Event Information | The “Eastern Opera Sage Tang Xianzu” Exchange Exhibition Opens in Dayu, Ganzhou

To implement Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, promote the "Cultural Fuzhou — Vessel of Dreams" brand, support the building of a city strong in cultural innovation, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other municipalities, the special exhibition "Tang Xianzu, Sage of Eastern Drama" officially opened on November 16, 2023, at the Peony Pavilion Cultural Exhibition Hall, a branch of the Dayu County Museum. The exhibition was co-hosted by the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Press and Tourism and the Dayu County Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Press and Tourism, and organized by the Fuzhou Municipal Research Center for Cultural Relics Protection, the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall (Fuzhou), and the Dayu County Museum.
 

Hu Deyong, a member of the Party Leadership Group, a third-level researcher, and Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports, delivered a speech.

Zhou Hongying, Vice Chairperson of the Dayu County CPPCC, delivered a speech and declared the exhibition open.





Speech by Lan Jie, Party Secretary and Director of the Dayu County Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism, and Sports.


  
 

Following the opening ceremony, attendees jointly toured the exhibition. Guided by the docent, they carefully examined each exhibit and listened to the legendary tale of Tang Xianzu, the “Sage of Eastern Opera.”

      The “Four Dreams of Linchuan,” masterfully crafted by the great Ming‑dynasty dramatist Tang Xianzu over the course of his lifetime, stands as a dazzling gem in the history of Chinese theater—and indeed, in the annals of world drama. The exhibition “Tang Xianzu, the Sage of Eastern Drama” offers a comprehensive overview of Tang Xianzu’s life and his monumental theatrical achievements. Conceived as a thematic permanent display to mark the 400th anniversary of his passing in 2016, it was meticulously curated by the Tang Xianzu Memorial Hall in Fuzhou City and was awarded the Excellence Prize in the 14th National Museum Top Ten Exhibitions Competition (2016). This traveling exhibition presents an abridged version of that acclaimed project. With its vivid, well‑researched layout, abundant historical materials, and engaging interactive quiz activities with prizes, it has enthusiastically captivated visitors.                                                                                                                                                                                                     

This exhibition will run for two months, showcasing nearly one hundred precious cultural relics and collectibles, including the Tang family genealogy, “The Four Dreams of Linchuan” published in various periods by later generations, a range of critical writings, and out-of-print records.
 

                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

    



   

 

                               

                 
                
             
 

Meanwhile, educators have also brought an outstanding community‑education program—Chinese opera facial makeup—to primary and secondary school students in Dayu. As a distinctive art form, facial makeup embodies rich cultural and historical insights through its visual imagery and stylistic conventions, making it a treasured element of China’s intangible cultural heritage. Since its inception, this course has been offered repeatedly at schools across Fuzhou, and its engaging, edutainment‑based approach has consistently won the affection of students.

 

Dayu, historically part of Nanan, is a land in southern Jiangxi where “the realm meets Lingnan, and people live in peace while goods abound,” radiating the splendor of a vibrant cultural heritage. It was here that Wang Yangming’s School of Mind took root and flourished, and it also served as the birthplace of Tang Xianzu’s romantic ideals—the very setting for the tale of Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei, whose love burns with profound devotion. Tang Xianzu’s hometown, Fuzhou in Jiangxi, likewise boasts a rich historical and cultural legacy, earning the reputation of “the Land of Talented Scholars and the Kingdom of Culture.” With dreams of love intertwined and hearts joined in spirit, this shared cultural bond has paved the way for the first-ever collaboration between Fuzhou and Dayu.

 

 

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought underscores that culture is the soul of a country and a nation; without strong cultural confidence and vibrant cultural prosperity, there can be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Through this exhibition, we hope to look back on history together, revisit the classics, appreciate the artistic allure and contemporary relevance of Tang Xianzu and his works, bolster our confidence in Chinese culture, and imbue China’s fine traditional culture with new meanings for our times and fresh forms of expression.