A few days later, Chen Yi visited and asked Mei Lanfang if he had received an invitation from Zhou Enlai, and said that Chairman Mao wanted to invite him to sing a few scenes during the Cultural Congress. Mei Lanfang was confused and didn't know where to start. Zhou Enlai explain

Preface

In late June, 1949, Mei Lanfang received an invitation letter signed by Zhou Enlai. The letter invited him to Pei (renamed Beijing in September 1949) to attend the first National Congress of Literary and Art Workers.

A few days later, Chen Yi and visited and asked Mei Lanfang if he had received an invitation from Zhou Enlai, and said that Chairman Mao wanted to invite him to sing a few scenes during the Cultural Congress.

Mei Lanfang agreed happily. On the 24th, he went to Peking to attend the meeting.

On July 2, the conference was held and Mei Lanfang was presumed to be a member of the presidium of the conference. On July 6, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and others met him. During the meeting with

, Zhou Enlai held his hand and said, "It's said that we were still in the same journey."

Mei Lanfang was confused and didn't know where to start. Zhou Enlai explained,

"30 years ago, during the Nankai school anniversary, we rehearsed the drama "One Yuan". The Beijing literary and artistic circles invited us to perform in Beijing (1928 Nanjing National Government established Peking)."

Mei Lanfang remembered it all at once. "Yes! You play a woman in it! After the performance, it seems that there was a symposium."

Zhou Enlai smiled, "Yes, although it was already a youthful thing, we can also say we are in the same journey."

Photo丨Zhou Enlai and Mei Lanfang

Zhou Enlai's "female role" career

If you want to say that Zhou Enlai plays a female role, it's not just the time Mei Lanfang remembers. When he was in school in Nankai, Zhou Enlai performed seven dramas, six times they played a female role.

914, the Nankai New Theater Troupe was established. Zhou Enlai, who has always been interested in literature and art, couldn't wait to participate. At that time, Zhou Enlai was the head of the set department.

At that time, the set of the Nankai New Theatre Troupe was in a realistic style. For this reason, Zhou Enlai was very worried, either asking someone to draw it outside or making it by himself. In addition to being responsible for behind-the-scenes work, Zhou Enlai also came to power. Before the May Fourth Movement, the social atmosphere was very conservative, and men and women could not be in the same school or on the same stage.

However, it is impossible for the new drama troupe to have no female characters, so Zhou Enlai volunteered to take on this important task. To put it off topic, Zhou Enlai's wife Deng Yingchao often played male roles when she was in school.

Picture丨Zhou Enlai (first right)

October, on the 10th anniversary of the founding of Nankai school, Zhou Enlai performed his first drama in which he dressed as a man and a woman - "The Fate of Grudges".

Since then, he has starred in seven new dramas, the most famous of which is Mei Lanfang’s "One Yuan Money".

"One Yuan Money" roughly the story of the story is:

A rich young man named Zhao An. After his father passed away, his family fell into trouble. His elder brother Zhao Ping was scolded by his mother for gambling and ran away to do business.

The life of the Zhao family is even more difficult. In desperation, Zhao An had to defect to his father's friend Sun Sifu.

In the past, Sun Sifu once owed a debt, and the Zhao family helped him pay off the debt. To thank the Zhao family, he set his daughter Sun Huijuan and Zhao An to marry dolls.

Picture丨Zhou Enlai (second from left)

However, when Zhao An found Sun Sifu, he chose to regret the marriage because Zhao's family fell into trouble, and only gave him one yuan and knocked Zhao An out of the door.

Zhao An was furious, but fortunately, Sun Sifu's wife was a wise man, so she began to secretly help Zhao An.

and Sun Huijuan. Although she was just a baby when she was married to the baby, she still decided to abide by the engagement with the Zhao family and marry the poor Zhao An.

Not long after, Zhao Ping returned from business, and the Zhao family's life began to get better, while Sun Sifu got involved in a lawsuit and had no way to resolve the matter. He asked for it to be subordinate to the Zhao family.

The Zhao family ignored past grudges and worked together to help Sun Sifu get out of the predicament. Sun Sifu regretted not being the first, and the two families reconciled.

