Chen, also a national first-class actress, won the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award, the country's top honor for opera and drama, at the age of 22 in 1990.

In 2018, Chen performed in the Spring Festival Gala with other opera artists. It was Jiangxi Opera's first appearance on the Gala stage in 35 years.

"As a representative figure in Jiangxi Opera, I need to think more about the future of the art form," Chen said.

Talent drain

Due to evolving market demands and the influence of fast-paced entertainment, Ganju Opera faced a significant talent drain over the past decade.

In 2005, Nanchang University established the Culture and Art Center of Jiangxi Opera and appointed Chen as the head.

In 2010, she brought several members of the Jiangxi Ganju Opera Theatre to teach and study traditional art at the university.

Chen's role hence changed after joining Nanchang University. "Now I perform and teach. I need to think carefully about practical aspects and elevate them to a theoretical level," Chen said.

"The university has tremendous educational resources and research teams. I want to fully utilize this platform, work closely with experts, and involve students actively to better promote Ganju Opera."