The 10th China Drama Award · Plum Blossom Performance Award (32nd China Drama Plum Blossom Award) recently concluded successfully in Shanghai. This final evaluation event, which brings together 17 actors and 13 theater genres, emphasizes respect for the essence of theater art, attaches importance to preserved plays that are deeply loved by the audience, welcomes private theater troupes with open arms, rejects utilitarian works that are "judged and sealed", and sends a strong signal to the industry: the national theater awards are bravely reforming with the blade inward, reaffirming the people-oriented and artistic nature of theater, and striving to promote the rejuvenation of theater art in the era. The unique charm of the art of drama originates from its core characteristics after thousands of years of precipitation - taking singing, reading, doing and fighting as the core, taking vocal rhythm as the soul, and taking freehand brushwork aesthetics as the foundation. However, for a period of time, there have been problems in the industry such as blindly pursuing stage design and large-scale production, piling up sound, light, electricity, pan theatrical variety, and operatic singing, leading to aesthetic loss and detachment from the audience. In view of this, the current Plum Blossom Award explicitly takes "adhering to the essence of drama" as a criterion in the performance evaluation. Therefore, the arrangement and adaptation of traditional plays, which best demonstrate the artistic skills and stage proficiency of actors, accounted for the largest proportion in the final evaluation of this year's Plum Blossom Awards. These plays adhere to the principles of "upholding integrity rather than conservatism, respecting the past rather than retro", demonstrating the charming charm of traditional Chinese opera art. For example, Qin Opera Opera "Incense Story" endows the traditional opera with the contemporary expression of ethereal poetry, creating a aesthetical mood with both classical charm and modern aesthetics; Kun Opera "Lanke Mountain", Hebei Bangzi "Beat God and Tell Temple", Dou E Yuan · Fa Chang ", Qin Opera" Zhao Wuniang "and other works have added performance skills that match the situation of the characters, and interpreted the psychology of the characters from a contemporary perspective; The Taizhou Luantan Quzi Opera Special is created based on the traditional Chinese opera's "one table and two chairs". It not only features the groundbreaking performance of "kicking the stool on the table", but also uses the spatial movement, different combinations, and placement of tables and chairs to transform characters into psychological mirrors or multiple performance points. It integrates the virtuality of traditional opera with contemporary minimalist artistic concepts, vividly interpreting the new era of traditional aesthetics. These works demonstrate through different artistic paths that innovation in traditional Chinese opera does not have to come at the cost of subverting tradition, but should achieve creative transformation and innovative development of traditional aesthetic spirit and contemporary value concepts on the basis of respecting artistic laws, so that ancient art can radiate new vitality in response to the propositions of the times. Drama originated from the folk, and its rise and fall are closely related to the aesthetic choices of the people. In order to reverse the utilitarian tendency of "creating for the sake of awards" and avoid works being shelved and ignored after awards, this year's Plum Blossom Awards will incorporate "people-oriented" throughout the entire evaluation process, clarifying that award-winning works must have both artistic value and market vitality, and truly be able to "make a name for themselves, spread widely, and stay". This rule change encourages actors to actively submit well received and frequently performed preserved plays that are loved by the audience. Among the selected actors' works, the dance drama "Crested Ibis" has performed more than 400 times in 11 years and has traveled to many countries around the world; The play 'Four Generations Under One Roof' has performed over 400 times in 15 years and toured more than 70 cities, but tickets are still hard to come by; There are also Beijing operas such as "Lin Chong's Night Run", "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy", and Wu opera "The Legend of the White Snake: Water Fight and Broken Bridge", which are works that audiences never tire of. The award-winning actors' works are deeply in line with the choices of the public, interpreting the simple principle that "art comes from the people and serves the people". The significance of this year's Plum Blossom Award in reconstructing the industry ecology is equally profound. For a long time, private theater troupes have been difficult to find a presence in national level awards, and institutional barriers and resource imbalances have led to an unbalanced situation in the opera ecology. Another breakthrough measure for this award is to open up the application channel for private theater troupes for the first time, allowing the Zhejiang Taizhou Luantan Opera Troupe to stand out. Due to business difficulties, the Taizhou Luantan Opera Troupe has been suspended for nearly 30 years. The newly established theater troupe has rooted itself in the market and is committed to innovation under the "private public assistance" model. It continues to prove with excellent works and talents that as long as it adheres to the artistic essence and respects the audience's aesthetics, the power of private art can also shine on the stage of national awards. The selection of the Zhejiang Taizhou Chaotic Opera Troupe is a recognition of grassroots troupes' adherence to art and rooting in the people, demonstrating the activation of the ecological diversity of traditional opera through the Plum Blossom Award reform. It vigorously promotes private art institutions and rare opera genres to enter the public eye from the edge of the industry, injecting fresh and vigorous social forces into the inheritance and innovation of traditional opera. Literary and artistic awards play a guiding role in setting direction and leading the trend by selecting artistic masterpieces and outstanding talents. The reform of the 32nd China Drama Plum Blossom Award once again reaffirms that drama is born from the soil of the people, and its highest value has always been to serve the people. Only by respecting the rules and keeping the original and innovating towards the audience, and adhering to the craftsmanship spirit of "ten years of polishing one play", can the "plum blossom" not only bloom on the award stage, but also in the hearts of the audience. (New Society)