A Nanking-born Beijing opera master received the first honorary professorship ever conferred by National Chengchi University for her outstanding contribution to the development of the traditional Chinese art in Taiwan last Friday.
Born in 1929, Ku Cheng-chiu (
PHOTO: CNA
As a talented student, Ku was a disciple of the grand master of Beijing opera Mei Lanfang (
Ku's troupe mainly performed in Nanking and became popular very soon. In 1948, Ku's troupe was invited to Taiwan for the first time and she then performed in Taipei for five years.
Late president Chiang Ching-kuo (
Jen went through a series of political oppressions after his marriage. Accused of spying for China, he was imprisoned for ten years -- allegedly under the instruction of Chiang.
"When my husband was arrested, our first child was only six month old. As I recall those days, my heart is still filled with bitterness and sorrow," wrote Ku in her memoir Let the Past Flow Away. "I often washed my face with tears when thinking my husband was suffering because of loving me," Ku wrote.
After her husband was released from prison, they left the political arena and devoted themselves to a remote farm.
"The opera The Story of the White Snake is one of my favorites. My marriage is so amazingly similar to the couple in the opera that I could fully understand the emotions of the characters," Ku recalled.
In the opera, the couple could not be together because the wife was a snake that became a woman after a thousand years of hard practise. At the end of the story, the snake was imprisoned by a powerful monk in a tower. The faithful husband pledged to wait for her release no matter how long it took.
Despite her painful experience during her husband's imprisonment, Ku did not allow her artistic glory on the stage to be stained by political darkness.
NCU president Cheng Jei-cheng (
"We express our respect for Ku artistic achievements and thankfulness for her support for NCU's efforts in promoting research in drama and theater," Cheng said.
"To back our theater research, Ku generously donated her personal collections of opera manuscripts, performance pictures, theater tickets, newspaper clips, costumes, recordings and videos to the university," Cheng added.
The Web site is the first in Taiwan designed for an individual Beijing opera artist.
Ku's fans also include celebrities such as former premier Hao Po-tsun (郝柏村), presidential advisor Yeh Ming-shium (葉明勳) and secretary general of the Chinese Association Cecilia Koo Yen (辜嚴倬雲). All of them attended the ceremony.
Koo Yen, wife of Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Koo Chen-fu (辜振甫), said Ku loved Beijing opera so much that he hummed the tunes even when sleeping.
"Besides, Ku worked only for art rather than money," said Koo.
Ku gave a speech at the ceremony to introduce her personality. "Actually I am very dumb and stubborn."
"I fell in love with Beijing opera when I was a little child. I never tried to understand other arts besides Beijing opera," Ku said.
"The fact is that I am very stupid," added Ku and told listeners of when she used a fax for the first time to send a letter to her daughter in the US.
"I could not understand how the letter could have already been sent while the paper was still in my hand," said Ku with a broad smile.
Visit koo.theatre.nccu.edu.tw tp access Ku's site.
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