Text | Bobo Chat Entertainment
Editor|Bobo Chat Entertainment
Recently, there is news about the return of Zhu Xijuan, a 78-year-old known as a "People's Artist" who starred in "Red Detachment of Women", so why is she called a People's Artist?
birth
Zhu Xijuan was born in 1938 in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, the youngest daughter of a lucky family, her father is Zhu Yuanqing, a professor at Tongji University in Shanghai, and her mother is a primary school teacher. Not only does she have a dear sister and brother, but she also enjoys the infinite pampering of the family.
However, China in this era is in the midst of chaos among warlords at home and a poor livelihood for its people. Zhu Xijuan's childhood was shrouded in war, and her fatherhood made them targets of political turmoil. When she was just three years old, the family was forced to leave Shanghai and began a life of displacement.
Unfortunately, during the move, Zhu Xijuan's brother contracted an illness and died at the age of 18 due to the lack of timely medical treatment. The death of the older brother dealt a heavy blow to the family, and for many years they were unable to get out of this misfortune.
However, Zhu Xijuan turned this sadness into motivation. She repaid her parents' expectations with excellent results and tried her best to make them happy. With her help, parents gradually came out of their grief and began to regain confidence in life.
The road to fame
Zhu Xijuan, an ordinary Shanghai girl, lived in Hebei as a child, however, the turning point of fate came when she was 14 years old. One day, director Zhao Dan visited the school to select actors, and when he saw the young Zhu Xijuan, he was immediately attracted by her talent, so Zhu Xijuan's acting career began. Although she did not have professional training, in the film "Bless for the Child", her excellent performance won the love of the director and the audience.
Soon after, director Xie Jin invited her to participate in the war movie "Red Detachment of Women". In order to perfectly interpret the role, Zhu Xijuan delved deeper, communicated with the old Red Army, imitated the lifestyle of the Women's Army, and even wore shorts and leggings for a long time, adapting to military training and marching under the scorching sun. Her efforts were not in vain, and she successfully established a vivid image of the Women's Scout, winning the first Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress in 1962. At the award ceremony, the literary giant Guo Moruo inscribed the praise of "Southern Qionghua" for her, and personally presented the award, dancing with Premier Zhou.
However, despite the honors, Zhu Xijuan remains humble, she sees herself as an ordinary actress, and believes that becoming famous at a young age is just an extra opportunity to show herself. After graduation, she joined the Shanghai Youth Drama Troupe and continued to give wonderful performances to the audience. Zhu Xijuan's acting career is full of persistence and hard work, and she has written her legendary story with talent and perseverance, leaving an eternal mark on the Chinese film industry.
Love
Her work led her into a whole new world, a place she had never set foot in before. Friends in the social circle began to introduce her to some young people with a strong literary and artistic atmosphere, one of whom was the painter Hou Fengmin, with similar interests and life background.
When they first met, Hou Fengmin was attracted to her charm, while she was a little shy. However, as time went on, they became more and more familiar, and Zhu Xijuan gradually found that she had a special affection for him. Her heart is full of love, but she doesn't know how to express it. In the end, it was Hou Fengmin who bravely confessed to her, which made them decide to be together.
Due to the nature of Zhu Xijuan's work, they could not see each other often, but this did not affect the relationship between them. Whenever they have free time, they schedule appointments. When they feel emotionally mature enough, they decide to move on to the next step in their marriage. After marriage, they welcomed a lovely daughter and a lively son.
Went to the United States and turned back
Zhu Xijuan, who has worked hard in Shenzhen's TV station and film and television industry for many years, is 60 years old unknowingly. She announced that she would travel to live in the United States, which caused widespread heated discussion, and many viewers could not accept her decision.
Zhu Xijuan has made great achievements in the TV industry, personally directed more than 20 TV series, led the TV station to win the Feitian Award repeatedly, and also trained a large number of outstanding actors. However, her decision confused people. Her relatives and friends discouraged her, thinking that 60 was the time to retire and enjoy life, so why should she go to a distant foreign country?
But it turned out that Zhu Xijuan's decision was not rash. In 1985, she joined the Chinese film delegation and went to Italy for artistic research and visits. This trip to Europe opened up a new world for Zhu Xijuan, and she saw the rapid development of Italian film and television, which made her miss it all the time.
After returning to China, she has been thinking about this matter, eager to explore the outside world, broaden her horizons, learn foreign film and television knowledge, and better develop the domestic film and television industry.
