Cover News Reporters Luo Tianyi and Yang Lan Pictures provided by interviewees One tone, one sadness, one joy. On this small stage, Sichuan Opera actors interpret various aspects of life. Sichuan Opera, an art form born in the land of Bashu, has shined in the long history as one

2024-09-01 10:33:04 entertainment 6090℃

Cover News Reporters Luo Tianyi Yang Lan Pictures provided by interviewees

In one tone, one sad and one happy, on this small stage, Sichuan Opera actors interpret various aspects of life.

Sichuan Opera, an art form born in the land of Bashu, has shined in the long history as one of the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage. However, with the changes of the times, Sichuan Opera is also facing many difficulties such as serious loss of ground, lack of talents, and sluggish market.

Faced with the challenges of inheritance and revitalization, how can the development of Sichuan Opera achieve "breaking out of the circle"? On September 1, 2024, two bills, the "Regulations on the Protection and Inheritance of Sichuan Opera in Sichuan Province" (hereinafter referred to as the "Sichuan Regulations") and the "Regulations on the Protection and Inheritance of Sichuan Opera in Chongqing" (hereinafter referred to as the "Chongqing Regulations"), were officially implemented. From top-level design to Grassroots exploration provides a solid legal guarantee for the revitalization and development of Sichuan Opera.

perform a play together and establish a law together. Sichuan and Chongqing are working in the same direction and working together to explore the road to revitalizing Sichuan Opera. What are the highlights of the newly introduced Sichuan regulations? How will Sichuan and Chongqing work together to promote the protection of Sichuan Opera? On August 28, the reporter interviewed Xu Jianqun, deputy chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Congress, to learn about the stories behind the introduction of Sichuan regulations.

Stills from Sichuan Opera Liaozhai Opera "Flying Cloud Sword". Picture source information

Breaking the Circle and Revitalizing

Establishing a law and regulations that Sichuan Opera people think are pragmatic and weighty

In fact, there have been many attempts in Sichuan and Chongqing to inherit and protect Sichuan Opera. However, because the protection measures are too scattered, there is no comprehensive law or plan to govern them. This is also the main reason why Sichuan Opera has been "revitalized" but not prosperous for a long time.

"In the legislative process, we have only one belief, which is to establish laws and regulations that Sichuan Opera people will feel are weighty, pragmatic and effective." Xu Jianqun told reporters.

During the legislative process, in 2023, leaders of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial People's Congress conducted research on key topics in thematic education and went deep into 8 cities including Chengdu, Mianyang, Zigong, and Leshan, and visited the largest Sichuan Opera Troupes in the province to gain a comprehensive understanding The current situation of the protection and inheritance of Sichuan Opera was discussed, and deputies to the People's Congress at all levels were invited to participate in the entire process of legislative research, drafting, and argumentation, and to extensively solicit opinions from the public.

Looking outside the theater, the development of Sichuan Opera faces a structural contradiction of mismatch between supply and demand. Most of the plays are rehearsed for competitions and then shelved after winning awards. Compared with other local dramas such as Qin Opera and Yue Opera, Sichuan Opera lacks popular golden songs, and artistically praised products are difficult to guarantee to become popular products in the market.

At the opening ceremony of the 31st Summer Universiade in Chengdu, Sichuan Opera face-changing phalanx wore golden cloaks and performed passionately to the rhythm of "Sichuan Opera Nian Bai" mixed with cyberpunk style music.

Judging from the play, the grassroots Sichuan Opera Troupe is facing a shortage of talents and is on the verge of extinction. Xu Jianqun told reporters that Sichuan Opera has five professions: niche, female role, raw role, painted face, and harlequin. However, during the survey, it was found that in the training of actors, the professions such as painted face and harlequin are not taken seriously; at the same time, too much emphasis is placed on actor training and neglected. The cultivation of screenwriting, music, and marketing talents has led to the unreasonable overall talent structure of Sichuan Opera. These are important considerations in the legislative process. According to

statistics, the Standing Committees of the People's Congresses of Sichuan and Chongqing collected more than 200 opinions and suggestions. Regarding the issues reported by the representatives of the public, such as insufficient government investment, Sichuan Opera talent training, and Sichuan Opera entering campuses, regulations in both places have responded positively.

