Arts >Opera
Shajiabang
Shajiabang is a famous modern Peking opera adapted from Shanghai opera Flame in the Reed Marshes. The story unfolds during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and takes place in the market town of Shajiabang in Jiangsu Province. Shajiabang has become a center of guerrilla warfare against the Japanese after its liberation by the New Fourth Army. The company political instructor Guo Jianguang and seventeen other sick and wounded soldiers are recuperating in the town from their wounds. The Japanese troops, however, are bent on exterminating all New Fourth Army personnel from the area. Guo and his men have taken refuge in the nearby marshes. After three days of fighting, Shajiabang is almost completely destroyed by the Japanese and Chinese puppet troops. A New Fourth Army vanguard, led by Guo, and militiamen commanded by Aqing, a Party member and underground liaison officer who uses the Spring Teahouse as a cover, wipes out the enemy.
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"Performing Arts Cultural Tour" Adds new favorite scenic spot Shajiabang "360VR" experience museum opening

Su Daily News (chief reporter in Changshu provider in Yao) Shajiabang Scenic 'performing arts tour' Adds new favorite: a new technological and cultural and creative projects - '360VR' museum, officially opened recently in Shajiabang Scenic. Opening day, Shajiabang Scenic '360VR' experience in front of the hall was packed to the public visitors experience after experience activities began, we wear special glasses seated into the museum, along with the music hall sounded, oversized ring in front of a 360-degree screen to start the movie, the whole stereoscopic image around, 'through' every audience's body, plus chairs simultaneously rotate 360 degrees, the whole scene grand, animated lifelike image. 'Experience Center can accommodate 42 people at once, there are two sources, a total of 15 minutes.' Shajiabang Scenic Wu Xu, deputy general manager, said the resort after a comprehensive inspection and verification, the introduction of '360VR' Experience Hall, and further enrich the content of tourism, improve the tourism facilities, extension of time visitors stay. Wu Xu said that after the formal operation of the project, the real drama with << >> and << Ludang flames let the bullets fly >> Wang Jing Street film base, Shajiabang opera, dragon boat culture, Water Wedding and other scenic spots together into 'performing arts and cultural tour,' an important part of the future development of the scenic Tien-tzu luster. The past two years, Shajiabang scenic area around the 'first-class exhibition tours, built in the famous resort' is targeting full use of revolutionary history, green, folk culture tourism resources, and actively develop educational tour red, green, eco-tourism, golden gourmet tour, performing arts and cultural tours, leisure travel health and a number of tourism products. At present, more than 3 million annual tourists scenic trips.

Shanghai Opera (沪剧): Preserve The Fire In Reed Marshes

Of eight Model Operas dominated the stage during the Cultural Revolution years, two were conveyed from Shanghai Opera repertoires. Among all Chinese operas, that are based on various local dialects and amount to 300 plus, Shanghai Opera is known to be the most innovative and fashion conscious, always keen to keep up with the latest traits to remain relevant and never afraid of trying out new things to explore wider horizons. Shanghai Opera The Successor (自有后来人) by Patriots Shanghai Opera Troupe (上海爱华沪剧团) depicts a Chinese resistance warrior in disguise as a railway worker in the region under the Japanese occupation. As soon as it was staged in early 60s, the tickets were sold like hot potatoes; and among many causes for its huge popularity, one big contributing factor is the appearance of a specially-made huge electronic toy engine that would at one point run across the stage to add visual effects to the show. Later the play was conveyed to Beijing Opera and retitled The Legend of Red Lantern (红灯记), with the fancy part involving the toy engine excluded. The engine has never returned to Chinese stage since. The second Shanghai Opera that has been conveyed to Beijing Opera and becomes a Model is Preserve the Fire in Reed Marshes (芦荡火种), originally created by Shanghai Opera Troupe (上海市人民沪剧团) based on a true historical event. During the WWII, there were 36 injured resistance warriors hidden in a village called Shajiabang by the Yangcheng Lake (阳澄湖) near Shanghai. When Japanese army and their local collaborators searched the area, the injured were forced to take refuge in the marshes and spend a lengthy period living a life with no shelter, medicine and food. But they all survived the ordeal, thanks to the collective rescue effort made by a teahouse owner, the villagers and the underground CCP organisation. The play received enthusiastic responses from the audience in Shanghai and in its surrounding regions in the South Yangtze River, for its beautiful music, its intricate storyline and its humorous dialogues. Later when it was conveyed to Beijing Opera it has been renamed Shajiabang (沙家浜), but the original version in Shanghai opera has never lost its appeal and is still performed on stage to this day. This is an episode from Preserve the Fire in Reed Marshes recorded in early 60s, Jie Hongyuan (解洪元, Zhang Qing and Wang Huazhong's teacher and voted by Shanghai audience as the Emperor of Shanghai Opera) as doctor disguised by CCP chief, Ding Shie (丁是娥, known as the Queen of Shanghai Opera) as teahouse owner and Shi Xiaoying (石筱英, the creator of Shi Style) as village grandma.

