"Marriage story in the old pictorial"
Zhou Licheng
Guangxi Normal University Press
Through the five major themes of marriage, engagement, marriage, divorce and love, "Marriage and Love Stories in the Old Pictorial" tells 60 tragic and happy marriage and love stories of the Republic of China, and is accompanied by more than 50 complete and clear old pictorials, which comprehensively presents the marriage situation in the Republic of China period, to a certain extent, shows the concept and values of marriage and love in the modern period of China, and reflects the conflict and fusion of modern and traditional concepts in the period of social change.
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The grand wedding of the movie queen Hu Di
In the history of Chinese marriage, the reason why 1935 left a strong mark was not only because the 66-year-old Xiong Xiling married the 39-year-old Mao Wenyan, which triggered the marriage of 57-year-old Zhang Hairuo and 33-year-old Yang Sixin, 56-year-old Qi Xieyuan and 41-year-old Hua Zeyu, so the press jokingly called 1935 the "year of the old man's marriage"; but also because the widow of the President of the Republic of China Li Yuanhong, who was more than 40 years old, remarried Wang Kuixuan, who was in his early 30s, causing a fierce dispute over whether the widow could remarry and promoting the pace of Women's liberation in China More because of the grand wedding held in Shanghai by "Film Queen" Hu Die and Pan Yousheng, which aroused the general attention of butterfly fans in the whole country and even in Western countries, dozens of newspapers and magazines made full-page and several-page graphic reports, and the cameramen of the Star Film Company recorded the whole process, which was a sensation.
"Tianjin Business Daily Pictorial" Hu Di interview picture
Career brilliant emotional setbacks
Hu Die (1908-1989), formerly known as Hu Ruihua, was born in Shanghai. When he was a teenager, he lived in Tianjin and studied in the primary class of Shenggong Girls' School. At the age of 16, the family returned to Shanghai. In 1924, he entered the Chinese Film School. In 1925, she was invited to shoot the silent film "Battle Achievements" and began her film career. Later, he signed a contract with Tianyi Film Company and filmed more than ten films such as "The Legend of the White Snake", "Meng JiangNu", "Pearl Tower", "Biography of Children's Heroes" and so on. In 1928, after entering the Star Film Company, she was appreciated by Zheng Zhengqiu and Zhang Ishikawa, and someone wrote a script for her. Her starring role in "Burning the Red Lotus Temple" was widely favored by fans, and it was popular all over the country. In 1931, he caused a sensation at home and abroad by starring in China's first sound film "Song Girl Red Peony". On New Year's Day 1933, in the "Movie Queen" selection initiated by Shanghai Star Daily, Hu Die was elected with a high vote. During the Spring Festival in 1934, after the release of "Sister Flower" starring her, it was warmly sought after by the audience, and it was screened for more than two months, and the venue was full, creating the highest box office record for domestic films at that time.
Hu Butterfly
Cousin as a matchmaker Pan Hu fell in love
Pan Yousheng, born in 1902, is a native of Rongcheng, Fujian Province. He has been studying in Fuzhou since childhood, and his family has 4 brothers. His father opened a Fusheng Fragrant Tea Shop in Fuzhou, and After Pan Yousheng graduated from the Fuzhou Youth Association Middle School, he and his father came to Shanghai to do business. At the age of 18, he entered Nanyang Public School (later Shanghai Jiao Tong University) to study railway management. However, before graduating, he co-founded the Far East Company with his friends, and later worked for the British businessman Qianxin Foreign Firm, the French Merchant Yongxing Foreign Firm, and the Lihe Foreign Firm. After several years of hard work and experience, he finally became the general manager of Dexing Foreign Firm. The bank mainly deals in bulk goods such as paper and tea.
