I met Qian Huili， a preeminent Yueju Opera artist， at a fans-aria-singing competition jointly sponsored by Cultural Dialogue and Zhejiang Television recently. We later had a long conversation. The conversation touched upon her career， her understanding of the art， the famed predecessors of the Yueju Opera， and the heritage of the opera. Hereinafter is a summary of what she said.

I grew up under the fervent influence of my father. He was both a good actor and director. He sang some arias during festivals. As a child， I was fond of Yueju Opera because the singing was exalted in my ears. The opera appealed to me only moderately at that time. I fell in love with the opera when I watched the movie version of Yueju Opera play The Dream of Red Mansions， thinking it was the opera that touched my heart. So I got to love Yueju Opera in early years. Moreover， in my school days， there were a lot of acting opportunities. We were able to show our acting talents and my interest grew. I bonded with the opera in my senior high school years. I had two choices upon my graduation from high school: I could enter a Yueju Opera troupe or I could go to college. I passed the examination and joined the Zhuji Yueju Opera Troupe. I was 18 years old that year.

Now I can say that Yueju Opera has shaped my life and I know how choices affect life. Had I stayed at home， I would have worked in the pearl farming business like all the people my age in Zhuji. Had I chosen to go to college， I would lead a completely different life today. I feel happy for my right choice， for I am able to fully express myself on the stage. I've chosen a path to my liking.

My master Xu Yulan's remark is my motto: \"Speak! Speak loud for the people.\" To speak for the people， I must condition myself well enough for ups and downs. In my career， I have felt lost and depressed， but I am responsible for my own aspirations. Whenever I run into some negative thoughts， I will remember how the masters of Yueju Opera composed themselves in face of difficulties and setbacks. I have never questioned my dedication.

I believe life is the only source of art. The art of acting should base itself on life and use life as a backdrop so that passion can seamlessly integrate with acting. In the initial period there is something not so natural in acting. A good actor goes beyond the phase and gets to a much greater world.

I at first had difficulties portraying Baoyu (the male lead in The Dream ofRed Mansions and male roles in Yueju Opera are usually enacted by women). Difficulties increased when the gap between the character and me yawned. In the play the boy is forever young and handsome whereas I first became a wife and then a mother. My solution was to watch teenage boys and learn how they behave. Now I watch my son closely. I have learned a lot from my teenage son and have injected what I learned into my performing.

Of all the awards I have received， the most unforgettable one is the award of the 7th annual Shanghai's ten outstanding young people. I have been given all the top awards a stage artist can dream of. I treasure these honors， but I do not let them get to me. Another motto I follow comes from the famous Peking Opera master Shang Changrong. He says， \"Be an ordinary person off stage and be an extraordinary person on stage\".

The difference between an average actor and a master lies not merely in acting skills but also in personal charm. People， a popular CCTV talk show， is my favorite. Watching the program， I feel that the talk show guests do not allow themselves to be upset and disturbed. How pure， honest， and sincere they are! They are honest about who they are and where they came from; nor do they flaunt their experiences. They are just what they are: people who have seen the world and experienced all the ups and downs of life and they are amicable. That reminds me of us actors: in everyday life I am ordinary and on the stage I show my best.

The old-generation Yueju Opera masters do not have much school education， but how can we say they are not well cultured and not elegant? They are popular with audiences and their artistic pursuit have benefited the whole generation of Yueju Opera artists in their wake. I can easily name names and everyone of them is a master. I can also name some brilliant artists in the movie circles. They do not talk big; they do not indulge in talks about aspirations; and they do not brag their artistic achievement. Yet they are brilliant in acting. What they have achieved does not come from lip service or empty talk. It might be easy to be a star but it would be very difficult to be a widely recognized master. And a real artist never stops exploring.