Sun Zhengyang, the famous Peking Opera performing artist, the representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage (Peking Opera) project, and the national first-class actor of the Shanghai Peking Opera Theater, died in Shanghai at 5:22 a.m. on March 7, 2024 due

Well-known Peking Opera performing artist,

Representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage (Peking Opera)

project,

Sun Zhengyang, a national first-class actor at the Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre,

failed to treat due to illness,

died at 5 a.m. on March 7, 2024 At 22 minutes,

passed away at the Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital.

was 93 years old.

The official WeChat account of Shanghai Peking Opera Theater

published the obituary at 17:37 on March 7th

Sun Zhengyang was born in 1931 in Yutian, Hebei Province. He studied art since childhood and was admitted to the "Zheng" Peking Opera class of the Shanghai Drama School at the age of 9. He studied under Liu Songqiao, Luo Wenkui, Guan Hongbin, Liang Lianzhu and others. He joined the Shanghai Peking Opera Theater in 1955 and often performed on the same stage with Zhou Xinfang, Gai Jietian, Yu Zhenfei, Yan Huizhu, Tong Zhiling, Li Yugu, Gu Zhengqiu, Zhao Yanxia, ​​Du Jinfang, Mei Baojiu, Li Huifang and other famous artists.

Sun Zhengyang has a solid foundation in both civil and military skills. He has a crisp voice, crisp recitation, and humorous performances. He is inclusive of northern and southern schools of art and has formed a unique performance style. He is known as the "Famous Chou in the South of the Yangtze River" . Representative plays of

include "Blocking the Horse", "Sea Week Pass", "Collecting Jade Bracelets", "Iron Bow Fate", "Grandma Liu and Wang Xifeng", "The Phoenix Returns to the Nest", "Seven Heroes and Five Righteousness", "Take the Tiger Mountain by Wisdom", etc., In particular, he successfully played the role of the villain "Luan Ping" in "Taking Tiger Mountain by Wisdom", which left a deep impression on the audience.

"Seven Heroes and Five Righteousness" (Part 2) Sun Zhengyang as Jiang Ping

From November 1939 to the autumn of 1945, the Shanghai Drama School was established in Shanghai with the purpose of "promoting and organizing traditional opera and cultivating Peking Opera talents", and only enrolled one student. Generation, commonly known as "zhengzi generation". Sun Zhengyang is one of the best.

writer Qin Shouou once recalled, "I remember that Sun Zhengyang, who played the clown at that time, was the youngest, but he acted very skillfully, but when he needed to sit on a chair, he had to be held by the inspector, so he was very funny. The audience roared with laughter."

Zhang Meijuan plays the eighth sister Yang and Sun Zhengyang plays Jiao Guangpu in "Blocking the Horse"

Sun Zhengyang has worked with many famous actors throughout his life,

leaving many unforgettable stage images.

●In 1953, Li Yuru, Sun Zhengyang and others compiled and adapted "Little Herding Cows" and went to North Korea to perform a condolence performance, which was warmly welcomed. In 1955, he and Li Yuru participated in the Warsaw Youth Gala and performed "Autumn River" and "Picking Up Jade Bracelets".

Li Yuru and Sun Zhengyang in "Little Herding Cows"

● In 1954, the East China Opera Performance was an unprecedented event. Sun Zhengyang won the second prize for Peking Opera Actor and was the only Harlequin to win the award. He played Mother Chen in "Iron Gong Yuan" and "The Drunken Concubine". "Gao Lishi played by Gao Lishi has been recognized.

Tong Zhiling and Sun Zhengyang in "Iron Gong Yuan"

● In 1958, the Shanghai Peking Opera Theater adapted the Peking Opera "Taking the Powerful Tiger Mountain by Outwitness" based on a story about "Taking the Powerful Tiger Mountain by Outsmarting" in Qu Bo's novel "Lin Hai Xue Yuan". Sun Zhengyang plays the role of the villain Luan Ping.

Tong Xiangling and Sun Zhengyang in "Taking Tiger Mountain by Wisdom"

●In 1999, the Shanghai Peking Opera Theater launched a new historical Peking Opera "Zhenguan Grand Event". Sun Wuji, the uncle of the state who is greedy for extravagance and arrogant, is brilliant.

Sun Zhengyang, Guan Dongtian, Shang Changrong, and Chen Xinyi rehearsing "The Great Event of Zhenguan"

● In 2011, Shi Yihong, a Qingyi actor from the Mei School, announced that he would sing the full version of "Suo Lin Nang", which became the focus of theater fans. "Suolin Bag" specially invites Sun Zhengyang to perform the role of Mei Xiang in the play. He is the plum Xiang in Gu Zhengqiu's version of "Suo Lin Bag".

Sun Zhengyang and Shi Yihong in "Suolin Bag"

In December 2002,

Sun Zhengyang gave lectures to my country's first

Peking Opera Harlequin Performing Arts Training Class

.

Faced with students from the Beijing and Kunming circles as well as students from brother operas, Sun Zhengyang said that although various opera professions have also trained some clown actors, there are really not many who stand out.Most young clown actors are still stuck at the level of acting how they are taught by their teachers. Some clown actors do not understand that clowns only expose the ugly things in life and are not naturalistic displays of ugliness; rather, they should require beautiful art and innovative forms to express these ugly contents more clearly.

Sun Zhengyang teaches art

Sun Zhengyang said that the most ugly person in the first year of life is the fifth ugliest person. No one is born to like to play the "ugly fifth person". He took himself as an example. He started to learn opera at the age of 6, and learned to be a clown. At that time, he was not happy at all. He would make jokes on the stage all day long, either playing the role of a thief with a deer head and rat eyes, or a person with physical defects, and he always acted like a green leaf, Play a supporting role.

However, after decades, he has learned that "without ugliness, there is no drama", and on stage, "there are no small roles, only small actors". Although Harlequin exposes "ugliness", the form must not be "ugly", but should be beautiful, and even more, it must turn ugliness into beauty. This requires making correct aesthetic judgments about the characters, what to praise, what to satirize, what to sympathize with, and how to grasp the appropriateness? All require careful analysis.

On March 7th,

host Cao Kefan @KefanListening

shared a photo of an old interview on Weibo

and praised Teacher Sun Zhengyang

as the most ugly person in the Peking Opera world

What is even more touching is that

the next day was originally It was

his and his wife’s wedding anniversary.

Such a coincidence

many netizens couldn’t help but be moved.

Well-known Peking Opera actress Wang Peiyu

also posted a message to express condolences after learning the unfortunate news.

Netizens also expressed their condolences:

Mr. Sun is immortal!

News Square Source: Comprehensive Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre, Shangguan News, Xinmin Evening News, Weibo @Kefan Tingting, @王珮宇, netizen comments