Famous Hong Kong actor Wang Mingquan: Young people in Hong Kong should learn Chinese history

Famous Hong Kong actor Wang Mingquan accepted an exclusive interview with the Global Times: Young people in Hong Kong should learn Chinese history

　　[Global Times Reporter Ding Yazhi] Over the past half a century in the art world, Hong Kong performing arts circles affectionately call Wang Mingquan "Sister".

Outside of the spotlight, she also went to the mountains and went to the countryside to fulfill her duties as a deputy to the National People's Congress and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

As a witness and promoter of exchanges and development between Hong Kong and the Mainland, Wang Mingquan, a famous Hong Kong actor and singer who is over 70 years old, talked about her love and love for her homeland in an exclusive interview with the Global Times.

　"I will never forget such a glorious moment"

　　In 1997, Wang Mingquan presided over the "Celebration of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China" as a representative of Hong Kong, witnessing the sacred moment of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.

For the next 25 years, she will definitely appear on the stage at every major comeback celebration.

"Hong Kong's return to the motherland is a historic event for the two places. Every time I stand on the stage of the event celebration, I am very excited. I will never forget such a glorious moment." She said.

　　This year, on the occasion of the opening of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, she stood on the stage of the CCTV program "Poetry and Painting China", introducing the volume "Autumn Colors of Mountains and Rivers" by Zhao Boju, a painter of the Southern Song Dynasty, to the public as the "opener", and shared with the children Recite poems on homesickness in Cantonese and Mandarin together.

In the recitation by Wang Mingquan and the students, the beautiful scenery of Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, Saigon Sea and other places were presented in the picture one by one.

　　Wang Mingquan, 75, "is honored to have witnessed the development of the mainland and Hong Kong."

"In 1988, I was elected by Guangdong Province as a representative of the National People's Congress, and then I became a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference." She told the Global Times reporter that when she first served as a representative of the National People's Congress, Hong Kong had not yet returned to the motherland and did not have its own delegation. , but attached to the Guangdong Provincial Delegation.

At that time, many Hong Kong citizens, including Wang Mingquan, did not understand the political system in the Mainland.

Still, she made an effort to know and engage.

　　In 1998, Wang Mingquan was appointed as a member of the Ninth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"Through the twice-yearly inspections, I have visited many places, and I have a lot of emotions in my heart. In the early days of reform and opening up, Hong Kong sent a lot of technical talents to help the development of the mainland. But now the development of the mainland is very fast, like flying a plane or a rocket! "Wang Mingquan said.

　Make every effort to revitalize Cantonese opera

　　In recent years, the focus of Wang Mingquan's work has gradually shifted to the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture.

"My father likes Peking opera very much. He used to take me to Xinguang Theater to watch the performances of Peking opera troupes from the mainland. I gradually became interested. Later, I worked in a TV station and often needed to sing opera to raise funds. By chance, I and Cantonese opera The actors co-starred in a play, which was well received by everyone, and I was very encouraged, so I decided to learn Cantonese opera at that time.” According to Wang Mingquan, she later joined the Hong Kong Bahe Guild, becoming the first female chairman of the Bahe Guild, and was re-elected for several terms.

　　"During the British colonization of Hong Kong, Cantonese opera was not taken seriously, without government funding, and gradually declined. Later, due to the economic development of Hong Kong, many large theaters were converted into commercial department stores or supermarkets, leaving only a private Sunbeam theater. The first theater was almost acquired by real estate developers. Hong Kong Cantonese opera urgently needs support in terms of hardware and software.” Wang Mingquan told the Global Times reporter.

With her social energy and star power, she actively worked for Cantonese opera, overcoming all difficulties to win the venue.

Thanks to her efforts, the landmark of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong - Sunbeam Theater was reborn, Ko Shan Theater also established a Cantonese opera education and training center, and Hong Kong's first opera cultural performance venue - Xiqu Center was finally completed.

　　Wang Mingquan also pays attention to the development and inheritance of Cantonese opera actors and practitioners.

"Hong Kong has set up a performing arts academy, one of which is traditional opera, to cultivate opera talents. In addition, the Hong Kong Bahe Association will also cultivate young people and send more fresh blood to Cantonese opera." Over the years, Wang Mingquan often brought The team went to the mainland for exchange, so that they could learn the essence of other operas.

　　Wang Mingquan said: "Over the past ten years, we have trained about 170 students, most of whom have joined major theater troupes." She also fought for many rights and interests for the development of Cantonese opera, such as funding, venues, and preferential policies from the SAR government. Improve the social status of Cantonese opera.

　Young people in Hong Kong 'can't be stuck in their own little world'

　　In CCTV's "Poetry and Painting China" program, Wang Mingquan mentioned that standing outside the Hong Kong Palace Museum, looking at the Xiangjiang River and Victoria Harbor in front of her, reminded her of a line of lyrics-but I hope there are mountains and rivers to testify.

She said: "Just like Zhao Boju used a paintbrush to paint the mountains and rivers in his heart, today, we also use our own way to feel the mountains and rivers."

　　This line of lyrics comes from the song "A Thousand Rivers and Thousand Mountains Are Always Love" sung by Wang Mingquan.

In the early 1980s, the theme song of this Hong Kong TV series of the same name used its melodious tunes to bridge the cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

It is reported that this drama is the first Hong Kong TV series to be broadcast on a large scale in the Mainland.

　　Wang Mingquan is the first actor in Hong Kong to receive a graduation certificate from a TV artist training class. It can be said that she has personally experienced the development of Hong Kong TV dramas.

"Hong Kong's film and television resources have decreased in the past few years, and now the mainland's film and television development momentum is relatively good. I heard that TVB has started to co-produce with the mainland. This is a good thing, because everyone performs in different ways, and cooperation can benefit from each other's strengths." Speaking of this, Wang Mingquan There was a hint of relief in his tone.

　　"Hong Kong is not like the mainland. There are specialized art colleges to train practitioners since childhood. In Hong Kong, if you want to engage in performing arts, you must graduate from high school first, and then decide whether you want to engage in the art industry. The cultivation of literary and art practitioners in Hong Kong is not as good as that in the mainland. Such a perfect mechanism." Wang Mingquan encouraged Hong Kong actors to go to the mainland to participate in more cultural film and television works or variety shows, and seize more opportunities.

　　In her view, to open up channels for cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland, young people in Hong Kong need to strengthen their study of history, current affairs and politics.

"Some movements in Hong Kong two years ago made us reflect on how to educate children and young people in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong schools, history is not a compulsory subject for students, and students rarely have the opportunity to learn about the Mainland, which is very strange. This kind of Under such circumstances, young people in Hong Kong cannot integrate into the mainland and cannot keep up with the development trend of the times. Therefore, I think we must attach importance to education, make Chinese history a compulsory subject, and take children and young people to the mainland to see." Wang Mingquan said: "They see You will know that you can't be trapped in your own small world, or you should go out."