In the 1970s, there were not many theaters in Hefei, the Jianghuai Grand Theatre was located in the center of the city, the largest, the province’s major meetings and performances were often held here. The Hefei theater, which is adjacent to the JAC and has a longer history, was also quite lively. I used to patronize this place when I was a teenager, watching plays, performances and movies. One year, to my surprise, I appeared here in the modern Peking Opera “Shajiabang”.
That was in 1971, when the “fight against criticism and reform” was going on with great fanfare. In March of that year, I was recruited from Chengying Commune in Susong County to return to the city and enter the Anhui Silk Factory. The same batch of trainees into the factory about ten or so people, are devolved youth back to the city, there are men and women. After checking in, the factory did not directly assigned to the workshop, but we gathered together and arranged to dig a bomb shelter. The shelter was not outside, but on the side of the main road of the factory. The excavation and lifting were done by machines, and we only had to load the soil, which was not very labor-intensive. However, we had to work three shifts in the morning, noon and night, which was the same as the working hours of the workshop. For us young people who had just come out of farming and entered the factory, it was quite new.
In those years, most of the schools in Hefei city moved down to the county, and students were also graduated from a group of decentralized group. Therefore, most of the young people on the street are the decentralized youth recruited back to the city, dressed in uniforms, showing white collar, most of the chest printed with the red name of the factory, wandering around, looking quite impressive, often attracting the admiring eyes of passers-by. At that time, a work uniform seems to show people that I am a real Hefei city people, and from the rural leap to the factory, from earning work points to getting wages, is just a step into heaven. Last year, when the first batch of young people were recruited to return to the city, because it was not my turn, I also envied them, and even thought that the only thing in the world that looked best was the work uniform, regardless of men and women.
I remember that as soon as I reported to the factory, I remembered to get the uniforms. I was depressed when I went to work in the air-raid shelter every other week and received a set of simple uniforms made of dark blue wrapper cloth, which was very rough and thin, naturally not as strong as the regular work uniforms. The worst thing is that there is nothing printed on this uniform, wearing it, no one knows which factory you are. Later learned that, because it has not been formally assigned, digging bomb shelters and a new task, the original did not order uniforms, since we came to work, always have to have a piece of uniforms, which is temporary to do these clothes to save the day.
Although the material does not look good, there is no label, but also a good piece of uniforms, at that time, in addition to work must wear, after work time should be rest, I have nothing to do also like to wear uniforms on the street, think wearing uniforms, people immediately look especially spiritual. Like the “military uniform fever” at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, the “work uniform fever” in the middle of the Cultural Revolution in the years when the youth went to the mountains and the countryside should be written into the history of China’s modern clothing changes.
Anhui Silk Factory is considered a large factory in the south of Hefei seven areas, the factory has a canteen, a bathhouse, commuter shuttle bus to and from work; there are thousands of people in the auditorium, there are books and reading rooms and medical offices, there is a factory school for children. In summer, we can make our own ice pops of various colors, and in winter, we can send our own heaters. It was like a typical small but complete state-run factory of that era. Silk factory to women as the main body, doing anything is the priority of women, the factory toilets and bathrooms are also small for men and large for women. The surrounding area is mostly heavy machinery, bearings and other male workers as the main state factories, so the silk factory has become the southern seven areas of the “one flower”, over time, many of these factories around the male workers because of the near water and become the son-in-law of the silk factory.
In the summer evenings, each factory would hang a white screen in the playground or court every week to show open-air movies. Later, a mechanic in the same section with me, a Shanghai native, older and unmarried, worked the night shift one night and took over at 9:50 p.m. But this night the heavy machinery factory was going to show the movie, and he especially wanted to see it. At that time, watches were still a rare commodity and not many people could afford them. He wanted to go to the heavy machinery factory to watch the movie, but he was afraid of missing his shift, so he borrowed an alarm clock to take with him and set the time, intending to go back to work once the alarm clock went off, without delay. Who would have thought that the movie was so exciting that he lost track of time while watching it. The plot is tense, full of silence, suddenly ringing loudly, the audience do not know what is going on, is surprised, the man red face, with the alarm clock resentfully got up and left. That night there were silk factory women workers on the scene, and later spread the word, a moment to become a laughing stock.
Silk factory was moved from Shanghai to Anhui in May 1958, to support the Anhui industry, the factory of more than 3,000 people can be described as a wealth of talent. In 1971, when the model opera was hot, the calendar picture posted in every household that year was the Peking opera “Shajiabang”.
The factory decided to rehearse the Peking opera “Shajiabang”, we just joined the factory students naturally do not know, or even heard. Until one day, the head of the bomb shelter informed me and a few other male students to report to the union, to join the “Shajiabang” crew, I was still confused, I did not know what to do. Later to the crew to understand, the original silk factory this time to rehearse ten modern Peking Opera “Shajiabang”, the main actors are all found, A Qing sister-in-law is an inspection workshop has a lot of acting experience of female workers, it is said that earlier as an actor; Diao Deyi is a silk weaving workshop mechanic, Shanghai, thin face hook waist, basically do not need makeup; Hu Chuankui is the factory canteen chef, fat body, see who are smiling, every day He is a chef in the factory canteen, with a chubby body and a smiling face. As for the Beijing Hu, Yueqin, Sanshin and gongs and drums guys and other accompaniment band, there is no shortage of everything, all factory workers. At that time, we don’t talk about “foreign aid”, all ten Peking operas “Shajiabang”, from the actors to the accompanist and backstage all the factory workers, is also a miracle. Not only that, the factory also followed the example of the regular drama group, the lead role is also equipped with AB role, are the factory people.
