Chapter 16: Feng Yuanzheng

"She is still too young. All things in the world have their own Dao; it is not something that fate alone can dictate. Let's not rush to resolve it."

Liu Xiaoli looked at him, her suspicions wavering. At the very least, he didn't have the air of a charlatan trying to sell talismans or divination, which made him seem more trustworthy.

Women! So fickle!

Cheng Jingfei was interested in befriending Lu Kuan, but his caution, honed by years of navigating the business world, kept him from letting his guard down completely. He stood up and invited, "Yifei is in the practice room. Please, Master Lu, let's move there. It would be good for you to meet her in person."

He wanted to hear what else this young Daoist could come up with.

After returning to the country and settling down, Liu Xiaoli had prepared a dance studio for her daughter. As a first-class national dancer, she was well-equipped to train her daughter in basic physical movements.

The group stood before a glass wall with a frosted lower half. Inside, a tall, thin man was instructing a young girl in breathing exercises.

"Yi-yi-yi~ Ah-ah-ah~"

"Wrong! Again!"

"Yi-yi-yi~ Ah-ah-ah~"

"Have you forgotten what I just told you? Do not isolate the chest and abdominal force. Again!"

Liu Xiaoli felt a bit embarrassed. She politely knocked on the glass door: "Teacher Feng, sorry to interrupt. Could we pause for ten minutes?"

Feng Yuanzheng turned back, waving his hand in annoyance. He hadn't been very willing to take this job in the first place; it was only because Cheng Jingfei had pulled strings with the leadership at the People's Art Theatre that he had been persuaded to instruct the young girl—he, who had just starred in the hit drama *Don't Talk to Strangers*.

"Teacher Feng, are you teaching the Grotowski joint breathing technique?"

Feng Yuanzheng paused, his hand frozen on the cap of his water bottle: "And you are?"

Lu Kuan stepped forward to shake his hand, his expression far more vivid and friendly than when he had been playing the charlatan with the others.

"My name is Lu Kuan. I'm a friend of Director Zhang. I've long admired your reputation, Teacher Feng!"

This was a solid, down-to-earth actor with teaching skills—perfect for Lu Kuan to "borrow" for his own start in the entertainment industry. He had to lower his posture.

In his previous life, he had only heard that Liu Yifei had hired Xiu Qing, who later played Murong Fu, to coach her acting on the set of *The Story of a Noble Family*.

He hadn't expected her to have hired Feng Yuanzheng, a powerhouse of acting, as early as 2001. How, then, did she end up with the reputation for poor line delivery and vocal projection that plagued her later?

One doesn't hit a smiling face. Seeing Lu Kuan's handsome, unrestrained appearance, Feng Yuanzheng assumed he was just another wealthy kid like Liu Yifei. Though he wasn't particularly impressed, he responded politely.

Liu Yifei, showing no embarrassment at having just been scolded by her teacher, said familiarly, "How did you know I was learning joint breathing?"

Feng Yuanzheng was also suspicious. In 1989, he had traveled to West Germany to study under Ms. Mersin of the Grotowski school. In China at this time, he was the sole practitioner of this style of performance.

Lu Kuan was pleased by the girl's unintentional assist. He looked at the faint sweat on the tip of her iconic hump-nosed bridge and explained with a show of expertise: "I read an acting book called *Towards a Poor Theatre*.

"It proposes that the actor's best breathing method is 'total breathing,' also known as joint breathing. There are roughly three training methods.

"The first uses complex movements with spinal stability; the second borrows from Hatha Yoga; and the last is derived from our own Beijing Opera art.

"Teacher Feng was just teaching the last one, wasn't he? Am I right?"

Zhang Zizhong nodded slightly. Such insight went some way toward explaining Lu Kuan's outstanding performance as Yin Zhiping on set.

Just how could a young man raised in a remote Daoist temple possess such talent? Was there really such a thing as someone born with knowledge?

Cheng Jingfei and Liu Xiaoli exchanged silent glances, feeling the mystical aura surrounding this little Daoist master grow even heavier.

Feng Yuanzheng set aside his previous annoyance. He hadn't expected this kid to actually know his stuff: "Little Lu, do you still have that book? If it's convenient, I'd like to borrow it."

Lu Kuan didn't know if a Chinese translation of *Towards a Poor Theatre* existed in 2001. He had acquired his knowledge from a Polish-born performance artist while studying at USC in his previous life.

"I'll look for it. Let's exchange contact information later, Teacher Feng."

Feng Yuanzheng smiled: "Can you demonstrate your joint breathing? I'd like to see how it differs."

Lu Kuan stood with his feet slightly apart. Air flowed through his chest, creating a column of air that reached his head: "Yi-yi-yi~ Ah-ah-ah~"

A true expert knows the quality of a performance at a single touch. Feng Yuanzheng's eyes lit up. He called over his temporary student: "Little Liu, come here. Put your hands here and feel the difference."

Liu Yifei obediently stepped forward. Following Feng Yuanzheng's instructions, she placed her hands on the lower part of Lu Kuan's ribcage to feel his muscle exertion and the rhythm of his breathing movements.

Lu Kuan focused on his single-syllable vocalization, acting as a willing model for Feng Yuanzheng.

But the fragrance wafting from the young girl was intoxicating. His Daoist heart wavered as he caught glimpses of her delicate, graceful figure.

Liu Yifei felt his ribs and abdomen expanding and contracting in rhythm with his steady vocalization. During this process, Lu Kuan's abdominal wall contracted inward while his muscles expanded outward.

"Your foundation is better than any young actor I've seen from the Central Academy of Drama, the Beijing Film Academy, or even the People's Art Theatre!"

Feng Yuanzheng exclaimed in admiration, his teacher's heart moved. Lu Kuan was clearly a more talented student than Liu Yifei.

Zhang Zizhong asked curiously: "Teacher Feng, is Lu Kuan's breathing and vocalization that professional? Is this the Grotowski performance method you've been teaching?"

He didn't blurt out the "Master Lu" title in front of outsiders.

Liu Xiaoli, a dancer by training, was puzzled. Though she lacked theoretical knowledge of acting, she found it strange that something her daughter had struggled with for so long came so naturally to Lu Kuan.

Lu Kuan smiled: "The foreigners make it sound mysterious, but if you explain it in the words of our ancestors, it's quite simple: 'Chest out, stomach in, energy sinks to the dantian.'"

Feng Yuanzheng explained: "Exactly. While the Grotowski school differs from Stanislavski or Brecht, many aspects draw from our traditional culture. It's just that we ourselves haven't yet recognized the value of these treasures."

Flowers bloom outside the wall but are fragrant inside. In this era, the Chinese people generally lacked confidence, often assuming that anything imported was superior.

"Ms. Liu, Mr. Cheng, I have some things I need to discuss with you. Let's step outside."

Feng Yuanzheng looked at the young girl, who was still practicing diligently, but due to his own work schedule, he decided to resign from this part-time teaching position.

(End of chapter)