"For example, during our research, we found that some martial arts students were injured during practice. It is difficult to solve the follow-up problems with compensation from the unit alone." Xu Jianqun said that this issue is required by Article 17 of the Sichuan Regulations. Sichuan Opera Art performance groups should apply for social insurance for their employees in accordance with relevant national regulations, and are encouraged to purchase commercial insurance for their employees.

At the same time, we need to pay attention to the integrity and innovation required for the inheritance of Sichuan Opera.This includes the need to rescue and protect the surviving Sichuan Opera-related books, many of which are orphan and rare books. It also needs to digitally protect the video materials of famous actors and actresses, and re-stage classic plays such as "Bashan Scholar" and "Still Water Waves".

The only folk Sichuan Opera troupe in Chongqing performs. Picture source information

In terms of innovation, Sichuan regulations mentioned that Sichuan opera performing groups are encouraged to increase reform and innovation in repertoire creation, performance forms, singing music, stage design, etc., and create diversified versions that meet the performance needs of different groups. Excellent repertoire promotes Sichuan Opera out of theaters and into real life scenes.

Commonalities and Characteristics

The regulations of the two places have their own emphasis

The legislation of the two places focuses on Sichuan Opera at the same time?

Sichuan Opera is a precious cultural business card of Bashu, carrying the common cultural memory of the people of Sichuan and Chongqing. It is also a vivid display of the cultural context of Sichuan and Chongqing, and has irreplaceable significance. The revitalization of Sichuan Opera has been a common topic in all walks of life and the expectation of people from all walks of life in the past ten years.

What the people hope for is based on the law; what the people call for is based on the law. Tracing the origins of Sichuan Opera legislation in the two provinces and cities, the reporter learned that as early as 2019, the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress launched a legislative survey on the protection and inheritance of Sichuan Opera; at the end of 2022, at the fourth joint meeting of the Sichuan and Chongqing People's Congresses held in Guang'an, Sichuan , made it clear that the legislation on the protection and inheritance of Sichuan Opera will be listed as a legislative research project and annual cooperation matter in 2023, and will be fully promoted.

During the legislative process, the Sichuan and Chongqing People’s Congresses maintained close collaboration in all aspects of research, drafting, argumentation, and deliberation. "For the common goal, during the research process, the Standing Committees of the People's Congresses of Sichuan and Chongqing also jointly visited Shaanxi Province and other provinces to learn from the legislative experience of brother provinces and cities, and gained a lot." Xu Jianqun told reporters.

At the China Central Radio and Television Station's "2024 Spring Festival Gala", the opera program "A Hundred Flowers in Bloom" performed an excerpt from the classic Sichuan Opera excerpt "Viewing from Another Cave". Picture source information

Not only that, the two sides also formed the "Legislative Memorandum on the Protection and Inheritance of Sichuan Opera" to make unified arrangements in terms of protection objects, system design, and promotion time. According to statistics, the Sichuan and Chongqing People's Congresses only conducted 6 mutual visits and surveys, and held 4 special draft revision meetings.

is the first inter-provincial collaborative legislative project in the cultural field in China. The draft regulations in Sichuan and Chongqing have achieved "similarity with minor differences" after many consultations and arguments between the two sides.

The "great harmony" lies in the consistency of the regulations of the two places in terms of legislative purposes, scope of application, departmental responsibilities, protection and inheritance measures, etc.; the "minor differences" lie in the regulations of the two places formulating different provisions in eight aspects such as academy development and talent training. Each has its own characteristics.

Sichuan-Chongqing joint legislation, according to industry insiders, brings opportunities to integrate the resources of both parties, complement each other's advantages, and make the cake bigger. Judging from the regulations of the two places, both sides have proposed to promote the in-depth integration of Sichuan Opera and tourism, and to embed Sichuan Opera cultural elements into cultural and tourism scenes. In terms of cultural creativity and performing arts, Sichuan has a lot of foundations that can be used for reference and exchange by Chongqing.

