Mei Lanfang

Biography

Mei Lanfang was born on October 22, 1894, in Beijing, into a family of Peking opera performers. His grandfather was the famous actor Mei Qiaoling. He began learning Peking opera at age eight under the tutelage of Wu Lingxian. In 1913, he achieved widespread fame after performing "Muke Zhai" in Shanghai. In 1919, he toured Japan to great acclaim, and in 1930 he toured the United States, performing 72 shows across multiple American cities, and was awarded honorary doctorates in literature from two American universities. Mei Lanfang was the foremost of the "Four Great Dan" performers in Peking opera and elevated the art form to a refined aesthetic level. During World War II, he refused to collaborate with the Japanese and grew a mustache as a symbol of resistance. He returned to Beijing in 1951 and joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1959. He died on August 8, 1961, in Beijing at the age of 67.