Beijing Opera: Mei Lanfang Wu Tai Yi Shu, Mei Lanfang's Stagecraft, 4 pieces of Video CDs, Beijing Audio-Visual Production LLtd, 1999

Mei Lanfang (1894 - 1961), a well-known Beijing Opera Qing Yi role actor, master of Mei school.

Born in the family of famous opera actors of Peking on October 22, 1894. Mei began studying Beijing Opera at eight and played his debut role at 12. His performance in "Shattering Flowers" won him a special fame. He joined Xi-Lian-Cheng Theatrical Company at 14 and performed in Shanghai and elsewhere thereafter. He acquired a national reputation and was regarded as the leader of the Pear Garden (Chinese theatrical circle). Outside of China began to understand Beijing Opera through his performances. He toured Japan twice (1919 and 1924), the United States once (1930), and the Soviet Union twice in 1932 and 1935.

After the outbreak of Chinese Anti-Japanese War in 1937 he settled in Hong Kong. He then returned to Shanghai but stopped his performance for five years. He then maintained his beard and mustache, and refused to perform for the occuping Japanese army. He resumed his stage career after the end of the war in 1946. Thereafter he did both stage and film work. There is a film Mei Lanfang's Stagecraft featuring his stage performances including several play sections. His last masterpiece "Recommanding the Army" was shot into a colored film. He served as director or member of several cultural organizations.

Mei Lanfang explored many long-neglected theatrical masterpieces and brought them back on stage with his enforcements. He was credited with having revived the traditional Chinese arts of dancing and pantomime. He also enriched the stage performance by learning from Chinese Kungfu, like the swordplay in his Farewell My Concubine. He put special attention on the ladyship of his performance. He was said that once he even pretended to assault his wife to observe her frightened reaction and then apologize to her because he did not satisfy with one of his actions in a play.