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{{short description|Peking opera artist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Mei (surname)|Mei]]|lang=Chinese}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = Mei Baojiu
| image = Mr. Mei with Honolulu musicians (320262097) (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Poster announcing Mei Baojiu's appearance at the Sunbeam Theatre in Hong Kong
| image_size =
| birth_name =
| native_name = 梅葆玖
| native_name_lang =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date |1934|03|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Shanghai]], [[China]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|04|25|1934|03|29|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Beijing]], China
| father        = [[Mei Lanfang]]
| mother        = Fu Zhifang
| occupation = [[Peking opera]] artist
| years_active = <!-- YYYY–YYYY (or –present) -->
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
}}
'''Mei Baojiu''' ({{zh|c=梅葆玖|p=Méi Bǎojiǔ}}) (29 March 1934 – 25 April 2016)<ref>Mei Shaowu (梅绍武), Mei Weidong (梅卫东), ''Biography of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳自述) :''Appendix - studies'' (附录：年谱简表)</ref> was a contemporary Chinese [[Peking opera]] artist, also a performer of the Dan role type in Peking Opera and [[Kunqu]] opera, the leader of Mei Lanfang Peking Opera troupe in Beijing Peking Opera Theatre. Mei's father [[Mei Lanfang]] was one of the most famous Peking opera performers. Mei Baojiu was the ninth and youngest child of Mei Lanfang. For this reason, he was called ''Baojiu'', since in Chinese, ''jiu'' means ''nine''.<ref name=p50>Wu Ying (吴迎), ''From Mei Lanfang to Mei Baojiu'' (从梅兰芳到梅葆玖) Page 50</ref> Mei Baojiu was the master of the second generation of ''Méi School'' descendant, he was also Mei Lanfang's only child who was a performer of the Dan role of the Peking Opera.<ref name=clan>{{cite web|url=http://nuu9009.chinaw3.com/know/clan/|title=梅氏家族 (May Family)|accessdate=7 May 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119154540/http://nuu9009.chinaw3.com/know/clan/|archivedate=19 January 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
From childhood, Mei had learned Peking Opera from many artists. Mei Baojiu's first opera teacher was [[Wang Youqing]] ({{lang|zh|王幼卿}}), the nephew of [[Wang Yaoqing (Peking opera)|Wang Yaoqing]] ({{lang|zh|王瑶卿}}), who had been the teacher of [[Mei Lanfang]]. [[Tao Yuzhi]] ({{lang|zh|陶玉芝}}) was his teacher of martial arts, while [[Zhu Chuanming]] ({{lang|zh|朱传茗}}), the famous performer of the Dan role type in [[Kunqu]] opera, taught him Kunqu. After that Mei learned the Dan role from [[Zhu Qinxin]] ({{lang|zh|朱琴心}}).  Mei's regular performances of traditional opera include ''[[The Hegemon-King Bids His Concubine Farewell]]'', ''[[Guifei Intoxicated]]'' ({{lang|zh|貴妃醉酒}}), ''[[Lady General Mu Takes Command]]'' ({{lang|zh|穆桂英挂帅}}), ''The story of [[Yang Guifei]]'' ({{lang|zh|太真外传}}), ''[[Luo Shen]]'' ({{lang|zh|洛神}}), ''[[Xi Shi]]'' ({{lang|zh|西施}}), etc. Mei has made significant contributions to cultural exchanges and promoting Peking Opera culture. Meanwhile, he also trains more than twenty students, such as [[Li Shengsu]] ({{lang|zh|李胜素}}), Dong Yuanyuan ({{lang|zh|董圆圆}}), Zhang Jing ({{lang|zh-Hans|张晶}}), Zhang Xinyue ({{lang|zh-Hans|张馨月}}), [[Hu Wenge]] ({{lang|zh|胡文阁}}) (the only male student),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ent.xinmin.cn/2012/01/09/13254036.html|title=胡文阁被梅葆玖"看"得紧紧的(组图) (Mei Baojiu keeps a close watch on Hu Wenge (photo))|date=9 January 2012|accessdate=7 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227042942/http://ent.xinmin.cn/2012/01/09/13254036.html|archive-date=27 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Tian Hui ({{lang|zh|田慧}}), [[Wei Haimin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.china.com.cn/news/60years/2009-07/15/content_18141798.htm|title=梅葆玖简介 (About Mei Baojiu)|date=July 2009|accessdate=7 May 2012}}</ref>
