Wang Yu is the first martial arts movie superstar of the new martial arts century. He has been in the industry for more than 30 years, shooting more than 60 martial arts films, and participating in the production and supervision of more than 80 films.
Before Bruce Lee became famous, Wang Yu was already the highest paid and best box office among Hong Kong martial arts stars.
Wang Yu also has an identity as a backbone member of the Bamboo Gang, one of the three major gangs in Taiwan, and his shadow is in the "three major blood cases" of the 1980s.
On the screen, Wang Yu is a hero of a hundred, under the screen, he eats everything in black and white, loves to fight and is not afraid of things.
Wang Yu's life is even more ups and downs than martial arts movies, and in his old age, he lies in a hospital bed which is lamentable.
01
In 1944, Wang Yu was born in Shanghai, and his parents named him Wang Zhengquan. The Wang family is a high-gate household, with a prominent momentum and a wealthy family.
The favorable family conditions have allowed Wang Yu to live a luxurious and pompous life since he was a child, while at the same time he is proud of his achievements and has no one in sight.
Wang Yu has no interest in the family business, but he likes sports very much, horse riding, running, swimming, martial arts, he practiced one by one, accumulated over time, and practiced a steel and iron bone.
At the Shanghai Institute of Sport, Wang Yu is an athlete known to everyone. If he goes well, he will graduate here and become a physical education teacher or an athlete.
At the age of 17, Wang Yu followed his father to move to Hong Kong, and his fate took a turn for the worse.
In Hong Kong, Wang Yu was arranged by his father to enter Zhuhai College, majoring in civil engineering exhibition and minoring in sports.
Wang Yu has always been stubborn, has no intention of studying, and in sports, his achievements are excellent, which is staggering. In the swimming competition held by the school, he won two consecutive championships and became a leading member of the swimming team. In the third year, Because of the fight, Wang Yu was expelled from the swimming team. Although he stopped the game, fortunately he got a certificate of completion.
Stepping out of Zhuhai College, Wang Yu bumped head-on into the wave of Hong Kong martial arts films.
In the 1960s and 1970s, martial arts actors were scarce, and major film companies recruited artists from all over the country. However, those who look good are not good, and those who know martial arts can't get on the table with fat heads and big ears.
Wang Yu is an exception, years of sports training, so that he has a strong posture, tall and burly, and most importantly, a face with typical Haipai cultural colors.
At the same time, Wang Yu traveled to Shanghai and Hong Kong, making him proficient in Shanghainese, Cantonese and Mandarin.
With both gods and forms, Wang Yu is destined to be born as a martial arts actor. Shaw, who founded Shaw Film Company, took the lead in throwing an olive branch to Wang Yu, and retained Wang Yu with a generous salary and top resources.
From the moment Wang Yu signed the contract, a kung fu superstar rose.
02
In 1964, Shaw hired director Zhang Che and asked him to try to direct a martial arts film. In the era when color television became popular, Shaw's shooting conditions were still black and white television.
The lack of manpower and material resources made Zhang Che pale.
In order to minimize costs, Wang Yu, as a newcomer, was pushed to the position of male number one in "Tiger Hero Annihilation".
Wang Yu was good at martial arts, but he didn't know how to perform, so Zhang Che invited a martial artist to guide him.
The film was filmed intermittently for more than a year, and was not released until 1966, when "Tiger Man Annihilation" did not do well at the box office in the flood of martial arts films, but Wang Yu's performance was very eye-catching.
In order to kill a bloody road in martial arts films, Run Run Shaw decided to launch the "Colorful Martial Arts Century" plan and planned a "Jianghu Strange Hero".
Zhang Che abandoned the strange elements of the original work and made sufficient efforts in the actors' actions and scenes.
This unique martial arts film made Wang Yu and Zhang Che famous.
Run Run Shaw's ambitions do not stop there, in order to continue to innovate, he hired Ni Kuang, who is good at writing novels, as a screenwriter.