In the regulations of both parties, future cooperation and exchanges are also mentioned. For example, Sichuan and Chongqing will jointly hold Sichuan Opera festivals (exhibitions), establish an alliance of Sichuan and Chongqing Sichuan Opera performing groups, and encourage troupes from both places to cooperate in adapting traditional plays and new historical plays. The two places will also jointly carry out various inter-provincial and international exchange activities to turn the "good show" of Sichuan Opera into a "big show" for the cultural development of the two places.

Integrity and innovation

Strengthen the solution of practical problems from the legislative orientation

Sichuan Opera has been known as "Sichuan Opera is the best in the world" since ancient times. How to break the current situation of "exquisite but not prosperous"?

"Sichuan Opera cannot just be sunny and snowy. To stimulate the endogenous power of the Sichuan Opera industry, we must keep upright and innovate, so that Sichuan Opera can resonate with the times and enter the lives of the people."In Xu Jianqun's view, the revitalization and development of Sichuan Opera cannot be separated from the support of the government and society.

The Sichuan-Chongqing joint legislation is the first step in the inheritance and protection of Sichuan Opera. By deepening the reform of the cultural system and mechanism, from Starting from the top-level design, activating a pool of spring water for industry development

"First of all, in terms of style and structure, the legal texts of the two places are not "big", and the "wearing boots and hats" clauses are reduced to make the text more concise and to the point, and the measures are more pragmatic. Effective, in addition to refining the experience and practices that have been effective in the past, it also focuses on pain points and difficulties and strengthens targeted solutions. "Xu Jianqun said.

In terms of top-level design, Article 5 of the Sichuan Regulations mentions that the Sichuan Provincial People's Government should formulate a special plan for the protection and inheritance of Sichuan Opera, and the relevant municipal (state) people's governments should formulate it in accordance with the special plan for the protection and inheritance of Sichuan Opera and based on local realities. Implementation plan.

In 2022, Chen Zhilin, director of the Sichuan Opera House, performed "The Straw Shoes County Magistrate" at the Sichuan Art Vocational College.

At the same time, around the issues of "someone performs" and "someone watches", Suggestions were given in terms of talent training, Sichuan Opera entering campuses, professional title review and salary management. Focusing on the issues of "what to perform" and "how to perform", regulations were made from aspects of drama creation, performance exchanges, theoretical research, etc.; focusing on improving "influence" "The issue of "communication power" provides directions from the aspects of publicity and promotion, online communication, cultural and tourism integration, etc.

"During the research process, we also found that many Sichuan Theater practitioners said that they no longer have a performance position, so Sichuan must do a good job in building hospital groups. "Xu Jianqun said. How to strengthen the construction of the main position of Sichuan Opera? Xu Jianqun said that to strengthen the construction of Sichuan Opera Troupe, the focus is to create a "four theater troupe" with professional performance teams, fixed rehearsal venues, the ability to create and perform plays, and sufficient funding guarantees. "Construction; deepen the comprehensive layout of courtyards and groups with large courtyards as the leader, state-owned institutes as the backbone, and other grassroots institutes as supplements, and encourage qualified units and groups to transform existing cultural facilities, build or rebuild a number of Small theaters, creating "drama nests" in the new era.

These specific implementation paths are also reflected in many Sichuan regulations. At the same time, in terms of supporting the development of grassroots and private Sichuan opera groups, Sichuan governments at all levels are also encouraged to expand cultural projects at all levels. The scope of financial support is to support grassroots Sichuan opera performing groups through the purchase of services, special subsidies, etc., to promote the survival and survival of these grassroots troupes.

“I believe that the introduction and implementation of Sichuan regulations is just the beginning. "Xu Jianqun told reporters that what can be expected is that after this seed is planted, it will bear fruitful fruits, allowing the beauty of Sichuan Opera to bloom again in the land of Bashu.