Opera master Mei Lanfang's love of his Taizhou ancestral home

Mei Lanfang, the famous master of Peking Opera, hailed from the city of Taizhou, located in East China's Jiangsu province.

But in the legendary journey of his life, he only set foot on the land of his ancestral home once.

On March 7 in 1956, the people of Taizhou welcomed Mei, a striking figure of elegance and talent. The Taizhou Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall houses footage from his homecoming, capturing the grand reception as crowds lined the streets to greet the master.

In February 1956, Mei was performing in Jiangsu when the news of his presence spread to Taizhou. People from all walks of life sought him out and extended an invitation from his hometown.

Mei accepted the invitation and entrusted representatives to locate his relatives in Taizhou, fulfilling his long-held desire to revisit his roots.

Archives from the Taizhou Municipal Archives recount Mei's sentiments on returning to his homeland.

"I am very willing to come back. On one hand, I can commemorate my ancestors and on the other hand, as an actor of the people, I should perform more for the people," he declared.

He added: "Although Taizhou is a small city, being able to perform for my fellow townspeople is my greatest wish."

A photograph taken in 1956 shows the welcome for Mei Lanfang. [Photo provided by the Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall]

A photograph from March 7, 1956, captured Mei and his entourage arriving in Taizhou, showcasing the bustling street scene. Despite poor venue conditions during his performances in Taizhou, Mei was delighted, forgoing his income as a token of gratitude for the warm reception from his hometown.

This deep-seated hometown sentiment, which Mei found hard to part with, continues in his son, Mei Baojiu. In an article commemorating his father's 50th homecoming anniversary, he wrote: "Fifty years have passed, but I cannot forget the scene of visiting my ancestral home with my parents and the strong nostalgia here."

Mei Lanfang performs in Taizhou. [Photo provided by the Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall]