Actor Zhang Yishan takes on his largest age-spanning role yet as Peking Opera actor Meng Jinful in the 40-episode series Yun Que Jiao Tian Lu, which is currently broadcasting on Hunan Television and Mango TV following its recent conclusion.
The 40-episode Jianghu legend Yun Que Jiao Tian Lu occupies a prominent spot on television screens as a key funded project of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau and a major literary and artistic project under the Beijing Great Audiovisual
banner. Directed by Zheng Dasheng with a script by Wang Yao and Peking Opera direction by master artist Yang Wei, the production looks to honor traditional arts by anchoring its narrative in the life of Peking Opera master Tan Xinpei. The extensive cast includes Zhang Yishan, Tan Tan, Cao Lei, and Yang Liu, alongside special starring turns from Liu Wei, Yu Hui, and Zhao Liang, and special appearances by Liu XiaoLingTong and Yang Xinming.
Zhang Yishan Transformed as Meng Jinful
At the center of the series is Zhang Yishan in the role of Meng Jinful, a character who evolves from a young apprentice through the stages of martial clown (wuchou) and martial painted-face (wusheng) into a leading elderly male role (laosheng). The actor acknowledged that taking on a character with such vast chronological range presented a formidable challenge, particularly given his own background.
I essentially started with zero foundation in traditional opera. To outsiders, the hardest part seems to be the opera performance on stage, but for an actor, the expressions outside of opera—such as actions, language, demeanor, and inner spirit—are even more difficult. Zhang
Although Zhang had trained at the Shichahai martial arts school during his youth, transitioning from athletics to classical opera required immersive training. Production preparation included intensive pre-filming training camps where all cast members tackled the rigorous physical demands of multiple performance disciplines, including dan roles, under the guidance of professional opera instructors.
Immersive On-Set Training and Professional Collaboration
Yun Que Jiao Tian Lu incorporates 276 distinct Peking Opera performance segments and classical staging scenes. Rather than relying solely on pre-production boot camps, Zhang absorbed the nuances of the profession directly from his colleagues.
More than half of the actors in the entire crew are exceptionally accomplished traditional opera performers. During our regular scene rehearsals, not only did I learn specific opera segments, but I also tried to find the characters by directly experiencing the traces left on them by their opera training. Zhang
That daily exposure to professional practitioners helped shape the character’s posture, speech cadence, and physical bearing. The production’s ambition extended beyond individual character arcs to reflect the broader transformations of an entire artistic trade.
Reception and Critique of the Historical Drama
Despite its high-profile creative team and meticulous inclusion of traditional art forms, public response to the broadcast has drawn mixed commentary across platforms. According to entertainment reports, audience discussions have focused heavily on casting alignment, with some viewers noting a visual distance between the star’s natural screen presence and the seasoned gravity traditionally required of a veteran laosheng practitioner. Others pointed to stylistic choices in character pairings and period styling as points of debate for home viewers.
At the same time, supporters have praised the emotional intensity of the dramatic turning points, particularly the character's mid-life struggles with professional setbacks and personal loss, managed alongside fellow cast members.