Chen Lijun's kneeling stage move silenced doubters, reflecting public expectations for traditional art artisans with real skills and dedicated craftsmanship.
On stage, Chen Lijun knelt on one knee, her wide sleeves gently brushing the edge of the stage, her back held perfectly straight. With no background music to accompany the moment, the audience fell silent for two seconds before bursting into applause; this performance clip went viral across major platforms that very day.
In fact, as early as two years ago, Chen Lijun had already gained popularity beyond the Yue opera fan community thanks to a variety show and a new Yue opera production.As her fame grew, so did the accompanying speculation. Some dug up old stories, claiming that her admission to the theater troupe and her promotion to first-class actress were both exceptions to the rules—that she had taken shortcuts and undermined industry standards. Others seized on a minor incident from her early days on a CCTV program, where she mispronounced a single character, to argue that traditional opera performers generally lack a solid educational foundation.These claims were circulated with such conviction that, had it been anyone else, the rumors might have long since made it impossible for them to move forward.
Few people mention that the Xiaobaihua Order-Based Class, which Chen Lijun attended back then, was originally established specifically to alleviate the shortage of opera talent at the time. From its inception, the program emphasized evaluating actors’ practical stage skills rather than placing undue emphasis on scores from written exams.
And after he took a knee on stage this time, the many voices of dissent that had been heard previously suddenly fell silent.
Those who have dedicated their entire lives to traditional arts know full well whether this exceptional pathway—open to true talent and skill—actually undermines the fairness of the system or provides a tangible path forward for artisans willing to devote themselves to honing their craft.Having dedicated most of our lives to preserving traditional arts, what we hope for most is to see more successors who are willing to master their craft down to the very core. The next time you come across a video featuring such artisans, take a moment to pause and give it a “like”—it will bring a little more warmth to the time-honored skills we’ve spent our lives passing down.
