he performance on March 14 by Fangsong Yue Opera Group was a big deal for the group’s longtime instructor Ma Shichun, because it was the moment when he passed the torch to the new leader of the group.

“Growth and decay is a law of nature. I am getting long in the tooth so it is time to move over and give somebody else a chance. The group is nobody’s private property. Only new blood and new ideas can ensure that we continue to perform to a high standard,” Ma said.

For over a decade, Ma has been the bedrock of the Fangsong Yue Opera Group and has led their contribution to the spread of Songjiang Yue Opera.

Yue Opera which originated in Zhejiang province, is the second most popular form of Chinese opera after Peking opera. There are dozens of Yue Opera fans and groups in Shanghai.

“Give me three to five years and I will build a professional opera group for Fangsong Sub-district,” Ma promised when he became the group’s instructor in 2010. Now Ma is able to retire with a sense of mission accomplished. “I have fulfilled my promise,” he said.

Fangsong Yue Opera Group has achieved a solid level, according to Ma. Over the past decade, the group has performed three operas and more than 30 opera excerpts, two of which, “the Butterfly Lovers” and “Dream of Red Mansions”, entered the global fans’ Yue Opera carnival. “Dream of Red Mansions” won first prize at the carnival and entered the Fourth Chinese Yue Opera Arts Festival, an unprecedented achievement at the sub-district level. Many group members have won municipal and national awards and been selected by CCTV to perform Yue Opera. Ma’s dedication has seen a group of amateur Yue Opera fans reach a professional standard.

Ma is delighted that, after years of effort, the Fangsong Yue Opera Group is now attracting youngsters. The “Xiaohua Class”, a specially designed class for kids who are interested but inexperienced, employs professional teachers to train new generations for Yue Opera. Ma said that students from that class won 17 awards last year including top awards in children’s opera.

For a decade, Ma has tirelessly promoted Yue Opera, even taking the group abroad to perform and encourage cultural exchange.

As the group has become better known, people identify Ma with the group, but this makes him uneasy. “A promising team cannot rely on one person,” said Ma, who decided in 2016 to begin the search for a successor.

Ma felt that professional achievements plus a willingness to make sacrifices were key attributes for his successor. He looked for an energetic young person with a certain level of literacy and good computer skills. “I’m too old to learn but these skills matter to a team. A successor should not be a replica of me but someone in tune with the times,” said Ma.

After much thought, Ma picked his student Lin Zheyi, who is a native of Songjiang. Lin has been with Ma for seven years, starting as a beginner in the group. “When I was young, I was interested in Yue Opera, but I didn’t have the opportunity to learn. When I joined this group I decided to study Yue Opera systematically,” Lin said.

Lin joined the group at the end of 2011 when it was still in its early days. After only six months’ study, she won a silver medal in her first municipal competition.

“Though we come from the sub-district, we are a professional group,” said Lin. For example, the stylists in Fangsong Yue Opera Group will carefully research the accuracy of a hairstyle. The group also invites experts from Shanghai Yue Opera Group to give classes. Apart from performing, Lin helps coordinate the teams.

Succeeding Ma as leader, Lin felt nervous but also motivated. “My teacher is getting on in years and it’s time for me to shoulder the responsibility,” said Lin. At the end of the performance on March 14, Lin won a standing ovation. As for Ma, even though he is now officially retired, he still teaches Yue Opera at Xinbang Primary School, at the NO.3 Experimental Middle School and at the local youth activity center.

“I don’t expect my pupils to become famous stars, but I do hope to stimulate their interest in Yue Opera,” Ma said.