Women Use Personal Stories to Warn Against Financial Scams
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18 | Friday, September 3, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY LIFE An enduring performance For the 100th time, singer Wang Li reprises her role as revolutionary heroine Jiang Jie, a character that has defined her career and continues to resonate with audiences, Chen Nan reports. Singer Wang Li (third from right) performs the role of the female martyr, Jiang Zhuyun, in the classic Chinese opera Jiang Jie, at Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in Beijing on Sunday. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY n early 2007, Wang Li, then a “It was a landmark of my career story is still rooted in the original stand the role. Jiang, besides her and composer Yang Ming, both of her kindergarten, primary school 27-year-old singer, stood out and a great honor to portray the version. heroic spirit, is a woman who loves whom worked on the original ver- and middle school. As a teenager, among her colleagues of the role. I was very excited,” says Since early July, Wang Li has been life. There are many details in the sion of the opera. Yang, who is 87, her dream was to become a music People’s Liberation Army Air 40-year-old Wang. doing rehearsals in the capital. opera that showcase her feminini- also works as one of the creative teacher. IForce Art Troupe and was selected The most recent version of the “I can still recall that when I ty. For example, she often runs her team members on this new ver- At age 14, she was enrolled to to play the eponymous lead in the Chinese opera made its debut at first played the role of Jiang, I was fingers through her hair graceful- sion of the opera. study music at Anhui Professional classic Chinese opera Jiang Jie. the National Center for the Per- very nervous because she is such a ly, even in prison and before her Before its original premiere in College of Art, where she learned Premiered in Beijing in 1964, forming Arts in Beijing in 2007 famous and classic character, death,” Wang Li says. 1964, the composer, along with operatic singing and Huangmeixi, the Chinese opera was a huge suc- and since then, Wang has toured which has appeared in many art The veteran actress says she is other creative members of the a provincial form of traditional cess and toured nationwide. It was nationwide performing as Jiang forms, like movies and Peking deeply moved that many people, production, traveled to Sichuan Chinese opera. Three years later, adapted from the revolutionary in the opera for 11 years. Opera productions,” she says, both the older and younger gener- province and Chongqing to col- she traveled to Beijing to study novel Hong Yan (Red Crag), As this year marks the 100th adding that her father loves sing- ations, are fans of Jiang Jie. After lect material. Though opera is a singing at the China Conservatory which, written by Luo Guangbin anniversary of the founding of the ing songs from the opera, such as her show in Beijing, she will visit Western art form, the composer of Music and joined the art troupe and Yang Yiyan, portrays a group Communist Party of China, the Hong Mei Zan (Ode to the Red Zhang Guimei, a teacher working combined Sichuan folk music and of the PLA Air Force after gradua- of underground Communists and opera, Jiang Jie, has been Plum Flower) and Embroidering for female education in poverty- Chuanju (Sichuan Opera) into his tion, where she won lots of nation- their heroic battle on the eve of restaged by the China National the Red Flag, while he cooks at stricken mountainous areas, a fan compositions. al music awards and played in 1949, when the People’s Republic Opera & Dance Drama Theater. home. of the opera and who, herself, was It’s true that the opera has both Western and Chinese operas. of China was founded. The production is directed by “I’ve since played the role 100 named among the 29 outstanding played a significant part of her “Now, I am preparing myself to The Chinese opera centers on Wang Xiao ying and was per- times and, this time, I feel quite members of the Communist Party career. As well as playing the role launch a career as a teacher, one of the female martyrs, Jiang formed at Tianqiao Performing different because I am married of China who received the July 1 for 11 years, Wang Li also joined which feels like fulfilling my child- Zhuyun, also known as Jiang Jie, Arts Center in Beijing from Satur- and a mother, which enables me to Medal, the Party’s highest honor. the CPC on July 1, 2008, while hood dream,” says Wang Li, who who was born in 1920 in south- day to Monday, before heading