The Rise of the Writers of the Republic of China

Beiping, Chunshu Alley.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was a high-end cultural residential area. First, people who went to Beijing to become officials came to live here (transitional housing). After being an official for a few years and having money to exchange for a better house, then sell the real estate in Chunshu Hutong, and most of the people who buy second-hand houses are literati and refined scholars.

For example, Wang Youdun, Minister of the Ministry of Officials during the Yongzheng period, lived in Chunshu Santiao Hutong, and then sold it to the great poet Zhao Yi.

During the period of the Republic of China, Chunshu Hutong became a place where literati and artists gathered.

Gu Hongming died of illness in Dongchunshu Hutong. Peking opera master Xun Huisheng and monk Xiaoyun lived in Chunshushangsantiao Hutong and Xiaoertiao Hutong respectively.

And Yu Shuyan lives in Ertiao Hutong on Chunshu. He has the habit of hanging his voice in the middle of the night. In order to hear his voice, die-hard theater fans often come to the courtyard in the middle of the night to wait in a quilt, which becomes a very lively scene in the small alley.

"Bang bang bang!"

Zhou Hexuan knocked on the iron beast ring.

"Who is it? Early in the morning." It was Yu Shuyan's 17-year-old apprentice Li Shaolou who opened the door.

Zhou Hexuan smiled and cupped his fists and said, "Please inform me that Zhou Hexuan and his wife Meng Xiaodong are here to pay a visit to Mr. Yu Shuyan."

Li Shaolou looked at Zhou Hexuan in surprise: "Are you Mr. Zhou who invited Einstein to China a while ago?"

"Exactly." Zhou Hexuan said.

"Wait a minute," Li Shaolou did not leave, but stood behind the gate and shouted loudly, "Master, Mr. Zhou Hexuan is here!"

In less than a minute, Yu Shuyan came quickly and greeted him enthusiastically, "Mr. Zhou, please come in." Suddenly he saw Meng Xiaodong again, and said with a smile, "Xiaodong is here too."

"Good morning, Master Yu." Meng Xiaodong saluted respectfully.

Zhou Hexuan shook hands and said, "Boss Yu, I'm taking the liberty to visit, and I'm still looking at Haihan."

"It's okay, it's okay, Mr. Zhou please come inside." Yu Shuyan opened the door.

Everyone went to the living room to sit down, and Yu Shuyan's apprentice quickly served tea, then stood by and looked at Zhou Hexuan curiously.

Yu Shuyan belongs to the middle-aged handsome uncle type, with a cut head and glasses, and his appearance and temperament are a bit like the famous actor Chen Daoming. He speaks in a very low volume, even a little out of breath, and his voice talent is far inferior to other Peking Opera masters. But relying on hard training and superb skills, Yu Shuyan made up for his congenital deficiencies, and the voice he sang was completely different from his usual speech.

"Xiaodong, are you friends with Mr. Zhou?" Yu Shuyan asked curiously.

Meng Xiaodong smiled shyly and did not answer.

Zhou Hexuan said, "Xiaodong is my wife."

Yu Shuyan suddenly realized, and then smiled and said: "Congratulations, you two are really talented and beautiful."

Zhou Hexuan did not directly explain the purpose of his visit, but issued an invitation: "Boss Yu is a master of Peking opera theory. I have a newspaper in Tianjin called "Dazhong" as a supplement, and there is a page dedicated to drama content. If possible, I hope that Boss Yu can be published. article."

"It's easy to say, easy to say." Yu Shuyan agreed wholeheartedly.

Yu Shuyan has been away from the stage for two or three years because of his health. He has devoted himself to studying Peking Opera theory at home all day, involving various aspects such as phonology and musical instruments. He is not only recognized as the number one old Peking Opera student in the world, but also has the status of the chief master of Peking Opera theory.

After the 1930s, almost all old schools of Peking Opera were influenced by Yu Shuyan's theory, and thus reformed and developed more or less.

