In the snowstorm of 1998, Zhang Wenshun and Degang Guo met in a cross talk performance.
At the turn of the century, Degang Guo was down and out, running around in teahouses and small theaters just to get something to eat.
Before that, he had tried many times to enter the world of phonology, all of which ended in failure.
1988 joined the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Art Troupe to talk about cross talk, and the director of the troupe did not want him to sweep the floor and do odd jobs.
Six years later, I went north again from Tianjin. A week later, I gave up decisively and returned to Tianjin in despair.
1995 Degang Guo still didn't give up. He gritted his teeth and borrowed 4,000 yuan, but no one accepted him.
The failure of his three trips to Beijing made him gradually give up the idea of entering the orthodox phonological world.
He decided to talk about the crosstalk between the teahouse and the small theater first. After all, he has to let himself live first.
Zhang Wenshun was born in wartime Beijing, and he is a famous son of Dashilan Gold Shop in Beijing.
At that time, most local rich people in Beijing liked to go to the city to watch plays and listen to cross talk, and Zhang Gongzi was no exception.
When I was a freshman in Teachers College, I resolutely decided to drop out of school and later became the first scientist of Beijing Quyi Troupe.
That year, a large number of famous Quyi troupes emerged. Wang Qianxiang and Li Jindou are his classmates, and Tong Dafang is a school teacher.
Zhang Wenshun is a man who loves freedom. He openly fell in love with the younger sister of Quyi Troupe.
At that time, this kind of behavior was forbidden in the regiment, and a notice of dismissal came down, which tortured Zhang Wenshun terribly.
Soon, the group director jumped out to play the bad COP and let the young people converge. There is no need to fire them, but let them know their own discretion.
Zhang Wenshun, who had eaten all kinds of delicacies since childhood, was so angry that he simply quit.
"They are all children of his preteens, Lao tze all 20 don't let fall in love? ! "
Zhang Wenshun soon married his girlfriend, and he and his first love stayed together until they were old and never parted.
At that time, China was in a difficult period, and Zhang Wenshun had to temporarily put down his career and go to the factory to earn work points.
After the reform and opening up, I have done business, and I have also secretly done business in ancient architecture, but I still can't let go of my cross talk dream.
Soon, he decided to join the "Beijing Experimental Art Troupe" and stand on the stage of cross talk again.
1998 In winter in Beijing, when he was drinking tea in a teahouse, he saw Lao Guo talking cross talk on the stage.
At that time, Zhang Wenshun was 60 years old, and Degang Guo had just celebrated his 25th birthday.
After several crosstalk, Lao Zhang was quite surprised. He didn't expect the young man to have such a heavy burden.
At that time, he felt that Lao Guo would have a bright future, so after the end, he approached to chat with him.
The two chatted enthusiastically under the stage and went out to eat instant-boiled mutton late at night.
The two of them decided to set up the "Beijing Crosstalk Conference", which was later renamed the "Deyun Society" that we are familiar with.
2. The true feelings of mentoring
Beijing Crosstalk Conference was awkward in its early days. There is neither money nor people, only Lao Guo and Lao Zhang.
Zhang Wenshun took out his savings for many years and used them all to support Degang Guo's crosstalk career.
"I don't want money, I just want to find a job for this young man and settle down."
In order to give Lao Guo a name, he also used contacts many times to get him into the Quyi Troupe to make a name.
However, because a leader of Quyi Troupe had a problem with Zhang Wenshun at first, it ended in nothing.
Later, the development of the cross talk conference improved slightly, and it was renamed as "Deyun Society", which was officially opened to the outside world to take orders.
In order to expand the development of Deyun Society, Zhang Wenshun intends to recruit Degang Guo and train several successors.
Mr. Zhang wrote eight words in the office of Deyun Society, "Cloud Crane Nine, Dragons Everywhere".
From then on, these words became the eight-character surname of Lao Guo's disciples.
Seeing that the development of Deyun Society is getting more and more prosperous, many cross talk colleagues come to smash and rob.
Although Zhang Wenshun, a leader in the phonograph industry, still couldn't help stabbing him in the back one after another.
Every time Degang Guo hasn't gone out to arrest people, Mr. Zhang is the first to rush out and scold the troublemakers.
Later, another artist took the theme of "protecting the orthodoxy of cross talk" and called on everyone to boycott Deyun Society.
Zhang Wenshun, who knew the news, was very angry and rushed directly to the other company to try to defend:
"Dare you go on stage and do something sinister all day. What is it? "
At that time, Zhang Wenshun was overwhelmed by literati for fear that an careless old man would burp.
Zhang Wenshun spilled a sentence: "I'm not afraid of cancer. Kill me if you have the guts."
Later, after Lao Zhang quarreled several times, the people who opposed Deyun Society stopped making peace and stopped making trouble.
