Pingtan art gallery shares appeal of traditional shows

A PINGTAN (storytelling and singing) art gallery on Liantang Ancient Street opened to the public early this month with an exhibition that allowed visitors to experience the timeless appeal of traditional art.

The art gallery near the former residence of Chen Yun (1905–95), a Communist Party of China leader, was converted from the theater where Chen used to enjoy pingtan performances as a youngster.

The art gallery’s pingtan art show, consisting of five sections, illuminates the origins, history and evolution of this traditional art form, as well as how it was passed down from generation to generation, its artistic allure, cultural significance and social impact.

It houses 79 cultural artifacts, including 50 valuable ones. These include recordings that Chen formerly heard and collected, pingtan books and a pipa (Chinese lute) that he once used, and a piece of cheongsam worn by renowned pingtan master Jiang Wenlan (1930-2022).

It is the first exhibition that thoroughly depicts the evolution of pingtan art in China, and it provides an interchange platform for residents and tourists to learn about and appreciate China’s intangible cultural heritage.

During the Chinese New Year holiday, the art museum invited several visitors to experience the beauty of pingtan.

Meng Weixi, a kid from Changsha, Hunan Province, was one of them.

Although she did not know the Suzhou dialect, she said that she liked the melodies of pingtan, which represent Jiangnan taste. She took a guided tour and even learned a bit about how to play the instruments.

In future, the art gallery plans to offer more personalized performance and experience activities.

“We are planning to organize more interactive activities, inviting residents to try playing the pipa and singing pingtan to experience the charm of traditional Chinese art,” said Chen Yushan with the art gallery.