On April 1, 2003, Zhang Guorong left us;
On December 30 of the same year, Mei Yanfang died of illness.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the two traveled all over Asia together, and the time they walked was Tuesday, which seemed to be a coincidence.
Students who are familiar with Zhang Guorong know that he and Mei Yanfang are "like brothers and sisters", cherishing each other, accompanying each other, having the same dazzling achievements, and also suffering from pain and loneliness that the world cannot understand.
When they are separated, they are kings, and when they are merged, they are unparalleled in the world. Zhang Guorong and Mei Yanfang, who are not related by blood, let us witness a period of immortal brotherhood and sisterhood.
Once the performance was too tired, Zhang Guorong fell asleep on Mei Yanfang's leg. She just stood guard so quietly, Zhang Guorong woke up and realized: "I lay on her lap for a few hours, and she didn't move." ”
In 2002, Mei Yanfang performed a stunning century chorus with Zhang Guorong at the "Extremely Dreamy" concert, when Zhang Guorong was tormented by depression and was very haggard, in the case of stomach acid reflux, without any rehearsal, or tacitly completed a song "Fanghua Absolute" with Mei Yanfang.
Today, Zhang Guorong, the "brother" who is deeply loved by everyone, has been gone for 18 years.
Fast forward to April 1st, recalling the story between them again, should we change our words to "Sister Mei" and "sister"?
01 Let the fate of the song
In 1982, Mei Yanfang was 19 years old and Zhang Guorong was 26 years old.
Mei Yanfang won the laurel in the first "Rookie Singing Contest" with a song by Xu Xiaofeng's "Season of the Wind", and the company of course wanted to hit the iron while it was hot, so she adapted Yamaguchi's "さよならの向う側" into "The Wind Continues to Blow" and let her sister sing.
Zhang Guorong joined Huaxing Records at that time, and his sister belonged to the same company, very like "The Wind Continues to Blow", the sister knew and did not hesitate to give the song to his brother, at that time the two were not familiar.
With "The Wind Continues to Blow", my brother came out of the trough of his career, and this song is still his masterpiece to this day.
02 Complementary personalities
One moving and one quiet, one domineering, one delicate and gentle.
Jacky Cheung once recalled Mei Yanfang, saying that she was a very "manly" woman, the lecture was bold and generous, and friends always rushed to pay for dinner.
When Huang Baiming mentioned Zhang Guorong, he felt that he was humble and careful, not only taking the initiative to play with actors with unfamiliar acting skills, but also arranging medical treatment for the sick staff and helping the obscure Xiaolongtao find something to do.
Even my brother's own admission, "Ame is like a crazy rabbit, some of her friends are not suitable for me, not very chatty, since she is happy, I will send her to their doorstep."
03 Same talent and achievement
Zhang Guorong was born rich, his father relied on the customization of foreign clothes to do a big business, before his debut he read a textile major;
Mei Yanfang grew up in a poor family, and her mother let her perform in the dance hall at the age of four to make money, and has been squeezed by her brother and birth mother.
The two grew up in very different environments, but they have the same persistent pursuit of art and music, and the final achievement has reached a height unmatched in Hong Kong.
My brother sang more than 300 songs in his lifetime, sold more than 10 million albums, held 121 concerts at the Hong Kong Red Pavilion, won the Academy Awards, and left 5 miracles in the music and film industry.
First of all, he starred in "Farewell to the King", which won awards at international film festivals such as Cannes and Golden Globe Awards, and his acting skills were well received, becoming the first Asian actor to serve as a jury member at the Berlin International Film Festival;
This was followed by CNN Radio who selected him as one of the world's top five index musicians, the other four being: Mike Jackson, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, and the Beatles;
There is also his brother's song "Monica" in 1984, and 15 years later, he was also named the champion of the "Top Ten Golden Songs of the Century" in Hong Kong and Taiwan;
In the end, CCTV named his 2000 enthusiastic concert as the highest level concert to date.
