Guan Xuezeng


Guan Xuezeng was a Chinese performing artist, renowned as the founder of folk art. He also served as chairman of the Beijing Quyi Artists Association.

Early life

Born on 1 August 1922 in Beijing to a family of Manchu ethnicity, Guan worked as a child laborer in a foreign goods wholesale shop where he learned to make zippers, at the age of 11. His passion for storytelling was nurtured by his father’s recitations of classic Chinese tales and frequent visits to teahouses, where he memorized the performances of local artists. At the age 14, he began formal training in Danqin dagu and Yuexi dagu.

Career

At the age 14, Guan debuted at Longfu Temple in Beijing, performing Miss Liang Picking Cotton. By the age 16, he was singing epic talesin Beijing’s teahouses, theaters and temple fairs.
Following the capture of Beijing by the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the Chinese Civil War in 1949, he joined a training program organized by the Beijing Cultural Committee, where he was recognized as a literary worker, earning societal respect. He began creating qinshu pieces inspired by contemporary themes, including Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang, Shi Bulan Driving the Cart and Testing the Goddess.
In 1951 and 1952, during the Korean War, Guan performed for the soldiers of the People's Volunteer Army. His works, such as Model Soldier Jiang Shifu and Shang Guanghe Captures a Spy were performed despite the threats of American airstrikes during the war. Exposure to regional qinshu styles during these tours inspired Guan and his accompanist Wu Changbao to formalize Beijing qinshu as a distinct art form. Guan innovated its structure, lyrics and musical accompaniment, giving it a unique Beijing identity.
Joining the Chinese Communist Party in 1961, Guan dedicated himself to Beijing qinshu, creating over 220 original pieces out of the 1000 he performed. In the 1980s, he introduced the concept of “five-minute art”, producing short, impactful works like Longevity Village and Scared of the Wife Village. After retiring from the Beijing Quyi Troupe in 1984, he served as chairman and honorary chairman of the Beijing Quyi Artists Association from 1988 to 2003, revitalizing the organization. In 1996, he pioneered traditional arts programs in schools, a movement that spread nationwide.
In 1997, Guan’s performance in the soundtrack of Zhang Yimou’s film Keep Cool earned him the nickname “Mou’s Man” for its authentic Beijing theme.

Personal life

In his early twenties, while performing near the Drum Tower in Beijing, Guan met his wife through a matchmaker. She predeceased him. Their son, Guan Shaozeng, became an actor and president of the Beijing Qinshu Research Association. Their granddaughter, Guan Xiaotong, is a well-known Chinese actress who is considered as one of the Four Dan actresses.
He died in 27 September 2006, at the age of 84.

Awards and honors

  • 2006 – Lifetime Achievement Award, China Quyi Peony Awards
  • 2006 – Model of Virtue and Artistry, Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles
  • 2003 – Winner of the 4th China Gold Record Award
  • 2000 – Special Contribution Artist in 50 Years of New China Quyi

Major works

Source:
  • Whipping the Reed Flowers
  • Eating Noodles
  • Robbing the Imperial Coffin
  • Premier Zhou Lives Forever in Our Hearts
  • Gao Liang Fetches Water
  • Yang Bajie’s Spring Outing
  • A Floral Blouse
  • Haircut
  • Longevity Village
  • Longevity Garden
  • Sending the Military Flag
  • Courtesy Demands Reciprocity
  • Father and Son Deliver Grain
  • Clever Bombing of Ammunition
  • A Fortunate Encounter
  • Passing Through Shanghai
  • Zhang Liang Accepts the Shoes
  • A Letter Sent Across Ten Thousand Miles
  • Deep Affection on a Snowy Night
  • Pan Deyuan
  • Heirloom
  • Buying Ground Meat
  • The Death of Cao Xueqin
  • Little Windmill
  • Scared of the Wife Village
  • The Old Team Leader
  • Spring of Happiness
  • Su Dongpo and the Little Sister
  • Exam Goddess
  • Song of Loving the People
  • Speak Calmly
  • Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang
  • ''Young Couple’s Banter''