Zhang Jianmin

01 · Lineage & Regional School

In 1979 she was admitted to the Wuju training class of the Jinhua region, studying under senior masters such as Xu Ruying and Zheng Lanxiang and specialising in huadan (lively young female) roles; in 1985 she joined the Zhejiang Wuju Troupe. Within the regional tradition and school record of Wu Opera in Jinhua, Zhejiang: Wu opera centres on Jinhua city, Zhejiang, and is popular in the Jinhua, Quzhou and Lishui area and in western Zhejiang and north-eastern Jiangxi; the various vocal styles long shared one stage in the troupes, forming a performing tradition mainly of luantan but also singing high-pitched, Kun, Hui, tanhuang and shidiao. Drawing on the Zhejiang volume of the Annals of Chinese Xiqu and local Jinhua materials, Wu opera is popularly called “Jinhua opera”, named for Jinhua's ancient name Wuzhou; it was gradually fused from the high-pitched and Kun vocal styles that came into central Zhejiang in the mid-Ming and the luantan, Hui, tanhuang and shidiao that came in the early Qing, these co-existing in the same region and performing in the same troupes over a long period, forming a pattern of multi-vocal companies.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

Female, Han ethnicity, born in August 1963, a native of Jinhua, Zhejiang Province. Drawing widely on the strengths of others, she is accomplished in both civil and martial roles and excels in both singing and acting; she has successfully created numerous vivid stage characterisations, including Wang Jinzhen in Mi Lan Qiao Chuang (Rapping at the Window), Mudan in Mudan Dui Ke (Mudan Answers the Test), Mu Guiying in the full-length Mu Guiying, Wang Zhaojun in Zhaojun Chu Sai (Zhaojun Crosses the Frontier) and Hai Feiyun in Kunlun Nü (The Woman of Kunlun), displaying a creative talent that sets her apart. Within the documented technical tradition of Wu Opera in Jinhua, Zhejiang: Wu opera is an ancient xiqu genre of our country, popularly called “Jinhua opera”, with a history of about four hundred years to the present. It has more than five hundred traditional plays, and its vocal and musical system is marked by comprehensiveness, embracing such vocal styles as high-pitched (gaoqiang), Kunqu, luantan, Hui tunes, tanhuang and shidiao. Wu opera also has its own features in the systems of costume and make-up: its facial masks, costumes and props are all quite distinctive. Performing civil plays in a martial manner and martial plays in a civil manner is the main characteristic of Wu opera performance, and can be called a unique feat. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Princess Shuangyang": One of the representative plays of Wu opera. "Three Invitations to Lihua": One of the representative plays of Wu opera. "Tears of Xishi": One of the representative plays of Wu opera, made into a film. "The Monk and the Nun": One of the representative plays of Wu opera, a typical work of “civil play done in martial manner”.

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

National representative bearer of Wuju Opera, a fourth-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. In 1997 she received the 14th China Drama Plum Blossom Award. In 2001 she transferred to the Jinhua Art School and later became its principal, training a large number of talents for Wuju.

04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier

05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage

National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.

06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography

1. Zhang Jianmin · National Representative Bearer Archive