Work remains Wang's reward

Slumped over in an orange, velvety sofa at a teahouse in Beijing's Sanlitun area, Wang Xiaoshuai appears both relaxed and spirited. The man, who is in his early 40s, is one of China's most active directors. His eyes convey a sense of stubbornness as he speaks with sweeping gestures. Despite the fact that his first three films-The Days, Frozen and So Close to Paradise-were not considered commercially appealing enough to screen in China, he has been steadfast in his filmmaking, pushing forward with both legal and underground projects. Wang has every reason to be light-hearted. He is preparing to depart for the 58th Berlin International Film Festival, which runs from February 7 to 17. His latest film, Zuo You, or In Love We Trust, will premiere there on February 8. "The crew will leave on February 7-the first day of the traditional Chinese Spring Festival," Wang says. "Don't ask me whether the film might win an award. I don't know, because I'm not on the jury." The director is a frequent visitor of international film festivals, especially the three top film festivals-Berlin, Venice and Cannes. Wang won a Silver Bear award for his Beijing Bicycle in Berlin in 2001, and he claimed a "Prix du jury" award for his Shanghai Dreams at Cannes in 2005, in addition to numerous nominations. "I'm just making films I like, and luckily, the juries of the Berlin International Film Festival also like my film," he explains. "I'm in no rush. So far, I haven't seen any other films scheduled to show at the festival, so I can't make any judgment. All I know is the film I made." Based on a true story, In Love We Trust tells the tale of a divorced couple who discovers their daughter is about to die from blood cancer. They must bear another child together and use blood from the baby's umbilical cord to save their daughter. The film features leading actress Yu Nan, star of last year's Golden Bear award winner Tuya's Marriage, Zhang Jiayi, Liu Weiwei, Tian Yuan and Cheng Taishen. "In Chinese, 'zuo you', or 'left and right', means decision-making and hesitation, love and betrayal," he explains. "Basically, it is about human nature." "The story is a cross-border tale, because it could happen anywhere in the world." "I believe viewers from China and any other country in the world will understand what's behind it-human love and trust." "After watching the film, they will ask 'what if this happens to me?'" "I have given my answer from my point of view in the film. Now, it is your turn." Although the plots and settings of his films have changed over the years, some characteristics of his directing style remain constant. Wang consistently renders realistic characters, such as the man next door, the confused schoolchild or the regrettably stubborn father figure. Wang's father once worked in a Peking Opera Troupe in Guizhou Province, and from the age of three, Wang would watch movies adapted from Peking Operas, such as Shajiabang and Haigang. His encounters with such movies early in life led him to study at the director department of the Beijing Film Academy after he graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Wang went on to develop a deeper interest in cinematography, and he made his first underground independent film, The Days, in 1993. In 1996, he completed Frozen and in 1998, he released So Close to Paradise. Since then, he hasn't stopped making films, despite facing many obstacles. Wang says film is another form of aesthetic expression, akin to painting or sculpting, and he believes he has found his calling as a filmmaker. He is still striving for the optimum balance between his own artistic vision and public recognition. Wang's later movies-Beijing Bicycle in 2001, Drifter in 2003 and Shanghai Dreams in 2005-demonstrate how he succeeded in this goal. "I really wanted to preserve the essence of China on film and create a uniquely Chinese expression," Wang says. "The bicycle is the most archetypical symbol of China. Hollywood has its fancy car chases, but we don't have to do action sequences with a car; we can do them with a bicycle." He says he doesn't have audiences-at home nor overseas-in mind when filming, "because it is difficult to cater for all tastes". "As a filmmaker, I want to tell good stories that are real and thought-provoking." "Viewers will find the emotional connection, as long as the stories are good. The relationship between films and audiences is like that of lovers: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." In the past three years, Wang has searched for a new form of narration that is meaningful to him, "which can still preserve my attitude and sensitivity towards people and the society. That is what I have to do in In Love We Trust." He says overseas audiences can understand the film despite cultural barriers. "Humans are basically vulnerable, particularly when they face illness, death or social change," he says. "To survive and to withstand social pressure from the outside, people must train themselves to be strong. It doesn't matter where you are from; you are still human, and become perplexed and experience emotional upheavals." After the film's competition in Berlin, the director plans to bring the movie to Chinese cinemas. When talking about his expectations for its box-office performance, Wang shrugs. "You should hold different expectations for different kinds of films," he says. "For example, when watching Harry Potter, you should expect the experience to be light-hearted and fun. When watching Mission Impossible, you should expect to enjoy the special effects and dazzling action provided by Tom Cruise. And when watching my films, you should expect to feel intense emotion, but you will come away with something to ponder."

Knowledge Graph
Examples

1 Shajiabang is the most famous of the model theatrical works commissioned by Jiang Qing during the Cultural Revolution.

2 Shajiabang tells the story of A Qingsao, a brave woman who saves the lives of Chinese soldiers during the War of Resistance against Japan.

3 Like "The Taking of Tiger Mountain," "Shajiabang" was another nationally popular modern opera that was adapted into a revolution film.