Yu Shizhi

Biography

Yu Shizhi (1927–2013) was a preeminent Chinese theatrical performance artist, widely regarded as one of the greatest stage actors in modern China. He was born in Tangshan, Hebei Province in 1927 and passed away in Beijing in 2013 at the age of 86. Having lost his father in early childhood, he moved with his mother to Beijing, where he received his primary education. Due to family poverty, he was forced to leave school and worked as a warehouse laborer and later as a copyist before joining amateur theatrical activities. In 1945, he enrolled at Peking University to study French but soon left to join a performance troupe. In 1949, he joined the North China People's Art Troupe, the predecessor of the Beijing People's Art Theatre. He made a major breakthrough in 1951 with his portrayal of the character Cheng Fengzi in the play Dragon Beard Ditch, which established his reputation as an outstanding stage actor. He went on to deliver acclaimed performances in a series of plays including Guan Hanqing, Thunderstorm, Death of a Famous Actor, and Teahouse, in which his portrayal of the teahouse owner became one of the most iconic roles in contemporary Chinese theatre. His talent extended to cinema, where he played Yu Yongze in the film Song of Youth, and in 1983 delivered a remarkable performance as the feudal official Guifu in the film Qiu Jin, earning him the Golden Rooster Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984. He held prominent social positions including membership in the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He also possessed literary talent, and his memoir "Chronicles of Early Learning" was considered among the finest texts in Chinese high school textbooks during the 1990s.