If you are traveling to Anqing City, Anhui Province, you must go to the Anqing Huangmei Opera Art Center to watch a genuine and wonderful performance of “The Female Prince”. Anqing is the birthplace of Huangmei Opera, and it is known as “watching scenery during the day and watching plays at night” – watching scenery, the ancient Anqing scenic spots, historical sites and cultural relics are endless; watching plays, it refers to Huangmei Opera.
The imperial examination system that emerged during the Sui Dynasty created many top scholars in successive dynasties. Studying hard and passing the imperial examinations meant a bright future and beautiful women for the ancient scholars. It was as the saying goes, “There are beautiful women in the book.” From the Tang Dynasty onwards, there was a tradition of “choosing a son-in-law from among those who passed the examinations” among the wealthy officials, and the Huangmei Opera “The Female Prince” that we are familiar with tells a story that takes place against this background.
“The Female Prince” is one of the representative works of Huangmei Opera. It tells the story of a couple who were originally in love but were forced to break up because Feng Suzhen’s stepmother preferred wealth over poverty and forced Li Zhaoting to break off their engagement. Later, Feng Suzhen disguised herself as a man and took Li Zhaoting’s place to take the imperial examination. Unexpectedly, she became the top scholar and was recruited as the prince’s consort. On their wedding night, Feng Suzhen told the princess the truth and was pardoned by the emperor, and the couple were married by imperial decree. In the end, the lovers were finally united.
The exquisite scenery, luxurious costumes and melodious singing immerse the audience in the ups and downs of the plot, making them feel joy or sorrow, anger or sadness.
It would be a mistake to think that Huangmei Opera is only for the elderly. Douyin, a social platform, once released a non-heritage data report showing that Huangmei Opera received 77.72 million likes on the platform, making it the most popular local opera among netizens. Nowadays, you can not only watch TV series and movies adapted from “The Female Prince”, but also online novels, comics and other works, which have successfully entered the world of young people.
Movies and TV series have their own merits, but experiencing it firsthand, in the theater, appreciating the superb performances of famous actors or newcomers up close, and immersing yourself in the charm of Huangmei Opera together with like-minded people, that kind of feeling is irreplaceable by any screen work.
The actors’ lines and singing are exquisite, making people feel as if they are in the play, experiencing the joys and sorrows with them.
The story of “The Female Prince” can be said to be a genuine big heroine drama. Whether it’s Feng Suzhen or the princess, their mental state and spiritual realm are no less than those of modern women. How can a woman bravely pursue happiness? Perhaps you will find the answer in this play.
Opera is a beautiful thing. Because people are dedicated to writing it and performing it with all their hearts, the brilliance of opera is something that even time cannot erase. Come to the Anqing Huangmei Opera Art Center to listen to a performance of Huangmei Opera and experience the most enduring charm in this ancient city.
This article is from a user submission and does not represent the views of Trip Footsteps. If you repost it, please indicate the source: https://www.tripfootsteps.com/travelogues/102.html
