Cheng Zhi

Biography

Cheng Zhi was a Chinese actor born on February 3, 1926, in Wuhan. His original name was Cheng Huichun, and his family roots trace back to Hunan province. His family moved to Shanghai in 1928. Influenced by his family from childhood, Cheng Zhi loved Peking opera and performed on stage at age eight. In 1944, he enrolled at Fudan University to study economics but fell in love with drama and dropped out the following year to become a professional actor. He joined Wenhua Film Company in 1947. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he moved to Shanghai Film Studio, working as an actor and providing dubbing for translated films. He is the father of famous host and actor Cheng Qian, whom he gave to his brother as an adopted son 15 days after birth. Cheng Zhi died on February 14, 1995, from a heart attack after performing at a Lantern Festival show.