After 1929, all the paper used by the Star Film Company was supplied by Dexing Foreign Firm, and Pan Yousheng often came to the Star Company to talk about business, so he met Hu Die, but only a general friend. At the end of 1931, after breaking off the marriage contract with Lin Xuehuai, Hu Die was depressed for a while. Through Hu Die's cousin Hu Shanzhijie, Pan Yousheng often came to Hu Die's house to comfort her. Pan Yousheng is 6 years old, he is sincere, down-to-earth, meticulous and considerate, so that Hu Die's wounded heart has been greatly soothed. Hu Die also appreciated his faithful and diligent management method. As a result, Hu Di fell in love again. But because of the lessons of the past, Hu Die is cautious about feelings, and they never even appear in public.
Pan Yousheng, who was originally very sociable, rarely participated in various communications after establishing a romantic relationship with Hu Die, and was only focused on Hu Die. After finishing his work every day, he went to report to his apartment at 29 Wynn Estate, Henry Road, French Concession. If Hu Die didn't go out to shoot a movie, they would talk about the day or go out to see a movie. Fortunately, Pan Yousheng has his own car, and the access is convenient and the second is hidden. On Saturdays, they sometimes go to the dance hall together and occasionally attend intimate banquets together. If Hu Die had been filming at the company, he would have waited until she had returned to her apartment, Lane 5, Lane 459, West Avenue, French Concession.
Premarital financial resources
Hu Die was a smart person, at the peak of her art at the time, and she wanted to continue her film career. She knows that acting in movies is not suitable for marriage. The last failed relationship made her heart palpitate. Therefore, at first, she and Pan Yousheng agreed that they would only talk about love and not discuss marriage. But with sincerity, the golden stone is open. Under the persistent pursuit of Pan Yousheng, after returning from Europe, Hu Die finally agreed to Pan Yousheng's marriage proposal.
After the news came out, all walks of life were speculating about the size and style of their wedding, and many people were concerned about how much money they had at that time. To this end, the reporter of Yishi Bao deliberately calculated an account for their income.
At that time, people's estimates of their financial resources were hundreds of thousands, millions, millions, millions, which sounded a little frightening. First of all, Hu Die, according to her income over the years, even if she does not use any of them, I am afraid that it is less than 200,000 yuan. Her monthly salary at the star company is 1300 yuan, which increases proportionally year by year. In terms of film remuneration, the silent film is uncertain for three or five hundred yuan, and the sound film can reach 1000 yuan. Among the various films she starred in, "Sister Flower" was the most popular, so the remuneration was also the largest, up to 10,000 yuan. After she starred in "The Cause of Laughter", her reputation has grown by leaps and bounds, and there are several businesses that use her photos as trademarks and advertisements, and she draws a lot of annual taxes. However, after the "918" incident, due to market conditions, this income has been reduced to a minimum. Although Hu Die is very frugal in her daily use and only wears the same clothes as ordinary women at home, she has to dress up magnificently when she goes out, and this amount of expenses is already considerable. She now lives with her parents, and her rent and daily expenses are three or five hundred yuan a month. So, in this way, her entire property is about 100,000 yuan.
Special edition of Hu Die in Tianjin Business Daily Pictorial
Pan Yousheng, his manager's Dexing foreign firm specializes in imports, the goods are about cotton fabrics, cosmetics, watches, etc. as a bulk, do not need to invest too much capital can earn considerable profits, the income is quite considerable, but the ups and downs are large, and there is no fixed number per month. The French Concession where he lived was the latest house in Shanghai, with a monthly rent of nearly 200 yuan and about 500 yuan for cars, domestic servants and personal communication.
Premarital exercises
Two days before the wedding, at 5 p.m. on November 21, 1935, in order to make the on-site wedding smooth and skillful, Pan Yousheng and Hu Di deliberately secretly came to the Christian Church on Jiangxi Road in Shanghai for an exercise. The church is steeped in history, majestic and solemn, with seven or eight overhead lamps above the hall silently shining on a row of empty seats, and occasionally a few bats creaking past in the shadows.
In addition to the two parties involved in Panhu, there were also two witnesses, Pastor Tweet, and two men and two ministers. Lin Chuchu brought her beloved son Li Hao, and Gong Qiuxia also came with her sister-in-law Hu Rongrong. There were also Pan Hu's relatives, a few foreign friends and several journalists, with less than 20 people.
