王瑶卿

简介

Wang Yaoqing was born in 1881 in Wanping County, Beijing, originally from Qingjiangpu in Jiangsu Province. He began studying Peking Opera at age nine, learning Qingyi and Daomadan roles, and lost his father at ten, after which he studied martial female roles with the Sanqing Troupe. He studied under renowned masters including Xie Shuangshou, Zhang Zhiqi, Di Dieyun, and Chen Delin, becoming one of Chen Delin's six greatest disciples alongside Wang Qinnong, Mei Lanfang, Jiang Miaoxiang, Wang Huifang, and Yao Yufu. He began performing at age fourteen with the Sanqing Troupe in the play "Sacrificing at the Tower," and served as an imperial performer in the late Qing court. In 1906 he joined the Tongqing Troupe and collaborated extensively with Tan Xinpei; in 1909 he led his own troupe and was hailed alongside Tan Xinpei as "the martial and civil masters of the opera world." Wang Yaoqing was renowned for his innovations in Peking Opera, combining elements of Qingyi, Daomadan, and Huadan roles to create a new role type known as Huashan, abolishing the practice of foot-binding stilts in martial female roles, and excelling in creating new vocal styles. After retiring from the stage around 1926 due to the loss of his voice, he devoted himself to teaching, becoming the mentor to Peking Opera greats including the "Four Great Dan" actors, Zhang Junqiu, and Du Jinfang, and was honored as the "Heavenly Master" in the opera world. In 1949 he was appointed advisor and honorary professor at the first opera school in New China, served as principal of the Chinese Opera School from 1951, and his teaching lectures were recorded in an album titled "Wang Yaoqing on Opera." He passed away in Beijing on June 3, 1954.