Written by Wang Zhili and directed and acted by Yu Zhen, the realistic drama "Beyond the Drum Tower", which tells about the inheritance of carpenters in Beijing and the reconciliation of brothers and sisters, is being broadcast on Beijing Satellite TV.
The play is considered to be another authentic Beijing-style drama after "Love Full of Courtyards" and "Under the Gate of Zhengyang". The original Beijing style and the craftsman spirit of "art is greater than the sky" in the play are especially popular with audiences.
Many viewers praised "Outside the Drum Tower" for its strong ingenuity and full of Beijing flavor. In the down-to-earth master-apprentice story, there is a warm and heart-warming life avenue.
Why self-directed and acted "Outside the Drum Tower"?
From the hated "Luo Shibin" in "The World" to Yu Zhongsheng, a carpenter in Beijing, how has Yu Zhen changed?
In an interview with the media a few days ago, Yu Zhen said frankly that, compared to "Luo Shibin", "Yu Zhongsheng", when interests conflict with the bottom line, his insistence that interests must give way to the bottom line is the latter's greatest personality charm; He has worked hard for this work and fulfilled his wish, but the experience of directing and acting once is enough. It is a difficult challenge to constantly switch between rationality and sensibility. In the future, I will concentrate on one profession at a time and achieve perfection. enough.
"Beyond the Drum Tower" is a true reflection of the life of Beijingers
Beiqing Daily: What was the opportunity and reason for you to direct and film "Beyond the Drum Tower" as a director this time?
Yu Zhen:
I acted in a play called "My Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law" before, and then I met the screenwriter Wang Zhili.
While filming this scene, we chatted a lot.
Teacher Wang Zhili's Beijing-style operas are very well written, and he has created many excellent works such as "Love Full of Siheyuan", "Under Zhengyang Gate" and "Little Woman under Zhengyang Gate".
I made an appointment with him to help me write a Beijing-style drama.
During the chat, I said that I am a Beijing actor who grew up in the Drum Tower area.
Teacher Wang Zhili decided to write the story "Outside the Drum Tower".
During the writing of the script, I also became a director for the first time, and directed a play called "Mission Impossible".
After the script of Teacher Wang's "Beyond the Drum Tower" was written, I also gained some directing experience. Originally, I was only acting in this drama and wanted to invite other directors to direct this drama, but due to scheduling problems, it was not possible.
Later, I talked to producer Liu Guohua and screenwriter Wang Zhili. They also recognized me and asked me to guide and try it myself.
It happened that "Beyond the Drum Tower" was about the Drum Tower. I grew up in the Drum Tower since I was a child, so I directed and acted and made this play.
Beiqing Daily: "Outside the Drum Tower" has a distinct Beijing cultural heritage. What is the biggest difference between the play you directed and your previous works?
Yu Zhen:
I think the drama "Outside the Drum Tower" is a reflection of the real life of a Beijinger like me who grew up in a hutong.
I am too familiar with the life in the Drum Tower. I grew up in a large courtyard. There are 32 families living in the courtyard. It is like a family.
There is something going on in the hutong, everyone is passing it on by word of mouth, and the human touch is very strong.
In addition, in the past few decades, our motherland has changed a lot, and we have seen the rapid development of the country and the city.
Therefore, in "Beyond the Drum Tower", in addition to seeing the development and changes of the motherland and Beijing, we can also see the growth and changes of people.
Teacher Wang Zhili's script is written that no matter how far you are in your career or business, whether you are doing well or not, you must not forget your original intentions.
"Beyond the Drum Tower" is closely related to traditional Chinese culture. It is about four apprentices making traditional Chinese furniture. They later went on to other industries, and finally returned to the original story.
Characters are attractive and stick to the bottom line is the root of Yu Zhongsheng
Beiqing Daily: In addition to being the director, you also starred in "Beyond the Drum Tower" as the big brother Yu Zhongsheng. In your opinion, what kind of person is Yu Zhongsheng?
Yu Zhen:
Yu Zhongsheng is a carpenter-turned-craftsman. He lives outside the Drum Tower and has been fond of antique furniture since he was a child.
He's a boring person, and he works hard.
Later, with the development and changes of society, his fate also changed. He worked in many industries, such as selling pancakes on the roadside, then selling eggs, raising ostriches, making a green family industry chain, and then cooperating with others to make a listed company , the business is getting bigger and bigger.
