Young Cameroon student initially attracted by martial arts hits the high notes in Yuju Opera, Chen Nan and Shi Baoyin report in Zhengzhou.

As a child, Sime Nkemeni Darrin, who was born and raised in Bafang, a small town in Cameroon, was fascinated by Chinese martial arts. He dreamed about learning the discipline and visiting China one day.

In 2016, Darrin, who was a student majoring in material science at the University of Yaounde I, in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, started to learn Chinese at the Confucius Institute of the University of Yaounde II. Aside from martial arts, he got to know about the country through photos and videos.

After a year of learning Chinese, Darrin arrived in Kaifeng, Henan province, as a language student at Henan University.

The reason why Darrin chose to apply to Henan University was that the renowned Shaolin Temple, which is widely known for its expertise in martial arts, is located in Henan. Soon after he arrived in Kaifeng, he traveled to the temple.

"When I saw the kung fu masters practice, it was like a dream come true. I was told that martial arts is more than the powerful movements, like self-defense, it is about a way of life, which is full of Chinese philosophy," says Darrin, 32.

Of all the different types of Chinese martial arts, Darrin has been focused on learning and practicing tai chi, which is known for its fluid combination of slow, graceful movements and lightning-quick strikes.

Since 2017, Darrin has participated in martial arts competitions, especially for tai chi, and won a number of awards. He says that tai chi helps him become strong, healthy, stay in good shape and develop excellent concentration.

"Tai chi helps me gain my balance, physically and mentally," he says. "It changed me."

Now, Darrin is pursuing a doctoral degree at Henan University's School of Physical Education and Sport.

Besides tai chi, Darrin also learned to perform Yuju Opera, a popular local art form, which also has a large national fan base.

Yuju Opera, which originated and thrived in Central China's Henan, is among the top five traditional opera genres in China. With a history dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Yuju Opera is known for its melodic singing, dazzling martial arts movements and stories, which are based on folk tales, especially those about brave heroes who are loyal, honest and patriotic.

In 2017, Darrin watched a Yuju Opera performance, Hua Mulan, for the first time after arriving in Kaifeng. The show tells the story of legendary heroine, Hua Mulan, who, when her aging father is called up to serve in the army, disguises herself as a man to fight for the country in his place.

"The story is full of drama. The singing of the performers and the live band were full of energy," recalls Darrin, who later studied Yuju Opera with veteran artist Li Shujian.

The classic piece was premiered in 1950 by famous Yuju Opera master Chang Xiangyu (1923-2004). It's one of the most well-known and popular Yuju Opera pieces among Chinese audiences. One of the verses — which asks: "Who says women are not as capable as men?" — has been loved and learned by lots of Chinese over the years. It is also Darrin's favorite line from the piece.

Li, director of Henan Yuju Opera Theater, performed for more than four decades. He is known for playing heroes, from generals battling for the country, to noble-hearted intellectuals. One of his most well-known roles is Cheng Ying of The Orphan of Zhao, which is based on the classic tragedy by Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) playwright Ji Junxiang.

"I have more than 200 students, professional Yuju Opera performers and amateurs. He (Darrin) is one of the few overseas students who have been learning Yuju Opera with me, and he has been doing so for about five years," says Li, who is credited with expanding the fan base of the ancient art form through online performances during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Since Yuju Opera is performed in the Henan dialect, he had to learn the dialect first. He learned and practiced very hard," says Li.

In 2019, Darrin performed Yuju Opera on the popular TV show, Li Yuan Chun, produced and broadcast by Henan TV, which premiered in 1994 and highlights traditional Chinese operas.

Under his Chinese name, Liu Bianjing, Darrin won second place in one of the TV show's sections, which saw a number of amateur Yuju Opera performers compete. Darrin notes that Kaifeng was formerly known as Bianjing in ancient China. He calls himself Bianjing to express his love for the city.

It's been about five years since Darrin left his home country, and he has been showing his family, through video calls, his life in China and two of his favorite things he has learned: tai chi and Yuju Opera.

"When I perform Yuju Opera for my family through video calls, they don't know what I am singing at all, but they find it very interesting. They are happy that I'm doing what I love in China," says Darrin, who plans to go back home this year.

"I have made lots of friends here and I am considering living and working in China after graduation," he adds.