Pan Zhiheng

Pan Zhiheng

Pan Zhiheng (about 1536-1621) was born in Yansi, Shexian County, Anhui Province, and lived in Jinling (now Nanjing, Jiangsu Province). Jiajing official to Zhongshu Sheren. Drama critic and poet of Ming Dynasty. In the Jiajing period of Ming Dynasty, the official went to Zhongshu Sheren and was recommended by Wang Daokun to join the "Baiyu society". After failing in the two tests, he began to study ancient Chinese prose and poetry, indulge in landscape, and record what he had done. He made friends with Tang Xianzu, Shen Jing and other playwrights. He was engaged in editing and proofreading of Shengming zaju. He has written drama reviews such as xuqu, Wuju and Qupai, which are included in genshi and luanxiaoxiaopin, and he has also written poetry collection Shejiang Ji. In his later years, he had an indissoluble bond with Huangshan. He built a "Youqi hall" near Tangquan in Huangshan and invited friends and celebrities to visit Huangshan, which greatly improved the popularity of Huangshan. During the Wanli period, Huang Shan Zhi was redrafted and named Huang Hai. It was written and engraved at the same time, and the manuscript was not completed until his death.

Artistic achievements

In his youth, he was a teacher of Wang Daokun and Wang Shizhen, but later he fell in love with "Gong'an School". He has a wide range of friends. He has a deep friendship with dramatists Zhang Fengyi, Tang Xianzu, Tu Long and brothers Yuan Hongdao. He also has a history with Li Zhi. He lived in Nanjing, Suzhou and other places for a long time. In his later years, he lived in Huangshan and concentrated on sorting out his works. Pan Zhiheng loved opera all his life and presided over "Qu?" activities many times. He wrote many articles, recording in detail many specific situations of Kunshan opera performances in the whole 50 years from the fourth year of Longqing (1570) to the 47th year of Wanli (1619), and retaining many precious historical materials.

He summed up and analyzed the experience of opera performing art, and put forward some insightful views, which enriched the treasure house of Chinese opera theory. Pan Zhiheng believes that opera is "born under the ages, but swim above the ages", "showing the traces at first sight, disillusionment in Chongguang", with the purpose of "realizing the master of the world and warning ordinary people". He advocated that opera performance should start from life and "express feelings with emotion", and opposed simple, blunt and mechanical imitation. He thinks that "the opera must start from the tune" and "the character must be corrected first, and then the sound must be chosen". He asked the actors to master the skills of "Qu Yu" and sing out the rhyme of the song with full emotion, making people feel the lingering sound and endless taste. From five aspects of "degree", "thinking", "step", "exclamation" and "sigh", he discussed many specific problems that should be paid attention to in performing arts. He thought that the performance must pay attention to the propriety, conform to the rules and rhythm. Only when "the thick and the light are simple, and the compromise is appropriate", can the performance get its meaning, convey its feelings, and receive good results. Pan Zhiheng's opinions are of positive significance to help actors improve their performing arts. Therefore, at that time, people regarded him as "appreciating music" and "learning from others". Many people also think that singing Kunshan tune, as long as his praise, even if there is a final evaluation. Pan Zhiheng had a close relationship with the actors all his life. With great sympathy, he wrote many biographies for many actresses all over the country, so he won the title of "Ji Zhi Dong Hu". Pan Zhiheng lived in a historical era when Kunshan opera was becoming prosperous in an all-round way. He watched and commented on operas from the perspective of a poet, especially in commenting on the performing arts of operas.

Pan Zhiheng's drama criticism occupies an important position in the history of Chinese drama criticism. Pan Zhiheng's articles on the performing arts of traditional opera and his short biographies of actors are included in his comprehensive works "gen Shi" and "Luan Xiao Xiao Xiao Xiao pin".

Chinese PinYin : Pan Zhi Heng