Ni Kuang borrowed the idea of Yang Guo's broken arm in Jin Yong's "Divine Eagle Hero", and integrated the sadness of the western hero and the chivalrous pride of the Traditional Chinese boy into the role, and created a "One-Armed Knife".
This script is almost tailor-made for Wang Yu, with a strong personality, rebellion and tenderness.
After the release of "One-Armed Knife", it caused a carnival, and Hong Kong citizens walked into the cinema to appreciate the style of "one-armed hero".
In the end, the million box office made Zhang Che a famous director, and Wang Yu became the leader of the new martial arts movie.
At that time, Bruce Lee had not yet developed in Hong Kong, and Wang Yu was the highest box office and film salary of all martial arts actors.
The influx of fame and fortune made Wang Yu, who was already arrogant, more and more unscrupulous. It is normal to throw thousands of Hong Kong dollars at dinner, and he also bought a house worth 6 million Hong Kong dollars in Yangmingshan.
Without his father's financial support, the film remuneration earned alone was simply not enough to support Wang Yu's high consumption.
A prominent family and screen hero, Wang Yu once became the dream lover of a Hong Kong girl. But the weak water was three thousand, and he only took one scoop to drink.
03
In 1969, Wang Yu set his sights on 8-year-old Hong Kong actor Lin Cui.
Lin Cui is the sister of the famous Cantonese actor Zeng Jiang, full of vitality and cheerfulness, and the famous director Li Hanxiang said that she was "like a female student", so she was called "student lover".
At the age of 20, Lin Cui was captured by director Qin Jian and entered the palace of marriage. Qin Jian was addicted to gambling, gambling on his savings, gambling on his future, and gambling on losing Lin Cui's house.
Lin Cui was disheartened and separated from Qin Jian and divorced. Perhaps it was Lin Cuichuchu's pitiful appearance that inspired Wang Yu's heroic complex.
Under the warmth of Wang Yu's booing, Lin Cuifang secretly promised that he would hold hands with Jun Tianya.
It's just a pity that the weather is unpredictable.
This year, Qin Jian was powerless to face a life of nothing and embarked on a desperate road.
In the midst of public opinion, Wang Yu took Lin Cui's hand and held a unique press conference, announcing the marriage with Lin Cui, and clarifying that Lin Cui was not sorry for Qin Jian.
At this time, Lin Cui already had Wang Yu's child in her belly, and the two rushed to the marriage with all the expectations and yearnings.
After marriage, Lin Cui gave birth to three daughters for Wang Yu, one of whom is the future famous singer Wang Xinping.
The prodigal son could not turn his head back, and Wang Yu was not a person born for his family.
In 1970, the 26-year-old Wang Yu grew famous in Hong Kong, and he was no longer satisfied with shaw's film remuneration. He negotiated terms with the company, either to raise his salary or to terminate the contract. Neither of the companies agreed.
Wang Yu is not a good-tempered lord, and since the conditions are not close, he will not hesitate to tear his face. The arrogant Wang Yu unilaterally tore up the contract, which was an illegal act. In a fit of rage, Shaw took Wang Yu to court.
The two confronted the court, Wang Yu was in trouble, and the court issued a "restraining order": during the remaining contract period, Wang Yu was not allowed to shoot scenes outside Shaw's banner in Hong Kong, which meant that Wang Yu became a turtle in an urn.
04
In 1971, Wang Yu's contract with Shaw expired, and he was no longer subject to Shaw's clampdown, and he signed a contract with Jiahe Pictures. The two films "Dragon Tiger King Kong" and "Four Heavenly Kings" established Wang Yu's position in Jiahe.
However, No matter how brave Wang Yu is on the screen, he is not as brave as Bruce Lee who returned from abroad. He participated in movies such as "Tangshan Big Brother", "Jingwumen", "Raptor Across the River" and so on, from domestic fire to foreign countries, becoming an international superstar.