Previously, it was reported that there were four male ministers: Yu Ming, director of the Foreign Ministry's office in Shanghai, Zhou Yuyu, a long-distance runner, Li Zubing, and a man surnamed Zhang. There are also four female directors: Yuan Meiyun, a film star of Yihua Film Company, Gu Lanjun, a film star of Star Film Company, and Liang Yifang and Zhang Hui. Hu Rongrong, a child star of Cultural Film Company, and Chen Juanjuan, a child star of Yihua Film Company, are responsible for the jacquard basket, the child star of Lianhua Film Company is in charge of holding the ornament, and a little girl surnamed Hu is responsible for pulling yarn. They are all the most glamorous figures in Shanghai's social scene. But just a few days before the wedding, Yu Ming was unable to attend due to the sudden death of his aunt and brother. For a while, he could not find a suitable replacement, and finally had to reduce the number of employees, the male phase was Li Zubing and Zhou Yuyu, and the female minister was Yuan Meiyun and Gu Lanjun.
Zhang Changren, a reporter from the Central News Agency, sat at the piano and temporarily played a wedding march with the priest, guiding the bride and groom and the male and female ministers into the church. The priest's actions were exaggerated and witty, somewhat like an aunt in kindergarten teaching a group of children to play games. He does not speak Chinese, while explaining to Pan in English, translated by Pan to Hu Die; on the other hand, he plays various roles, where he stands, what his steps are, what his posture is, when to shake hands, when to say "I will". He can be said to be Hu Die's first special director. The atmosphere is relaxed and cheerful, much like a hilarious burlesque.
Pan Yousheng and Hu Di wedding photos
Although she did not see Hu Die's wedding dress at the exercise site, she happily revealed: "The dresses of me and the female chancellor are pure white, mine is specially proofed and cut for me by Hongxiang Company, and the wedding dress has covered the head, which is 15 yards long, and there are butterflies parked on it." Female concubines also have a hood, but not as long. The red satin embroidered dress I ordered in Suzhou was ready to be worn at the wedding banquet. My mother wanted me to dress like this. When he said this, Hu Die's face was filled with a happy smile.
Hu Di also told reporters that they will have a honeymoon trip that lasts three weeks after marriage, and when they return, they will still return to work at the star company, and she will have to fulfill the obligations of the two-and-a-half-year contract. After marriage, they planned to buy a small foundation in the French Concession in Shanghai and build a small bungalow to house such a happy little family. It is said that some people encouraged her to start her own film company and was willing to help her succeed. Although Hu Di denied it to the reporter, the reporter affirmed that "there are things."
Wedding extravagance
At 11:00 a.m. on November 23, 1935, Pan Hu's wedding was solemnly held at Christ Church on Jiangxi Road in Shanghai. The Pan Hu XiShi Reception Office specially published a notice in the "Declaration" on the previous three days: "Guests attending the wedding ceremony of Pan Yousheng Hu Die: On the 23rd, Mr. Pan Yousheng and Ms. Hu Die got married, and the guests came to visit, please enter from the gate of Sanma Road and retreat from the gate of Jiujiang Road." I am deeply afraid that it will be crowded and the hospitality will not be good, and I hereby advise. "Because it was expected that there would be many people coming to watch the ceremony, it would be difficult to maintain order, so I discussed with the church and decided that the church would not open until 10 o'clock on the wedding day. But most of the guests and people who came to see the liveliness did not know in advance, and the front of the church was already crowded and busy early in the morning. The church had to open until 9:30 a.m.
By late autumn, snow may have fallen in the north, but the climate in Jiangnan is still hot and dry. The wedding day was cloudy and rainy and the sky was gray. People first came to a small courtyard in front of the church, where there were four ginkgo trees, and the fallen leaves had just been swept away overnight, but after a while they were covered with a thick layer. The autumn wind passed by, and pieces of small round leaves struggled freely on the branches, as if they wanted to fly down and kiss the new boots of the movie queen.
