The Dramatic Life of Li Ergou

In the late 1970s, by the Fu River where Sichuan and Chongqing meet, a wild boy named Li Ergou was born among the mountains. Lively by nature and unwilling to settle for an ordinary life, he became fascinated from childhood with Bashu's local intangible cultural heritage: Sichuan opera, comedic storytelling, folk acrobatics, and regional performing arts. The boy weathered the hardships of the mining district and the ups and downs of city life, always remaining true to his original passion for local traditional culture.

To pursue his dream, he traveled far away to make his way in Shenzhen, then joined a Henan circus troupe and learned its craft. He endured hardship, apprenticed himself, and honed his skills, learning the essence of folk arts from his seniors. After half a lifetime spent wandering, he returned home without forgetting his roots. In response to the national call to bring culture to the countryside, he founded a local cultural communications company, devoting himself to village stages, sharing Sichuan and Chongqing's intangible cultural heritage, bringing performances to the countryside, and putting down roots in his native soil.

A mountain boy, from reckless brat to inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, devoted his whole life to the lively art of ordinary people. His inspiring dramatic life tells of an ordinary man rooted in tradition, honoring his homeland, and giving back to his times.