In fact, Zhang Wenshun is in the terminal stage of esophageal cancer, and he is fighting for his life for Deyun Society.
In 2005, Deyun Society survived the most difficult period. Degang Guo was on fire, and crosstalk was also on fire.
Just one year before Deyun Society became famous, it officially entered Hou's door and finally embarked on orthodoxy.
Although Lao Zhang's health began to deteriorate at that time, he always accompanied Degang Guo to major events.
"This boy is famous, and I am happy with the old man."
Later, several colleagues who made money by cross talk in the art circle launched anti-vulgarity activities with the intention of bringing down Deyun Society.
In the face of the attack, Zhang Wenshun paid for writing articles and delivering newspapers, which made this group of people speechless.
One year before his death, the Quyi community also had an exclusive interview with Lao Zhang.
The reporter asked, "You helped Degang Guo. He became popular, but your fame didn't rise. Is it worth it? "
Zhang Wenshun is very happy. He said he wouldn't live for a few years. What is the use of fire?
"I'm willing to be a mat for this young man. If he can spread cross talk, I will be satisfied. "
3, the word mantra
In 2008, Zhang Wenshun, who just celebrated his 70th birthday, became increasingly ill and had to stay in bed for a long time.
However, on his 70th birthday, he gave his last performance with Degang Guo.
The last crosstalk performance was a great success, and he knew that he had no regrets in his life.
In order to alleviate the fatigue of Lao Zhang, who was ill in bed, Lao Guo took turns to send apprentices to the hospital to take care of the elderly.
These children were brought up by Zhang Wenshun. He has a happy face and always laments the successors of Deyun Society.
These disciples often amuse Master Zhang, and Lao Zhang's mood improves and his face turns red gradually.
One afternoon in 2009, Degang Guo and his wife went to the hospital to visit Zhang Wenshun with fruit after they were busy.
As a result, Lao Zhang sat motionless in the hospital bed with his back to Lao Guo and said nothing.
Degang Guo was a tingle, understand this is said to him. He closed the door and sat in the chair.
"Come on, Lao Zhang, what new tricks are you going to do this time?"
Without process, Zhang Wenshun suddenly fuels to him, solemnly said:
"I'm dying. My wife, niece and grandson have to take care of you. "
Lao Guo hesitated for two seconds and said, "I'm here."
Zhang Wenshun thanked him by putting his hands together. Lao Guo couldn't bear it any longer and burst into tears.
In 2009, Zhang Wenshun spent the first snow in the New Year, and drove to Beijing Hexi on February 16.
Zhang Wenshun, 7 1 year-old, left a package with a note for Degang Guo before his death.
Every time I recall the contents of the note, Lao Guo will be silent and cry. There are two simple words written on the paper, "Unity".
At that time, for Zhang Wenshun's funeral, Lao Guo ordered Deyun Society to stop performing for seven days, and the door of Beijing Office was filled with wreaths.
He was extremely high-profile and made Lao Zhang's funeral spectacular without losing the face of the founder of Deyun Society.
Lao Guo also said: "No pains, I see who can die in Zhang Wenshun!"
In the second year after Zhang's death, a struggle called "August Storm" broke out in Deyun Society.
At that time, people such as Cao Yunjin ran away, almost obliterating all the efforts of Deyun Society for more than ten years.
Later, Degang Guo saved the day and abruptly hung up the brand of Deyun Society.
And the "Deyun Sishao" who ran away were all unknown except Cao Yunjin.
Teachers and friends, too
Lao Guo didn't break his word. He has been doing his best to fulfill his promise to Zhang Wenshun to take care of the survivors.
Zhang Wenshun's daughter and son-in-law entered the middle level of Deyun Society, responsible for personnel management affairs, with a high salary.
The stage name of Lao Zhang's grandson is Ning Yunxiang. At first, he said cross talk, and later he went behind the scenes and was responsible for the cooperation under the stage.
Since the funeral in 2009, our portrait has been hung in the backstage of Deyun Society, next to Master Hou.
Every first and fifteenth day, he would personally give incense to the two old-timers and set the fruit bowl, and then knock twice on the head.
When Degang Guo was interviewed by Sina Entertainment, he always mentioned Zhang Wenshun when talking about the past of Deyun Society.
"Mr. Zhang is the founder of Deyun Society. Without him, there would be no Deyun Society today. "
Lao Guo read this passage word by word without pause, and I could see that he had great respect for Zhang Wenshun.
In fact, during the 1998 heavy snow in Beijing, Zhang Wenshun made up his mind when he saw Degang Guo.
He is old, so he can only entrust his cross talk dream to this young man who never gives up.
For more than ten years, Zhang Wenshun has undoubtedly created today's Degang Guo and Deyun Society.