The younger sister is also a halo leaning body, as a rare bass in the Chinese music scene, she is known as "Hong Kong's daughter" and "changeable Mei Yanfang", and her strength is comparable to that of her brother-
Since 1985, Mui Yanfang has won the Five Hong Kong Top Ten Golden Songs and "Most Popular Female Singer" Awards, during which she also won the "Golden Award for Female Singers in the Music Scene";
Her solo album "Bad Girl", which sold 400,000 copies in the first week of release, finally broke the Hong Kong personal record record with 720,000 copies and won the "IFPI Best Sales of the Year Award";
In 1984, she starred in "Fate", won the Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress, and later won the Golden Horse Award, the Academy Award and the Best Actress of the Asia Pacific Film Festival for her role in "Rouge Buckle";
After the sister's highlight moments were countless, she held 30 solo concerts in a row and won the title of "Mei 30"; at the age of 35, she won the "Golden Needle Award", which represented the highest honor in the Hong Kong music scene at that time;
In 1999, she also attended the Spring Festival Gala, and was the first female artist in Hong Kong to win the "Queen of Songs", "Queen of Heaven" and "Queen of Shadows" at the same time.
04 Firm support
The happiest thing in life is that no matter when or what happens, there is always someone standing firmly behind you.
In the early days of their development, the two once performed abroad together. One night, the high-ranking thief entered his sister's room through the security door, and his brother rushed to her next door after hearing her screams, and went to sleep with his sister before going to rest. Since then, my brother has booked a room and must choose a suite, which is convenient for taking care of her at any time.
Repeatedly "supporting" his sister in front of the media has also become Zhang Guorong's habit.
When her sister first debuted, the media said that she was too thin for the sake of eyeballs because she was "ugly" and "did not dare to show her shoulders because of tattoos", and her brother spoke directly to reporters to let everyone not treat powerful and kind newcomers like this.
In 1992, after my sister held a farewell concert, she temporarily left the music scene. Two years later, fans strongly begged her to return, but the media said she was rebellious.
Brother Zhang Guorong immediately stood up for her, telling everyone that artists who have reached a certain height are actually "very stuffy and tired, sometimes very hard, and very stressful." He also used the precedent of Frank Sinatra's return to the music scene to refute the reporter, "Why can't Ame do this?" ”
The younger sister also spares no effort to support all of her brother's decisions.
At her brother's comeback concert of "Crossing 97", she endured physical discomfort, received three injections of painkillers, rushed from India to the Hong Kong stage, and sang with him on the same stage again.
When my brother wanted to be his own director and make a public welfare movie, even if the agent repeatedly blocked it, my sister insisted on zero remuneration to star in "Smoke and Smoke".
In 1998, her sister, who rarely attended the funeral of a friend's relative, came to Zhang Guorong's mother's farewell ceremony and quietly accompanied him.
"My brother is the only good friend in my entertainment circle and even in my life circle." After her brother's death, her sister spent all day chanting and copying the scriptures for Zhang Guorong, knowing that her brother preferred to be a director, so she specially found a master who made paper tying, and specially made a camera as a gift for her brother.
05 Interesting souls
If there was a "certain sound" at that time, Zhang Guorong and Mei Yanfang's daily fun with each other would definitely be on fire.
Remember the scene at the concert where my brother held a red rose in his hand and ran to the stage to kiss his sister?
The younger sister took the flower shyly and touched, and the flower belt hooked her brother's suit.
"Hook me up as soon as you come up, look at you." The brother's teasing made the younger sister laugh.
"No, I've been hooking up with you for a long time." His sister was also willing to pick up his terrier.
Another time, also at a concert, the tall figure of the younger sister seemed to overtake that of the elder brother.
So she began to laugh, "Do you know why I'm wearing this dress to set you up?" Because you never let me wear high heels, because you know that I wear high heels higher than you. ”
My brother couldn't help but laugh: "Yeah, everyone knows that I'm short!" ”
In the end, the two also gave each other very bad nicknames, "Mr. Zhang Guoxiao" and "Miss Mei Yanzhu".
