[Explanation] Recently, 51-year-old swordsman actress Zhen Shusuo became popular on a short video platform because of her Peking Opera Kung Fu.
In the video, she wields knives and guns, showing off kung fu. In the background, there are cattle, sheep and lawn mowers raised at home, and they are also full of knives, guns and sticks.
A video of "Dancing Fire Sticks" has received more than 1.4 million likes, and some netizens called her "Yang Paifeng, a girl who burns fire".
At present, Zhen Shusuo has 1.2 million followers on a short video platform, and has received nearly 20 million likes in total, making him one of the most watched opera anchors.
Zhen Shusuo is a native of Quyang County, Baoding, Hebei. She began to learn opera at the age of 13, and later worked as a swordsman in a local troupe in Hebei.
[Concurrent] Zhen Shusuo
(It turns out) When I was in the Tangxian Opera Troupe, I turned the scenes for the teachers every day and played tricks.
Our troupe is a Dao Ma Dan (actor), and I like to watch her play "Stealing the Immortal Grass" the most. Until I feel like I can watch it, I try it out once.
[Explanation] In the early 1990s, Zhen Shu went south to Wenzhou, which was known as the "Capital of Drama" at that time.
In the Wenzhou Peking Opera Troupe, Zhen Shusuo quickly became the pillar of the troupe with her solid basic skills. At that time, her stage name was "Niuniu", and she was called "Wenzhou's first swordsman" by fans.
[Concurrent] Zhen Shusuo
I broadcast two shows every day, one at 10:30 in the morning and one at 7:30 in the evening.
Some new fans often come to the live room, and they all say that wow Niuniu has come to perform in the live room, and they are all audiences who have seen my performance in Wenzhou.
[Explanation] At the beginning of 2020, Zhen Shusuo followed the troupe to a small mountain village in Wenzhou to sing a New Year's drama. After three days of performing, she encountered an epidemic, all performances stopped, and she was trapped in the mountains.
Zhen Shusuo's son knew that she had the habit of practicing qigong every day, so she suggested that she live broadcast while practising qigong.
[Concurrent] Zhen Shusuo
In the first two days, there were only three or five people in the live broadcast. Until the third day, five or six hundred people came online at the same time, and some people chatted with me.
On the fifth day of the broadcast, suddenly the number of people in the live broadcast room exceeded 10,000. I felt that there was a bigger stage (here), and I broadcasted that scene for 8 hours.
[Commentary] During the live broadcast, Zhen Shusuo sometimes wore opera costumes, sometimes dressed in a cooking apron, danced knives, played guns, and flipped difficultly, attracting a large number of fans.
Sometimes fans will order excerpts from Peking Opera, and she will basically meet everyone's requirements.
[Concurrent] Zhen Shusuo
In order to present a good state to everyone, I practice every day.
My family has advised me that I have reached the retirement age and stop fighting, but I love drama and I am willing to perform.
[Explanation] Now, making short videos and live broadcasts has become a part of Zhen Shusuo's life. She wants to show everyone what she has learned in her life, and she also wants to spread Chinese opera culture.
To Zhen Shusuo's surprise, recently, her live broadcast room suddenly has many "post-90s" and "post-00s" fans.
[Concurrent] Zhen Shusuo
I didn't expect so many young people to be interested in our opera culture, I feel very happy.
Although I left the stage, I have a bigger stage and more audience through short videos and live broadcast rooms.
Reported by Xing Lu and Li Xingshuai from Shijiazhuang, Hebei
Responsible editor: [Li Yuxin]