Li Wanchun

Biography

Li Wanchun was a Chinese Peking opera artist of Manchu origin, born in 1911. He specialized in "sheng" (male) roles and was the eldest disciple of the famous Peking opera master Ma Lianlian. He also studied monkey opera under Zai Tao. He founded the Mingchun School to train actors and successfully produced many Peking opera artists. His younger brothers Li Tongchun and Li Huanchun went to Taiwan in 1949 for performances, settled there, and trained many disciples. Li Wanchun faced political difficulties when he was labeled a rightist in 1957 during the Anti-Rightist Campaign. He worked with Peking opera troupes in Tibet and Inner Mongolia, then returned to Beijing to work at the Beijing Peking Opera Theatre in 1979. He passed away on September 14, 1985.