① With most people staying at home because of COVID-19, livestreaming(直播) has taken off. It is not only fun and interesting, but has also provided a new stage(舞台) for traditional culture artists.
② On video sites and apps such as Douyin and Bilibili, many traditional artists are trying livestreaming for the first time. Some of them sing Peking Opera, some show their hand-made products, while others perform classical Chinese music.
③ Li Jun is a laosheng (old male role) Peking Opera performer with the Shanghai Jingju Theater Company. During the outbreak, the 59-year-old started livestreaming for the first time. Unlike performing on a formal stage, Li uses everyday places as his stage, including his backyard, study room, and even the kitchen. Besides singing, Li also teaches viewers about Peking Opera in a humorous way.
④ People can ask him questions and get answers directly. "Livestreaming has brought this elegant(高雅的) art down to earth, " one viewer said. "It allows young people to get closer to this traditional art and learn more about it. " Up to now Li has more than 6, 000 fans on Douyin, while one of his videos has received 42, 000 views on Bilibili.
⑤ Other kinds of artists also see livestreaming as a new opportunity. On March 26, the third China Huafu Day, Bilibili livestreamed a fashion show. Performers presented beautiful clothes in traditional Chinese styles, including those from the Wei (220-265), Tang (618-907) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties. During the show, viewers not only enjoyed seeing the clothes but also watching how performers use ancient styles of make-up. For example, one blogger taught people how to draw the guiye eyebrow(桂叶眉) which was a typical make-up style during the Tang Dynasty.
⑥ As Guangming Daily noted, livestreaming has created a new way in which traditional culture can be kept alive.