==Biography==
[[File:Mei Baojiu as a child.jpg|thumb|Mei Baojiu as a child]]
In the spring of 1934, Mei Baojiu was born at No. 87 Sinan Road, Shanghai.<ref name=p50/> Because of his comely appearance and delicate voice, his father decided to send Baojiu to learn [[Peking opera]] and hoped that Baojiu could make contributions to ''Méi School''. Baojiu himself also showed great interest as well as gifts in Peking opera in his early life. In 1942, Mei Lanfang and his wife Fu Zhifang ({{lang|zh|福芝芳}}) invited Wang Youqing ({{lang|zh|王幼卿}}), the disciple of famous Dan role performer - Wang Yaoqing ({{lang|zh|王瑶卿}}), from [[Beijing]] to teach Baojiu as his first ''qingyi'' teacher while requesting Zhu Chuanming ({{lang|zh|朱传茗}}), one of the most prestigious performers of the Dan role type to teach Baojiu [[Kunqu]] Opera. When Mei Lanfang was free from work, he also gave directions to his son himself.<ref name=f93>Li Zhongming (李仲明), ''The Family of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳家族) Page93</ref>
When Baojiu was ten years old, he played ''Xue Yi'' ({{lang|zh|薛倚}}) in ''[[San Niang teaches the child]]'' ({{lang|zh|三娘教子}}) as his first performance in Shanghai. At the age of twelve, together with his sister [[Mei Baoyue]] ({{lang|zh|梅葆玥}}), Baojiu acted in ''[[Yang Silang Visits His Mother]]'' ({{lang|zh|四郎探母}}). Being a ''Qingyi'' ({{lang|zh|青衣}}) performer, he started giving performances of the ''[[Legend of the White Snake]]'', ''[[The Story Of Su San]]'' ({{lang|zh|玉堂春}}) and some other traditional plays for charity since the age of 13. He also performed in ''Wu Jiapo Hill'' ({{lang|zh|武家坡}}) with Baoyue ({{lang|zh|梅葆玥}}) at the same time. When Baojiu was 16, he took part in the national tour of the [[Mei Lanfang]] Troupe, and toured the country with the troupe. Usually, Baojiu performed for the first three days, and Mei Lanfang performed plays in the rest, sometimes they also performed cooperatively, such as in ''[[Legend of the White Snake]]''. Baojiu played the part of ''Xiao Qing'' the green snake, while his father played ''[[Bai Suzhen]]'' the white snake.<ref name=f93/>
Mei Lanfang used to make suggestions to Baojiu in order to make the performance of Baojiu perfect when Baojiu was young. Once, after watching the play ''The Story Of Sue San'' ({{lang|zh|玉堂春}}), in which Baojiu performed, he came to Baojiu and suggested that Baojiu change the way of acting the spoken parts. He mentioned that it was the most exciting time when the heroine, Sue San, got the Senior judge. For this reason, Baojiu should speak infectiously, he should speak faster and faster to create tension.<ref>Li Zhongming (李仲明), ''The Family of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳家族) Page 96</ref>
Baojiu also got a chance to share the stage with some prestigious senior performers, such as [[Xiao Changhua]] ({{lang|zh-Hans|萧长华}}), [[Jiang Miaoxiang]] ({{lang|zh|姜妙香}}) and [[Yu Zhenfei]] ({{lang|zh|俞振飞}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nuu9009.chinaw3.com/know/teach/|title=梅兰芳的剧照 Mei Lanfang snapshot|accessdate=7 May 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417151016/http://nuu9009.chinaw3.com/know/teach/|archivedate=17 April 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Due to the guidance of the actors from the earlier generation, Mei Baojiu's acting greatly improved and he made a great effort to promote Méi School as well.<ref>Li Zhongming (李仲明), ''The Family of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳家族) Page92 - 93</ref>
