In the eastern part of Lufeng City, Guangdong, there is a nondescript three-story building located in a small alley, with several prominent characters displayed on the upper floor, called "Lufeng Zhengzi Opera". Here is the Lufeng Zhengzi Opera Inheritance and Protection Center, which Zhong Xiaolin has been intimately familiar with for the past 15 years.

As a typical type of Southern Opera, Zhengzi Opera is a rare drama kind and one of the first batches of national intangible cultural heritages. It has a history of nearly 900 years. Zhong Xiaolin, born in 1994, joined the Zhengzi Opera Troup at the age of 14 and has now become a pillar. In May of 2023, Zhong Xiaolin was honored with the May 1 Labor Medal of Guangdong.

To her, Zhengzi Opera is the voice of her hometown that accompanied her since childhood, and it is also the cultural heritage she will love and pass on throughout her life.

Preserving rare Zhengzi Opera requires more young talents

"When portraying a character, every time I step on stage, there is always a different feeling, not just in terms of movements but also emotions," Zhong's eyes always sparkle when talking about Zhengzi Opera. "Zhengzi Opera has become integrated into my life. When we sit together offstage, we unconsciously talk about it. When people ask me about my occupation, I always proudly say, 'I am a Zhengzi Opera performer.'"

There are a few young people like Zhong Xiaolin who love Zhengzi Opera. Similar to many regional operas, Zhengzi Opera faces the challenge of inheritance. Zhong describes her Zhengzi Opera Troupe in Lufeng as the "No. 1 troupe" since it is currently the only professional troupe dedicated to this genre. The troupe currently has over 60 performers and used to perform over 200 shows annually before the pandemic.

How to ensure the continuous inheritance and rejuvenation of the ancient and valuable Zhengzi Opera? This is something Zhong Xiaolin has been contemplating. "As a young actor, my top agenda is to perform each play well. Every time I step onto the stage, I want the audience to feel the charm of the Zhengzi Opera. Secondly, I want to take Zhengzi Opera beyond Lufeng and let more people, especially young people, understand and appreciate it."

Zhong Xiaolin told reporters that the troupe has collaborated with several schools in Shanwei, including primary schools, middle schools, and vocational colleges, to regularly organize "Bringing Opera to Campus" activities, sowing the seeds of traditional opera in the hearts of young people.

Integrating the inheritance of Zhengzi Opera with rural revitalization

In recent years, Zhong has been exploring the integration of Zhengzi Opera with rural revitalization, aiming to enrich local culture and contribute to the rural revitalization process.

Not long ago, the experience of Lufeng Rural Cultural Market was promoted province-wide. In March 2023, the "Rural Cultural Market" was brought onto the stage. Zhong participated as a director and starred in a theatrical production of the Rural Cultural Market, representing Lufeng City in Guangdong's Championship of Rural Revitalization and helping Lufeng City secure first place in the province.

"Lufeng is an old revolutionary base with many inspiring stories and abundant cultural materials. We hope to use local opera art to tell these stories well, presenting them in a way that young people enjoy and further enriching people's spiritual lives. By doing so, we make Zhengzi Opera keep pace with the times step by step," Zhong Xiaolin said.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

钟晓琳：传承国家珍稀剧种，让戏曲生命力常青

在汕尾陆丰市城东的一条小巷里，有一栋不起眼的三层小楼，楼上竖着几个大字——陆丰市正字戏，这里是陆丰市正字戏传承保护中心，也是钟晓琳过去15年来最熟悉的地方。

正字戏系南戏遗响，是国家珍稀剧种、首批国家级非物质文化遗产，距今已有近900年历史。出生于1994年的钟晓琳，14岁入行正字戏，如今已是剧团的中坚力量。今年5月，钟晓琳荣获广东省五一劳动奖章。

于她而言，正字戏是从小陪伴她长大的“乡音”，也是她将用一生去热爱和传承的文化遗产。

传承国家珍稀剧种需要更多年轻力量

“刻画一个角色，每一次站上舞台都有不一样的感觉，不仅是动作，还有情感。”说起正字戏，钟晓琳眼中总是闪着光。“正字戏已经融入我的生活了，我们台下坐在一起就会不自觉地聊起正字戏，别人问我做什么工作的，我会特别骄傲地说：唱正字戏的。”

像钟晓琳这样热爱正字戏的年轻人有，但不多。正字戏也像许多地方戏曲一样，面临着传承难题。“天下第一团”，钟晓琳这样形容自己所在的陆丰正字戏剧团，因为这是目前该剧种留下的唯一专业剧团。如今剧团共有演职人员60余人，疫情前每年演出200余场。

如何让正字戏这个古老的珍稀剧种不断传承下去，焕发新的生命力？这是钟晓琳一直在思考的事。“作为一名青年演员，我首先要做的就是唱好每一出戏，每站上一个舞台，就要让台下人感受到正字戏的魅力。其次是让正字戏走出去，让更多人了解正字戏，尤其是年轻人。”

钟晓琳告诉记者，目前剧团与汕尾市多所学校进行了合作，包括小学、中学和职业院校，定期进行“送戏进校园”活动，在年轻人心里播撒戏曲的种子。

将正字戏非遗传承与乡村振兴相结合

近两年，钟晓琳不断探索将正字戏非遗文化与乡村振兴相结合，繁荣乡土文化，助力乡村振兴。

不久前，陆丰市乡村文化集市经验获全省推广。2023年3月，“文化集市”被搬上舞台，钟晓琳参与导演并主演的戏曲情景剧《示范“带”动，文化“集”市》代表陆丰市出征广东省《乡村振兴争霸赛》，助力陆丰市夺得全省第一名。

“陆丰是革命老区，有许多好故事好素材，我们要用当地的戏曲艺术讲好当地的故事，要用年轻人喜欢的方式去表达呈现，丰富人们的精神生活，让正字戏紧跟时代，一步步走出去。”钟晓琳说。

文｜记者 柳卓楠
图｜受访者提供
翻译丨陈萱