政府新闻
上海纪念京剧大师梅兰芳 2025-08-10
Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang (left) created "Resisting the Jin Army" ("Kang Jin Bing") to inspire people during wartime.
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, a cultural salon themed on Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang's unwavering spirit and patriotism was held at Sinan Mansions, Mei's residence during the war.
The city was an important stronghold of cultural resistance. During the war, Mei forged an inseparable bond between his life, artistic career, and the city of Shanghai, notably its Huangpu neighborhood.
In 1937, he grew a mustache to avoid performing for the city's Japanese invaders. He also composed patriotic works such as "Resisting the Jin Army" ("Kang Jin Bing") to inspire the people.
The salon is held at Sinan Mansions, Mei Lanfang's residence during wartime.
Shao Zhenkun, a Mei vocal school student, performs at the salon.
In rare archival footage from this opera, Mei portrayed Liang Hongyu, rallying soldiers with his war drums.
The event launched two "Mei Lanfang and Shanghai" walking tours that linked his theaters, where he performed, with landmarks from his daily life. Mei's patriotic spirit and Shanghai-style culture were examined, stressing the city's historical position as a "bastion of cultural resistance."
Public interest in Peking Opera is growing, thanks in large part to the critically acclaimed film "The Stage" by Chen Peisi. The documentary "Mei Lanfang in Shanghai" will be broadcast on Dragon TV. It follows the maestro's artistic career and his symbiotic interaction with the city's cultural fabric as seen through the eyes of Mei's vocal school inheritor, Tian Hui, and comic artist Lin Ying.
Source: City News Service
