Chapter 2 preface

I have been under control in the troupe for many years, and the days of losing my personal freedom also started from the troupe, which can be regarded as experiencing ups and downs.However, the stage and artists have always attracted me, and this attraction is still very strong: after watching the movie, I wanted to make up a "Ji Farewell Overlord"; after reading the novel, I also wanted to learn to write a novella.Even the title has been thought out, called "Nan Dan". In the past, going to theater was enjoyment and joy.And these joys that I thought I had enjoyed, no longer exist.Today all cultures are consumption. On the one hand, life is moving towards aesthetics; on the other hand, art is dying.Of course, there are still performances on our stage, new plays, old plays or new plays of old plays, but most of them leave with anticipation and return with disappointment.The break between Chinese cultural tradition and innovation cannot be seen more clearly in the opera stage and the fate of the artists.Not to mention Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera, I think that since the last century, the entire culture has lost its direction more and more.The Chinese civilization, which has been accumulated for thousands of years and has never been fundamentally questioned, has been increasingly damaged in the continuous criticism and negation in the next fifty years.Last year, a new drama about Mei Lanfang's life was staged in Beijing. Just watching the TV broadcast, I was horrified.The saint is far away, and the treasure is turned into stone.Facing the imminent collapse of Chinese civilization, people in the late Qing Dynasty exclaimed "a change unseen in three thousand years." Why are they so sad?Perhaps as Taiwanese scholars (Wang Dewei's "Writing of Post-survivors") said: "They have already understood that the impact of 'modernity' is so devastating, far greater than the consequences of changing dynasties. This also indirectly explains why the Republic of China was founded. Even though scholars admit that the trend is going, they can't hide a strong sense of loss. After the wave of democratic reform, they saw a huge cultural and spiritual ruin. "Passion" has become the atmosphere of the times." In this way, Peking Opera " The performance of "Mei Lanfang" may be successful, but there is a problem with my personal psychology of watching the drama.

Culturally, which one is superior and which one is inferior has long been unbearable.Under the control of mainstream ideology, it is difficult for anyone to become an independent and boundless Mei Lanfang.From old houses, New Year paintings to Beijing opera and shadow puppets, any revitalization and promotion of folk culture and art seems to be a kind of longing or empty talk.When Eastern and Western cultures meet, some aspects can blend and complement each other, while some aspects are completely opposite and conflict.After several rounds, the broad and profound traditional art is declining in a dazzling way.Its practitioners can only seek a compromise between abandonment and inheritance, forgetting and memory, and a way to get by.This can probably be regarded as a vivid manifestation of the dilemma of cultural modernity.So, what else can we do?what else to doI am afraid that one day, the Chinese stage will really become "There is no Zhao Zilong in "Changbanpo", and there is no Zhuge Liang in "Empty City Strategies." Of course, the problem of inheriting traditional culture is not unique to China.

Artists are a strange group. While creating brilliance, they also fall into humbleness.Their various expressions and eyes are a direct response to their encounters with the times.The tide of the times and the turbidity of politics will lift or swallow it.But there is a posture and spirit exclusive to them, which is maintained and permeated throughout.The actor possesses unique skills and stars above his head to fulfill the meaning and mission of Fen Mo's life.Spring, summer, autumn and winter, again and again.That alone is impressive.This book is a record, and it is written for people who don't go to theater, so the focus is on people, not art.If you know, write; if you know more, write more.That is to say, "If there are words, it will be long, and if there are no words, it will be short."Because of their uniqueness, they may become an observation point for examining Chinese life in the twentieth century.The narration and interpretation in the book are influenced by my emotions on the one hand, and also by the materials I have come into contact with.Some degree of bias exists.I like prejudice to resist "identification", the dreaded "identification".

Just call it the title.Compared with the dazzling stage, this book is just a beam of light, dim and dim.Every night under the lamp, recalling the past events of the artist, there seems to be an unfinished sense of regret between writing and writing.It is as lingering as the night outside the window. Someone said: Why do you always write about "the past, the past"?Yes, when people get old, only the "past events" remain in their minds.History, story carry on.Stories, history.We tell stories about the past now, and before long, future generations will also tell us as stories.I suddenly recalled the scene of visiting Taoranting Park in the past.The wind in early spring brought the sound of the huqin, followed by a man's song: "All day long, drink away your worries, and half your life will be trapped in the wind and dust..."

My ears were warm, and he sang sadly. Shou Yuzhai in Beijing in November 2005