In 1961, after Mei Lanfang died, Baojiu took over the position of the leader of Mei Lanfang Peking Opera troupe. During this time, he acted in some other well known plays, such as ''[[The mulan]]'' ({{lang|zh-Hans|木兰从军}}), ''[[Return of the Phoenix]]'' ({{lang|zh|凤还巢}}) and ''[[Lian Jinfeng]]'' ({{lang|zh|廉锦枫}}). However, after 1964, almost all performance of traditional plays was forbidden, according to central government regulations. For this reason, Baojiu was forced to do recording and [[stage lighting]] related work.<ref>Li Zhongming (李仲明), ''The Family of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳家族) Page110</ref>
Fourteen years later, in 1978, Baojiu returned to the Mei Lanfang Peking Opera troupe and came back to stage. He reformed the troupe and rearranged many traditional plays  like ''[[Yuzhoufeng the Sword]]''({{lang|zh|宇宙锋}}), ''[[The story of Yang Guifei]]'' ({{lang|zh|太真外传}}), ''[[Luo Shen]]'' ({{lang|zh|洛神}}), ''[[Xi Shi]]'' ({{lang|zh|西施}}) as well as ''[[Royal pavilion]]'' ({{lang|zh|御碑亭}}) at the same time.<ref>Li Zhongming (李仲明), ''The Family of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳家族) Page112-113</ref>
From 1981 to 1984, together with his sister Mei Baoyue and descendants of other schools, he participated in the performance of a series memorial activities to commemorate his father. Making the eight-hour long play lasts for only three hours, he also rearranged ''The story of [[Yang Guifei]]'' in the late 1980s.<ref>Xu Beicheng (徐北城), ''Mei Lanfang and the 20th century'' (梅兰芳与二十世纪) :''chapter 10. the Dance of Mei'' (第十章：梅之舞)</ref>
In 1993, led by Baojiu, the Mei Lanfang Peking Opera troupe visited [[Taiwan]] and gave elaborately prepared performances to the public. He has made significant contributions to cultural exchanges and promoting Peking Opera culture.<ref>Li Zhongming (李仲明), ''The Family of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳家族) Page113-121</ref>
Baojiu cultivates more than twenty students, such as [[Li Shengsu]], Dong Yuanyuan ({{lang|zh|董圆圆}}), Zhang Jing ({{lang|zh-Hans|张晶}}), Zhang Xinyue ({{lang|zh-Hans|张馨月}}), Hu Wenge (the only male student), Tian Hui ({{lang|zh|田慧}}), [[Wei Haimin]] ({{lang|zh|魏海敏}}). In the last twenty years, he mainly focused on training these students.
As a member of the [[National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference]] (CPPCC), Mei Baojiu put forward a proposal on introducing Peking Opera into elementary schools in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.china.org.cn/government/NPC_CPPCC_2009/2009-03/11/content_17421512.htm|title=Mei Baojiu|date=11 March 2009|accessdate=7 May 2012}}</ref>
In March 2012, at the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mei put forward a proposal on introducing the form of animation into Peking Opera in order to make more teenagers be interested in Peking Opera.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://society.people.com.cn/GB/136657/17322942.html|title=Mei Baojiu|date=7 March 2012|accessdate=29 May 2012}}</ref>
On 26 March 2012, Mei received his Ph.D. from [[J. F. Oberlin University]] in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ent.people.com.cn/GB/17526056.html|title=Mei Baojiu|date=29 March 2012|accessdate=29 May 2012}}</ref>
On 31 March 2016, Mei was hospitalized because of [[bronchospasm]]. He died on 25 April 2016, at the age of 82.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ent.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0425/c1012-28302412.html|title=京剧大师梅葆玖去世享年82岁 世间从此再无"梅先生"|website=people.cn|accessdate=31 January 2019|date=25 April 2016}}</ref>
==Famous plays==
Like his father, Mei Baojiu acts Dan role in the following classic Peking opera plays. ''[[The Hegemon-King Bids His Concubine Farewell]]'' tells the sad love story of [[Xiang Yu]] and his favourite concubine [[Consort Yu (Xiang Yu's wife)|Consort Yu]] when he is surrounded by [[Liu Bang]]’s forces. Mei plays the role of Consort Yu. Shang Changrong (the 3rd son of [[Shang Xiaoyun]]) once played the role of [[Xiang Yu]] as Mei's partner.
