Zhang Shouchen

essential information

Acting experience

In 1899, Zhang Shouchen was born in siyanjing of xijiaomin lane. At the age of five, he joined his father to talk crosstalk in longfu temple, Huguo temple and other places. I went to school at the age of eight. At the age of 11, due to the loss of his father, he dropped out of school and began to speak crosstalk. At the age of 12, he worshipped Jiao Dehai as his teacher, and Zhang's apprenticeship was crosstalk, which continued a new generation. During the period of studying arts, Zhang Shouchen learned a lot of programs, and played in "baby red". At the age of 15, he began to perform in Xi'an market, Huguo temple and other Ming places. With the growth of age, the voice and body change. In the jargon, it is called "out of favor". Peers are not willing to accompany each other, so they begin to work alone. At the age of 17, he left Beijing for the first time. He and his younger martial brother Nie Xiaosuo walked through Tongzhou, Sanhe and Yutian counties to Tangshan and performed along the way. This is also the first time that crosstalk has come to Tangshan, Sanhe and Yutian counties. On the way back, he performed in Tianjin beikai market, Sanwu and other places, and cooperated with Li Ruifeng for a short time. This is also Zhang Shouchen's first performance in Tianjin. Due to years of practice and accumulation, he not only mastered the traditional crosstalk scripts, but also gradually matured his performance, and set a precedent for young actors to do stand up crosstalk.

In 1931, he took Chang Baokun (little mushroom) as his apprentice. After the July 7th incident, when Beijing and Tianjin were occupied by the Japanese, they repeatedly refused the Japanese request to record records in Tokyo (actually Busan). They were followed by secret agents and went to Nanjing and Zhenjiang with Hou Yichen for short-term performances. After that, Zhou Deshan and Bai Yunpeng performed in Tianjin's folk art troupes for many years, and performed in the new central theater. Later, because of his depressed thoughts, he wanted to quit the stage, but he was forced to change his career to storytelling. In 1953, he participated in the Tianjin quyi troupe, specializing in the performance of stand up crosstalk. In 1956, in order to inherit the traditional program of storytelling in the north, the Municipal Bureau of culture arranged the performance of storytelling "Water Margin" in Tonghai tea house in Nanshi. "Shan Xiangchi's Anthology of watermelons" was published. Its representative program "three nearsightedness" was translated into foreign language and published abroad. At the end of the year, Tianjin quyi troupe was incorporated into Tianjin People's Radio quyi troupe. He performed one-on-one crosstalk with Tianjin People's Radio quyi troupe in Tianjin quyi venues. In 1958, the Tianjin People's Publishing House published a selection of Zhang Shouchen's stand up crosstalk, which collected 15 representative stand up crosstalk passages. In the same year, he began to teach in the youth training team of Tianjin theater school. And continue to provide guidance for the city's professional crosstalk actors, and support mass amateur quyi activities. He also shot a stand up crosstalk "thief talk", which was included in the documentary film "quyi Jijin". In 1960, he went to Beijing to attend the third national cultural Congress. Together with all the representatives, he was received by Chairman Mao and leading comrades of the Central Committee, and was elected as the director of the China Music Association. Three years later, he was elected a member of the Third Tianjin CPPCC. During this period, some papers have been published, such as "talking about the performance of stand up crosstalk", "my views on traditional crosstalk" and "borrowing strength and exerting strength". After retirement, he still insisted on performing arts and providing historical materials. Then he was re elected as a member of the fourth Tianjin CPPCC.

In his more than 60 years of artistic career, Zhang Shouchen has made great achievements in drawing on the strengths of others, ingenuity and bold innovation. He is an important representative in the art field of cross talk in China.

Personal life

Zhang Shouchen not only has a high reputation in crosstalk, but also has a good relationship with his peers.

In Tianjin, he often visited the crosstalk venues in various districts. When he arrived in Beijing, of course, he also wanted to see everyone at the crosstalk venue.

Among the crosstalk actors of Beijing quyi troupe are Tang Jincheng and Tan Biru, who grew up with him; Wang Changyou and Luo rongshou, who have been on the stage together; Zhao Zhenduo and Zhao Shizhong, his favorite young actors; Chen Yongquan, his nephew, and Gao Fengshan, his adopted son Zhang Shouchen missed them very much. There was no arrangement for the meeting this afternoon. Although it was very hot, he insisted on going to Beijing quyi troupe.

The site of Beijing quyi troupe is located in the Yingqiu theater inside the palisade outside the front gate. There is no door in the backstage of the theater, and the actors and other personnel go through the front desk. When Zhang Shouchen arrived at the theater, the actors were all in the backstage for a meeting.

In front of the front desk, there is an old guard who is responsible for security and communication. He sits on the chair in front of the door and takes a nap. When Zhang Shouchen went straight to the backstage, the doorman was awakened, stopped him and said, "if you want to listen to crosstalk, come in the evening."

Zhang Shouchen thought to himself, "I want to listen to crosstalk. I've never heard of it." But he said, "I don't listen to cross talk. I'm looking for someone."

The doorman asked, "who are you looking for?"

