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Step into the low-key artist: Xiang Mei's light and legend
In this colorful entertainment industry, there is an outstanding artist, she is Xiang Mei. When people talk about her classic roles, such as the Red Lotus in "Red Women's Army" or the queen of the black chicken country in "Journey to the West", we are all amazed. Her life is like a colorful movie, full of climax and twists. And today, we're digging deeper into the story behind this artist.
Xiang Mei, also known as Wu Xiangmei, was born into a Kochi family in Beijing in 1937. Her father, Wu Zhaofa, crossed the ocean in the United States to earn a doctorate in biology in the United States, and her mother, Huang Yuehua, was an excellent graduate of Chinese and Western girls' high schools and was proficient in English. In such a family context, Xiang Mei and her seven siblings grew up freely in the democratic atmosphere of the family, and their every choice was respected.
When she was a child, Xiang Mei had a love for art. Reading, drawing, dancing... Her life is full of color. When she entered the affiliated high school of Beijing Normal University, she joined the school's drama troupe and showed her enthusiasm for the stage. But even so, at that time, she did not expect that her future life would be so closely connected with the stage and screen.
After graduating from high school, she entered the architecture department of Tianjin University, with the dream of becoming an architect. However, fate is always full of surprises. When she was 20 years old, a director of the Shanghai Film Studio named Ding Li came to her class and brought her a chance to star in "Women's Basketball No. 5". This allowed Xiang Mei to rekindle her passion for acting. It turned out to be the right decision. Xiang Mei's natural and sincere performance is deeply loved by the audience.
Although her original intention was to return to school after finishing the film, fate has set a different path for her. Shanghai Film Studio took a fancy to her unique temperament, thinking that she was not only beautiful, but also born with acting skills, so Xiang Mei decided to stay and officially become an actress.
In the years that followed, Xiang Mei brought us classics and became a legend in the hearts of everyone. She and Chi Xidao, the former deputy director of Shanghai Film Studio, got married and went through the ups and downs of life together. Although the two have an eight-year age difference, their emotions are deep and they have been together for a lifetime. In 1960, they welcomed their son Chi Jing.
However, even behind her glorious career, Xiang Mei has the privacy she wants to protect. She chooses to keep a low profile, but does not share her personal life much. In the eyes of people, she is not only an excellent actress, but also the wife and mother of a virtuous Shude. She decided to retire early and spend her old age with her husband enjoying each other's company.
But in any case, there is always some nonsense. There are rumors that Xiang Mei's later life was not satisfactory, but in fact this was not the case. She has a close relationship with her family and lives a harmonious life.
In short, Xiang Mei's life, like every film and television work she starred in, is worth savoring. From living in an environment full of art and knowledge, to becoming a beloved performance artist, to being with her family in her later years, Xiang Mei is full of stories at every stage. I hope we can learn more about this wonderful artist and feel the charm of her life.
The famous "King of Stage" director Shi Wei is planning a new work "Night Flight in the Sea of Fog", and once again working hand in hand with talented actress Xiang Mei to present the charm of college student "He Meijuan". Subsequently, many well-known directors rushed to invite Xiang Mei to star in their new plays, such as "Two Salesmen", "The Cuckoo Rings Again" and "The South of the North". Such a high degree of recognition made Xiang Mei busy with various shoots in Shanghai Film Studio, resulting in her failure to return to school to complete her studies.
From an architect to an actor, Xiang Mei is not afraid of difficulties and is determined to take the path she has chosen. Later, again, she was favored by director Xie Jin and starred in the important role "Red Lotus" in "Red Women's Army". Hong Lian was a young woman who was oppressed in feudal society, who was forced to become a child bride and experienced countless hardships, but finally she embarked on the road of revolution and fought side by side with the Red Army.
On the beautiful Hainan Island, in order to restore the role more realistically, director Xie Jin specially let Xiang Mei and other actresses undergo three-month practical training in the local area. The tough military training and difficult shooting environment caused Xiang Mei's skin to be seriously damaged. However, for the sake of art, she did not complain, not to mention that she was pregnant at that time. The successful release of the movie "Red Detachment of Women" has made Xiang Mei's image in the hearts of the audience more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
In private, Xiang Mei married Chi Xiedao, a senior executive of the former Shanghai Film Studio. Despite the age difference of eight years, their love is picturesque, and Chi Xiedao's support for Xiang Mei is also meticulous. Due to work reasons, Xiang Mei has left home many times to shoot, but Chi Xidao has always silently supported her behind her back and taken care of everything for her. Such an emotional bond made Xiang Mei feel very guilty, so she decided to quit the film industry and return to her family at the peak of her career.
However, fate is always full of ups and downs. After ten years of grinding, in 1979, Xiang Mei returned to the screen, starring in "The Gunfire of the Secret Bureau" and became popular again. Once again loved by the public, she has always been down-to-earth and continues to bring more wonderful works to the audience.
Xiang Mei is naturally different, she never likes to be the center of attention, and the aura in the crowd makes her cringe. After the "star-by-star" incident in the department store, she stayed away from the bustling streets. Although she has repeatedly appeared on the screen and is loved by a wide range of audiences, her salary has not been separated from the treatment of trainee actors for a long time. However, with the popularity of "The Gunfire of the Secret Bureau", she finally rose from 48 yuan to 59 yuan.
In the face of a long apprenticeship salary, Xiang Mei is optimistic. In her eyes, the literati of that era did not attach too much importance to money, and it was their pursuit to truly devote themselves to art. After the sensation caused by "gunshots", she successively participated in the filming of many works such as "Blue Files", "Flying to the Pacific", "Will a Miracle Happen", "The Red Flower That Never Withers" and so on. In 1985, Xiang Mei not only served as the director of the Shanghai Actors Troupe, but also successfully played the Empress of Wuji Country in the 86th edition of "Journey to the West", which won the love of the audience.
Although there was a lot less time with her family in her young life, after retirement, Xiang Mei chose to go home and spend time with her family. Although she withdrew from public view early, she was often plagued by fabricated false reports. Xiang Mei faced it calmly and clarified: "I live very happily with my family and Hemeimei. At the same time, she feels guilty about the younger members of the family, but still respects them.
In 2008, Xiang Mei wanted to return to the stage, but health reasons forced her to put it on hold. Faced with the challenges of years and health, she faced it indifferently and said frankly: "A person's best creative period will always pass." Today, she spends more time at home with her wife, while also taking care of the plants in the house. Her daughter-in-law even gave her a pot of Rui Xiang, which exudes a charming fragrance every Spring Festival.
Xiang Mei, the charm of this name, like the Rui Xiang she raised, is elegant and charming. Although she has been out of the public eye for a long time, her works and the characters she creates are still deeply imprinted in the hearts of the audience. As Voltaire said, beauty can delight the eyes, but true temperament can enchant. Xiang Mei, whether she was young or now 85 years old, is still such a woman.
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