Picture丨Zhou Enlai in Nankai

Zhou Enlai plays the heroine Sun Huijuan. At that time, Sun Huijuan played by Zhou Enlai was very popular. The main titles published in the newspaper were all "Zhou Enlai played Sun Huijuan and she was bewildered by everyone" and "It's so beautiful, Zhou Enlai played a young girl behind the scenes."

even wrote in his graduation record,

"You have special skills in new dramas, sacrificed your lust, and appeared in the audience. It was originally the name of all the people in Tianjin who had watched the new drama in Nankai...." After "One Yuan Money" became popular, the entertainment industry began to pay attention to the new drama in Nankai. Later, they were invited to perform in Beijing.

At that time, Mei Lanfang heard that the Nankai New Theater Troupe was coming to Beijing to perform, so she came to watch their performance. It is said that Mei Lanfang also discussed the performance skills of men and women with Zhou Enlai at that time.

Picture丨Mei Lanfang

Give Gai to make a movie

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhou Enlai's chance to perform on stage was basically gone, but he still paid attention to the development of drama.

In November 1950, the Ministry of Culture held a national opera work conference. Zhou Enlai met the first time in Peking Opera performing artist Gai Jietian.

The first time I met Zhou Enlai, Gai was very nervous. Unexpectedly, Zhou Enlai directly held his hand,

"I was your loyal audience in the 1930s. Although I was a god-friendly person, I am confident that I know you, and we should be good friends! I hope you can understand us more in the future!"

Later, Zhou Enlai also told the leader of the Ministry of Culture Tian Han ,

"Old Gai is upright and clumsy in his words. In the past, he was unwilling to deal with the officialdom and was afraid of meeting bureaucrats and gentry. Now, although there is no barrier to the cadres of the people's government, it is difficult to change their thoughts for a while. We must treat him openly and he will truly understand us."

Picture丨Gai Jiaotian

In 1961, Zhou Enlai and Chen Yi, who accompanied foreign guests to Hangzhou, visited Gai Jiaotian specifically bypassed by. After the tea came up, Zhou Enlai said respectfully, "Old Gai, Mr. Chen respects your character and loves your art. I want to give you a letter today." As he said, Chen Yi unfolded a couplet he wrote, and then read aloud in his Sichuan accent, "Yanbei is such a hero, Jiangnan live Wu Song ."

Gai Yingtian was so moved that he burst into tears. He took the couplet with both hands and thanked him repeatedly.

In the old society, actors were inferior to him. Some people liked him, but they did not respect him. Now, the national leaders are on an equal footing with themselves. How could the heaven not be moved by it?

Three people exchanged a few greetings, and Zhou Enlai made a suggestion to Gai Zhaitian,

"Old Gai, I have an idea to shoot your complete Wu Song Opera in a colorful movie for future generations to observe and learn from. Do you think it's OK?"

At this time, Gai Zhaitian was already 73 years old. And he had a leg injury, but he still agreed to Zhou Enlai, "You have thought of what I thought about, I am willing to try it out."

Picture丨Tian Han

So, Zhou Enlai decided to shoot the stage art film "Wu Song", "How to shoot it specifically, the Ministry of Culture took the lead, negotiated with Beijing Film , and the director came to Beijing."

In June 1962, Gai called Tian to Tian and his wife's granddaughter. Because Zhou Enlai explained it in advance, the Ministry of Culture attached great importance to this shooting.

At the subsequent symposium, Tian Han pointed to a big man with thick eyebrows and big eyes and said to Gai Jietian, "This is the famous director of Beijing Film Academy Cui Wei . The filming of "Wu Song" is guided by him."

Cui Wei also has a straightforward personality. As soon as he came up, he handed over the plan he had planned in advance to Gai Jietian, "Gai Lao, I have a few ideas. I want to hear your opinions and see how to shoot it well."

Picture丨Cui Wei

Gai Zhitian took over the plan, and took a look and gave it to Cui Wei, "I have been performing all my life and don't understand movies at all. You are an expert in this regard. I listen to Premier Zhou, listen to you, and listen to all the staff."

Cui Wei refused to obey, but forced the plan to Gai Zhitian, "I have to take it back and see. If you have any questions, let's discuss!"

At this time, Gai Zhitian had not made a movie yet, so he could not say anything if he asked him to give him any opinions. As the shooting progressed, many problems arose after Gai Zaotian's real experience.

