A painful childhood
Ma Ji, like many people who are too old, was born in the old times and grew up in the new era. His childhood was painful. My brother Ma Shuliang went to Tianjin as an apprentice because his family was poor. Sister Ma went to Xianghe, Hebei Province; Ma Ji went to Shanghai as an apprentice with a distant relative.
Hongde Weaving Factory specializes in weaving German brand pillowcases and tablecloths. In the evening, when the shopkeeper comes home from work and the master is away, the publishing house becomes the world of young apprentices. There is a radio here, and Ma Ji listens to programs for a long time. He likes to listen to the names of dishes, porridge factories, Three Kingdoms, geographical maps, birthday celebrations and vinegar lighting. If it weren't for the historic turning point of the times, Ma Ji might continue to rise and fall in the commercial sea. However, the god of fate pushed him to a brand-new life path.
catch sb's attention
1953 In March, Ma Ji became a formal employee of Xinhua Bookstore North China Publishing House. On weekends, trade unions hold dances or get-together activities. Ma Ji shows his talents, and his best program is crosstalk.
On holidays, Ma Ji went to the teahouse and went to the theatre. Listening to cross talk, my hands are not idle. I have a steamed bun in one hand and a pen in the other, while listening, eating and writing. These days, Guo Qiru's plays Miscellaneous Talk, Drama and Dialect, Eight Fan Screen Wind, Gao Deming's Vinegar Lamp, No Divorce, and Zhao Yugui's Biography, etc. In front of him, a colorful art world was displayed.
1956 At the beginning of this year, an amateur folk art performance was held in Beijing. Ma Ji's entry is the cross talk "Looking for an Object", which satirizes a young worker who judges a book by its cover and almost falls into a trap set by a spy and wins the first prize. Later, Ma Ji participated in the national amateur folk art performance. His cross talk "Don't blame me" satirizes some postal workers for being irresponsible and making mistakes repeatedly, but always says "Don't blame me." China Radio Rap Team Leader and Crosstalk Master Hou also appreciated it very much. Hou Linbao said happily, "I can find a student!"
Two opportunities
From 65438 to 0956, Ma Ji officially joined the China Radio and Rap Troupe and became a professional crosstalk performer. At that time, the leaders decided that Guo Qiru and Ma Ji were all teachers, and then they were responsible teachers. Four famous teachers teach one, are you still worried that you won't become a talent?
From 65438 to 0957, the national tour of China Radio and Rap Troupe greatly improved Ma Ji's technology. Ma Ji's performances usually come first. After that, he stood by the curtain, holding a teacup in his hand, ready to moisten his voice for the teacher, while watching the teacher's performance with rapt attention. After returning from the tour, China Radio and Rap Troupe was divided into two performance teams, with Ma Ji as the leader. In this way, he suddenly appeared and quickly opened the situation.
196 1 year, a large-scale activity of excavating the traditional heritage in the field of traditional opera and quyi was carried out nationwide, and 80 traditional cross talks were sorted out and printed into a book, which is known as the "four great books" in the field of quyi. At that time, Ma Ji got a set of "four big books" and read them again and again. Because it is deeply rooted in the traditional cross talk art, Ma Ji's rapid innovation activities are deeply rooted and enduring.
Re-emergence after the "Cultural Revolution"
Ma Ji worked hard for crosstalk for decades and rose twice: first, he rose in the struggle in the 1950s; Then there is the re-emergence after the "Cultural Revolution".
During the labor reform of the May 7th Cadre School, Ma Ji created the comic dialogue "Old Stationmaster". After returning to Beijing, he rewrote the famous cross talk Ode to Friendship. After smashing the Gang of Four, he created crosstalk "Storm on the Stage" and "White in the Sky". Take the lead in performing cross talk at the Spring Festival Gala held by CCTV. It was the first time that crosstalk was performed at the Canton Fair, and the performance was the New Peach Blossom Garden. "Ma Ji Crosstalk Show" toured six provinces in China and was very popular.
