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The fourth generation of Master Huang Haidai, inherited by Chen ZhiqiangHualien Zhengwuzhou Chinese Dramagroup. (Photography: Zhejun)
Continuing from the previous article: Chen Zhiqiang inherits the Hualien Zhengwuzhou Palm Theater Company (Part 1)
In the early days, apprentices in many industries had to spend three years and six months learning skills from a master. They had to develop solid kung fu step by step before they could graduate.puppet show“Seven major roles” – Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, Chou, Za, and Beast. Each character has a different way of operating the puppet. In particular, among all the roles, Xiaodan is the most difficult to “please” (taking a puppet on stage to perform is called “please the puppet” in Taiwanese to show respect).Chen Zhiqiang‘s dadChen YanzhenHe has been honed in a difficult and hard-working environment. He is serious and rigorous and has superb skills. Especially Xiaodan’s performance is well-known in the industry.
Do your best, Chen Yanzhen, there is no room for mistakes on stage
Chen Yanzhen’s Palm Theater Troupe won the 92nd Outstanding Performing Team of Hualien County Cultural Bureau. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
However, in the past, learning puppetry was all about beating and scolding. The master did not have a set of procedures to teach his disciples, nor did he know how to teach. Therefore, apart from Chen Yanzhen passing on the Xiaodan skills that he had mastered to Chen Zhiqiang step by step, there was no other so-called “teaching”.
Chen Zhiqiang can only read, figure out and “understand” by himself. When the performance was not good, my father would often hit the puppet on the head with a lightning speed, yell at him, or drive him off the stage. As a result, both Chen Zhiqiang and his brother Chen Zhiwei once disliked the puppet show and just wanted to escape!
Chen Zhiqiang’s father, Chen Yanzhen, has been dedicated to the puppet show stage all his life and demands himself to be the best. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
“At that time, we were actually very afraid of talking to my father. Even when he glared at me, I was so scared that I hid in the corner. He is a very serious person and would not smile very much when he was on stage. Because he felt that since he was leading If you want to pay someone else’s salary, you must give an account. Some people will tell him that no one is watching, so why should he be so serious? He doesn’t think so. He has been dedicated to the puppet show all his life. Demand your best.”
The battle between heaven and man, marriage and the struggle of puppetry
At the age of 50, Chen Yanzhen fell seriously ill. In order to maintain their family’s livelihood, two brothers, Chan Chi Keung and Chan Chi Wai, who originally refused to take over, resolutely took over the Palm Theater Company founded by their father. However, the puppet theater troupe is no longer prosperous, especially in the eastern region, where they can hardly receive a few performances a month, or even have no chance to perform on stage for a month. Therefore, Chen Zhiqiang helped in a relative’s food factory, and his brother Chen Zhiwei also worked as a painter to make a living.
At this time, facing his girlfriend whom he had been dating for several years and was discussing marriage, Chen Zhiqiang experienced a struggle between heaven and man. Husband and wife are destined to get married, but if they meet by fate and want to stay together, it may not always go smoothly.
The gentle and pleasant Lin Huishan came to the simple Hualien from prosperous Taipei to study in nursing school, and developed a mutually supportive relationship with Chen Zhiqiang. When she went north to visit her girlfriend’s parents for the first time, when Lin Huishan’s mother heard that Chen Zhiqiang was a puppet actor, she asked on the spot: “I don’t care how much you love each other, tell me, what are you going to do to raise my daughter?” Chen Zhiqiang froze on the spot, helpless. answer. His girlfriend burst into tears and begged his parents, but he was still kicked out!
A poor boy who grew up in a rural theater troupe, he was ashamed of himself and did not dare to compete with his girlfriend who came from a good family. The obstacles of reality were like an insurmountable chasm, which hit Chen Zhiqiang. He reluctantly proposed breaking up, and the two parties separated for a period of time under extreme suffering.
Chen Zhiqiang married his lovely wife Lin Huishan as he wished, shouldered the responsibility of supporting the family, and cherished the hard-won marriage. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
Chen Zhiqiang is very grateful to his brother Chen Zhiwei for shouldering the heavy responsibility of the theater company and allowing him to successfully start a family. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
In the end, Chen Zhiqiang reluctantly left the stage and chose his true love who was willing to endure hardships and hard work with him. He is very grateful to his brother Chen Zhiwei for shouldering the heavy responsibility of the troupe, allowing him to successfully start a family, and devote himself to the food industry to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the family.
