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While many of my classmates' childhoods were filled with the spins of ballet shoes, I was completely captivated by a single fling of a silk sleeve on the TV screen.
Back then, no one could have imagined that the Hangzhou International School first grader who couldn't take their eyes off the opera channel would dive headfirst into this world and stay for seven whole years.
I still remember that time in grade one, when I would keep replaying opera scenes from TV, obsessed with the performers adorned with beaded hairpieces and embroidered robes, whose silk sleeves could hold a thousand words with one flick.
When they sang, even their eyes told stories; their movements had the grace of dance, their voices the melody of song, and their acting could make the audience's hearts ache with emotion.
Watching, I pulled on my mom's hand and said, "I want to learn that thing where you sing, dance, and 'tell stories' all at once!"
My parents didn't dismiss it as a passing fancy. Instead, they helped me find an opera teacher, and my journey as a "little opera enthusiast" began in high spirits.
As well as highs though, this journey was full of hardships. Stretching my legs made tears well up in my eyes; practicing singing left my throat too hoarse to speak; and my teacher would always say I was "not getting a single one of the postures, eyes, movements, or rhythms right" when I tried to memorize routines.
Once, I practiced a silk sleeve move dozens of times but still couldn't get that light, floating effect. I sat in front of the mirror, feeling terrible and ready to give up. But the excitement of putting on my first opera costume and having my face painted came flooding back, so I gritted my teeth and stood up to try again.
Gradually, I got to the point where the audience would clap along when I sang ‘Mu Guiying Takes Command’, the sense of accomplishment I found in that was better than getting a perfect score on a test at school.
Now that I'm in seventh grade, opera is more than just a hobby for me. Every time I perform on stage, I feel incredibly proud when I see the audience go from curious looks of "What is this?" to nodding along with the rhythm.
It turns out I can be an inheritor of traditional culture, sharing the treasures of our ancestors with more people. Last year, I even performed ‘Wang Zhaojun Goes Beyond the Great Wall’ at the British Museum in London.
When I waved my horse whip in that exhibition hall and saw the amazement in the foreign audience's eyes, it suddenly hit me: this little "opera stage" can truly connect people from different countries.
My seven-year opera journey has had its share of sweat and tears, but more than anything, it's been filled with passion and pride. I want to keep singing in the future, letting more people see the beauty of opera, and making sure this tradition stays alive and thriving for my generation and beyond.