Huaji Opera

01 · Historical Records

Shanghai huaji opera is a newly formed operatic genre that developed gradually from the late Qing and early Republican period to the middle of the War of Resistance Against Japan, when the Shanghai narrative art of "dujiao xi" (monologue drama) 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. By the late 1980s leading figures of the genre such as Yan Shunkai and Qian Cheng had emerged, and under the impetus of the municipal art body, the Shanghai Huaji Theatre, huaji opera created and performed a batch of outstanding modern-themed plays with nationwide influence, such as Chuse de Daan (An Excellent Answer), Xingming Jiaoguan (Lives at Stake), Lude Xia de Baobei (The Treasure under the Street Lamp), Ahun Xinzhuan (The New Tale of A Hun), GPT Bu Zhengchang (GPT Not Quite Normal) and Zhengzong Zijiaren (One of the Family).

02 · Core Techniques & Process

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.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

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.

Other submitting regions for the same item: Huaji Opera.

04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

Its traditional repertoire preserves the folk customs of Shanghai and the particular secular life of the foreign concessions known as the "ten li of foreign settlement"; its creative method is also highly characteristic of Shanghai-style culture. This is of important value for carrying forward the fine Shanghai-style tradition, for the study of metropolitan Shanghai, and for the preservation of the Shanghai dialect, Shanghai folk customs and the like. Weng Shuangjie (official archive record of the associated inheritor): National first-grade actor. He later served in turn as a principal actor in the Huaji Theatre of the Shanghai People's Art Theatre, in the Shanghai Narrative Art Theatre and in the Shanghai Huaji Theatre. His acting is both vivid in a cartoon-like way and true to the texture of life; his language is witty and humorous and highly elastic. He invented a physical movement of jumping, bounding and swaying, used in every play to raise laughter and to build the character; on stage he often played the part of the "little person". Representative works include Manyuan Chunse (Spring Colour in a Full Garden), Xingming Jiaoguan (Lives at Stake) and Haiwai Qitan (Strange Tales from Overseas). In 1979, at the invitation of the famous American comedy actor Bob Hope, he took part in the filming of the comedy television film "Road to China". Male, Han nationality, born in February 1928, died in January 2014, native of Cixi County, Zhejiang Province. Representative inheritor of the fourth national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage project Huaji Opera. He played Jiang Ermao in Lude Xia de Baobei (The Treasure under the Street Lamp) and won the Performance Award at the first Shanghai Theatre Festival. Yan Shunkai (official archive record of the associated inheritor): National first-grade actor, expert enjoying the special government allowance of the State Council. In 1959 he was admitted to the Acting Department of the Central Academy of Drama. After graduating in 1963 he was assigned as an actor to the Huaji Theatre of the Shanghai People's Art Theatre. He served as playwright, director and leading actor in huaji works such as the representative plays Ahun Xinzhuan (The New Tale of A Hun), Tebie de Ai (Special Love), Duyang Nu'er (The Adopted Daughter) and Taitai Wansui (Long Live the Madam). As one of the leading figures of "southern-style sketch", he appeared many times in the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Representative works include Zhang San Qi Ren (The Real Zhang San), Wo Zai Malubian (I Stand by the Roadside) and Nanxiong Nandi (Brother in Distress). Male, Han nationality, born in June 1937, died in October 2017, native of Ezhou City, Hubei Province. Representative inheritor of the fourth national-level batch of the intangible cultural heritage project Huaji Opera. He won the title of "Best Actor" in the third national professional sketch competition and the first Theatre Performance Academy Award on the forty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the Central Academy of Drama. He starred in the film The True Story of Ah Q, winning the Best Actor award at the sixth Hundred Flowers Awards and the Golden Cane award for Best Actor at the second Vevey International Comedy Film Festival in Switzerland.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

• Weng Shuangjie 04-1696
• Yan Shunkai 04-1697
• Gu Xiang 04-1698
• Zhang Keqin 04-1699
• Qian Cheng 05-2472
• Wang Rugang

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Huaji Opera (Shanghaihuajijutuan) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Weng Shuangjie · National Representative Bearer Archive
3. Yan Shunkai · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