Ma Ji's comeback is also manifested in broadening the theme of cross talk. His newly created works cover almost all works, including five lines and eight articles, at all times and all over the world, and clearly outline the transition track of cross talk from citizen art to national art, among which the most admirable thing is to make the past serve the present and criticize the disadvantages of the times. Ma Ji created many excellent works of Acura and Crosstalk. Comparatively speaking, it is more difficult than creating satirical cross talk. Ma Ji combined cross talk with opening to the outside world and communication between China and foreign countries, and created excellent works such as Ode to Friendship, Courtesy and I Love Singapore.
Spring Festival Evening "Take the Lead"
Since 1983, Ma Ji has participated in hosting the Spring Festival Gala for three consecutive years, winning the reputation of "horse hosting". In addition to Ma Ji, Jiang Kun, Wang Jingyu and Liu Xiaoqing also participated in the host, and were called the four hosts. In addition to being hosts, they also have to dedicate their excellent programs. At many Spring Festival parties, Ma Ji introduced popular new works, including new idioms, small scenery in mountain villages, saying no to one, cosmic cigarettes, selling wine, striving for success with five senses, discipleship, farewell and so on.
"Cosmic cigarette" is the most sensational. Some people say it's like stand-up comedy, others say it's like a one-man show. In fact, it has both advantages and unique ways, and it has become a sketch that successfully uses TV means and highlights language characteristics. The language is highly exaggerated, self-created, self-praised, and self-entertaining, which has received unexpected and reasonable results and vividly embodies the charm of cross talk. The twists and turns of the plot reflect some characteristics of the play from beginning to end.
A 70-year-old heart is not old
"You made a mistake! I'm not 72, I'm 27! I'm still young. Why should I stop? I'm going to talk cross talk forever! Life is endless, cross talk is endless! " Ma Ji, who has not appeared in public for a long time, appeared at the scene of the third CCTV crosstalk contest during the National Day in 2006, and was an expert judge of the invigilator group of the contest.
Ma Ji disclosed his retirement life: "Speaking of retirement, I didn't retire at all! What I am enjoying at home now is a happy cross talk life. If I don't go out to give lectures, my life is generally like this: get up at 7 am, take a walk for 30 minutes, and then practice writing 1 hour; Have breakfast at 8: 30, write a book at 9: 00 12, and sort out cross talk jokes; /kloc-lunch at 0/2: 30, lunch break for 90 minutes after meals; From 3 pm to 7 pm, teach apprentices or read books, and walk for 30 minutes after dinner at 7 pm; Watch TV for 2 hours at 8 o'clock, read newspapers at 10, and go to bed at 1 1. "
Why didn't Ma Ji perform on stage or make public appearances? He said, "I am over seventy years old. I should give up the stage and let young people perform more. What am I doing? " . Now I am busy writing out my decades of cross talk experience and excellent traditional jokes, hoping to help young people who are interested in the cross talk industry. I have completed my historical mission, why do I always let everyone think? What do you need that name for? Who doesn't know how much meat you have? "zonghe
■ Special program preview
Ma Ji was interviewed by Phoenix Satellite TV "Lu Yu You Yue" and told the life story behind his cross talk.
Phoenix Satellite TV 65438+broadcast on February 23rd 16: 40, 17: 02 and February 24th1:40.
Crosstalk master Ma Ji died.
He brought laughter to heaven.
Ma Ji's classic crosstalk
"Cosmic cigarette" fragments)
Comrades, we will adopt the method of sales with prizes. How do you call it a prize sale? You have a set of my designs. You can get a 20-inch color TV from our factory. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Please buy as soon as possible until we have distributed the TV sets. The comrade said, how many TV sets have you prepared in your factory? To be honest, I don't expect anyone to take it away this year or next. What happened? I print three fewer copies of each set of patterns.