Bruce Lee's momentum made Wang Yu avoid it, and he could only turn his attention to the Japanese and Taiwan markets.
This year, Wang Yu took advantage of the "one-armed" feeling and co-starred with Japanese martial arts actor Katsu Shintaro in "One-Armed Knife Vs Blind Man", but the response was flat, and Wang Yu's international road stopped.
At that time, luo Wei, the top director of Jiahe Pictures, fell out with the company, set up his own portal, and focused on kung fu films. Luo Wei has won the popular Bruce Lee, and naturally can praise others. He signed Chen Yunlong, who had already gone to Australia to prepare to change his career as a chef, to help him change his name to "Jackie Chan" and put it on the market.
Wang Yu, who could not find a way out in Jiahe, also threw himself into Luo Wei's banner and partnered with Jackie Chan to act in movies such as "Wind and Rain Double Meteor", "Ink Taidao", and "Straight Pounding Yellow Dragon".
After Jackie Chan became famous, he was dissatisfied with the 3,000 yuan salary given by Luo Wei and was dug into the wall by Jiahe, while Wang Yu stubbornly bit the Taiwan market.
At that time in Taiwan, the underworld was rampant, led by the four sea gangs and the bamboo gang, and they invaded various industries, especially the film and television industry with the highest profits.
Wang Yu, who has been in the circle for a long time, can't help but know a few underworld brothers, he is generous, decisive, and has made a lot of limelight.
At the same time, the fame and profit of the film circle nurtured the greed and desire in Wang Yu's heart. He seeks power and covets women, leaving Lin Cui, who is taking care of her daughter at home, sleepless.
06
In 1975, in a peach-colored incident involving Wang Yu, Lin Cui divorced him, and custody of his three daughters was awarded to Wang Yu.
Wang Yu couldn't care less about his three daughters waiting to be fed, but fell into Lin Qingxia's smile.
At that time, Lin Qingxia had just become popular with "Outside the Window", and her feelings with Qin Han were not eyebrows, and she was moved in the face of the dashing and amorous Wang Yu.
Lin Qingxia asked Wang Yu to teach her to drive, and after teaching her a few times, the two drove the car elsewhere.
The two of them walked the streets, watched movies, ate food, and in between, there was some situation where Xiao Feng was awake tonight.
Half a year later, Wang Yu and Lin Qingxia broke up, and Lin Qingxia threw herself into Qin Han's arms in one breath.
Lin Qingxia was absolutely proud, how could Wang Yu be willing to let go? Because at that time, Wang Yu and the underworld were entangled, and there were many disasters and a bad reputation, for fear of ruining Lin Qingxia's reputation as a jade girl.
In 1976, Wang Yu and the Four Seas Gang clashed at the "Apricot Blossom Pavilion" hotel, and blood splashed on the spot, and the scene was bloody.
Chen Qili, a big man of the Bamboo Gang who had always been at odds with the Four Seas Gang, took the opportunity to throw an olive branch at Wang Yu in order to include him under his command. Chen Qili's meeting gift to Wang Yu was to help him settle his grievances with the Four Seas Gang.
Entering the underworld, it is impossible to do without a backer, and Wang Yu followed Chen Qili to become a core member of the Bamboo Gang.
Although he was protected by Chen Qili, Wang Yu and the Four Seas Gang formed a grudge.
In 1981, Wang Yu married his wife Wang Kaizhen, who was 16 years younger, and when he was newly married, Wang Yu was secretly attacked by the Four Seas Gang.
When Wang Yu was eating at the Heavenly Kitchen Restaurant, the members of the Four Seas Gang slashed Wang Yu with seven knives and almost died.
In order to settle this feud, Wang Yu sued Liu Weimin for helping Liu Weimin in the four seas, and in the process of mediation, the two sides clashed again.
Wang Yu was sentenced to two years and six months in prison in the first instance for instigating the murder, and with the help of Chen Qili, the verdict was changed to acquittal in the second trial.
