“No Matter What, Do Not Tell A Single Word to Anyone”

A Fragmented History of Peking Opera

A cultural revolution letter from one of the greats of the Dashilar Beijing Opera scene

The other day, in an empty exhibition hall at the TianQiao Art Center, my friend Wang and I stumbled upon an exhibition about Beijing Opera. Even though the artefacts were very interesting, the overall narrative was oddly fragmented. In China, exhibitions are often like this - you have to connect the pieces yourself to get the full picture.  

The reason for this giant jigsaw puzzle is that history is notoriously sensitive. Writing things out too clearly invariably exposes yourself to criticism. The safe bet is always to show artefacts in a glass case with minimal text. Who can argue against that? However, listening to the echoes of our shoes as we walked around the gallery, the story imbedded in the things on display slowly started to emerge.

Even though the theme of the exhibition was “The History of Beijing Opera” the bulk of the artefacts were from the time after the communist takeover in 1949. One glass case showed archival material documenting the salaries of opera actors in the 1950s. Huge sums were paid to the best-known actors, because in the aftermath of the communist takeover Beijing Opera became a potent propaganda tool. As the most popular kind of entertainment it was impossible for the communist government to ignore the power of the opera plays. However, that would soon change. In 1966 when the Cultural Revolution was launched, only proper revolutionary plays were allowed. Actors and theaters alike associated with the old tradition were targeted and publicly shamed because their craft was seen to represent the legacy of the old feudal society.

The years of the Cultural Revolution, especially 1966 – 1969, are normally simply omitted in public exhibitions or publications. That is, for instance, the case at the newly opened exhibition commemorating 600 years of the Forbidden City, and in the general history of China section of the National Museum. The years from 1966 – 1976 simply do not seem to exist. At first glance, this exhibition seems the same. The narrative concentrates on the 1950s with a few mentioning’s of the early 1960s, but there is a tiny but notable exception..

In a tiny glass cage a hand written letter by the famous actor Shang Xiaoyun to his daughter in law in 1973, make us aware that the honorable actor once hailed as one of the four great Dan (men playing female roles) went through considerable hardship during the Cultural Revolution, but exactly what happened to him is left unsaid in the letter.

Shang was known to be the actor with the “iron throat”. He was one of the most famous actors to come out the Dashilar theater scene in the republican era. After liberation Shang  was placed on government payroll. He was  given what you often hear described as an iron rice bowl. Meaning that the state would care for you. But during the cultural revolution Shang was stripped of his privileges and his apartment confiscated by red guards. In the letter Shang seems very upbeat about getting his apartment back, but my friend Wang later discovered that his family did not retrieve the apartment till after Shang Xiaoyun died in 1976. It is quite fitting that it is Shang Xiaoyun’s voice that is the only one addressing the cultural revolution hardships in exhibition. Because Shang was known as a person that could not keep his mouth shot. He had an uncontrollable temper, that made it very difficult for him to ingratiate himself with other powerful people in the acting community. Read his letter in translation below.

Huiying, our daughter:

How are you doing? I haven’t written to you for a long time. The three of us are all very healthy. Don’t worry about us.

It was very nice for Dabao to come to Xi’an, he was very well behaved. But our hospitality was not very good, our room is way too small, five of us need to sleep in the same room, and it was very hot. He neither ate well, nor slept well. I wanted to let him stay with us until after we move because the new house we found is very good. But the owner can only give us the house by July 4th or 5th. Your mom discussed it with Changrong and have decided to let Dabao go home to meet his father first, after his father leave for Yinchuan, we will telegraph Dabao and ask him to come again. Now the situation is like this, to move is a small issue, but to give my belongings back to me is a big thing. All the details and reasons, I will not write them in the letter but let Dabao tell you personally instead.

Our plan is like this, you come to Xi’an in early August, pack everything here and we go back to Beijing together, and then get back our house and belongings in Beijing.

Huiying, you are so filial to us, we are so happy. We are planning to invite you to stay at our home in Beijing for half a year every year, the other half year you can still stay at Suzhou. This is our wish, maybe it can come true, let’s wait and see.

I will be responsible for Dabao’s wedding. Everything Dabao tells you, you must remember not to tell a single word to anyone (this is very important……). Of course you can tell Rong’an. Say hello to Rong’an for us when he comes back.

I will write to you if there is any good news.

 Handwritten letter by a 75-year-old man        Shang Xiaoyun