Li Qi-nian

Biography

Li Qi-nian (李綺年) was born in 1914 in Dongguan, Guangdong province, originally named Li Chuqing. She began her artistic career in Cantonese opera at age 11, performing in "Spring Melody." She starred in "Diao Chan Worships the Moon" in 1938 to raise funds for war wounded and refugees. She signed a contract with Shaw Brothers for Cantonese opera with a high monthly salary and toured Southeast Asia performing in over 60 theaters. She moved into film in 1932 after spending a year in Shanghai watching her idol Ruan Lingyu's films. Her film career began under the name "Li Qi-nian," which originated as a clerical error that became her permanent stage name. She made her screen debut in "Yesterday's Song" (1935) as the lead actress and earned the title "Patriotic Film Star" for her role in "Lifeline." She held a photo exhibition in 1939 to raise funds for war resistance efforts. She traveled to Shanghai to film movies including "The Female Emperor," "Liang Hongyu," "The Charming Widow," and "Forever and Ever." She married and retired, then returned to acting in 1948 with "Fragrance of Flowers and Hoofbeats" but never regained her former glory. She appeared in over 40 black-and-white films in Cantonese and Mandarin. She died in November 1950 in Vietnam after taking an overdose of sleeping pills during her opera tour, at the age of 36.