Yu Shangyuan and
Wen Yiduo launched the "National Drama Movement", which lay the root for a different understanding of Theatre Arts later. In the summer of 1924, Yu shangyuan became acquainted with Wen Yiduo, Xiong Fuoxi, who shared the same interest with him. They talk about the dramatic art, and eager to try. Soon after, Wen Yiduo and Xiong Fuoxi co-edited a one-act play, and then, together with Yu Shangyuan, organized the performance of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid (). In the winter of 1924, Cambridge Alumni Association initiated wrote and performed an English drama " endless sorrow "(), which based on the classical Chinese drama " The Palace of Eternal Life" (). On the day of the drama ending, the four main director including Yu shangyuan, Wen Yiduo, Zhao Taimou, Zhang Jiazhu, gathered next to the fireplace in the Yu's apartments to sum up the pros and cons of this performance. During this discussion, the four hot-blooded youth came to an avant-garde topic: "National Opera Movement", Therefore, " National Opera Movement "was put forward. To carry out the "National Opera Movement", Yu and his friends conducted an extensive survey. They traveled to New York theaters to learn the building knowledge of the theater. After two months of investigation, deliberation, and modification, they drafted the "Peking Arts Theatre Program Outline". In the Outline, they envisaged to build Beiping Art Theatre actor schools, libraries and museums on theater. Besides, they would like to founder the "puppet magazine". What's more, they planned to raise the subvention used to select students to learn the art of theater abroad. In this period, many theater lovers like Yu Shangyuan, Wen Yiduo etc. initiated the establishment of a dramatic improvement community. They planned two publications titled
Diaochong and
He Tu to focus on the aspect of drama. Contributions were sent to their hands constantly when the news spread. Because of the successful performance of "endless sorrow "(), the reputation of Yu Shangyuan and other people was greatly boosted among the Chinese American and the presider of the Cambridge Chinese Student Union also was encouraged. In the spring of 1925, they initiated an English drama "Lute" () which was written and performed by themselves and invited Yu Shangyuan and Zhao Taimou to guide rehearsals. On March 28, "Lute"() was put on the stage in one of the famous theaters in the United States—Boston Copley Theater and succeeded again. The two English costume of the Chinese students in the United States performing exposed the soul of traditional Chinese culture to the majority of the audience, and aroused strong repercussions. The local newspaper
Christian Science Monitor reported the special event of the Chinese students. In the summer of 1925, Yu Shangyuan, Wen Yiduo and several other like-minded persons returned home one after the other. Later, they established the Beiping Art College Drama Department, set up the column of the" drama Journal" () in the "Morning News Supplement" () to discuss the National Opera, founded " New Moon " () in Shanghai to promote "the Chinese drama movement" (Chinese: 国剧运动) and sponsored small theaters in Beiping to develop Bai Yang and other outstanding performing artists. After their returning home, their most splendorous work is the founder of the "drama highest institution"—National Theatre College, and later, many of the core figure on the stage and screen are out of school. ==Criticism==