Lonely Confucian

Author: Zhang Weipin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Yan Guoping, a renowned Peking Opera performer, was born in 1890 and passed away in 1942. His father was a scholar during the late Qing Dynasty. As a child, Yan Guoping studied at the Imperial Military Noble School in the late Qing Dynasty. After graduation, he worked at the Lifan Yuan (later known as the Mongolian and Tibetan College after the Republic of China). Due to his love for Peking Opera, he began performing in the Yan Yue Society and Chunyang Youhui in 1916, establishing connections with the (Peking Opera world). He also learned martial arts and movements from Qian Jinfu and Wang Changlin, and studied singing from Hongdou (Pu Dong) and the renowned pipa player Chen Yanheng. He later received guidance from Yang Xiaolou and Wang Yaoqing. Initially, he learned the Tan style and gained widespread acclaim, earning the title of a famous Tan-style (amateur performer). In 1923, Mei Lanfang invited Yan Guoping to perform in Shanghai. The Mongolian and Tibetan College dismissed him under the pretext of "taking leave to perform, which was not proper conduct," and Yan Guoping officially entered the professional world of Peking Opera. Around the age of forty, his voice changed, losing its high, bright, and rich Timbre characteristic of the Tan style. He then combined his unique qualities to create a refined and expressive vocal style, where the melody arises from the words, and the words are clear while the melody is round. This style is known as the Yan style. Yan Guoping had a high literary background and was well-versed in music, so his understanding and mastery of vocal techniques were unmatched by ordinary performers. He believed that phonology and melody were the key elements of Sheng (senior male role) singing, advocating the principle of "melody arising from words, with clear words and round melody." He strived for precise pronunciation and clear intonation in his spoken parts to achieve a rich and mellow flavor, which was reflected on stage as a distinctive elegance and refinement. Representative works of the Yan style include: Ruling Xuzhou, Lying Dragon Mourns, Scolding Wang Lang, Empress He Scolds the Courtyard, Hating Wu, Beating Cao with a Drum, Capturing and Releasing Cao, Ningwu Pass, Losing the Seal and Saving the Fire, Wu Family Slope, Fen River Bay, Battle of Taiping, Selling a Horse, Ascending to Heaven Platform, White Python Terrace, Swapping Children at the Execution Ground, and Dingjun Mountain.