Zhang Junqiu (1920--1997) was a top
Peking Opera performer. Zhang is remembered for his excellent performance
and his efforts made in inheriting and developing the quintessence of
traditional Chinese opera.
Zhang Junqiu began drama learning at the age
of 13 and his debut at the age of 15. He has prevented some Peking Opera plays
from being lost by performing 120 items in various schools. He also
trained a group of youngsters for the art as well. In 1963, Zhang went to
Hong Kong and Macao to perform. In 1979, he started to
teach opera in the Beijing
Drama School. In 1990, Zhang Junqiu won the
Lifelong Artistic Achievement Prize awarded by the Sino-US Art Association in US
and New York Lincoln Art Center.
His voice was sweet, loud and clear, and his
appearance graceful and handsome. The representative works of Zhang Junqiu are:
The Orphan of The Zhaos, The West Chamber and Leifeng Tower, and
so on.
His elder son, Zhang Xuejin, is a famous
Laosheng (elderly character type) in Pekinig Opera.