In 1938, 5-year-old You Benchang, as usual, followed his parents to the monastery near his home to pray for blessings, but unexpectedly, on the way, he met a monk on the way, and pointed out to his parents: "If your child is not related to the Buddha, I am afraid that he will not live to be 13 years old!"
So, the parents who believed it was true sent You Benchang to become a monk in the second year.
At a young age, You Benchang stayed in the temple for 7 years, and it was not until he was safely 13 years old that his parents let him return home at the age of 15.
Then, because of the influence of his sister, You Benchang fell in love with dramas, and was even more fascinated by imitation and performance.
Acting life is a trick again and again
After receiving the support of his family, You Benchang began his acting life, from the Nanjing Art Troupe, to the Shanghai Theater Academy, and then to the Central Experimental Theater, along the way, he worked tirelessly, studying acting and drama day and night.
Although in the Central Experimental Theater, You Benchang's role is only ten seconds per performance, and sometimes he doesn't even have a line.
But You Benchang did not complain, but worked harder to improve himself, and he has lived nearly 30 years in such a tricky career;
During those years, he also experienced 10 turbulent years, working as a boilermaker, a manure picker, building a house, and planting rice.
Even in such a difficult devolved life, You Benchang still squeezed out time and quietly concentrated on practicing acting alone.
From the stage of the Spring Festival Gala to "Jigong"
For a long time, although You Benchang's professional ability has been greatly appreciated, life is not full of flowers, and in the performing arts circle, opportunities are more important than majors.
Until 1984, You Benchang unexpectedly won the favor of the director of the Spring Festival Gala because of a charity performance, and he was invited to participate in the 1984 Spring Festival Gala performance.
When he appeared on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala, You Benchang was 51 years old, and the pantomime he performed "Shower" let the public know this strange older actor for the first time.
This performance, only a short 4 minutes, without any sound, You Benchang relied on his body language and expressions to move the audience, and also attracted director Zhang Ge.
You Benchang's superb acting skills made director Zhang Ge's eyes shine, and he decided that You Benchang was the best candidate for the TV series "Jigong" prepared by himself.
So, Zhang Ge immediately decided to let You Benchang play the leading role in "Jigong".
In the face of Zhang Ge's olive branch, You Benchang was grateful, he waited for more than 30 years, and finally waited for his own opportunity.
In order to play this role well, You Benchang only sleeps 5 hours a day, and the rest of the time is either used to study the script or how to play this role well.
He even personally collected Jigong's stories to improve the script, and in order to save shooting costs, he also sewed Jigong's shoes, hats, robes, and fans by hand.
After becoming popular, he suspended his acting career for his wife
Later, this "Jigong" fire was like a tailor-made for You Benchang, and You Benchang's Jigong image became an indelible mark in the hearts of the public;
His sentence "The shoes are torn, the hat is torn, and the robe on the body is torn!" has spread all over the country.
And "Jigong" has become synonymous with You Benchang. You Benchang's hard work has not only won the recognition of the public, but also won the recognition of the entertainment industry, he won the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor, and the film appointments continue.
However, no one's life is full of flowers.
Just when You Benchang had the opportunity to make persistent efforts and gain fame and fortune after the fire of "Jigong", his wife was diagnosed with cancer.
Facing his wife who has been with him for 30 years, You Benchang decisively chose to suspend his acting career and take care of his wife wholeheartedly;
"Guiding people's hearts with literature and art"
4 years later, after his wife's condition improved, You Benchang once again turned his focus back to his acting career.
It's a pity that You Benchang, who has been away from the screen for 4 years, is no longer the popular Jigong at the beginning, and there is no place for him in the entertainment industry.
But You Benchang did not give up, when most people regard the commercial value in the entertainment industry as extremely important, You Benchang insists on "guiding people's hearts with literature and art" as his life creed;
With the support of his wife, he decided to set up his own company, hoping to bring audiences works that could move people's hearts, rather than works that were shot for commercial value.
Since then, he has directed and acted in two works, one is the pantomime series "Mr. You Smiles Dumbly", and the other is the TV series "Lifan";
These two dramas almost spent all of You Benchang's savings, but unfortunately, they did not make a big splash in the market.
From a business standpoint, these two shows were not successful;
But for You Benchang, economic benefits have never been his primary purpose in doing this, and the meaning of these works he has spent his heart and soul is very different, which is his persistence in art.
"For the sake of good work, I think it's worth it!"
In 2009, 76-year-old You Benchang saw a drama script about Hongyi master Li Shutong at an event. He was so excited that he immediately decided to buy the rights to the script.
At that time, You Benchang, who did not have much savings, did not hesitate to sell one of his houses in order to buy and shoot this script.
He said, "Master Hongyi is our ancestor, and I have the responsibility to carry it forward, which is my glory." There is no desire to attract investment, and this is not a commercial act. Even if you sell your house to buy it, I think it's worth it!"
In 2013, the drama "Master Hongyi: The Final Victory" was released, but I didn't expect that I lost millions of dollars in the first game, and with the previous investment, all the money from the sale of the house was lost.
But 80-year-old You Benchang still has a lot of energy, as well as his love for good works; no matter how poor he is, he will not take the script for money, he insists that "art should not be desecrated".
All the hardships can be overcome, and in 2017, You Benchang's drama "Master Hongyi" was a success, and in that year alone, this drama held more than 170 performances and received the love of audiences at home and abroad.
That year, You Benchang was 84 years old, whether it was his persistence in art, or his spirit of acting in dramas at such an advanced age, which touched batch after batch of people.
"As long as the audience needs it, I will live until I am old, learn from it, and work until I am old. ”
Although some people are old, they are still influencing more people with their meager strength, and You Benchang is such a person.
In 2024, the TV series "Flowers" will become popular, and You Benchang will once again become the protagonist on the screen, this time he is not Jigong who eats meat, he is an old mage uncle who is always calm and relaxed.
This drama, You Benchang, filmed from 87 years old to 90 years old, this is undoubtedly a challenge for him at such an advanced age, but You Benchang did it, and he became the "Dinghai Divine Needle" of the whole drama.
Just like You Benchang himself said, "You must love art and give your life for it", "As long as the audience needs it, I will live until I am old, learn from it, and work until I am old." ””
I have to say that You Benchang, who adheres to art so much, is a real artist and deserves everyone's admiration.