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Born in a remote village of Northeast China's Jilin province, Li inherited his talent for performing from his mother, an errenzhuan (a folk dance form native to Northeast China) actress. He dropped out of school in 1996 because his family was too poor to afford the fees.
He left his hometown and sang at bars in nearby cities to make a living. He had little success until one night, thanks to his wide vocal range, he was able to substitute for a woman who was absent for a show.
"It was a duet and I sang both the male and the female parts. That's how I started with female roles," he says.
Li started borrowing the art of nan dan from Peking Opera. Nan dan, meaning men playing female roles, was a practice forged at a time when women were forbidden from public performances.
"I know that compared with professional Peking Opera actors I am an amateur. But I feel proud that I became who I am today from nothing," says Li.
He took lessons from legendary Peking Opera artist Mei Lanfang's disciples, Zhang Qiuhua and Hu Wenge, to learn to sing for the female roles. He also studied with Mao Geping, a well-known TV stylist, to turn himself into a "pretty woman" and was taught by the renowned choreographer-dancer Shen Peiyi to learn to dance like a woman.
"I have been waiting for the moment, which can see my departure from a grassroots pop star to a respectable artist. I believe that Lady Zhaojun is it," he says.
IF YOU GO
7:30 pm, through April 19. Poly Theater, Poly Plaza, 13 Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng district, Beijing.010-6506-5343, 400-610-3721.