But when his career is very big, he finds that everything is gone, love is gone, brotherhood is gone, including family affection is gone, he suddenly realizes that the most important thing in life is emotion, not about your career. How big and how high is the status.
For the character of Zhongsheng, when interests conflict with the bottom line he adheres to, interests must give way to the bottom line.
This is the root of the character Yu Zhongsheng. No matter what industry he does or what he does, this is what he sticks to.
This kind of spirit is rare nowadays.
Beiqing Daily: "Outside the Drum Tower" involves a lot of traditional woodworking skills. Did you make a lot of preparations for this scene?
Yu Zhen:
Playing with furniture is my biggest hobby.
After graduating from Chinese opera, I entered Beijing Renyi to perform dramas. Later, I was fortunate to meet the teacher Zou Jingzhi, a great screenwriter. Zou Jingzhi likes traditional Chinese culture, including old furniture. He also wrote a lot of plays, and then through him, I met Mr. Wang Gang.
Therefore, I played with them very early on with old furniture, which is called "playing" in Beijing dialect. They taught me hand-to-hand and gave me some understanding of old furniture.
In addition, almost all of my spare time is spent in the furniture city or the wood workshop with teacher Zou Jingzhi.
Start by looking at the wood, what wood it is, when it is, what material it is, and how to do it.
What are the characteristics of Ming and Qing furniture, and what are the characteristics of the Republic of China?
Quite fun.
I have been sticking to this hobby for so many years, so this is a little accumulation in my normal life.
Beiqing Daily: As both the director and the star this time, what do you think is the biggest difficulty and challenge?
Yu Zhen:
Actors are emotional, and actors live in their roles.
The director is rational, and the director lives in the play.
As for me, I live in this drama for a while, and I live in the actor's role for a while, which is a big challenge.
Because when you are a director, you have to direct the costumes, makeup, props, photography, art, recording and other departments of the crew, and you must be rationally talking about how you should prepare.
Actors don't need to worry about this, they just need to play their roles well.
After I finished filming this drama, I stopped directing and acting, because I felt that I was lacking in every aspect, and I was still a person who pursued perfection. Either I would direct a drama in a down-to-earth manner, or I would Honestly act in a play, these are two professions.
This experience was an important creative experience in my life, and I also gained a lot of valuable experience.
Although it was hard work, but now that this work was successfully broadcast, my heart is still very sweet.
Carrying forward traditional culture and helping the central axis to apply for World Heritage through "Beyond the Drum Tower"
Beiqing Daily: There are many sentences in "Outside the Drum Tower" that are rich in philosophy of life. For example, Master Yi Dachuan said, "If you fight for small things, you will lose your way." What do you think of this kind of life charm contained in the play?
Yu Zhen:
"If you fight for small things, you will lose the great way." This sentence means that if you care about some small things and chase the immediate interests too much, you will lose bigger things, lose the great way, and even lose yourself. also fell into it.
Today's people are easily confused by the things in front of them and do not know what life is really about.
For example, Yu Zhongsheng is a carpenter. His original intention is to do every piece of woodworking well.
If you concentrate on doing this thing well, you will definitely get what you want, not if you can't do this and you can't do that.
There is also an old saying - "It is better to break up an enemy than to end it". This sentence has been said for many years, but it is really difficult to do it.
In the play, Yin Dongyi, the second junior brother played by Hai Yitian, and I have been competing with each other because of hatred, and in the end we both lost.
Brothers fighting often happens in the present. Fighting back and forth, what is gained and what is lost, this still has some enlightenment for us.
Beiqing Daily: 2022 is a crucial year for Beijing's central axis to apply for World Heritage status, and the Bell and Drum Tower is an important scene of this drama. Is "Outside the Drum Tower" broadcast at this time, is it also a kind of assistance to Beijing's central axis application?
Yu Zhen:
Everyone in Beijing knows about the Bell and Drum Towers, but not everyone knows what the central axis of Beijing is and where it covers.
Then the drama "Beyond the Drum Tower" reflects well what is the central axis, what is the Bell and Drum Tower, and how beautiful the central axis of Beijing is.
This play will play a promotional role in Beijing's central axis. The audience across the country will know through "Beyond the Drum Tower" that Beijing's central axis is like this.
Text / reporter Yang Wenjie