Liu Qingtang
Encyclopedia
Liu Qingtang' onMouseout='HidePop("37615")' href="/topics/Pinyin">pinyin
: Líu Qìngtáng) is a Chinese ballet dancer born in Gai County, Liaoning
Province, who made a fame through his role as Hong Changqing in the ballet Red Detachment of Women
of the National Ballet of China
, one of the eight model plays during the Cultural Revolution
. Xue Jinghua
was cast as Wu Qinghua in the same ballet.
Liu joined the art troupe of the People's Liberation Army
in late 1940s, and after the foundation of the People's Republic of China
in 1949, he studied ethnic dances and ballet
in Beijing
as well as the Soviet Union
.
In 1958, Liu Qingtang became well-known in the ballet circuit in China for his successful rendition of the prince Ziegfried in Swan Lake
.
In 1964, Liu was cast as Hong Changqing in Red Detachment of Women
. This was a task of more politics than of art, as this work was under the auspices and supervision of Jiang Qing
, wife of Mao Zedong
.
The film version of the ballet was released in 1971, and Liu Qingtang became a household name overnight.
His prominent quality as a ballet dancer and his political savvy enabled him to make leaps and bounds in his political career as well. In February, 1976, Liu was nominated by Jiang Qing
and Zhang Chunqiao
for the vice minister of the Ministry of Culture.
In the early part of the 21st century, Liu Qingtang returned to Beijing
and opened a ballet school there.
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Líu Qìngtáng) is a Chinese ballet dancer born in Gai County, Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
Province, who made a fame through his role as Hong Changqing in the ballet Red Detachment of Women
Red Detachment of Women
The Red Detachment of Women is the title of a novel as well as two films and a ballet, both of the latter are based on the novel. This article is about the ballet....
of the National Ballet of China
National Ballet of China
The National Ballet of China , known in China as the Central Ballet Troupe was founded on 31 December 1959. It is the mainland Chinese national ballet troupe...
, one of the eight model plays during the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
. Xue Jinghua
Xue Jinghua
Xue Jinghua is a Chinese ballerina who was cast in the now internationally well-known Red Detachment of Women of the National Ballet of China as Wu Qinghua, the heroine of the ballet for which she became a prima ballerina. The film version of the ballet was released in 1971 in China, five years...
was cast as Wu Qinghua in the same ballet.
Liu joined the art troupe of the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
in late 1940s, and after the foundation of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in 1949, he studied ethnic dances and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
as well as the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
In 1958, Liu Qingtang became well-known in the ballet circuit in China for his successful rendition of the prince Ziegfried in Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
.
In 1964, Liu was cast as Hong Changqing in Red Detachment of Women
Red Detachment of Women
The Red Detachment of Women is the title of a novel as well as two films and a ballet, both of the latter are based on the novel. This article is about the ballet....
. This was a task of more politics than of art, as this work was under the auspices and supervision of Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing was the pseudonym that was used by Chinese leader Mao Zedong's last wife and major Communist Party of China power figure. She went by the stage name Lan Ping during her acting career, and was known by various other names during her life...
, wife of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
.
The film version of the ballet was released in 1971, and Liu Qingtang became a household name overnight.
His prominent quality as a ballet dancer and his political savvy enabled him to make leaps and bounds in his political career as well. In February, 1976, Liu was nominated by Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing was the pseudonym that was used by Chinese leader Mao Zedong's last wife and major Communist Party of China power figure. She went by the stage name Lan Ping during her acting career, and was known by various other names during her life...
and Zhang Chunqiao
Zhang Chunqiao
Zhang Chunqiao was a prominent Chinese political theorist, writer, and politician...
for the vice minister of the Ministry of Culture.
In the early part of the 21st century, Liu Qingtang returned to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and opened a ballet school there.