There were not many female actors in this scene, but there were more male actors, including Guo, Hu, Diao, the 18 wounded and sick in the reeds, and also Hu Chuankui’s men and a few Japanese soldiers. Even though there were no lines, someone had to run the show. Some of us male trainees were chosen to play pseudo-armies, while others and I were assigned to play New Fourth Army soldiers who joined the assault platoon after recovering from our wounds.
I thought there were not many scenes to run, mainly the eighth scene “running attack”, the ninth scene “breakthrough” and the tenth scene “gathering and annihilation” three scenes, but for those of us who had never been on stage, and even But for those of us who had never been on stage before, and had never even heard of a few Peking operas, it was not easy. Every day, we went to work, practicing one move after another, grinding one action after another, and not being allowed to leave work if we couldn’t do it properly. These are not difficult, but the most difficult part is the ninth “breakthrough”. The regular crew performance, breaking into Diao De Yi’s house, the assault platoon fighters are continuously turning empty somersaults leap over the tall fence. This requires strong professional kung fu, which we naturally cannot do.
The director then made changes, in front of the Diao House fence on a table, we help run to the table, hands to support the table, quickly flipped into the wall, the body must leap in the air, the table is only borrowed to do a support. The action requires coherence, in a single breath. This action is relatively good to do more, then, a few of the main characters practice singing every day, we eight or nine students practice leaping every day, feel more tired than digging bomb shelters.
Rehearsals were held in the factory auditorium, not on duty workers and family members did a full house, it is said that the city came to review many leaders. We ate early, went backstage makeup, put on gray uniforms, put on the armed belt and box gun. Because the front of the play has nothing to do with us, we hid behind the side curtain to watch the play. That night the rehearsal went very well and we were praised, and at the end of the performance, the canteen also prepared a night meal for us, and we had a beautiful meal.
In those days, because of the performance, costumes and props like pistols were given to individuals for safekeeping. I remember bringing home the gray uniform and the box gun tied with a red ribbon, hanging at the entrance, which could be seen from afar, and the youngsters in the yard often competed to take the box gun to the war.
Soon, we received a notice that the city was going to transfer our factory “Shajiabang” crew to perform at the Hefei Theater for three nights. The factory leaders were very excited, and asked the crew to put on their best performance, and not to make any mistakes. The first two nights of the performance was quite successful, but unexpectedly on the last night of the performance, there was still a little mistake, this mistake has nothing to do with the main character, but in my body, even the supporting role is not the runner, fortunately the Hefei theater is responsible for lifting the curtain of the teacher has experience, see what happened very much, smartly pull down the curtain, my embarrassment was also covered in an instant.
I remember that night before the show, the crew arranged a dinner at a restaurant opposite the Hefei theater. Eat is a small dumpling, a cage per person, the factory union chairman specially to our table admonished, the boys tonight somersault selling strength, eat more! Just after 5 o’clock, I ate more than half a cage of buns and felt my stomach rise. When I got backstage, I put on makeup and dressed for a while, but I was still uncomfortable. I found a large tea cup, filled with boiling water, taking advantage of the first few scenes, sitting down and slowly drinking water, I think it can relieve some.
A little later, the eighth “raid” opening, Guo Jianguang a “moonlight journey wind send cool”, we a few assault platoon soldiers stepped on the drums to walk round. Standing under the spotlight, I was dizzy and beads of sweat rolled down from my face. The good thing is that the next scene is not long, it is around Guo Jianguang repeatedly walk round, turn, half squat, do some moves, the soldiers are also many, my state is not noticed. A scene down, feel better, but the stomach still a little up pain.
The next ninth “breakthrough”, for us, the biggest test is this, to leap over a meter-high wall, although there is a table in front of the wall can do hands to support, but the body must be through inertia over the wall, in the air to give the audience the image of leaping. After the opening scene, Guo Jianguang and Mrs. Ah Qing came on stage, and we were waiting for the scene by the side curtain, only to hear Mrs. Ah Qing sing “…… The courtyard is having a wedding banquet, they are guessing and ordering. You cross the wall straight into the courtyard, will be able to group of ugly drums gathered and destroyed”, Guo Jianguang sent fire team around to the front yard, let Ah Qing sister-in-law take the villagers to meet the main force, and then Guo Jianguang first over the wall. At this time the crowd in the field dispersed, the assault platoon warriors one by one on the field. First help run, then support the table over the wall. Usually practice over the wall, I always count one or two, praised by the director, I am very sure of this set of movements.
The first few quite smoothly, it was my turn, I resisted stomach pain, a helper to the table, hands braced, the body is about to leap over the wall, suddenly felt the center of gravity, not to the wedding banquet being held in the Diao family compound wall, but to fall outside the wall, that is, to the stage, I panicked, desperately trying to control the center of gravity, not to let the body fall to the stage.
The teacher who manages to lift the curtain definitely has experience, seeing my hands on the table when the body did not leap over the wall as quickly as usual, but frozen in the air, and even stayed for a moment, judging that I may fall to the stage, when he decisively lowered the curtain. In the moment when the curtain fell to the ground, my body finally could not support collapsed to the stage. If not for the teacher lowered the curtain in time, tonight this mistake can be a big deal.
Now, half a century has passed, the Hefei theater no longer exists, the original site has been built a high building. Every time I go back to Hefei and walk past this place, I always think of the somersault that did not go over, and the teacher who put out the scene like a fire.
July 7, 2020 in Hefei Apricot Village
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