Looking back on the process of being rejected, Chen Zhiqiang has long been relieved. Later, my mother-in-law brought all her relatives to Hualien to see if he was really serious about working in the food industry. His mother-in-law said, “Actually, it doesn’t matter how much money you make, it just requires you to have a sense of responsibility and a stable job.” Now that Chen Zhiqiang has three daughters, he said, “I can understand the feelings of being a parent.”
The sudden rise of “strong egg pancake” has become the signature stall of Dongdaemun Night Market
After the birth of his third child, in order to increase his income, Chen Zhiqiang used his culinary expertise to sell egg pancakes at the crowded Ziqiang Night Market in Hualien. The first time they pushed the dining cart out for business, he and his wife lowered their heads and felt very embarrassed. Selling omelettes for breakfast at the night market? He didn’t know whether it was a joke or not.
“Strong Egg Pancake” is extremely popular, attracting celebrities from all walks of life to come and support it. The picture shows Chen Zhiqiang taking a group photo with artist Liang Hequn. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
Unexpectedly, Chen Zhiqiang’s creative dish “Qiang Egg Pancake” with the portraits of his three daughters as its logo became an instant hit. The ingredients in the egg pancake include preserved eggs, oysters, rolls, pineapple shrimp balls, cheese, etc. Strongly recommended by college students and many netizens on social media, the business is booming and the popularity is booming, attracting many food programs and Celebrities from all walks of life came to support and report on the event.
After Ziqiang Night Market was merged into Dongdaemun Night Market, although the stall was located in a remote location, it had already gained a reputation, and the egg pancakes sold were a “unique” item in the night market. It soon became the shining signature stall and must-eat delicacy of Dongdaemun Night Market. one.
To make a living in the night market, only when there is a crowd can there be money. The food stalls earned hard-earned money and managed to survive the three-year epidemic. Unexpectedly, Hualien was hit by earthquakes and typhoons one after another. The entire city was in depression. The Dongdamen Night Market also faced the tragic situation of “more bosses than customers”.
Income dropped sharply, and Chen Zhiqiang could not afford to pay his employees. Now there is only one old employee left, plus two well-behaved daughters who come to the stall to help out after school. Fortunately, the government later implemented a series of measures such as tourism subsidies and the issuance of revitalization coupons, which helped Dongdaemun Night Market’s business improve.
Hard work may not necessarily lead to success, but if you don’t work hard, you won’t be able to wait for the pie falling from the sky. With hard work and persistence, Chen Zhiqiang allowed him to stand firm and support his family, and he became a star.
“Strong Egg Pancake” will compete for the first and second place in the large-scale reality food competition program “Night Market King” on Video TV Network. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
Recently, “Qiang Egg Pancake” was selected as the Dongdaemun Night Market representative team to participate in the TV station’s large-scale reality food competition program “Night Market King” and won the PK competition in Taiwan’s 10 largest night markets. It will compete for the championship and runner-up in early 2025. It is widely known. Attention.
Inherit the obligations learned and promote puppetry in schools
Chen Zhiqiang found that he still liked puppetry in his heart. It was an innate “puppetry soul”. (Photography: Zhejun)
With the success of “Qiang Egg Pancake” and his children growing up, Chen Zhiqiang found that he still likes puppetry in his heart. It is an innate “puppet puppetry soul”. Although his father was very strict with him in the past, he learned and learned solid basic skills that he will use throughout his life.
Chen Zhiqiang (right) joins his brother Chen Zhiwei (middle) and cousin Xie Youda (left) in the Hualien Zhengwuzhou Palm Theater Company’s lineup. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
In September 2024, the Hualien Zhengwuzhou Palm Opera Troupe held a special exhibition of puppetry called “Fame in the Palm” at the “Guo Zichu Music and Culture Center”. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
With the support of his family, Chen Zhiqiang joined his brother Chen Zhiwei and his cousin Xie Youda in the Hualien Zhengwuzhou Palm Theater Company. The three brothers each used their different expertise and worked closely together to gradually gain popularity. They were also recognized by Hualien County Government, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Environmental Protection Bureau and other units, and were invited to perform continuously.