The cinematographers of the Star Film Company all went out, the entrance, the exit, the high and the low, and the cameras and cameras had already been set up. As soon as there are well-known social figures, movie stars, and beautiful ladies and ladies, shaking or twisting and turning into the courtyard, these guys will "click" and sing low. The star company expected to shoot feature films and live photos in the church, but after several negotiations, it was finally rejected by the church. A photographer hid a miniature camera and wanted to take a secret photo, and although the person went in, the priest found and stopped the camera as soon as it was raised.
There are obviously more female guests than male guests, and Shanghai women during the National Government period loved to pursue fashion and chase stars. Some of them want to take the opportunity to show their faces in such social occasions, and some of them want to see the real face of Lushan, the big people and celebrities among the guests, in addition to watching the wedding scene. Many Western wives also mingled in the crowd, the most notable of which was Mrs. Frietze of the red silk bun head, the head of the Shanghai International Theatre Association, who once hosted a garden tour to welcome Hu Die and Mei Lanfang back to China. There were not only movie and drama stars, celebrities and the like, but also government officials, bankers, and artists, including Ren Guang, the author of "Fishing Light Song", and his wife An'e. By 10:30, the entire church was full. More than 2,000 guests officially received invitations.
Pan Hu first took wedding photos at the Hujiang Photo Studio and then held a ceremony at the church. Pan Yousheng and the male minister took the lead in coming to the church and stood in front of the altar to wave to the guests. Ten minutes later, Hu Die, Yuan Meiyun, Gu Lanjun, Hu Rongrong, and Li Hao also arrived in two cars. "Wuxia female star" Xu Qinfang temporarily became Hu Die's "bodyguard".
"Wedding March" sounded softly in the church, accompanied by music, Hu Rongrong and a little girl surnamed Chen came out with colorful petals, followed by Li Hao, dressed in white and black satin children's clothes. Then there are Yuan Meiyun and Gu Lanjun, two female beauties, who wear light purple brimmed hats and are draped with a short veil on their heads, Yuan's clothes are pink, Gu is violet, both are domestically made of lightless filament, the hem is very wide, and they are dragged on the ground like "a bell".
Hu Di wedding photo on the cover of Beiyang Pictorial
Behind this line is the bride Hu Die, who is accompanied by her father. Her dress is cut from pure white Chinese silk, the lid of the skirt is embroidered with a hemi pattern, and the wedding dress is "ancient red-faced", three feet long, decorated with large and small velvet butterflies. The veil covers the head, and the feminine face inside looms, giving people a mysterious sense of seeing flowers in the fog. The dress was designed and tailored for Shanghai Hongxiang Fashion Company, worth about 1500 yuan, and the shrewd Owner of Hongxiang gave it as a gift to Hu Die, saving a lot of advertising expenses.
After a pause, Pastor Tweet, dressed in a big red robe, began to preside over the wedding ceremony. The church, which was still a hustle and bustle, suddenly became silent, and only the priest was heard reading the wedding speech in a prayerful tone. As with the exercise the day before yesterday, Pan Hudu answered his question with an "I will." A couple exchanged wedding rings and knelt before Jesus to listen to the pastor's prayers. After the priest announced the ceremony, the audience erupted in a burst of warm applause and cheers. In less than a minute, the wedding ceremony was completed.
When I walked out of the church, I found that there were three floors of worshippers outside. The church is built from west to east, with a small garden in front of it, four or five-storey residential buildings on three sides, and the windows of each building are full of people's heads with outstretched necks, and some have special telescopes to be able to look at everything outside the church.
When a couple of newcomers walked out of the church, paper tapes, confetti and grains of rice were thrown from the hands of many guests and from different directions, Pan Hu's head was suddenly colorful, the female ministers Yuan Meiyun and Gu Lanjun were also affected by the pond fish, and the "female dart master" Xu Qinfang was busy opening the way for them to break the siege. Dozens of cameras and five or six cameras were aimed at them at the same time. It took 20 minutes before they were rescued by the receptionist, the priest, and the Western patrol, got into the car, and sped away.
Wedding tidbits
After the wedding ceremony, Pan Hu took the car back to Pan Apartment, No. 5, Lane 459, West Aiweis Road, French Concession to rest. The guests were gradually transferred to the Dadong Restaurant on the third floor of Yong'an Company on Yinghua Street.
