Opera Teaches Culture for Student from Cameroon

Sime Nkemeni Darrin, whose Chinese name isLiu Bianjing, is in a play [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Sime Nkemeni Darrin, an overseas doctoral student in Kaifeng, Henan province, said learning Chinese opera has helped him understand Chinese culture, and he wants to bring the opera back home to let people share his enthusiasm.

Darrin's Chinese name is Liu Bianjing. Bianjing was the name of Kaifeng city in ancient times, while the family name Liu in Chinese has the same pronunciation with another character Liu with the meaning of staying.

Majoring in traditional ethnic sports at Henan University, Liu came to China in 2017 from Cameroon.

Sime Nkemeni Darrin, whose Chinese name isLiu Bianjing, plays soccer. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"I came to learn Chinese martial arts but it was the opera that attracted me in the end," he said.

By coincidence, Liu watched a Yuju Opera calledHuamulan, named for a legendary Chinese heroine, five years ago and he fell deeply in love with the sonorous and infectious play and its music.

Originating in Henan province, Yuju Opera is one of the country's major opera types.

"It's not only a kind of play with music. I felt closer to Chinese culture by learning and playing it," Liu said.

Sime Nkemeni Darrin, whose Chinese name isLiu Bianjing, works as a volunteer. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

To learn the opera, Liu sought out well-known Yuju artist Li Shujian to be his master.

"To learn the opera, one must learn Chinese well," Liu said. So he also participated in a Chinese language class.

After a year of learning and practice, Liu got an opportunity to play on TV on a locally famous Yuju program and obtained some recognition for himself.

"I will show the opera to people in my country when I go back and let more people have the opportunity to enjoy the play and Chinese culture," he said.