Zhang Liang

Biography

Zhang Liang, born in 1933 in Benxi, Liaoning Province, originally named Zhang Qingzhu, joined a military drama troupe as an actor in 1948. On October 1, 1949, he served as a drummer in the front row of the military orchestra during the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China. He rose to nationwide fame in 1955 for portraying the hero Dong Cunrui in the film of the same name. In 1957, during the Anti-Rightist Campaign, he faced political persecution for defending the film's director, leading to accusations, disciplinary punishment, and being sent to serve as an ordinary soldier. In 1963, he won the Best Actor award at the Hundred Flowers Awards for his dual role as two distinct brothers in the film "Two Brothers." During the Cultural Revolution, he was persecuted as a "rightist who slipped through the net," expelled from the Communist Party, and forced to return to his hometown. After the Cultural Revolution, he transitioned to directing, with his first film "Plum Blossom Scarf" winning an Honorary Award at the Cairo International Film Festival. His 1984 film "Yamaha Fish Stall" achieved commercial success and was hailed as a "living advertisement" for Guangdong's economic development during the reform era. In 2015, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 30th Golden Rooster Awards.