Deputy and veteran Yuju actor all about being close to the people

After decades of ups and downs, Jin Buhuan, deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, says that Yuju Opera is gaining in vitality and has a big role to play in promoting cultural tourism.

Jin, a Yuju Opera performer himself, and director of a Yuju Opera research institute in Hebi, Henan province, has been involved in the art for more than four decades. Even at 57, he continues to give 300 public performances a year.

As a form of traditional opera popular in Henan, Hebei and Shandong provinces, Yuju Opera is known for its richness, delicacy and a strong rural flavor. Jin knows precisely that the soil in which Yuju Opera grows is in the grassroots.

"The opera grew in people's sorghum fields. As they farm, people sing a few lines, and that brings a certain strength as everyone laughs and forgets their fatigue," Jin says.

He believes Yuju Opera can play a role in the development of cultural tourism and suggested giving full play to the art's role in driving tourism with its high-quality work during this year's two sessions.

He says that only scenic spots with beautiful landscapes may have limited attractiveness for tourists, but when they are decorated with cultural elements that tell local stories, they can make visitors feel their trip is fruitful.

For example, Jin's Yuju Opera Dashiyan is adapted from the real story of retired government official Xu Guang, who applied to go back to his poor hometown of Dashiyan village, Qixian county, Hebi and spared no efforts in guiding villagers out of poverty, vitalizing their village by developing rural tourism and characteristic agriculture.

"The show has been welcomed by the public, bringing quite a number of visitors to Qixian. Knowing more and more villagers can increase income by providing tourist services makes me very happy. This shows culture's role in driving tourism," he says.

In addition, Jin's interactive performance Sesame Official, staged in a historical area of Xunxian county, has enabled people to participate, attracting more visitors to the scenic spot.

Guan Meili, who is also a performer, says that in a specific environment, dressing the visitors in costumes and immersing them in culturally rich settings as they appreciate traditional opera may impress them and give them a good experience.

"Yuju Opera has a strong popular base. Staging the performances in scenic spots gives visitors an in-depth trip to Henan. I hope each line helps people decode the culture of China's Central Plains and the entire country," Jin says.

Born in 1968 in Fengqiu county, Henan, he started to learn Yuju Opera as a teenager out of interest and has witnessed the ups and downs of this art form over the years.

The 1980s was a prosperous time for Yuju Opera, but in the 1990s, pop songs began to eclipse it, although soon it regained vitality thanks to its strong base among grassroots people. The year 2000 saw another peak in development, but this was followed by a decline in popularity. However, with the country's new emphasis on traditional culture, it is developing renewed grandeur, says Jin.

The government has adopted a series of policies like introducing shows to campuses, subsidizing performances for the grassroots and providing art funds. This support has enabled the troupe to create vivid characters and good shows with fewer anxieties of making a living, he says.

"Now, Yuju Opera has entered a stage of high-quality development, which means each performance has its highlights and shows unique skills. The work now excels in both artistic and entertainment value."

Jin remains passionate about his work. "I'm approaching 60, but I never feel I'm that old. I continue to immerse myself in acting and feel it isn't enough to give two performances a day. Being close to grassroots people and acting for them is my biggest responsibility and happiness in life," says Jin.