For example, Gai Zaitian performed in the theater, but filming a movie is completely the opposite. Sometimes this shot, sometimes that shot, especially when shooting a large close-up, the bright light shines on the face, and Gai Zaitian cannot enter the play at all.

After two days, the straight Gai Zaitian started arguing with Cui Wei. He asked bluntly, "If you go east and west, your energy will be dissipated. It's so boring!"

Picture丨Gai Zaitian

Cui Wei is nothing wrong. It's like this when filming a movie. He could only persuade him kindly, "Old Gai, now you want to take a close-up of your eyes. Once your eyes are taken, you will have all your energy."

"You said you have it, but I feel that I feel completely gone! "

" Gai, you have to hold on for a few minutes, and you will be fine after taking the photos. "

" I have no emotions when shooting like this, and I can't do the look you want. "

" Gai, you need to consider it from the perspective of the screen. "

" I am shooting a stage art film! "

" Stage art films are also movies, and cannot be limited by the stage."

Two people say one thing and one word, and no one can convince each other, but instead they are angry. After a few more days, the two of them developed directly into giving up.

Picture丨Gai Yaotian

That day, Gai Yaotian still asked Cui Wei bluntly, "Do you think you look like Wu Song if you continue shooting like this?"

As the filmmaker, Cui Wei also has his own persistence, "This is the need of the movie!"

"You want my play to obey your movie?"

"I have been filming for so many years, please believe me!"

Gai Yaotian became more and more popular. He felt that Cui Wei's shooting method had lost the essence of the drama, so he said angrily, "I won't shoot it anymore!"

Cui Wei couldn't help it, "Make a movie for you, to be honest, I can't do it either!"

So Gai Yaotian took off his makeup and left. After hearing about this, Ma Yanxiang, the Ministry of Culture, heard about it, quickly came over to persuade him. Gai Tian and Cui Wei listened to the advice and reconciled.

pic丨Ma Yanxiang

However, the problem between them was not solved, so a few days later, the two broke up again. There was no way, the matter was reported to Zhou Enlai, and he immediately found relevant leaders of the Ministry of Culture to discuss solutions.

In December 1962, Gai Jietian received a call saying that Ma Yanxiang had gone to Shanghai and asked Shangying to re-film "Wu Song" for him.

This time, Ma Yanxiang summarized the lessons of his previous failures and specially found his old friend Ying Yunwei to reshoot for Gai Zhetian.

963, Gai Yaotian went to Shanghai Tianma Film Studio . He found that many of the teams of cooperation were art friends on the stage for many years, so it was easier to communicate.

, and Gai Zaotian also had some understanding of filming the movie, so the shooting speed was extremely fast this time. Not long after, this precious drama stage art film was completed.

Picture丨"Wu Song" poster

Unfulfilled wish

In addition to promoting the preservation and improvement of New China dramas, Zhou Enlai himself has another unfulfilled wish, a related drama.

On May 18, 1972, Zhou Enlai was diagnosed with bladder cancer . In the days that followed, Zhou Enlai had more than a dozen major and small surgeries.

Unfortunately, he still failed to overcome the disease. On January 8, 1976, Zhou Enlai passed away.

After Zhou Enlai's death, his niece Zhou Bingde recalled that

"Uncle once said that Ba Jin wrote the novel "Home". After I retire, I will write a novel "Home". I think, with his personal experience since childhood, his vivid writing style, and his persistence and perseverance in character, if he can retire normally, he will definitely leave it to the future generations. This book that dares not say must surpass "Home", but will definitely be wonderful."

Picture丨 Stills of "Home"

One day in February 1957, Zhou Enlai invited Zhou Bingde to dinner. At that time, he said enthusiastically that he was reading "Home", and had read 36 pages.

has only read 36 pages after reading hard. Everyone laughed, but everyone understands that Zhou Enlai gave up too much for the revolution. He has indeed worked hard to read 36 pages in a lot of troubles.

Later, he also watched the movie "Home" and was particularly fond of the role of Juexin , saying that if he played it, he would definitely be good.

said, Zhou Enlai also imagined the future,

"In the future, I will go to act when I retire. Whoever said that the Prime Minister cannot act when he retires, I will create one!"

It's a pity that Zhou Enlai did not retire until his death, so naturally he didn't have the time and opportunity to write "House" and go back to the stage or on the screen to act.