What is the origin of "Bahe Guild Hall" in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province?

In the fourth year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (1854), Cantonese opera artist Li participated in the uprising led by Chen Kai. After the failure of the uprising, the Qing rulers brutally suppressed Cantonese opera artists. Cantonese opera artists are displaced in various places and can only perform Cantonese opera in the name of "Beijing Class". In the seventh year of Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty (1868), Rui Lin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, celebrated his mother's birthday, and his subordinates competed to choose a troupe and send it to the government to help celebrate. At that time, a number of famous Cantonese opera artists appeared, such as Wu Sheng Kuang Xinhua, Hua Dan Goubuli (He Zhang), Xiao Wu Da He, Xiao Ye Lun, and Ugly Man Guima San. Kuang Xinhua's troupe is also one of the troupes recruited into the government TV series. Yang Guifei, played by Gou Bizhang in the performance of Taibai He Fan, was so elegant that she fell down as soon as she sat down. As Yang Guifei played by Gou Bizhang looks like his dead daughter, the governor's mother accepted the seal as "adopted daughter" and asked him to dress up as a dead woman to wait on the left and right sides. As a result, Gou Bizhang became the "good girl" of the Governor's Office and stopped acting. Kuang Xinhua and others asked the governor to lift the ban on Cantonese Opera Troupe through the hook nose seal, and then Rui Lin gave the Qing court permission to resume its business. But in fact, in the last Qing Dynasty, the lifting of the ban on Cantonese opera was never officially announced, but only relaxed.

In order to strengthen the unity of the troupe people, ensure the normal operation of the troupe, and restore the guild organization of the troupe, Kuang Xinhua, Du Jiaoying, Lin Zhi and others proposed to organize the construction of the "Eight Harmony Guild Hall", and the expenses required for the construction of the "Eight Harmony Guild Hall" should make use of the habit of closing the whole line for voluntary performances in leap months every year, and put forward that 20% of its income plus the annual salary of each class should be used as the construction fund of the museum. Everyone who joins pays 1 two silver. As for the little actors in the boys' class, their "leap month fee" should also be deducted within three years after the teacher's contract expires.

In the 18th year of Guangxu reign in Qing Dynasty (1892), the "Eight Harmony Guild Hall" was officially built in Haibin Street (now Huangsha subway station), the former site of Huangsha in Guangzhou. The Eighth Hall is located in the Bahe Hall for artists from all walks of life to study abroad after work. According to different routes, there are Zhaohe Hall, Qinghe Hall, Fuhe Hall, Xinhe Hall, Yonghe Hall, Dehe Hall, Shenhe Hall and Puhe Hall.

Showa Hall: Gongjiao, Xiao Sheng, Zongsheng, Zheng Sheng, Dahua Store.

Qinghetang: Erhualian, Liu Fen.

Fuhetang: Hua Dan and Yan Hao are stubborn and smiling.

Xinhetang: ugly men and ugly women.

Yonghe Hall: Xiaowu and Wusheng.

Dehetang (Luan Yutang): Tiger of the Five Armies, martial artist.

Shenhetang: Accepting and selling dramas (later changed to Shenhetang).

Puhetang (later changed to Pufutang): shed surface (that is, musicians).

Bahe Hall also has various institutions:

Convenient: equivalent to the current medical room, there are 1 doctors to see artists, and special personnel to buy medicines.

Nursing home: Some members who are over 60 years old and have no children to support them can stay in the hospital to eat and live (there are often 20~30 people supporting the elderly here).

Farewell place: it is an institution that handles the funeral of old artists. There are 1 full-time staff, who are responsible for sending the deceased to the mountain for burial. Usually, they wash clothes and cook for these old people.

Bahe Primary School: Recruit artists and children from nearby neighborhoods, and tuition and fees are provided by Bahe Hall.

He Yi Company: At the end of Guangxu, artists invested and set up their own theater business in order to resist the exploitation of artists by owners.

The leadership system of Bahe Guild Hall is constantly developing and changing with the progress of the times. Initially, the president system was implemented, and all members elected respected actors and workers as presidents. The president has the highest authority in the industry, covering everything from drama affairs to artists' family life. Previous presidents: Kuang Xinhua, Liang Qingji, Xiaowu Feizan, Zuo Dafu, Yi Jin, Zeng Dashun, Gong Jiao, Chen, Li Yunquan (Tong Dawei), (Zong Huaqing), Shao Xinhua (Ren Junsan), etc.

1937, Japanese warplanes bombed Guangzhou, and Bahetang was destroyed overnight. 1946, Cantonese opera artists gave a charity performance to raise money, bought a building in Enning Road, Guangzhou, and built a new Bahetang.

After a lapse of nearly 60 years, Bahe Club was rated as "super dangerous building" by the government housing management department. Since 2002, Cantonese opera lovers have been planning to restore the Hall of Eight Harmony. On September 6th, 2002, famous Cantonese opera actors Wu Guohua and Cao Xiuqin led the Second Troupe of Guangdong Cantonese Opera Academy to perform in Hong Kong. Ticket revenue and donations from Hong Kong enthusiasts amounted to HK$ 260,000 and RMB 200,000. On June 27, 2002, the first phase maintenance project of Bahe Hall started. In 2003, Liwan District Government invested 60 million yuan to speed up the restoration of Bahetang. On September 28th, 2003, the Bahe Hall was successfully restored and cut the ribbon. The restored Bahetang is divided into two parts, the front of which is a three-story building, and the first floor is mainly Center Stage, with a stage height of 5 meters, which is used for Cantonese opera performances and is also a place for Cantonese opera friends to communicate.