Yang Yunge as himself (Photos: Courtesy of Yang Yunge/GT) |
Fame for few
It's the fifth time for Li to perform in the Great Hall of the People. Even though the piece he did that night had been performed dozens of times before, his fans still showed great enthusiasm with tickets selling out in a matter of days.
Since 2006, Li has performed on many important occasions, holding concerts at home and abroad. He has won numerous awards for his performance, in which he plays both a man and a woman combining Chinese folk art and traditional opera with fashion elements.
Following Li's success many other performers emerged to perform fanchuan in recent years. Some of them, such as Yang Yunge, Ouyang Qing and Xinfei, have gradually gained fame. They are web celebrities, appearing frequently in TV programs and various kinds of activities and each one has a fixed group of fans.
Most performers of this kind follow Li's style. They dress up as beautiful women, dance gracefully and sing songs mainly about love. They mostly dress in gorgeous ancient costumes, easily underlining the wearer's femininity and delicate nature.
"The success of Li and the popularity of other fanchuan performers indicate an increasingly inclusive and diversified society," said Tang. "Unlike in the 1990s and earlier years, now is a time for grass-roots stars and the pursuit of pure beauty, whatever the sex."
He added that this form of performance contains a certain social value by meeting audience demands, though he remains uncertain as to whether the prosperity of fanchuan is a good social phenomenon or not.
Spring Festival draws near, immigrant workers have begun to go home, leading a travel peak at the railway station.