On July 24, the exhibition "The Glorious Legacy of Mei Lanfang: Commemorating the 130th Anniversary of Mei Lanfang's Birth" opened to the public at the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. This exhibition features over 200 exhibits closely related to Mei Lanfang's artistic life, including manuscripts, calligraphy and paintings, ancient books, costumes, playbills, musical instruments, and recordings. Many of these items are being displayed to the public for the first time, providing a comprehensive view of Mei Lanfang's artistic achievements, cultural life, and patriotic spirit.

Mei Lanfang, a renowned artistic master celebrated both in China and abroad, spent his childhood amidst turmoil. He lost his father at the age of 3 and his mother at 14, shouldering the responsibility of supporting his family from a young age. At 8, he began learning opera under the tutelage of Wu Lingxian and others, made his stage debut at 10, and formally joined the "Xiliancheng" troupe (later renamed "Fuliancheng") at 13, while continuing to learn and perform. The exhibition features a 1909 playbill from "Guangde Building" dated March 8, which is currently the earliest surviving playbill of Mei Lanfang's performances. At that time, Mei Lanfang was performing with the "Xiliancheng" troupe, not yet 15 years old.

The exhibition also features a recreated study of Mei Lanfang, showcasing artifacts such as a porcelain portrait of Mei Lanfang, a rectangular zitan writing desk, elmwood circle chairs, and a dressing mirror. In the adjacent interactive fan-shaped installation area, visitors can generate real-time plum blossom patterns on the floor. The size and color of the blossoms change with the movement of the visitors, creating a dynamic “blossoming with every step” visual effect.

This exhibition is part of the "130th Anniversary Commemoration Series of Mei Lanfang's Birth," jointly organized by the Chinese National Academy of Arts, the China National Peking Opera Company, the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, the Mei Lanfang Memorial Museum, and the Taizhou Municipal Government of Jiangsu Province. It will run until October 23. Subsequent events in the series include symposiums, performances of classic Mei Lanfang Peking Opera repertoire, showcases of Mei Lanfang's renowned operas, international academic conferences, international exhibitions, and cultural lectures.

Translator: BAI Jing

Reviewer: Ding Hongwei