A heroic achievement

Since then, actors and actresses at the theater have been sharing their performances and rehearsals on social media platforms, as well as telling their stories about learning the ancient art form and showcasing their daily practice sessions. Li, 60, also started his own channel, which gained him nearly 500,000 followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

"The theater tours nationwide, especially giving performances in the villages of Henan province. Our audiences are mainly made up of older people. However, it is the younger generation that uses social media, and I am surprised to see that many of our livestreaming shows are watched by young people," he says, adding that a livestreamed performance on Douyin he gave on April 28 attracted more than 8 million viewers.

In 2017, working with Zhengzhou University, Li launched an art center devoted to Yuju Opera with the goal of popularizing the art form among college and middle school students, as well as primary school pupils. Recently retired from Henan Yuju Opera Theater, Li now has a hectic schedule of teaching students Yuju Opera and sharing his experience of reviving the old art form through livestreaming.