off understand Jiang more deeply,” “I had an online video call with performing the opera in Wench- will start teaching music in Bei- western Sichuan province and to tour across China. Wang Li notes. Zhang one day during the uan county in Sichuan province, jing later this year, with invita- joined the Communist Party of Sunday’s performance saw “In the opera, Jiang devoted her rehearsals. She remembers all the after it had been hit by a devastat- tions from schools such as the China when she was 19. Wang once again don the red life to the country as a hero. She is lyrics of the songs in the opera ing earthquake just two months Central Academy of Drama and She was arrested in 1948 and jacket to play the role for a 100th also a woman who is separated and we sang Hong Mei Zan earlier. Beijing Film Academy. “Though I detained in a Chongqing prison. A time. Singers Yi Hongyuan and from her son, and whose husband together over the phone, which “When I played Jiang in Wench- may not have opportunities to year later, she was killed at the age Wang Ying played the eponymous was killed by the enemy. My was a very touching moment,” uan, I felt that the opera is particu- play the role of Jiang when I of 29. The image of Jiang, with lead in the Saturday and Monday daughter is 5 years old. I cannot Wang Li says. larly powerful and inspiring,” become a teacher, I will work with hair down to her shoulders, in a performances, respectively. imagine being separated from her. The singer also mentions that, Wang Li recalls. my students to keep the classic red jacket over a blue cheongsam According to the director Wang I miss her very much, even when I when she played the role of Jiang Born and raised in Hefei, capi- role alive.” and wrapped in a long white scarf, Xiaoying, the new version of the go on a tour for 20 days. back in 2007, she was lucky to tal of Anhui province, the singer is well-known among Chinese opera features a new stage set “I read the novel, Hong Yan, over receive training from veteran showed a talent for music as a Contact the writer at audiences. and new costumes, but the core and over again, to better under- scriptwriter Yan Su (1930-2016) child. She was a star performer in [email protected] Women use personal stories to warn against financial scams By ZHAO RUIXUE in Jinan foundation for physically chal- [email protected] lenged people, says, “Once we arranged for 30 people to attend a The experience of being defraud- class delivered by Zhao’s team, but ed by illegal fundraising in 2016 has more than 130 came.” sharpened 80-year-old Zhao Yin - Upon hearing Zhao’s story, many guang’s skills in helping others to people waved her brochures in avoid similar financial and emo- appreciation. “Her true story has tional losses. She has assembled a influenced them,” Wu says. team of avengers, made up of sliver- Supported by the local govern- haired peers. ment, the team has set up branches After retiring, Zhao, a resident of in more than 80 communities to Jinan, capital of Shandong prov- spread knowledge about illegal fun- ince, registered a dance school for draising. In addition to brochures, seniors with an asset management which include moving, real-life vic- company that delivered several pre- tim accounts, the team also delivers sentations to the group, pledging their message in numerous ways, that investments would earn quar- even operas, which attract audien- terly interest as high as 14 percent. Left: Three members of a team assembled by Jinan resident Zhao Yinguang rehearse at a community service center to help raise public ces and make the information eas- Attracted by the promise of high awareness about fraud in the city in Shandong province on Aug 18. Right: Zhao (left) and Tian Youjuan, both once defrauded by illegal ier to remember. returns, Zhao and several other fundraising, reveal their experience at the center. PHOTOS BY ZHAO RUIXUE / CHINA DAILY “Seniors are a major target in seniors invested. She personally fraud-related cases. The team has put in 1.04 million yuan ($160,264). helped a lot of seniors to avoid Months later, the company van- But then she realized that many about illegal fundraising and development and maintain social swindled had decent work before scams,” says Geng Hao, who works ished, leaving an empty office and seniors had probably been defraud- financial scams. Her effort dove- stability. The regulation helps to they retired,” says Zhao, who had at the Jinan bureau of financial disconnected phones. ed, and she wanted her experience tailed with local government’s defuse risks and protect ordinary been a senior manager at a Jinan- supervision and administration.