If we can invite Yu Shuyan to write articles for a long time, it will also be of great benefit to the supplement of Dazhong.

The two of them never mentioned the matter of apprenticeship, they chatted in a rambling manner, and gradually talked about Mei Lanfang's performance in the United States.

Yu Shuyan asked: "I heard that brother Heming performed very successfully in the United States?"

"It's more than just success," Zhou Hexuan said with a smile, "Boss Mei is already very popular in the United States. Nearly 10 American universities have invited him to give lectures, and several universities have hired him as honorary professors."

Yu Shuyan was surprised: "Can American audience understand Peking Opera?"

Zhou Hexuan explained: "At the beginning, while performing on the stage, the English translation cards were played off the stage. Later, I felt that the effect was not very good, so I changed it to tell the general plot in English before the performance. After the audience understands the background of the story, Boss Mei will perform on stage again."

Yu Shuyan nodded and said, "This is a good way."

Zhou Hexuan said with a smile: "Boss Mei also changed the details of Peking Opera according to the tastes of American audiences, so that it can be more accepted by American audiences."

"Do as the Romans do, that's also very good." Yu Shuyan praised.

Zhou Hexuan said: "American newspapers have already praised Peking opera to the sky. Every time Boss Mei goes to a city, there are theater fans who have raised funds for his performance in advance."

Yu Shuyan was somewhat envious. He said, "Heming has done a great job in promoting Peking Opera. If possible, I will also organize an American performance."

Zhou Hexuan smiled and said, "I can help to contact you at that time."

"Thank you Mr. Zhou for your kindness." Yu Shuyan clasped his fists together.

The two chatted for a while, and Zhou Hexuan finally said: "Boss Yu, Xiaodong admires you very much, and has always wanted to learn skills from the entrance wall. Please consider it."

"Well..." Yu Shuyan was a little embarrassed, he didn't want to accept female disciples.

Meng Xiaodong stood up and knelt down: "I also ask Master Yu to teach me the skills."

"Please get up quickly," Yu Shuyan hurriedly supported him, he couldn't take Zhou Hexuan's face away, and smiled wryly, "I promise you, don't kneel."

"Thank you, Master!" Meng Xiaodong was overjoyed.

Yu Shuyan had a headache, he rarely accepted apprentices, let alone female apprentices. Moreover, this female apprentice also has a husband, so she cannot live and teach at home as usual, so she can only come here every now and then.

Since he promised to accept apprentices, he must be responsible for the apprentices. Yu Shuyan decided to invite a few friends to do this apprenticeship ceremony another day.

Staying at Yu's house for a meal at noon, Meng Xiaodong happily left with Zhou Hexuan. She is a very studious woman. She has been discussing with famous teachers and famous tickets for the past few years, and now she has the number one old student in the world as her teacher, and she is already happy.

The two took a rickshaw to Dongsi Santiao Hutong. Meng Xiaodong chatted non-stop along the way, and even planned to come to Peiping for two days every week so that she could learn opera with Yu Shuyan.

The rickshaw stopped at Dongsi Santiao Hutong. Yards No. 25 and No. 26 were both bought by the Meng family, and the big family lived there very lively.

Just when Zhou Hexuan was about to get out of the car, three more rickshaws suddenly drove up.

"Sister Mintong, aren't you planning to get married in Tianjin? Why are you back in Beiping?" Meng Xiaodong said pleasantly.

Wang Mintong's eyes were a little red and swollen, and she looked like she was crying. She said sadly: "My engagement has been broken, and the man is a bit disrespectful."

Meng Xiaodong didn't want to ask any more questions, and the atmosphere seemed rather awkward.

Zhou Hexuan remembered the big news in Tianjin a few days ago. A descendant of the Aixinjueluo family had an affair with an opera singer, and finally made trouble at home, making a fool of himself in public.

This Wang Mintong probably broke off the engagement because of this.