梅兰芳与民国时期的慈善义演

Mei Lanfang and Charity Performance during the Republic of China

慈善义演是近代都市兴起的一种娱乐文化现象。民国年间,京剧"四大名旦"之一的梅兰芳,在其一生光彩照人的舞台艺术生涯中,曾积极参与各类慈善义演活动。究其动因,既有时代与社会的外部因素,也有其个人成长的家庭环境因素。纵观梅兰芳的演艺人生,他在民国时期的慈善义演大致经历了初始期(1912—1919年)、高峰期(1920—1939年)、复归期(1945—1949年)三个阶段。从筹募善款的目的与用途,其慈善义演活动大致可分为爱国救亡、赈灾济贫、助医兴学等三类。梅兰芳的慈善义演活动,在某种意义上,可为中国近代慈善义演兴起、发展与衰微全过程的一个缩影,也是透视近代慈善义演发展演变的一个典型样本。

Charity performance is a cultural entertainment phenomenon which appeared in modern cities.During the period of the Republic of China,Mei Lanfang,one of the four most famous female role of the Peking Opera,took an active part in various charity performances in his career.The reasons include the external factors of the times and society,as well as the family environment factors of personal growth.Throughout Mei’s life of performing arts,his charity performance during the Republic of China went through three phrases:the initial period from 1912 to 1919,the peak period from 1920 to 1939,and the recovering period from 1945 to 1949.From the purpose and use of raising donations,the charity performance activities can be roughly divided into three types:patriotic salvation,disaster relief and poverty relief,and medical aid and education.In a sense,Mei’s charity performance activity can be a microcosm of the whole process of the rise,development and decline of modern charity performance in China,and also a typical specimen of the evolution of modern charity performance.