A bird's-eye view of the Nantong Linggong School. [Photo provided by Ni Kangbo to en.nantong.gov.cn]

The Linggong School, a drama school in Nantong, Jiangsu province, was recently included among the national cases in integrating culture into the daily life of residents.

The Nantong Linggong School, founded by Zhang Jian in 1919, is China's first new type of drama school. It holds an important position in the history of Chinese drama development and is a precious historical and cultural heritage of Nantong. It has been praised by Shan Jixiang, former curator of the Palace Museum in Beijing, as the "living drama museum of today".

In 2013, after careful reconstruction, the school officially opened to the public and established the Mei Lanfang Education Base with the Beijing Mei Lanfang Art Foundation. In 2022, it was awarded the title of "Most Beautiful Public Cultural Space" in Jiangsu, showcasing its cultural charm and educational value.

It has become a new platform for spreading opera culture and a new attraction for historical and cultural tourism.

Entrance to the Nantong Linggong School. [Photo provided by Ni Kangbo to en.nantong.gov.cn]