Mei Lanfang was always working on new techniques and created many beautiful personalities on stage. He developed numerous excellent works in Beijing Opera, raised performing standards and improved the techniques of portraying female roles in Beijing Opera. He embellished the traditions of the past with his own creations, shaping a style of his own and giving birth to the "Mei Lanfang School".
Background
Mei Lanfang (AD 1894 - 1961) was known as the best performing artist in Beijing Opera, whose achievements surpassed those of all other artists before him. He was born in Taizhou, Jiangsu, into a family of Beijing Opera performers living in Beijing. Both his parents passed away when Mei Lanfang was at a tender age. He was raised and cared for by his uncle. In 1901, when Mei Lanfang was seven years old, he began studying Beijing Opera. He made his stage debut in Shanghai in 1912, when he was 18.
Career
Mei Lanfang made his stage debut at the Guanghe Theatre in 1904 when he was 10 years old.
Mei Lanfang learnt from various famous opera masters. He was famous for his skillful portrayals of Qingyi, Huadan Daomadan and other female characters. He also mastered the performing techniques of males with unpainted faces as well as other roles in Beijing opera. Mei Lanfang spent a long time perfecting his performing skills and eventually created the "Mei Lanfang School". During his stage life, he embellished the traditions of the past with his own performing techniques by integrating the techniques of different female roles, and breaking down the rigid distinctions between Huadan and Daomadan. He also created a unique method of singing, with a clear lyrical rendition and loud volume. His singing was sweet, lovely and graceful. Mei Lanfang also redefined the speech, dance, music, make-up and costumes of the various female roles for more exquisite performances. His renditions of female roles were simple yet intelligent, natural yet poised. Mei Lanfang was an acclaimed artist who spread Beijing Opera to foreign countries. He participated in cultural exchanges with Japan, the United States, the Soviet Union and other countries. He was rewarded with an honorary Doctorate of Arts from Pomona College and from the University of Southern California. After returning to China, his fame and status continued to rise, and he was hailed as the King of Opera.
At the same time, Mei Lanfang was also a great patriot. During the anti-Japanese war, the commander of the Imperial Japanese army ordered Mei Lanfang to perform for him several times. Mei Lanfang turned him down and moved to stay in Hong Kong in 1938. He performed in many inspiring operas like Liang Hongyu to encourage the people to fight for their country.
During his stage career, he created numerous beautiful and exquisite opera characters. His performances incarnated the traditional Chinese arts which stressed harmony, gentleness, sincerity, delicacy and implicit aesthetic values. His representative works include The Drunken Concubine , The Heavenly Maid Scattering Blossoms and The Fisherman's Revenge. Mei Lanfang also authored several books, such as The Collected Works of Mei Lanfang, A Selection of Beijing Operas Performed by Mei Lanfang, and Forty Years of Life on the Stage.
Mei Lanfang trained more than 100 students in his life. He lived his life for Beijing Opera and moved China with his soul, not with his image.