theater troupe, and for Qin Lu. At my request, Elder He inscribed on the exquisite album page I had prepared his famous classic sentence: "Several times I returned to Yan'an in my dreams, and put my hands around Pagoda Mountain." ”
In the past two years, Elder He has lived in seclusion and rarely went out, but he is still very concerned about the prosperity and development of the cultural and artistic circles.
Last fall, I had the opportunity to visit elderly He Jingzhi again in Muxidi North Lane. Elder He was still in good spirits and clear in his thinking. I reported to the old man on the content and preparation of my new collection of essays, Lao Dan. The old man asked with concern, "Do you still use the title of my inscription?" I'm shaking my hands now and I'm afraid I can't write well. I hurriedly said: "Your care has given me a lot of encouragement, I work hard and strive to write well." Elder He once again lamented that he had a deep affection for Qin Cavity, and our year-round friendship can also be regarded as Qin Cavity' fate!
Talking about Yan'an again, Elder He was still full of excitement, but also extremely excited and emotional. Recalling those unforgettable experiences in the Yan'an period and his friends Ma Jianling and Ke Zhongping, Elder He's eyes flashed like a young man's, and he talked about his youth, Yan'an, the people's theater troupe, and the Qin Cavity...
"The drama of Xi'an Yi Folk Society is good. The Yi Folk Society was very famous at that time, and some old actors sang particularly well, and the audience liked it. In 1924, when Lu Xun was invited to xi'an to give a lecture, he watched Qin Lu several times in the Yi Folk Society Theater and presented the plaque of 'Ancient Tune Solo Bomb', which was a great glory of the Yi Folk Society! The theater was very popular at the time, and at night, the lights were bright. There are some senior Qin opera fans, because they can't afford to buy tickets, so they lean by the gate outside the theater every night to listen to the play, follow the gongs and drums and plate styles coming out of the theater and sing together, close their eyes and shake their heads, very engaged and obsessed and intoxicated. Speaking of this scene, Elder He himself laughed. He imitated the appearance of a fan, squinted his eyes, and relaxed, as if entering the scene of that year.
The old man talked more and more excitedly, and said emotionally: "The art of Qin Cavity is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people!" Teacher Zhou Ming, who was walking with me, said: "Yes, yes, Qin Cavity is very infectious, and I, Yan Gang, Lei Shuyan, and He Xilai, all like Qin Cavity." Radar also likes Qin Cavity. A few of us embarked on the road of literature and art, also because of the influence of the Qin Cavity when we were young. Elder He said emotionally: "I have special feelings for Qin Lu, Ma Lanyu's "You West Lake" is very wonderful, Zhou Ming you may not have seen it." And Li Ruifang's "Yang Guifei" is also very brilliant. I also watched "The Orphan of Zhao" performed by Qin Lutuan, and that play was also very good. Elder He pondered for a moment and then said, "At that time, the people's theater troupe had a great influence, I had seen many plays in the people's theater troupe, and "Blood and Tears Vengeance" touched many people! I have a lot of admiration for the People's Theater Troupe! ”
"The last time I heard you talk about the Meido drama "Everybody Likes" performed by the People's Theater Troupe, were you also involved in the creation of this "Everybody Likes" at that time?" I ask boldly. Elder He said: "I did not participate in their work, they did participate in Lu Yi's work, "Husband and Wife Literacy" Lu Yi was also in line, because at that time Shi Lei starred in "Twelve Sickles" is very famous, that is Ma Jianling's creation around 1940, vivid and lively, full of rich and warm life atmosphere and atmosphere, especially Shi Lei, who played Wang Er, the performance was very brilliant. The impact of this play after the performance is also very large. Therefore, director Shui Hua proposed to invite him to Lu Yi to rehearse this "Husband and Wife Literacy". Shui Hua is a teacher in the Luyi Drama Department, he is learning the Stanislavsky system, and it is very interesting to find a grounded actor like Shi Lei to play. Elder He's humorous narration made us laugh.
"Is it the director Shui Hua?" "Yes, the two 'histories' are unified. One is the Stanislavsky system, and the other is the local performance system of the Shrek nation. A moment in the history of cooperation between the two systems. Curiously, I asked, "The cooperation between these two systems is too new, will there be a fight?" ”
He also laughed and said, "The cooperation between the two of them has contributed greatly to this play. I was very impressed by this incident. During the rehearsal of "Couple Literacy", Shi Lei proposed to add two lyrics, that is, the later 'What words shine brightly?' Study, learn the two words I recognize clearly'' Literacy cards are like a silver lamp, the words on the cards ah I remember the heart', these two paragraphs add up very well! In particular, 'What word shines light?' Study, learn the two words I recognize clearly', every time I perform here, the audience will have a strong resonance, the actors and audiences will sing in unison with loud voices, the effect is very good! So I remembered this Slay. Although I have no specific connection with him, I have great respect for him. ”
After pondering for a while, Elder He remembered one more thing: "You just asked about "Everybody Likes", and this play has a great impact! I interjected: "'Everyone Likes' is a classic preserved drama of our Shaanxi Provincial Opera Research Institute, and its influence in the five northwestern provinces is also very large, and almost everyone can hum it." Saying that, I couldn't help but stand up and perform, "Shoulder a burden soft, soft and slippery..." Elder He said excitedly: "Well, it's this charm." ”
"The whole people's theater troupe is not only performing small plays, but also many important and influential plays in addition to "Twelve Sickles", such as "Blood and Tears", "Poor People Hate", etc., which are all created by Ma Jianling. This Ma Jianling, I admire him very, very much. He contributed greatly to the development of revolutionary opera in China. At that time, it seemed that no other group could be as famous as the Popular Theater Troupe. There is also Ke Zhongping, his thinking is very progressive, and Ma Jianling is still very cooperative with him. At that time, there was a saying that the people's theater troupe would leave egg shells on the road everywhere it went. What is the reason for this, that is to say, the people's theater troupe always goes to the countryside to perform, which is very popular, and the people in the places they go send them eggs to eat. ”
For a long time, the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region People's Theater Troupe has persisted in propagating the War of Resistance and Production in the form of Qin Cavity and Meihu, which are easily accepted by the people, and has brought into play the special effect of the "special battlefield." After listening to Elder He talk about the People's Theater Troupe, I deeply realized that Qin Xiang was really meritorious to the revolution! (Peijun Zhu)