Zhang Shouchen casually took the tone and said, "I'm looking for someone who talks about cross talk." This is a truth. He didn't go to quyi troupe to find someone. He really wanted to find someone to talk about cross talk. Unexpectedly, the doorman misunderstood him and thought that the visitor was joking with him. His face sank and he sneered back and said, "you're right. We don't have takeout here. Backstage is all about cross talk. I'm sorry, there's a meeting in the backstage. There will be no guests during the meeting. "

Zhang Shouchen had no choice but to ask, "I'm from Tianjin. You're a little tired. Please let me know."

The porter's tone also eased, and said: "you said that you came all the way from Tianjin, 240 Li, and it's so hot. I won't find it for you. It seems that I don't understand my age. Don't make fun of me. Who are you looking for

When Zhang Shouchen saw that the doorman promised to find someone, he quickly said, "thank you. I'm going to trouble you. You can find anyone." This sentence is originally meant to be "anyone you can find". No one who talks about cross talk doesn't know Zhang Shouchen.

The doorman misunderstood again and got angry. He said, "the more you talk, the worse it is. You can find anyone. Hehe, I can't find it for you.".

Zhang Shouchen had no choice but to say, "let's find Gao Fengshan."

The porter nodded and said, "well, it's just like saying." Then he stood up and walked backstage to the gate of the theater. He turned around and asked, "who is Gao Fengshan?"

Zhang Shouchen was a little impatient: "it's my son.".

After hearing this, the doorman came back and sat down on the chair again: "you are just making fun of me.". It's not all bullshit to find someone who talks about cross talk or anyone else. Gao Fengshan is your son again. I know everything about Gao Fengshan's family. How did he become your son. Go away quickly, and don't disturb me. "

Although Yingqiu theater is not far from Qianmen Hotel, it's hot and sultry. When Zhang Shouchen walked to his destination, he was panting and sweating heavily. He wanted to see the crosstalk actors soon, and have a rest and a cup of tea to cool off. Unexpectedly, he was entangled with the doorman, and his anger was also hooked up: "what words have I offended you? What words have I got to do with you It's too late. Anyone who talks about cross talk can find me any one. If they stop the meeting, they have to let me in. Gao Fengshan is my son. You don't believe me. I have several sons backstage. On a hot day, I don't mean to be uncomfortable.

People in the backstage meeting heard the quarrel in front of them. They didn't know what happened. They came out one after another to have a look. Gao Fengshan, who was walking in front of him, saw that Zhang Shouchen was coming to the theater. He was surprised and happy. He hastened to step forward and said, "Oh, my dear father, how did you come here on a hot day? We are preparing to find time to see where you are going. Hurry up, hurry up, please have a rest backstage. ”Zhang Shouchen didn't answer the greetings of Gao Fengshan and several crosstalk actors. Instead, he asked Gao Fengshan, "are you my son?" Gao Fengshan was stunned and quickly replied, "yes, yes, there's something wrong with that.". After hearing this, Zhang Shouchen smiles a little, and then glances at the doorman with his eyes. His proud look seems to be saying: "well, what I said is right. I'm looking for my son. You believe me this time."

The doorman stood aside, stunned. If he wants to understand what's going on, he has to ask Gao Fengshan the next day.

After 1960, Zhang Shouchen's work entered a very tense and busy stage. Under the guidance of the party's literary and art policy of "bringing forth the new through the old and making the past serve the present", it is undoubtedly a very important work to excavate and sort out traditional plays and repertoires. In the field of crosstalk, Zhang Shouchen, who has the highest reputation, the deepest qualifications, the longest seniority and the oldest age, is duty bound to undertake this work. Zhang Shouchen did not live up to the expectations and heavy trust of the party and leaders at all levels. With a sense of gratitude to the party and the country, and a persistent and responsible attitude to the art of crosstalk, he excellently completed the glorious mission entrusted to him by history. Zhang Shouchen's workload is not small, but his attitude towards work is diligent and hard-working. As long as the leader gives orders, he takes orders immediately without saying a word and never cares about personal gains and losses. At that time, the transportation was not as convenient as it is now, and his legs were not good. He had to hire a rickshaw to travel, and he had to pay for the fare himself. It's not easy for him to receive interviewers at home than to go out. It's often that he hasn't got up yet, and the visitors have arrived. This group has just left, and that group comes one after another. Sometimes he has to work until one or two o'clock in the night before he has to rest. Nothing else, just as far as tea is concerned, how many pots of tea should be changed every day. Leaders have repeatedly asked him with concern: "Mr. Zhang, what difficulties can we put forward to the organization?" Zhang Shouchen always shook his head with a smile and said: "no, no, the state attaches importance to crosstalk and treats me as a treasure. As long as I leave things behind and don't take them away, I will be happy."

One day in 1962, Zhang Shouchen came back from work and excitedly said to his wife, "the organization has decided that we will never retire with me, his blind uncle (Wang Dianyu), uncle Zeng (Zeng Zhenting) and Wang Peichen." From then on, he "did not know the heat, but cherish the summer long", more energetic. In 1964, on the eve of that political storm, the situation of literature and art also changed

Chinese PinYin : Zhang Shou Chen