Weng Shuangjie

01 · Lineage & Regional School

In 1949 he joined the Mifeng (Honeybee) Farce Troupe and studied under Yao Mushuang and Zhou Baichun. Within the regional tradition and school record of Huaji Opera in Shanghaihuajijutuan: Shanghai huaji opera is current in many parts of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It developed gradually from the Shanghai narrative art of "dujiao xi" (monologue drama) as it absorbed influences from Chinese and foreign comedy and farce and from the local operas of the Jiangnan region; by the 1940s there were already more than a dozen well-known huaji companies, including the Xiaoxiao Theatre Company and the Tianbao Theatre Company; after the founding of the People's Republic of China it became one of the principal genres of Shanghai, centred on the Shanghai Huaji Theatre, and its history produced such famous actors as Xu Zhuodai, Wang Wuneng, Liu Chunshan, Jiang Xiaoxiao, Yao Mushuang, Zhou Baichun, Yang Huasheng and Wen Binbin.

02 · Mastery & Signature Works

He is a National First-Grade Actor. He subsequently served as a leading actor in the Farce Troupe of the Shanghai People's Art Theatre, the Shanghai Quyi Troupe and the Shanghai Farce Troupe. His acting has both a cartoon-like vivacity and the texture of real life, and his language is witty, humorous and highly elastic. He created a distinctive bobbing, swaying bodily movement of his own, using it in every play both to draw laughter and to build character, and he most often played "small potato" roles. His representative works include Manyuan Chunse (Spring in Full Bloom), Xingming Jiaoguan (A Matter of Life and Death) and Haiwai Qitan (Strange Tales from Overseas). In 1979, at the invitation of the celebrated American comedian Bob Hope, he took part in the filming of the comedy television programme The Road to China. Within the documented technical tradition of Huaji Opera in Shanghaihuajijutuan: It is current in many parts of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and is welcomed by audiences far and wide. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, huaji opera became one of the principal genres of Shanghai. Famous actors of its history include Xu Zhuodai (Xu Banmei), Wang Wuneng, Liu Chunshan, Jiang Xiaoxiao, Zhu Xiangfei, Yao Mushuang, Zhou Baichun, Yang Huasheng and Wen Binbin; a large body of fine plays with nationwide influence was accumulated, such as Sanmao Shengyi (San Mao Goes into Business), Qishier Jia Fangke (Seventy-Two Households), Xiao Shandong dao Shanghai (Little Shandong Comes to Shanghai), Manyuan Chunse (Spring Colour in a Full Garden), Nv Lirenshi (The Woman Hairdresser) and Hudu Yeniang (The Foolish Father and Mother). A good many of these plays were also adapted into films and shown throughout the country. Several dozen fine plays have been preserved, among them Danao Minglun Tang (Making a Ruckus in Minglun Hall), Huoshao Doufudian (Burning the Beancurd Shop) and Xazi Jie Yusan (The Blind Man Borrows an Umbrella). The repertoire of huaji opera has always centred on modern subject matter, and it is good at reflecting the life of city dwellers. It makes the creation of comic material its mission, revealing through merriment, scolding and indignation the sweetness, sourness, bitterness and pungency of life, and pouring a rich variety of thought-provoking social experience into the audience's laughter. Audiences regard Shanghai huaji opera as "the art that makes people happy". Huaji opera is the only genre in China that specialises in comedy and farce. It is one representation of Shanghai culture and also a typical form of Shanghai-style (haipai) culture. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Sanmao Shengyi (San Mao Goes into Business)": Famous actors of its history include Xu Zhuodai (Xu Banmei), Wang Wuneng, Liu Chunshan, Jiang Xiaoxiao, Zhu Xiangfei, Yao Mushuang, Zhou Baichun, Yang Huasheng and Wen Binbin; a large body of fine plays with nationwide influence was accumulated, such as Sanmao Shengyi (San Mao Goes into Business), Qishier Jia Fangke (Seventy-Two Households), Xiao Shandong dao Shanghai (Little Shandong Comes to Shanghai), Manyuan Chunse (Spring Colour in a Full Garden), Nv Lirenshi (The Woman Hairdresser) and Hudu Yeniang (The Foolish Father and Mother). "Qishier Jia Fangke (Seventy-Two Households)": Famous actors of its history include Xu Zhuodai (Xu Banmei), Wang Wuneng, Liu Chunshan, Jiang Xiaoxiao, Zhu Xiangfei, Yao Mushuang, Zhou Baichun, Yang Huasheng and Wen Binbin; a large body of fine plays with nationwide influence was accumulated, such as Sanmao Shengyi (San Mao Goes into Business), Qishier Jia Fangke (Seventy-Two Households), Xiao Shandong dao Shanghai (Little Shandong Comes to Shanghai), Manyuan Chunse (Spring Colour in a Full Garden), Nv Lirenshi (The Woman Hairdresser) and Hudu Yeniang (The Foolish Father and Mother). "Xiao Shandong dao Shanghai (Little Shandong Comes to Shanghai)": Famous actors of its history include Xu Zhuodai (Xu Banmei), Wang Wuneng, Liu Chunshan, Jiang Xiaoxiao, Zhu Xiangfei, Yao Mushuang, Zhou Baichun, Yang Huasheng and Wen Binbin; a large body of fine plays with nationwide influence was accumulated, such as Sanmao Shengyi (San Mao Goes into Business), Qishier Jia Fangke (Seventy-Two Households), Xiao Shandong dao Shanghai (Little Shandong Comes to Shanghai), Manyuan Chunse (Spring Colour in a Full Garden), Nv Lirenshi (The Woman Hairdresser) and Hudu Yeniang (The Foolish Father and Mother). "Manyuan Chunse (Spring Colour in a Full Garden)": Famous actors of its history include Xu Zhuodai (Xu Banmei), Wang Wuneng, Liu Chunshan, Jiang Xiaoxiao, Zhu Xiangfei, Yao Mushuang, Zhou Baichun, Yang Huasheng and Wen Binbin; a large body of fine plays with nationwide influence was accumulated, such as Sanmao Shengyi (San Mao Goes into Business), Qishier Jia Fangke (Seventy-Two Households), Xiao Shandong dao Shanghai (Little Shandong Comes to Shanghai), Manyuan Chunse (Spring Colour in a Full Garden), Nv Lirenshi (The Woman Hairdresser) and Hudu Yeniang (The Foolish Father and Mother).

03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status

Male, Han ethnicity, born in February 1928, died in January 2014, a native of Cixi County, Zhejiang Province. National representative bearer of Huaji Opera, a fourth-batch national intangible cultural heritage project. For his portrayal of Jiang Ermao in Ludeng Xia De Baobei (The Treasure Under the Street Lamp) he received the performance award of the First Shanghai Theatre Festival.

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. Weng Shuangjie · National Representative Bearer Archive