Zhang became an artist not because of her ambition but for living. After the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, her grandmother, together with her mother and aunt left for Wuqing to seek refuge when her mother happened to give birth to Zhang in 1938 at Wuqing, the hometown of many intellectuals, such as Sun Muxin. Qing became a part of her alias "Yi qing" named after the town of Wuqing. Zhang’s grandfather was a "Sue Beach" artist. Her family used to form a "Zhang Jia Ban", making a living by performing on the wharf. Zhang was imbued with what she had seen and heard when she was young, whereas her serious learning of opera only began at the age of 14. Zhang Yiqing was first arranged the role of four operas in the New opera "Mandarin Duck Sword". One of Shanghai "Chuan Generation" —Zheng Chuanjian was invited to rehearse The Cowherd and The Weaving Maid and this was the first time that Zhang received influence from Kunqu predecessors.
Adolescence
In 1952, Zhang went to take care of her aunt who was in Shanghai’s Minfeng Troupe of Suzhou opera. Unexpectedly, seeking refuge with her aunt because of poverty, Zhang inadvertently began her life as an artist. Zhang Jiqing joined the Minfeng Troupe of Suzhou opera when she was 14 years old. She studied Suzhou opera and played Dan role in her early career life. Later, the Minfeng Troupe of Suzhou opera was settled in Suzhou in October, 1953. In March, 1954, You Caiyun, a famous expert of Kunqu in the last years of Qing Dynasty, was invited to the Minfeng Troupe of Suzhou opera to teach the "Ji Generation" about Kunqu. At the beginning of 1955, Zhang Jiqing played the leading role of two Korean operas, Legend of Chun Xiang and Legend of Shen Qing. In addition, she played a role in a modern drama named Liu Hulan with her mother Zhang Huifen from the Qingfeng Troupe of Suzhou opera after the two troupes were consolidated.
Adulthood
After 1958, she concentrated most of her time on Kunqu and received instruction from some experts such as Shen Chuanzhi, Yao Chuanxiang, and Yu Xihou. She became known by audiences for playing Zhengdan, Wudan, and Liudan. Her representative drama are The Peony Pavilion, The Divorce of Chu Mai-sen and etc.. She was awarded the 1stPlum Blossom Prize in 1983. Yu Xihou, a student of Yu Sulu, quite an expert in the singing and spoken parts of Dan, has influenced Zhang the most in her Kunqu career.
Married life
Zhang Jiqing, like her husband Yao Jikun, is one member of the "Ji Generation". They walked into a love-based marriage after a 10-year-long courtship on May 1, 1991.
Overseas performances
Italy
Her initial visit to Italy had great effects. In 1980, the ancient city— Suzhou and the Italian city- Venice became sister cities. Mayor Rodrigo invited the Suzhou city government to form art performing groups and give performances in Venice in October, 1982. He showed much hope that Zhang would participate in this troupe. With the arrangement of Jiangsu Province and the Suzhou government, the "Suzhou Opera Troupe” was formed, performing Peking Opera, Kunqu and Suzhou storytelling. Zhang Jiqing accepted the invitation and performed The Peony Pavilion and the Lankeshan—the Crazy Dream. The first show was very successful. After Venice, the troupe went to Florence, and finally returned to Rome, Italy.
This visit was the first time for Kunqu, this ancient form of theater, to go abroad as an independent group after the founding of People's Republic of China. It could be said that the ancient history of Kunqu performances opened a new chapter since that. The first repertoire was The Peony Pavilion. Zhang responded to a curtain call 15 times, and cheers resounded through the theater. The last performance was The Divorce of Chu Mai-sen.
Japan
When Zhang was still in China, Japan’s NHK made a special trip to China and shot a documentary for Zhang- The Dream of Jiangnan. The representative performances—The Peony Pavilion and The Divorce of Chu Mai-sen were shown, and then received tremendous response.
Festival d’automne à Paris
After a commercial performance in Japan, Zhang Jiqing went to France to participate in Festival d'automne à Paris. Her performance named The Peony Pavilion was greatly welcomed by the local audiences. She also received the title of the "Honorary Citizen" of Villeurbanne. In December 1993, Zhang Jiqing, together with her husband Yao Jikun, went to Korea to participate in the Seoul Art Festival and performed the Divorce of Chu Mai-sen. In the second half of 1997, they went to visit the Helsinki Festival in Northern Europe, and also performed The Divorce of Chu Mai-sen. These performances achieved great success. In 1998, Zhang Jiqing cooperated with a famous Japanese Kyōgen actor, Mansaku Nomura to perform a traditional Chinese play named the Jade Hairpin in Tokyo.
Acceptance of apprentice
Invited by Pai Hsien-yung, Zhang Jiqing became the art director of the Peony Pavilion of the youth version in 2003. Shen Fengying, acting the role of Du Liniang, formally became Zhang’s first apprentice.
Main works
Zhang Jiqng has been the leading role of many plays, including:
Vice-Chairman of Federation of Literary and Art Circles of Jiangsu Province
Quotation of Zhang Jiqing about Kunqu
"I entered the Suzhou's Mingfeng Troupe of Suzhou opera to learn at the age of 14. During that time, I learnt more than 40 traditional operas, such as The Peony Pavilion, Immortal Palace and etc.. However, I did not have the real genius as a Kunqu Opera artist because of my low-level education, small eyes and narrow vocal cords. Through unremitting efforts, I realised that practice was a must if one wanted to have a breakthrough in art, and there is no shortcut."
