Lan Tianye, formerly known as Wang Runsen, was born in 1927 in a scholarly family. He was gifted and talented, and from an early age he showed extraordinary artistic talent. However, at the age of 10, the blow of losing his grandparents and father in succession made him experience the impermanence of life prematurely. These changes gave him the idea of contributing to the war-torn motherland.
As a young man, Wang Runsen made an important decision: to give up his beloved painting and devote himself to a career in drama. He hopes to move people's hearts and arouse the people's patriotic enthusiasm through stage performances. In this way, he joined a repertory troupe and began his career as an actor. Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary choice would become the beginning of his entry into another mysterious world.
In the repertory troupe, Wang Runsen learned that his third sister, Shi Mei, was a member of the Communist Party. Inspired by his sister, 18-year-old Wang Runsen officially joined the Communist Party of China in 1945 and began to work underground. Since then, he has lived a two-sided life of drama life and secret service career.
During the day, Wang Runsen is an excellent actor, and he uses his superb acting skills to convey revolutionary ideas to the audience. And when night falls, he transforms into a mysterious underground agent. He rode his bicycle and shuttled through the depths of the alley, risking his life to deliver important documents and intelligence handed over to him by the party organization to the designated joint location. Wang Runsen knows very well that he is shouldering the heavy trust of the party and the people, and only by not forgetting his original intention can he carry out the revolutionary cause to the end.
In 1948, Wang Runsen received an order from his superiors to lead the members of the troupe to retreat urgently. In order to protect the safety of his comrades, he changed his name to "Lantian Ye" and continued his dual identity. Once, in the face of the enemy's close surveillance, Lan Tianye had an idea and designed a welcome ceremony to confuse the enemy, and successfully led the whole regiment to evacuate smoothly. His wit and courage made great contributions to the revolutionary cause.
In 1949, the founding of the People's Republic of China made Lantian Ye excited. His career as a secret agent came to an end, but a new chapter in his theatrical life began. He joined the Beijing People's Art Theatre, where he played numerous classic roles. His "Second Master Qin" and "Jiang Ziya" have been shaped by no one else so far.
Lan Tianye has put a lot of effort into each character. In order to better interpret the image of Jiang Ziya, a fairy wind bone, he deliberately apprenticed to learn Tai Chi and Taoist health preservation techniques. Even at the age of more than 60, he still insisted on going into battle in person during the filming of "Fengshen Bang" and refused to use stand-ins. His dedication and perseverance have become a model for future generations of actors to learn.
2021 is a special year for the 94-year-old Lantian Ye. This year, he was awarded the "July 1 Medal", which is the highest honor given to him by the party and the state. However, what is even more amazing is that his identity as an underground agent who has been hidden for 75 years has also been exposed.
It turned out that this highly respected artist was once an unsung hero who struggled for New China. He worked secretly underground for decades, but never said a word to outsiders. It was only then that people learned that he was not only an outstanding actor, but also a true communist fighter.
Lantian Ye's life is a legendary inspirational epic. His experience is not only the epitome of personal struggle, but also the imprint of an era. He embodied the Chinese Communists' firmness in their beliefs, their dedication to the cause, and their sincerity to the people.
Today, although Lantian Ye is far away from us, his spirit lives on. He used his life to interpret the values of the times of "patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendliness", and his words and deeds will always inspire us to move forward bravely on the new road to the exam.