Wang Dahua, as a highly regarded "superstar", enjoyed a very high reputation during the Yan'an period. His name is often found on the packaging of toiletries such as soap, toothpaste, tobacco and tea. Although Wang Dahua was not a businessman, he was a well-respected theatrical performance artist, and his performances were loved by people, especially in the liberated areas such as Yan'an.
**etc** leaders even highly praised his performances such as "Brothers and Sisters in the Wasteland" and "The White-Haired Girl", and even praised him as a "people's artist"!So, how did Wang Dahua win such a high evaluation?What kind of legendary life experience does he have?Wang Dahua grew up in an artsy family, and his parents, both progressive intellectuals, encouraged him to explore his interests freely.
His hometown of Weixian has a profound cultural heritage, and the nearby Yangjiabu is one of the four major folk New Year painting markets in China. Having spent his childhood and adolescence in such an environment, Wang Dahua has a strong interest and love for traditional Chinese culture and folk art. In his family, art permeates everyday life. His parents often played musical instruments and sang songs at home, and also liked to collect folk art such as New Year paintings, clay sculptures, and wood carvings.
Wang Dahua learned various artistic skills from his parents since he was a child, especially in painting, and his father even opened a small studio at home, allowing him to give more freedom to his creative talents. At the same time, Wang Dahua will also follow his parents to Yangjiabu to observe the performances of folk artists, and has a strong interest in various art forms. He will even design some props and imitate some performances to show off his artistic talent. In the fall of 1935, Wang Dahua was admitted to the high school of Beiping Art and Literature Middle School.
With the purpose of cultivating cultural talents and revolutionary backbones, this school attracts many young people who are interested in contributing to the country and the people. Here, Wang Dahua was exposed to a wider range of knowledge and culture, and gained a deeper understanding of the current situation and history of the country and the nation. He actively participated in various extracurricular activities and club organizations at school, and met some like-minded classmates and teachers. Influenced by revolutionary ideas, he began to think about how to make his own contribution to the country and the people.
During China's turbulent times, Wang Dahua actively participated in the school's literary and artistic activities and performances, and expressed his emotions and thoughts through his works, while joining progressive organizations and revolutionary groups to contribute to the revolutionary cause. In 1937, when the Japanese war of aggression against China broke out, the country and the nation fell into an unprecedented crisis, Wang Dahua felt a great responsibility and was determined to give full play to his artistic talent and revolutionary spirit to contribute to the cause of national liberation. However, the main energy of the Kuomintang was devoted to dealing with the Communist Party, which caused his dissatisfaction.
Therefore, Wang Dahua participated in the December 9 Movement, shouting slogans along with other young students to express his firm belief in national independence and national dignity. However, the movement was soon suppressed, and many students were arrested or executed. Although he was not arrested, Wang Dahua was deeply aware of the difficulties and dangers of the revolution and became more worried about the future of the country and the nation. This movement profoundly influenced his outlook on life and values, and inspired a stronger revolutionary will and dedication. He realized that only revolution and national liberation could truly defend the interests of the country and the people.
Therefore, his disgust with the Kuomintang led him to create works that exposed the truth about the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang. Subsequently, he decided to go to Yan'an, the mecca of the revolution, where he was impressed by the free creative environment and friendly atmosphere. Inspired by the best, Wang Dahua went deep into the masses to learn and create, thinking about how to integrate theoretical knowledge and folk art. His works such as "Brothers and Sisters in the Wasteland" and "The White-Haired Girl" have become classics and have been widely praised in the liberated areas, even in the nationalized areas at that time.
Brothers and Sisters Open Up the Wasteland" praised after "This is like a person serving the workers, peasants and soldiers, and such works are closely related to the masses." ”。After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, he went to the northeast to guide literary and artistic work, although the climate there was cold and the living conditions were difficult. In order to prepare for the Chinese New Year performance, Wang Dahua decided to go to the rural areas to collect local art materials. Due to the lack of transportation, he chose to take a car that pulled cotton bales. The space in the car was small, and in order to accommodate the masses and colleagues, Wang Dahua took the initiative to climb on the roof of the car.
However, due to the biting cold wind and long-term fatigue, Wang Dahua's physical condition was already poor, resulting in him failing to grasp the handlebars and eventually fell off the roof of the car and injured his head. Although he was rushed to the hospital in time, he died of his injuries at the age of 27. **Upon hearing this news, he was deeply saddened and immediately instructed the Northeast Bureau to award Wang Dahua the title of "People's Artist". Wang Dahua was born and died for the people's art, and "people's artist" is the best summary of his short life.