CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Friday, March 27, 2020 | 19 LIFE
The cast of Winter Begonia includes Yin Zheng (left and center) as a Peking Opera master and Charmaine Sheh as a tycoon’s wife. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
n a Peking Opera stage Hengdian World Studios in central decorated as a second Zhejiang province. It’s China’s larg century noble woman’s est film and television production bedroom, a general’s wid and shooting base. Oow, played by Yin Zheng, nibbles an During eight months of prepara exquisitely embroidered handker Streaming tale of ties tion, they invited Peking Opera chief, murmuring about loneliness stars, including prestigious artist Bi and yearning for affection. Guyun and rising star Yin Jun, to The scene from the period drama, A drama about a Peking Opera artist, set in the World War II era, coach the cast members in the histo Winter Begonia, has gone viral on ry, culture and performance skills of Chinese social media, arousing has become a hit with young Chinese, Xu Fan reports. the twocenturyold art form. youth interest in Peking Opera, one Shooting required around 200 of China’s most influential tradi Peking Opera costumes, each of tional arts for two centuries. which took about three months to On Sina Weibo, a Twitterlike plat make. The most luxurious is for the form, hashtags about the 48episode title role of The Drunken Concubine. series, which has run on the stream The colorful dress is adorned with ing service iQiyi since March 20, over 40 ribbons, and its sleeves are have received 480 million clicks, gen interwoven with sevencolor silk erating nearly 1.2 million reviews. threads. The show, adapted from the pop “I was quite excited when I ular online novel Winter Begonia, received producer Yu Zheng’s call to chronicles the yearslong friendship ask me to direct Winter Begonia. between Cheng Fengtai, an over Few films and television series have seaseducated businessman who is featured such a theme in recent also a big fan of Peking Opera, and years, making it a fresh and interest Shang Xirui, a Peking Opera master, ing job for me,” recalls Hui. in the turbulent World War II era Yin Zheng, who is also a singer when Chinese were combating and graduated from the Xinghai invading Japanese. Conservatory of Music in Guang Aside from Yin starring as Shang, dong province, says his favorite who is known for his performances opera show performed in the series of dan (female Peking Opera roles is Zhan Wan Cheng (The Battle of played by men), the series casts Wan City). It’s about an ancient rul Alist actor Huang Xiaoming as the er who forces a widow to marry tycoon Cheng and veteran Hong him. Yin Zheng says he is captivat Kong actress Charmaine Sheh as ed by the tension and conflict con his wife. veyed through the tragedy. Huang has impressed audiences Although Yin Zheng underwent over more than two decades with The 48episode series intensive training with Peking the diversity of roles he has played, Winter Begonia is about Opera masters while wearing heavy including emperor, swordsman and the yearslong friendship head accessories for over 10 hours a English teacher. between a Peking Opera day, he says he has only obtained a But it is the 43yearold’s first time artist, played by Yin “shallow understanding” of the per to play an enthusiast of Peking Zheng (above), and a formance art. Opera. businessman, played by “The opera masters are like float Huang, who is selfisolating in a Huang Xiaoming (left), ing museums. Most began to study hotel in Chengdu, Sichuan province, during World War II. at a young age and have practiced since his new TV series’ shooting PHOTOS PROVIDED TO for over a decade,” Yin Zheng says. was suspended due to the COVID19 CHINA DAILY Industry insiders have predicted outbreak, tells China Daily that the COVID19 pandemic would bring Peking Opera’s charm drew him to unprecedented changes to the coun the role. try’s film and television industry. “Although Peking Opera is one of Streaming sites have experienced China’s most representative tradi I hope the a surge in viewers since most of Chi tional arts, it has a relatively small na’s cinemas are still shut and most fan base. I hope the drama will pro drama will people are advised to stay home. mote the art form among a wider promote the art Winter Begonia has been listed as viewership and attract attention the series. So, Huang often felt hun madeup Peking Opera performer is “Yin (as the queen onstage) is gor the most popular content since it from more young people,” says gry while acting alongside Yin in the amazing each time. I believe even geous, creating the illusion that he form (Peking started streaming on iQiyi on Huang. restaurant scenes. people who don’t know much about actually is an ancient figure who’d Opera) among a March 20. Huang recalls one of his greatest In the series, the artist Yin per the opera will become fans, thanks traveled across time to the film set,” Huang, who reveals he and his challenges throughout shooting was forms in more than 20 Peking Opera to Yin’s striking performance,” says says Hui, who’s best known for the wider team have purchased masks from to follow a tough diet as his charac shows from at least eight schools, Huang. 2018 smash hit, Story of Yanxi Pal viewership and South Africa to support Chinese ter is described as a slim Shanghai most of which are classics of the likes Director Hui Kaidong says he was ace. medical staff, predicts China’s gentleman. of The Drunken Concubine, about stunned when he first saw Yin in Zhao’s opera was the first stage attract attention online content industry will expand “I felt a little ‘tortured’ when the bittersweet romance between a makeup and lavish outfits for a show show shot by the crew, who took from more in the next few years. watching the crew eat since I could Tang Dynasty (618907) emperor about Zhao Feiyan, the queen of around five months to film all the 48 only have a few vegetables,” he says. and a woman in the royal court. emperor Cheng during the Western episodes in several locations, cover young people.” Contact the writer at Shang is depicted as a gourmet in “Yin’s appearance as a heavily Han Dynasty (206 BCAD 24). ing over 20,000 square meters in Huang Xiaoming, actor [email protected]