06 Full of love and kindness
Zhang Guorong and Mei Yanfang are notoriously charitable, and they hate not being able to burn themselves up to bring more warmth and happiness to others.
"It is better for the people of the world to bear her, and she will never fail the people of the world." Her sister is enthusiastic about public welfare, her personal donations have exceeded 10 million, she set up the [Mei Yanfang "Four Seas and One Heart" Charity Fund], and also served as an "Oxfam Ambassador" to visit children in the mountains of Yunnan.
When she was suffering from cancer, she also organized all walks of life and celebrities in the circle during the SARS period, held charity concerts, and used 23 million love funds to help sick families.
On the eve of her death, her sister, who was doing chemotherapy, appeared at the scene of the "Continue Zhang Guorong Charity Concert" to raise funds for the "Children's Cancer Fund" and the "Nursery Fund", two public welfare organizations initiated by my brother.
East China Flood, Hong Kong Museum of Medicine, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Elderly Care Centre, Kowloon Hospital, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong... Her acts of kindness are all over the country and abroad, worthy of the title of "Outstanding Charity Artist".
Many fans say that the sister is influenced by her brother, which is not unreasonable. After all, since 1978, my brother, who is not yet famous, has begun to devote himself to public welfare.
From the beginning of participating in the "Singapore Film and Television Song Superstar Charity Gala" and "Fraternal Joy Spread Charity Gala", to the later filming of "Fulu Shouxi" and the release of the record "Salute", the reward was donated in full, and the brother can be called a "walking philanthropist".
In 1997, when his brother held a concert, he called on fans to raise more than 800,000 donations outside the red hall, and he and his friends paid 200,000 yuan and donated 1 million yuan to the cancer fund, becoming the first artist to collect donations at a personal concert.
07 Bumpy emotional road
In 1995, director Li Bihua planned to invite Mei Yanfang to join the filming of "Little Star".
After the brother heard about it, he directly refused for her, "Ame herself has a hard life, she should play a happy play, aren't you afraid of a word?" Don't shoot anymore. ”
The heroine in it is a singer, who suffered all the twists and turns in her life, the road of love was bumpy, and finally she was terminally ill and vomited blood on the stage and died.
My brother probably didn't expect that even if he didn't shoot this play, his sister's life would still be like a person in the play.
First of all, he was bruised by the Japanese singer Makoto Kondo, an artist with the reputation of "the first scumbag", kissed his sister at the first meeting, and during the period of hot love with his sister, he was also ambiguous with the former female artist Nakamori Akira, and finally the sister chose to quit.
Later, my sister met Lin Guobin, who was sincere to her, lin Guobin in the 80s was a martial arts teacher in the Chengjia class, and he also acted in some film and television dramas, including the classic line "I am not aimed at you, I mean everyone here is garbage!" "It has survived to this day.
As his sister's status in the song world is getting higher and higher, the media and all walks of life have begun to scold Lin Guobin for eating soft rice and being raised, and the huge pressure and the friction of life between the two have made Lin Guobin, who has accompanied his sister for nearly 10 years, take the initiative to leave.
In the end, he fell in love with Zhao Wenzhuo's sister and brother, but also could not withstand the pressure of the outside world because of the announcement of the relationship, and ended up breaking up.
My sister once told a friend that she wanted to be loved the most in this life, and she most wanted to get married and have children, but unfortunately, several of her feelings ended in vain. Brother Zhang Guorong's feelings, why not?
In 1979, her brother and 16-year-old Sydney had the possibility of becoming lovers, but Sydney loved to go to the dance hall at that time, and her brother advised her not to lose weight and take care of her diet, but she was thankless. Later, Sydney fell in love with Xu Shaoqiang in filming, and the two had no follow-up.
When his brother was very popular, he chose to fall in love with Mao Shunjun, who had just debuted, and did not shy away from his love for her, openly holding hands and shopping, taking her to see her family, and also bringing gifts to her home to visit her elders. When the brother formally proposed to Mao Shunjun, the 17-year-old girl was frightened and refused on the spot.