Access to the lobby of the restaurant is extremely strict. Guests are required to sign and then show the receptionist a gift ticket similar to a "meal ticket" before entering. There are also several types of gift certificates, and the receptionist will bring guests to the corresponding seats according to the type of ticket. Some people who did not have a gift certificate had to retreat, but there were also some people who came to enter the VIP seat without a ticket. The guests sat still, there were a number of uninvited female guests still lingering in front of the door, it turned out that they were authentic fans, from different cities across the country, they arrived at the hotel, first put the suitcase in the cloakroom, with a pamphlet specifically looking for the signatures of the stars. Until the end of the table, they were still hungry and stretched their necks to find their prey, and once they found the target, they rushed over desperately and chased after them for autographs.
Since 5 p.m., Zhang Ye'er and his drama team have performed "Funny Red Luan Xi" in the banquet hall. There is a special vertical scroll in the living room of the wedding banquet, which is the handiwork of the cartoonist Ye Qianyu, and the gold is painted with a picture of a well-known "Mr. Wang" sending a son, wishing a couple of newcomers an early birth of Takako.
At 7:30, Pan Hu, Yuan Meiyun, Gu Lanjun and others entered the banquet hall in thunderous applause. Pan yi blue robe black coat, bearded black satin top, large sleeves long and wrist-length, about 3 feet long, underwear red satin long skirt, dress are silver thread coiled into butterflies of different sizes, hair edge row inserted a row of red flowers, accompanied by her beautiful face, like a beauty from ancient paintings. The star company has already placed the spotlights and cameras, and with a sound of "turning on the lights", thousands of candles suddenly illuminated the entire wedding hall. They sat on the "chief" for some time, and then walked onto the stage with Pan Yousheng's brother and Hu Die's parents, lined up in a line, and raised a glass of thanks to the guests. The colleagues of the star company sang in unison the "Hu Die's New Wedding Song" composed by Zhou Jianyun for Hu Die. The three sisters of the Shanghai Liang family, who are also dancing and starring, also came to the banquet at 10 o'clock. They and a few Western gentlemen and wives guessed their fists, and one by one they drank and turned over.
Beiyang Pictorial's report on Pan Hu's marriage
The star company shot a 300-foot newsreel here, which, along with the daytime shots, totaled seven or eight hundred feet. The head of the company said that soon, this Panhu wedding feature film will meet with the national audience.
During the banquet, Pan Hu and the two retreated into No. 316 Dadong Hotel, and the visitors outside the door were eager to see through. Later, Hu Gai came back in a big red silk cheongsam with a wide edge of silver wire, and said to the guests: "I am lazy and the hospitality is not good, please forgive me." A reporter asked, "How does it feel?" Hu Zhiwu did not answer. Asked about the post-marriage arrangement, she said: "Look at the sailing schedule, we are going to Fuzhou." ”
The most wonderful thing was the one-person dance performed by five-year-old Hu Rongrong, who was as cute as Xiulan Temple, and danced well, winning the applause of the audience. The finale was the drop play of Bai Yushuang, a bungee girl who was expelled from Beiping City by Mayor Yuan Liang.
According to the reporter's statistics, the Panhu Wedding Banquet opened a total of 84 tables throughout the day, each seat ocean 17 yuan, a total of 1428 yuan. The church space fee is 50 yuan, plus room expenses, drinks, vehicles and other expenses, about 3,000 yuan.
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Zhou Licheng, born in 1965. He is a first-class researcher and deputy research librarian of the Editing and Research Department of Tianjin Archives, and an expert in the compilation and research of Tianjin Archives System. He is the author of "Character History of the Republic of China Pictorial" and "Tianjin Old Opera Garden" and other works. In newspapers and periodicals such as "China Archives News" and "Tonight News", there are personal columns such as "Declassified Archives" and "Old Zhou Xin Said Old Pictorial".
Author: Zhou Licheng
Image source: Publisher, network data picture
Excerpt: Jin Jiuchao