At the same time, starting from the opportunity when the child’s tutor asked him to teach puppetry in the class, word of mouth spread, and many teachers asked Chen Zhiqiang to teach in schools. In order to promote and inherit puppetry, in recent years, Chen Zhiqiang has volunteered to teach in most well-known schools in Hualien, and has received an enthusiastic response. “At least let the children know where the puppet’s head is, where the hands are, how the clothes can be changed, etc. Only if the children understand, will they like it!”
Chen Zhiqiang went to Hualien Tzu Chi University Ruizhi College to teach. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
By chance, Chen Zhiqiang went to Hualien Tzu Chi University Ruizhi College (Dementia Rizhi Service Center) to teach. Although the elders were a little regressed and moved slowly, their eyes lit up when they saw the familiar puppets.
He arranged for each of the grandpa and grandma to play a role, and they played the same part throughout the year. Because they will forget, every time in class, every time. But the amazing thing is that they know Chen Zhiqiang, and they will happily say: “Teacher Aqiang, you are here again!” As long as they attend his golden puppet show class, they are very happy, and everyone is here. Puppet manipulation not only allows the elderly to use their hands and brains at the same time, increasing the flexibility of fine finger movements, but the humorous Chen Zhiqiang also makes everyone happy.
Grandpas and grandmas will also share some memories related to puppetry with Chen Zhiqiang. Chen Zhiqiang was very surprised by the words of a grandma: “Today’s AI is so advanced that it shouldn’t be like this. You have to maintain traditional things, always look back, and don’t keep moving forward. AI is a trend, it’s true. , but it just beautifies it, people are still in control of many things, so you have to look back at what you have done before, and you have to keep doing the puppet show.”
Go all out and hope to do your best on the stage of life
Chen Zhiqiang has been in the industry since he was 10 years old and has witnessed the great changes in the cultural ecology of puppetry from prosperity to decline. Left – Chen Zhiwei, middle – Chen Zhiqiang, right – Xie Youda. (Image source: provided by Chen Zhiqiang)
Chen Zhiqiang has been in the industry since he was 10 years old and is now 45 years old. He has witnessed the great changes in the cultural ecology of puppetry from prosperity to decline. He sighed: “In the past, every faction and every troupe would not let you learn it. In the past, the master had 10 lines, and he might only pass on 9 lines to you. You would then pass on 8 lines to the apprentice, and there will be fewer and fewer lines. , because I’m afraid that others will steal the show. Now we have to rely on others to learn, and no one wants to learn it. Many children have never seen puppet theater and can’t even understand Taiwanese. I told my elder brother, what will happen to us when we get older? I plan to donate all of it to the government in the end.”
Chen Zhiqiang’s life started in a theater troupe family, and finally returned to the puppet show arranged by the script. (Photography: Zhejun)
Puppetry is one of the important traditional drama forms in ancient China. The vigorous development in Taiwan is closely related to religious beliefs, cultural heritage, economic climate, etc. Life is like a play. If the script of life is an outline already written by God, then Chen Zhiqiang’s life, which started from a troupe family, no matter how twists and turns the process was, eventually returned to the puppet show arranged by the script.
The humble and easy-going Chen Zhiqiang is full of gratitude for life. He hopes that like his father, he will “do his best on the stage.” (Photography: Zhejun)
Chen Zhiqiang went from a poor boy in the countryside to the leader of Hualien Zhengwuzhou Zhangzhong Troupe, a university lecturer, and the owner of “Qiang Egg Pancake”. He is a humble and easy-going man who is full of gratitude for life. No matter which role he plays, Chen Zhiqiang goes all out and hopes that like his father, he will “do his best on the stage.”
Original title: Master Huang Haidai’s fourth generation Chen Zhiqiang inherits the Hualien Zhengwuzhou Palm Theater Company (Part 2)
(Reprinted from Issue 263 of “Looking Magazine”)
Source: read magazine
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