Xie Tian

Biography

Xie Tian was a Chinese actor and director born in Tianjin in 1914 to a family originally from Guangdong province. He was educated at Tianjin English Business School and began his artistic career in 1933 through amateur theatrical performances in Tianjin. He joined the Beijing Film Studio in 1949 after the founding of the People's Republic of China. He became known for his diverse roles in cinema, portraying various characters including villains, and notably starred in "The Lin Family Shop" in 1959. He transitioned to directing in 1959 and achieved great success in this field, directing works across film and television. He won the Best Director award at the third Hundred Flowers Awards in 1980 for "Sweet Business" and the Best Opera Film award at the fourth edition in 1981 for "The Seventh-Rank Petty Official". He excelled in directing "Teahouse" in 1982, adapted from Lao She's novel, which won a special prize at the third Golden Rooster Awards and the Ministry of Culture's Outstanding Film Award. He continued his artistic contributions into the 1990s, directing the television series "That Wu" which won the Best TV Series award. He married Yang Xueming and had four children, including his son Xie Gang who became an actor and director at Beijing Film Studio. Xie Tian passed away on December 13, 2003, leaving a significant artistic legacy in Chinese cinema and television.