In the next few years, my brother and Ni Shibei and Yang Nuosi had a brief relationship, and the two girls ended their relationship because of a different place.
It was hard to meet his soul mate Tang Hede, and the feelings between the same sex were attacked by the media, which became a big reason for his brother's depression. Even if Tang Hede resigned from the bank and retired to his brother's side to help him take care of his finances, he could not escape the insults of the outside world.
After the death of his brother, Tang Hede is still unmarried, and every year he sends a group photo of the two to remember, the love is still there, but it is a pity that the heavens and people are separated.
08 Makes the younger generations and fans unforgettable
The interpersonal relationships in the show business circle are much more complex than those of ordinary people, and most artists choose to be alone in private except for a few friends on the surface.
Zhang Guorong and Mei Yanfang's character trumps their talents, sincere, straightforward, and serious, so for their peers, for fans, and for strangers.
"He just wants to be good to you, in fact, the promotion of the younger generations, not only me, Mo Wenwei, Lin Jiaxin have said that these cares of him are the memories that we can never forget when we are newcomers."
This sentence comes from Yang Caini, who was filming "East Evil and West Poison" with her brother at that time, and her brother not only taught her to act, but also recommended her as a newcomer to others at the premiere.
Huang Lei also received the same treatment, filming "Midnight Song", there was a scene in the heavy rain, the brother handed the wetsuit to Huang Lei to wear, and also took the initiative to give up important scenes.
Gu Tianle, Tranquility, Gu Juji, etc., which are not grateful for his devotion to him, admire his character.
Sister Mei Yanfang is also very good to the newcomers in the circle, Yang Ziqiong said that she "can even put the whole heart out to you", and the promised things will be done.
Li Bingbing and Zheng Xiuwen have received her help, director Feng Xiaogang is preparing to shoot "No Thief in the World", and her sister even if she drags her sick body, she also looks for a Hong Kong actor for him.
Pampering fans, the attitude of the two is also very similar.
In 1985, when my brother released "For You", a special raffle was held, and the 10 fans who won the lottery all put on wedding dresses and left a group photo of "wedding photos" with their brother.
There is a sick fan, only 19 years old got terminal bone cancer, the brother through the hospital nurse to understand the situation, low-key avoid the reporter, to the hospital to visit the "sound boy", but also often call to chat with him.
The most regrettable thing about my sister is that she did not have the opportunity to study well, she repeatedly let fans read well in interviews, and set up a foundation for fans in 1995.
Seeing the homeless man on the street, the sister held the quilt to cover the homeless, the homeless misunderstood to escape, and finally made the news headlines.
It is such a pair of enthusiastic brothers and sisters that make fans remember to this day, in addition to the commemorative concerts, film festivals, and books that have lasted for many years, their fan foundation is still donating to the society.
From 2003 to 2007, the "Redmission Zhang Guorong Fan International Alliance" raised donations for the Indonesian tsunami, childhood cancer, Wenchuan earthquake, and tohoku earthquake in Japan;
The Mui Yanfang International Fan Club and the Four Seas One Heart Foundation have also donated money to public welfare organizations such as the University of Hong Kong, the Wenchuan Earthquake, and the Hong Kong "Welfare Children Foundation", and have also built three primary schools in China.
"I long for you to see, my soul only needs your understanding." Zhang Guorong and Mei Yanfang are special beings among stars, with their own wonderful worlds, but they seem to come from the same soul.
Just like the song "Fanghua Absolute Generation" sang, I was born noble and gorgeous to the end, upside down sentient beings blowing ash without effort, and accepting you as my fan.
This pair of century brothers and sisters who are absolutely proud of each other are enviable and uncomfortable, they have bloomed brilliantly, but they have not left enough time for us to love them well.
I hope that on the anniversaries in the future, when we remember them, we can also borrow the soft brilliance of these two "stars" to illuminate ourselves and illuminate more people around us. (Author: Yan Xing)