''Guifei Intoxicated'', also named ''Bai Hua Ting'' ({{lang|zh|百花亭}}), is about [[Yang Guifei]]. In this play she drinks down her sorrow because she is irritated by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang breaking his promise. Based on [[Mei Lanfang]]’s original work, Mei Baojiu adapted this play for ''The Great Concubine of Tang'' ({{lang|zh|大唐贵妃}}), a contemporary Beijing opera with historical motif in 2002. ''Mu Guiying Takes Command'', a classic [[Yu opera]] was adapted by [[Mei Lanfang]] in 1959, and he acted the leading role the same year in celebration of the 10th anniversary of PRC.
Cooperating with famous Yu opera master [[Ma Jinfeng]] ({{lang|zh-Hans|马金凤}}), Mei Baojiu performed this play in the Shuang xia guo style ({{lang|zh|双下锅}}), which means different forms of opera performed in one play.<ref name=clan/>
==Family==
Mei Baojiu's mother, Fu Zhifang ({{lang|zh|福芝芳}}), the second wife of [[Mei Lanfang]], bore 9 children, but only 4 of them survived.
Mei Baojiu is the youngest child in his family. His eldest brother, [[Mei Baochen]] ({{lang|zh|梅葆琛}}) (1925-2008), was a senior engineer in Beijing's Academy of Architecture ({{lang|zh|北京建筑设计院}}). His elder brother, [[Mei Shaowu]] ({{lang|zh|梅绍武}}) (1928-2005), was a researcher of the Chinese academy of social sciences institute of the United States ({{lang|zh-Hans|中国社会科学院美国研究所}}) and the president of [[Mei Lanfang]] Culture-art Seminar ({{lang|zh-Hans|中国梅兰芳文化艺术研究会}}).
His elder sister Mei Baoyue ({{lang|zh|梅葆玥}}) (1930-2000) was a performer of the Laosheng role type in Peking Opera, and performed together with Mei Baojiu sometimes. Mei Baojiu is the only heir to the ''Meipai Qingyi'' ({{lang|zh|梅派青衣}}).<ref name=clan/>
<ref>Li Zhongming (李仲明), ''The Family of Mei Lanfang'' (梅兰芳家族) Page84 - 90</ref>
Mei Baojiu's wife is named Lin Liyuan ({{lang|zh|林丽媛}}), she is the consultant of [[Mei Lanfang]] Troupe. They have no children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zgg.org.cn/pub/zgg/bwdj/gbwml/whb/whbdzldzhdj/201203/t20120329_299144.html|title=About Mei Baojiu|date=29 March 2012|accessdate=29 May 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121205143342/http://www.zgg.org.cn/pub/zgg/bwdj/gbwml/whb/whbdzldzhdj/201203/t20120329_299144.html|archivedate=5 December 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mei, Baojiu}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Chinese male Peking opera actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Shanghai]]
[[Category:Singers from Shanghai]]
[[Category:Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference]]
[[Category:People's Republic of China politicians from Shanghai]]
[[Category:20th-century Chinese  male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Chinese  male  singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Chinese male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century Chinese male actors]]
[[Category:Female impersonators in Peking opera]]
[[Category:J. F. Oberlin University alumni]]
[[Category:Mei Lanfang]]