Q: How did you get into the art of shuochang professionally?

A: I entered shuochang in an era when information and resources were not as abundant as they are nowadays. My exposure to shuochang used to come from radio programs or cassettes recordings of marvelous performances by shuochang masters. Later, I sought guidance under Master Chen Yi An. Master Chen was in the same realm as shuochang masters Wu Zhao Nan and Wei Long Hao, and he is considered as one of Taiwan’s shuochang grand masters. He guided me for a long time, and he has been really inspirational to me.

Q: There are more than three hundred types of shuochang, what is your favorite?

A: My favorites have to be Jing Yun Da Gu and Shandong fast clappers, but they may not be well-received in Taiwan. Shandong dialect is extremely difficult to understand, and scripts of Jing Yun Da Gu are comprised of classical literatures. They are not common in Taiwan. Therefore, when I do cross talks, I tried to cover elements of Shandong fast clappers and jing yun da gu. Cross talks is very inclusive, and I can add any shuochang elements I want to explore or introduce in my script.

Q: You are now one of the top elite shuochang performers in Taiwan. How do you keep yourself on top of your game in this field?

A: I’m quite an obsessive person. I chose to do shuochang because I was mesmerized by its charm. The more I do it, the more I fall for it.
When we face the audience, we must be able to deliver clearly everything we have prepared, and that’s what cross talks is all about. It is never about being mealy-mouthed or talking glibly. Cross talks is about using the most refined and logical everyday language to deliver a performance that resembles two lifelong friends having a casual conversation.
I have been constantly in a state of learning and working in the field of shuochang. The more I learn about it, the more I like it. I used to keep a close tie with shuochang performers in China. I visited, understood, and learned a lot from them. In the process, I have also made lots of friends who share the same passion as mine, and they have been instrumental in my quest for learning shuochang.

Q: What are the qualities or traits to a good shuochang performer?

A: I think there are a few essential qualities that a shuochang performer must have. First, you must know what the art of shuochang entails. Second, you must be passionate about the art of shuochang. Finally, you must be willing to promote the art of shuochang. Do what you enjoy doing, and you will do it well, and then you will want others to like it as well.

Q: Middle grade students in our school get two shuochang classes per week. Do you think every student should learn shuochang?

A: Everyone should learn shuochang, especially cross talks. The reason is quite elementary. Who wouldn’t want to be able to articulate and express thoughts clearly? If you would, then you should learn cross talks. Cross talks is simply talking with acting. The acting part compliments the talking part, and then the talking part would deliver the performers’ passion. In the end, your talking will be filled passion, and that is quintessentially what a good cross talks performance is all about.

Q: How can shuochang help us in learning?

A: Take cross talks for example, it is a form of shuochang that relies on making the audience laugh. In fact, there are twenty-two ways to make people laugh in cross talks. If you are able to master these twenty-two ways of making people laugh, then you would have become Mr. Popularity in your circle of friends. People who like cross talks are usually highly imaginative, and that’s also the most captivating aspect of shuochang, which is it grants you an unbounded space for you imagination to run wild.
That’s also why I am so attracted by the art of shuochang. Take tongue twisters for example, once a kid is drawn by it and learning it, he will be able to articulate clearly.
When our students recite Tang poetries, I will ask them to figure out the meaning of each verse. For example, the verse ‘Sending guest away at night on the bank of Xun Yang River’ in the poem ‘Pi Pa Xing’ has three-tiered meanings. In the first tier, the author is sending his guest away. In the second tier, the author is sending his guest away in the middle of the night. In the third tier, the author is sending his guest away on the bank of Xun Yang River. When my students read that verse, they have to decipher what the author was trying to tell his readers, and then express that in their own words. And that’s what I have been asking my students to try.
I think these fun aspects of shuochang are able to help my students in all aspects of their lives.

Q: You always promote and teach shuochang in person. Do you find it tiring?

A: It is bittersweet at times, but when the audience responds to my performance with applause or laughter, it makes it all worthwhile.

Q: Are there moments of joy or regret that you would like to share with us?

A: What makes me sad is our country’s Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, and Department of Cultural Affairs of Taipei City government do not understand the art of shuochang, and they are not willing to seek advice from those who do know something about it. It saddens me and leaves me with a feeling of helplessness, and I feel I have let the shuochang community down.

Q: If your pupil is having trouble learning something, how would you help?

A: I would restart from the direction where it is easier or more fun for the student, and they would be more willing to learn and practice. Once they are willing to practice, then all problems would just go away.

Q: Can you give those who want to learn shuochang some words of encouragement?

A: Learning the art of shuochang is quite a blessing because it encompasses the wisdom of our ancestors. There is so much untapped knowledge in shuochang. Shuochang used to be a medium for social education, especially those who were illiterate. Shuochang is able to pass down knowledge or events of history through the mouths of the performers.