The year 2025 marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Zhou Xinfang, the master of Shanghai-style Peking Opera, Qilin Tong. CCTV-11, the opera channel of China Central Radio and Television, visited the hometown of Master Zhou Xinfang - the ancient town of Cicheng, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. On January 14, it launched the opening program of the 2025 "Appreciate Opera and Read the City" series "Appreciate Opera and Read the City: Coming to Mingzhou", looking for "Qilin Tong" in Ningbo City and recalling a past story in the opera world.

Guests talk

Zhou Xinfang was born into a family of prominent families in Cicheng. His father was a descendant of a local prominent family, and his mother was a famous actress in the Cicheng opera troupe in the past. Although Zhou Xinfang was not born in Cicheng, he had deep feelings for this hometown. In 1918, he accompanied his father back to his hometown and completed the ceremony of "recognizing ancestors and returning to the clan." In 1925, Zhou Xinfang returned to Cicheng with his father again and participated in the reconstruction of the Zhou Family Ancestral Hall.

Zhou Xinfang was overjoyed that his father finally returned home after 38 years of wandering, and he performed his best play on stage. It is recorded that he also specially invited Ningbo's "Xinqingfeng" Yongkun Opera Troupe to perform in Cicheng for three consecutive days.

Ningbo, formerly known as Mingzhou, is located on the coast of the East China Sea, with its head resting on the waves and its body leaning on Shanghai. Ningbo, with a history of a thousand years, is a place where books from ancient times to the present are stored, and its port connects the world. It is also a bustling "opera wharf" that has nurtured countless opera masters. In the program "Appreciating Opera and Reading the City, Coming to Mingzhou", media person Zhang Jingjing and Lu Su, the fourth-generation successor of the Qi School of Shanghai Peking Opera Theater, were invited to explore the urban charm of Ningbo and Cicheng Ancient Town with opera culture as a clue, under the guidance of Wang Jinwen, a famous Ningbo opera performing artist and director of Zhou Xinfang Drama Art Museum.

The century-old stage in Mingzhou

During the program, everyone strolled through Cihu Lake, the ancient county government office, the Confucius Temple, the School Museum, the Pharmacy Museum, the Zhou Xinfang Drama Art Museum, and other places, feeling the thousand-year-old cultural heritage of Cicheng. While walking, the melodious orchestral music from the opera theater seemed to echo in the ears, and every note carried the echo of history. Cicheng is not only a happy place full of life, but also a treasure land carrying rich cultural memories and historical accumulation.

At the Zhou Xinfang Memorial Hall, the program team specially invited Chen Shaoyun, the third-generation inheritor of the Qi School of Art of the Shanghai Peking Opera Theater, to return to the master's hometown and chat about their experiences over tea. Together, they appreciated the infinite charm of the Qi School of Art. The artist in his seventies and his young disciples sang classic melodies together.

Chen Shaoyun

From quiet alleys to ancient city walls, from bustling markets to tranquil courtyards, the audience seems to be experiencing a city stroll full of history through the screen - see the Confucius Temple in Cicheng and witness the study journey of countless students; look at every brick and tile of the county government office, which reveals the majesty and solemnity of the ancient government; peek into the School Scholars' Hall to understand the ancient imperial examination system; visit the Drug Dealers' Museum to learn about the methods of making medicine; appreciate the charm of the book-loving and saving the world in the Baozhu Tower; and taste the long-standing food culture of Cicheng.

In the program, Cicheng's special food also appeared many times. When talking about Jiangnan rice cakes, Ningbo must be mentioned, and the best Ningbo rice cake is Cicheng water-milled rice cake. This kind of rice cake integrates the intangible cultural heritage into daily life. After years of baptism and inheritance, it has won people's love for its soft, sweet, white, shiny and chewy, and long aftertaste.

In addition to traditional flavors, Cicheng has also continued to innovate and developed a variety of new rice cake products, which have been warmly welcomed by diners. Buckwheat rice cakes, butter rice cakes, rice cake coffee... These novel rice cake delicacies have given new flavors and vitality to the traditional Cicheng rice cakes.

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