"A Brief Account of Pear Garden" Author: Chen Yimin Zhejiang Ancient Books Publishing House

Introduction

This book tells the life and art of famous Peking Opera actors such as Cheng Yanqiu, Ma Lianliang, Xun Huisheng, and Shang Xiaoyun, and connects the author's thoughts and insights on Peking Opera history, Peking Opera aesthetics, and the use of opera literature. In the 1980s, the author interviewed Mr. Tao Hanxiang, who had long followed Cheng Yanqiu, and left behind precious recordings. In the interview, Mr. Tao shared his past with Cheng Yanqiu and made an in-depth and easy-to-understand analysis of the formation and development of Cheng School art and its aesthetic essence. This book is the first comprehensive compilation of this recording.

About the Author

Chen Yimin was born in Wuhan, Hubei in 1938. He graduated from Nankai University in 1962 and later taught at the Chinese Academy of Arts. He is a member of the Chinese Dramatists Association and the Chinese Peking Opera History Society. He is a special editor of the national key scientific research project "Chinese Opera Chronicle".