School in NW China’s Ningxia takes modern measures to bring traditional Chinese opera to young students

The opera club of Yinchuan Experimental Middle School in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has used a series of explorations and innovations to draw young students to traditional Chinese opera.

Members of the opera club of the Yinchuan Experimental Middle School in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region attend a rehearsal. (Photo courtesy of the Yinchuan Experimental Middle School)

“Through various measures, including letting students paint opera face makeup and perform well-known opera selections, we help students develop an interest and spread the seeds of opera so that they will take root and grow in the students’ hearts,” said Tang Juan, head of the club.

The club has also been integrating traditional Chinese opera with modern pop songs. One example of this is the adaptation of a famous Chinese song “I Love You, China” integrating classic selections of traditional Chinese opera including Peking Opera, Yue Opera, and Yu Opera, according to Tang. Thanks to the club’s efforts, the adapted song has been sung beyond Ningxia.

Freshman Deng Jiajun is a member of the club and one of the performers of the adapted song. Deng developed a bond with opera when he was young thanks to his grandfather, who is a big fan of Peking Opera.

A member of the opera club helps her teammate put on make up. (Photo courtesy of the Yinchuan Experimental Middle School)

“Opera is very catchy,” Deng said, explaining the reason why he joined the club. “I will keep learning opera, even though it’s not easy to master it,” he added.

Blending opera with modern elements is a new trend in the inheritance of traditional culture that enables students to understand and appreciate traditional culture more easily, said Tang Juan.

Members of the opera club put on a performance. (Photo courtesy of the Yinchuan Experimental Middle School)

Tang believes that traditional opera will gain new vitality through the combination of the art form and elements popular among young people, such as pop music and modern dance.

“We will blend traditional Chinese opera with modern dance to stage more stunning performances,” Tang added.