Zhou Qi He and Zhang Daqian
Zhang Daqian, a master painter of Neijiang, Sichuan Province, was a well-traveled man who liked to make friends, especially with some famous actors and actresses in the theater world, and he established a deep friendship. He often joked with some famous actors, you are a gentleman, I am a villain, but we made friends. You sing and move your mouths on the stage, but I paint and move my hands on the painting case. As the old saying goes, "A gentleman moves his mouth, a villain his hands." Of course you are gentlemen, I am a villain! We can't help but laugh.
When Zhang Daqian was living in Chengdu, he was buried in his paintings all day long and did not like entertainment. A friend advised him to go and watch Sichuan opera when he was resting. He said in his hometown of Neijiang to watch Sichuan opera, slang, more vulgar, so not interested. Friends said, here is the capital of Sichuan, Sichuan opera performances are not the same as ordinary districts and counties. In particular, Zheng Sheng Tai Dou Jia Peizhi singing and doing extremely well, some of the play attainments are very high, it is worth appreciating. After repeated persuasion, Zhang Daqian had to promise to go see one. Who knows Zhang Daqian a look at Jia Peizhi's play, but was Sichuan opera fascinated. Back to his apartment, Jia has been appreciated. Immediately from the cabinet took out a rice paper folding fan, waving the brush for painting, and in the fan on the other side of the inscription "art" two words, and said that ancient and modern are not easy to get, but Mr. Jia Peizhi can be when the ear. The next day, he personally delivered the fan to Mr. Jia Peizhi. From then on, he formed a deep friendship with Mr. Jia Peizhi and became a regular visitor to the theater.
Zhang Daqian was not only a good friend of Jia Peizhi, but also a good friend of Zhou Qiho, a famous clown. Once Zhou's wife, Shiao Heqing, invited Chen Shufang to visit Zhang Daqian, and Daqian painted a small portrait of Chen Shufang (which later existed in the Sichuan Museum of Cultural Relics). Later, Daqian drifted overseas, Jia Peizhi, Zhou Qihe, Chen Shufang and so on still do not forget their friend Zhang Daqian.
In 1982, Zhou Zihe performed in Hong Kong, thinking that Zhang Daqian loved to listen to Sichuan opera, so he sent several newly recorded tapes to Zhang Daqian from Hong Kong. Mr. Daqian heard the sound of Sichuan opera, nostalgia for his hometown friends, and soon returned a Chinese painting as a token of appreciation. At that time, Zhou Qi He heard that Zhang Daqian is to the motherland famous mountains and rivers as the subject matter, writing scrolls, very happy, but unfortunately, Daqian painting is not yet finished, in Taipei on the death of the world. Zhou Qi He surprised to hear the news, could not help but tears, mourning.
In 1984, by Zhang Daqian's hometown - Neijiang City, Sichuan Opera Troupe newly created and rehearsed modern Sichuan opera "Zhang Daqian" (written and directed by Qiu Xiaoqiu), should be invited by the Sichuan Provincial Academy of Poetry, Calligraphy and Painting to report on the performance in Hibiscus. I have the honor to accompany the troupe to the Jinjiang Theater. The author knew that Zhou Qihe was a good friend of Zhang Daqian. On the same day, it will be entrusted to the troupe actor Tongariqiu (Zhou Qi He's students) to send a few tickets to invite Mr. Zhou Qi He to the theater to see the Sichuan opera "Zhang Daqian". Before the opening of the author in the right side of the stage in the ear curtain slit, peeped three rows in the middle of Zhou Qi He and with his daughter, son-in-law (Zhou Qi He's son-in-law is the grandson of Zhang Daqian) sitting in the audience.
After the opening of the curtain, Zhou Qiho looked very attentive to see the stage to show Mr. Daqian moved through Brazil, the United States and other places, often in his later years, when the feeling of longing for home, Zhou Qiho can not help but tears. There is also a detail in the play: Zhang Genfa (Neijiang, once in the U.S. restaurant business) traveled thousands of miles to visit Uncle Zhang Daqian in Taipei, talked about changes in Neijiang, Sichuan Province, sang: "Hometown big change, the old look for a new outfit, when the pig shit alley, and now the new building. When the rotten mud cesspit, and now the big square ...... restaurant spicy hot pot, all the way hot pot incense. Sichuan opera garden, the theater. Folded plays, tickets sold out ...... There is an actor named Zhou Qi He, playing the boss's wife in "Yingxian store." Zhang Daqian in the play also said, Zhou Qihe, that is my old friend! At this time, Zhou Qi He excited abnormal, can not help but laugh ...... attracted the audience before and after the right and left are all staring at Zhou Qi He, he simply forgot that he is in the theater, and loudly lamented that: "Tonight I saw my old friend." (At the time, the author saw this scene was very interesting, wrote this into a short literary article, sent to the Beijing "Theater and Film Newspaper", and soon published in the 49th issue of 1984).
After the performance, Zhou was moved to say, "I have not been able to see Mr. Zhang Daqian since we parted until his death in Taipei, but I am so happy to see him on the stage in Chengdu tonight. If there really is a soul, Mr. Daqian will also thank you in the nine springs!"