The "Apricot Blossom Pavilion Case", "Heavenly Kitchen Blood Case" and "Court Building Blood Case" are known as the "Three Blood Cases" in Taiwan, and Wang Yu, as the protagonist of the case, completely ruined his acting career.
Since then, Wang Yu has retired to the rivers and lakes, turned to the commercial sea, and has made hundreds of millions of dollars after several ups and downs.
07
In 1994, Wang Yu spent NT$400 million to build a villa in Taipei, decorated with golden splendor and luxury, like a palace.
This year, Wang Yu was 50 years old.
More than half a hundred years old, fame and fortune status, Wang Yu suddenly stopped. He restrained himself, kept a low profile, and lived a quiet and stable family life with his wife and three daughters.
If there is no accident, Wang Yu will spend his old age peacefully, but the test given to him by heaven is not over.
In 1999, the news of Wang Yu and Wang Kaizhen's marriage was boiling over, divorce was not a big deal, and what was bloody was that Wang Kaizhen betrayed Wang Yu.
Wang Yu, who had been proud all his life, could not stand this green hat and publicly sued Wang Kaizhen.
Wang Xinping, who became popular with "Who I Am", had to stand up and wipe his ass for his father's scandal.
After the storm, Wang Xinping married Hong Kong and faded out of the entertainment circle. Wang Yu, who suffered a blow, reported lace news from time to time.
Some media said that he had been in contact with a 40-year-old civil servant, but due to the strong opposition of the woman's parents, he finally failed.
In 2011, Wang Yu, who is not old in the sword, made a cameo appearance in the movie "Wuxia" at the age of 67, and competed with Zhen Zidan.
Everyone thought that Wang Yu would be so fierce, but Wang Yu, who could unload all his aura, was only an ordinary person after all, and could not resist the erosion of time.
08
In 2013, Wang Yu sold his mansion and wanted to go to Hong Kong to accompany his elderly mother and fulfill his son's filial piety.
For so many years, Wang Yu had been running around and toiling, eating black and white, and letting his mother her heart. In old age, people always have many epiphanies and apologies, and when they want to make up for it, it is often too late.
In 2015, the 71-year-old Wang Yu suffered a stroke, and a generation of kung fu superstars bid farewell to the jianghu in this way, which is really regrettable.
In 2019, Wang Yu won the Golden Horse Award for Lifetime Achievement, Wang Xinping and her sister took to the stage to receive the award on his behalf, Wang Xinping explained that he hoped that his father's heroic image would remain in everyone's hearts.
In 2020, TVB green leaf actor Helen Ma mourned Wang Yu on the social platform, and the media asked Wang Xinping for verification before he knew it was an oolong.
Wang Yu is still alive, but he no longer has the heroic posture of the past. Two consecutive strokes, let him walk in a wheelchair, eat by the nasogastric tube, day and night need to be photographed by a special person to take phlegm care.
It is said that in the past five or six years, Wang Yu's nursing and medical expenses have reached tens of millions of Taiwan dollars.
It's just that no amount of money can be exchanged for a vigorous past.
In the face of his sick father, Wang Yu's second daughter Wang Jialu said: "It is very good now, I will not be involved in the storm again, and it is the best ending not to be sober." ”
Wang Yu's life, no matter how it ends, is not enough to erase his legendary life.
A martial arts star debuted, and a "one-armed knife" established his status as a kung fu superstar.
In order to break through the predicament, he went to Shaw and Jiahe Film Company, and then went to Japan and Taiwan to develop.
In Taiwan, he ushered in a second life, entangled with the Bamboo Gang, and created the story of "three major blood cases".
After his infamy, he went to the sea to do business and fulfilled the myth of wealth.
The world cannot simply use good and bad to evaluate Wang Yu's life, he has been wonderful, lost, famous, and spurned.
Wang Yu has lived out the breadth of the lives of ordinary people for several lifetimes in a lifetime.
For the rest of his life, I only wish him peace and health and a peaceful old age.