Ganju Opera's enduring legacy passes on

Chen Li ignites youth interest with hands-on teaching style

On March 22 at 6:50 pm, just 10 minutes before a Jiangxi Opera appreciation class was scheduled to begin, the lecture hall at Nanchang University in Jiangxi province was already packed with over 100 people.

More students and online followers continued to pour in, prompting Chen Li from the university's Culture and Art Center of Jiangxi Opera to relocate the class to a larger venue.

Chen has taught the course for many years, focusing on the history, melodies and performance characteristics of Jiangxi Opera. The performance art is also known as Ganju Opera, adopting Jiangxi's nickname.