After coming to the United States, Zhu Xijuan founded her own film entertainment company. In 1996, the TV series "Beijinger in New York" directed by her was released, which triggered a boom for countless Chinese to go to the United States. The unexpected effect puzzled her. Her original intention in filming this drama was to express the delicate relationship between "opportunity and test", but she did not expect that it would arouse the curiosity of Chinese people about New York and lead to a large-scale wave of overseas immigrants.
This result made her regret a lot, because she has been committed to spreading and promoting Chinese culture and making Chinese culture famous in the world. Faced with this situation, she is determined to save the thinking of her countrymen and no longer blindly follow the trend.
With this original intention, she created a new play "Broadway 100". This film shows what she saw and really felt in New York. When the film aired, many discovered that their previous views of the United States were inaccurate.
Zhu Xijuan said in an interview program: "I hope that these works can promote the development of the mainland film and television industry." Her great ambition made skeptics who had previously looked at her feel guilty.
In 2016, after living in the United States for more than ten years, Zhu Xijuan decided to return to China to retire due to homesickness. After discussing with her husband, they set out on their way home. In the United States, she lived a careful life, and in Beijing everything was so familiar and intimate. At the age of 80, she began to hatch a new dream to be recognized by the award again.
In 2017, she participated in the movie "Snow and Solstice". The filming of this film lasted from cold winter to midsummer, whether indoors or outdoors, she completed the scene very seriously and did not take special care. At the age of 82, she also starred in the drama "Empty Nest" that reflects the life of empty nesters, playing an old teacher who is loved by the audience. Even with mobility difficulties, she still took on all the scenes in the studio.
After Zhu Xijuan returned to China, she did not stop pursuing her acting career. She hopes to arouse society's attention to the elderly through her own efforts. Although her children could not accompany her, she found the motivation to continue to struggle in the hot land of her motherland.
Revert to one 's origin
Zhu Xijuan's sudden decision shocked everyone. People thought that she was about to retire, but instead she chose to move out of the house with her husband Hou Fengmin and settled in a nursing home. This decision not only made netizens puzzled, but even her children were confused and opposed.
When pressed by reporters why she chose to live in a nursing home, despite having both children, she did not hesitate to answer that it was to avoid burdening her children and to pursue a free and independent lifestyle. The decision was puzzling, but she stood firmly behind her choice.
In this process, she and her husband Hou Fengmin have been sticking together. Although the two have very different personalities, one is active and the other is comfortable, they have always gone through ups and downs. They met through the introduction of a friend, and this fate continues to this day.
Until last year, Zhu Xijuan was over eighty years old and still stuck to the screen and participated in the filming of the movie "Daughter in the Depths of the Coconut Forest". She even participated in the Popular Film Hundred Flowers Award and appeared on stage with Zhu Yilong, sharing her hard work and dedication to her acting career. The audience was moved by her natural and sincere performance, because everyone will face the problem of aging and old age, and how to choose is different from person to person.
In April 2022, she celebrated her 80th birthday and won the National Top Ten Film Actress and Lifetime Achievement Awards. At the award ceremony, she gave a testimonial saying that becoming an outstanding actor has always been her lifelong dream and pursuit.
Finally, through patient explanation and communication, Zhu Xijuan successfully persuaded her children to start a new life in a nursing home. The children visit them regularly and maintain family ties. No matter what the outside world comments, Zhu Xijuan does not care, because this is her own choice, and she firmly believes that she can live a happy life.
epilogue
Zhu Xijuan's life and career are full of ups and downs and glory. Her road to fame is both extraordinary and full of persistence and hard work. Although she received great recognition at a young age, she never forgot her original intention, has always been committed to her acting career, and has made outstanding contributions to the Chinese film industry. Her decision to return to China to retire also shows her appreciation of family and freedom, and this bravery and steadfastness are admirable.
Zhu Xijuan's story tells us that no matter what age, dreams and pursuits should not be bound. She still insists on her acting career at the age of 80, showing us the courage and determination to keep moving forward. Her life experience also makes people think about what true happiness really means and how to choose your own lifestyle.
In the entertainment industry, Zhu Xijuan is a charismatic and talented actor, and her influence is not only reflected in her works, but also in her tenacious character and love for art. She is a legend in the Chinese film industry and a respected "people's artist". I hope her story will inspire more people to pursue their dreams and move forward, regardless of age and difficulty.