Performers › Stage Performers
Tan Xinpei
Late-Qing laosheng actor known as Xiao Jiaotian, pupil of Cheng Changgeng and founder of the Tan school, filmed in Dingjun Mountain in 1905
Backstage of a theatre troupe, an open trunk spills embroidered red and blue robes, one worked with a phoenix, beneath a jewelled headdress with long plumes; a mirror stand, a stool and a row of painted drums stand beside it, with a red curtain hanging at the right.
Also known as Born Tan Jinfu · Stage name Xiao Jiaotian
- Roles
- Stage Performers
Tan Xinpei, born Tan Jinfu and known on stage as Xiao Jiaotian, came from Jiangxia in Wuchang prefecture, Hubei (now part of Wuhan), and was born in 1847, the son of the old-woman-role singer Tan Zhidao. He followed his father to Beijing, began in martial roles and then studied under Cheng Changgeng as a laosheng, drawing also on Yu Sansheng and Wang Jiuling to shape the supple singing and careful acting of the Tan school. In the Guangxu reign he was chosen to perform at court. In 1905 the Fengtai photo studio in Beijing filmed scenes of him as Huang Zhong in Dingjun Mountain, often counted as the first Chinese-made film. His repertoire included Dingjun Mountain, Yangping Pass, Battle of Changsha and Beating the Drum to Curse Cao. He died in Beijing in May 1917.
Life and times
Dates 1847 CE–1917 CE