The Twenty-Four Solar Terms at the Soup House | Awakening of Insects

At the first stir of yang energy in the Awakening of Insects, spring’s beauty spreads across the land. Peach blossoms bloom like brocade, and hawks grow old as doves in spring. The seasons hasten on, urging growth; tender shoots stretch straight and tall. In the human world, all are busy with life’s tasks, and fields are filled with plowing and sowing.

Event Recap | Keep Safety Knowledge in Mind, Let the Spirit of Lei Feng Live On

Years ablaze with passion, a journey of relentless striving—March 5th has been designated as Lei Feng Memorial Day. On March 5, 1963, Mao Zedong’s inscription, “Learn from Comrade Lei Feng,” was published in the People’s Daily, marking the origin of this commemorative day. Over the decades that followed, the spirit of Lei Feng has come to symbolize the ethos of serving the people wholeheartedly.

Mei Lanfang and “The Peony Pavilion” (Part 8) | Mei Lanfang Details the Filming Process of the Kunqu Opera Film “The Peony Pavilion” (Part 4: Production—2)

Original Title: “A Dream in the Garden” — From Stage to Screen Author: Mei Lanfang Source: “My Life in Film” (by Mei Lanfang)

Mei Lanfang and “A Dream in the Garden” (Part 10) | Yu Zhenfei: Du Liniang, Endlessly Filled with Deep Affection

He has always attached great importance to Kunqu opera, emphasizing the significance of studying it, and his affection for it is truly heartfelt. He enriched the performing art of Peking Opera’s dan roles through Kunqu’s performance techniques, while, in turn, these techniques also further enhanced and elevated the artistry of Kunqu itself.

Mei Lanfang and “The Peony Pavilion” (Part 9) | Mei Lanfang Details the Filming Process of the Kunqu Opera Film “The Peony Pavilion” (Part 5: Conclusion)

Original Title: “A Dream in the Garden” — From Stage to Screen Author: Mei Lanfang Source: “My Life in Film” (by Mei Lanfang)

Opera Trivia | The “Flower vs. Elegance” Controversy in Opera History

During the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty, Beijing became a vibrant center for opera, drawing together a diverse array of vocal styles and theatrical traditions from both the north and the south. This period witnessed a rivalry between the “Huabu” (popular) and “Yabu” (elegant) schools of vocal music and drama, an episode historically known as the “Huayi Contention.” At its core, this contest represented the challenge and assault mounted by the Huabu vocal styles against the dominant position long held by the Yabu Kunqu opera. With their distinctive qualities—“plain and straightforward lyrics” that were easy to understand and “vigorous, rousing melodies” that enlivened the ear—the Huabu forms won widespread popular favor, gradually supplanting Kunqu’s erstwhile supremacy on the stage. (Of course, even among the Huabu styles themselves there existed competition and shifting fortunes.)