[Explanation] Sichuan opera is a major feature of Sichuan culture.
As early as the Tang Dynasty, the saying "Shu opera tops the world" had already appeared.
With the impact brought by the development of entertainment products such as TV and movies, Sichuan Opera has been included in the list of endangered intangible cultural heritage.
As early as 1982, Sichuan put forward the call for "revitalizing Sichuan Opera".
In 2022, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the call, the Sichuan operas "County Magistrate of Straw Shoes" and "Sister Jiang" both won the Wenhua Award, which shocked the Sichuan opera industry.
As the representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project "Sichuan Opera", Chen Zhilin, who starred in "The County Magistrate of Straw Shoes", was elected as a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Chen Zhilin said bluntly that Sichuan opera itself is actually a cultural expression and cultural sentiment of Sichuan. With the cultural revitalization in recent years, Sichuan opera is gradually returning to the "golden age".
[Concurrent] Chen Zhilin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, chairman of the Sichuan Federation of Literary and Art Circles, president of Sichuan Art Vocational College, and president of Sichuan Sichuan Theater
I went to the lower level at the grassroots level and worked as a deputy county magistrate. At that time, in fact, 90% of our theaters (in) prefectures, cities and counties did not have venues (to) show a cultural expression that required venues to be displayed. way of a public platform.
If even the basic narration environment does not exist, in fact, I think it is a pity no matter from which point of view.
I think that until today, when we re-recognize and re-identify the excellent traditional culture, we will find our new golden age when we find cultural confidence.
I think the current Chinese culture has returned to the golden age that we should have.
[Explanation] In Chen Zhilin's view, in order for Sichuan Opera to achieve substantial development, it must first be injected with new "vital force", adjust young people's inherent thinking concept of "traditional Chinese culture is backward", and let young people re-enter the theater.
[Concurrent] Chen Zhilin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, chairman of the Sichuan Federation of Literary and Art Circles, president of Sichuan Art Vocational College, and president of Sichuan Sichuan Theater
In fact, the entry of so many cultural forms in our country has survived to this day and can be maintained to this day, in fact (because of) the intervention of young people and the injection of new vitality, (thus) forming our traditional Chinese culture today development of.
After (their) thinking concepts are adjusted, they will realize that their mother culture is the most cultured culture on the path of life development.
[Explanation] How to let young people "return" to the theater?
Chen Zhilin said that it is necessary to keep the integrity and innovate, "the old saying is new."
[Concurrent] Chen Zhilin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, chairman of the Sichuan Federation of Literary and Art Circles, president of Sichuan Art Vocational College, and president of Sichuan Sichuan Theater
What is tradition?
Our today is tomorrow's tradition.
To put it another way, we use yesterday's tradition, today's aesthetics, and today's brand-new thinking to carry out our creations.
Why stick to positive innovation now?
It has no value if it is not upright, and it has no vitality if it is not innovative.
Therefore, we use innovative methods to form a consensus for everyone to be together under the condition of ensuring the value of keeping integrity.
Like the "County Magistrate of Straw Shoes" we did last year, young people (watched) everywhere they went and performed, and they watched it with more feelings.
So in this regard, it is not that there is no audience (watching), but whether we have something that the audience likes, whether we have responsibly created something that our audience can accept.
[Explanation] In order to protect and support the development of traditional opera, governments at all levels in China have also adopted measures such as introducing opera into campuses and textbooks in recent years. Chen Zhilin has also visited colleges and universities to give lectures many times.
Chen Zhilin said frankly that the introduction of elegant art to campus can increase students' cultural self-confidence, allow students to resonate with culture at the same frequency, and generate a consensus on cultural revitalization.
[Concurrent] Chen Zhilin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, chairman of the Sichuan Federation of Literary and Art Circles, president of Sichuan Art Vocational College, and president of Sichuan Sichuan Theater
Whether it (these measures) is a continuation of Sichuan opera, Chinese national culture and traditional culture, it is a positive promotion.
I went to school (work) for 10 years. Before I went, there were only 13 students in Sichuan opera students in 5 grades. Now we have maintained more than 200 (students) of local opera students.
More to the point, in fact, all people are aware of one thing, the cultural soil that we have to pass on needs someone to cultivate it, someone to care and cultivate it.
I once said a word when I was most confused, if we can endure loneliness and persevere in poverty today, we will be doing a feat of national heroes for the development and revitalization of national culture.
[Explanation] For this reason, Chen Zhilin brought a proposal on art vocational education to the National Two Sessions this year, hoping to find answers to the development of art vocational education.
[Concurrent] Chen Zhilin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, chairman of the Sichuan Federation of Literary and Art Circles, president of Sichuan Art Vocational College, and president of Sichuan Sichuan Theater
We are engaged in art education, how to make a more scientific and reasonable arrangement and adjustment in terms of the academic system and educational structure of art education students.
In fact, there is another point of view, how do we make (realize) the real integration of production and education, so that the students we train can have a seamless connection directly in the society and find their own opportunities for survival.
We also hope that in the scientific teaching process as much as possible, our students can improve their skills, skills, serve the society, and meet the needs of the society in the shortest possible time.
[Explanation] Chen Zhilin said that after the two sessions, they will also start the national tour of "County Magistrate of Straw Shoes".
He hoped that Sichuan opera could travel all over the motherland and discover more audiences who love "Sichuan music".
Yang Yudi reports from Chengdu, Sichuan
Responsible editor: [Lu Yan]