“Change the channel, Mom, I want to watch the arts stage.” “What? Are you crazy? Watch the arts stage?” “What’s wrong? I just want to watch!” “Child, what’s gotten into you? You’ve never watched the arts stage in over twenty years.” … “Grandpa, I’ll watch the arts stage with you tonight.” “Little treasure, what’s going on with you? Did your phone break? Grandpa can fix it for you.” “…What do you mean? I just want to see what Qi Shejiang is singing.” …
Similar dialogues took place in many households, where the elders wanted to watch something trendy, but it was the younger generation who loved the internet, insisting on switching to the arts stage to see the Spring Festival gala of folk arts.
When Qi Shejiang finally appeared, accompanied by the three-stringed instrument, he sang a segment from “Ten Questions and Ten Answers,” even faster than the previous quarter-beat Peking Opera flow.
To keep up with Qi Shejiang’s singing speed, the subtitles switched rapidly; if one was watching on a phone, it was almost impossible to read the subtitles without pausing!
At such speed, Qi Shejiang could still manage to sing with a variation of tension and relaxation, the ebb and flow reflecting full emotion, and the melody felt so lively and rhythmic. After a long passage, the audience did not feel short of breath but instead found it exhilarating!
So, the unsung hero behind this segment was Zhang Yue; he slightly adjusted the melody, making it especially catchy, allowing even those indifferent to folk arts to appreciate and enjoy it.
