has been in the entertainment industry for many years, and he claims to know the role of "Jigong" well. But when I personally met You Benchang, the old drama bone who played "Jigong", I couldn't help but want to ask him a question that had been bothering me for a long time. As a self-deprecating cross talk actor, I asked him at the time: "Can you play Jigong like me?"
Unexpectedly, this kind old gentleman smiled slightly, glanced at me with sharp eyes, and then calmly spit out only four words: "Buddha has no appearance." "
The audience was in an uproar! I thought I would hear a witty remark, but the old actor's answer was unexpected, straight to the heart, and everyone was impressed by his wit. At that moment, I deeply realized the high wisdom and calm bearing of the real "Living Buddha Jigong".
In fact, looking back on Mr. You's life, it can be said that there are many ups and downs. As early as sixty or seventy years ago, he was already burdened with the trust of his family and worked the stage as a dragon actor. At that time, he was poor all the year round, and he often couldn't even solve the problem of food and clothing. Once, he even fainted on stage due to malnutrition, and the scene can be imagined. But despite this, he never gave up his persistent pursuit of his stage dream.
The belief of vowing to become a generation of masters supports Mr. You all the way forward. Finally, on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala in 1984, he was 91 years old this year and starred in the sensational pantomime "Shower" and became famous in one fell swoop. The next year, he won the Gold Award for his outstanding performance, and since then he has become a well-known actor of "Jigong".
However, after becoming famous, Mr. You still maintains a low-key and humble style. He is well aware of the truth of "Buddha has no appearance", and understands that an excellent actor should be "humble and cautious" and be prepared for danger in times of peace. Therefore, when I put forward an unintentional temptation that day, he did not show half of his pride and complacency, but woke us up in the most simple and unpretentious language: as long as there is compassion and joy in the heart, anyone can become a person who helps the world.
Of course, it is not easy to perfectly interpret the inner spirit and character traits of the character of Jigong. Mr. You can be said to have endured hardships many times during the filming process. I remember one scene, in order to show Jigong's greedy nature, he even did not hesitate to stuff the broken prop meat directly, and immediately changed his mood after eating, followed by a crying scene. The crew felt too much pressure and persuaded him to hire a stand-in, but he resolutely refused.
In another scene, the scene where Jigong was about to be beaten by the board was also unexpectedly played by Mr. You himself, although there was a protective pad in his body, but watching him being beaten so hard in his seventies and eighties, everyone really couldn't stand it. In the end, the picture was filmed, just because the old man was reluctant to waste a little effort. It is with this pious dedication to the cause of art that Mr. You can interpret the seemingly funny and obscene image of Jigong into a divine way, which is hilarious and insightful.
Today, despite his advanced age, Mr. You is still active on the stage, dedicated to promoting the art form of pantomime and reviving its glory. Under his influence and promotion, pantomime gradually moved from a niche culture to the public eye. What is even more commendable is that he has never been complacent about his artistic achievements, but has always maintained a humble and simple style of life.
Therefore, when someone asked if he could become a generation of "Jigong" like him, Mr. You would answer so humbly that "the Buddha has no appearance". He knows that if he wants to become a real art master, he must first have the compassion of "helping the world" in his heart, so as to radiate dazzling light on the stage and be recognized by the audience.
Seeing that this 90-year-old artist still maintains his persistent pursuit of art, I was once again impressed by his humility and wisdom. Sometimes, on the path of art, we really need the guidance and inspiration of authoritative masters. However, through his own life experience and values, Mr. You explained a truth to us: to become a real artist, you must first have a pure and flawless inner integrity.
When you understand the true meaning of "Buddha has no appearance", no matter what you look like, you can become a generation of "Jigong". This is precisely where the highest level of art lies. In the future, perhaps I should also reflect on myself from time to time, whether I have achieved the "humility of the valley" in my heart? Only when my heart is pure enough can I condense a strong enough artistic force to infect and move the hearts of the audience.
There is no distinction between high and low in artistic creation, and the most important thing is the actor's inner personality cultivation. This cliché is vividly reflected in today's Mr. You. I think he is a well-deserved "Jigong Living Buddha". As an artist, I also want to humbly learn from his humble character and persistent pursuit, and interpret more good works that move people's hearts with an innocent heart.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's 2023. Now 91 years old, the old man You Benchang is still active in various performances, he is physically strong and energetic, and he is still making unremitting efforts to revitalize the art of pantomime. I am heartily gratified to see the humility, courtesy, tranquility and contentment of this lovely old man.
For most people, advanced age can mean that they are nearing the end of their lives. But for Mr. You, this time has become a new starting point for artistic ideals. We often say "live to be old, learn to be old", but what can really be achieved is very rare. Mr. You interpreted the true connotation of this sentence with his own actions, allowing us to see the valuable qualities that an elderly man is still persistently pursuing.
Recalling his wise saying, "The Buddha has no appearance", I was once again impressed by his wisdom and open-mindedness. Looks should never be a shackle to artistic pursuits. As long as the actor can be frank and humble and internalize the great compassion of "Jishidu people" into his own artistic ethics, then he will definitely be able to shine on the stage and become the idol of "Jigong" in the hearts of a generation.
Mr. You had a rough life, but in the end, he had no regrets because of his artistic ideals. His philosophy of life inspired me and inspired me to pursue a career in art. As an artist, I should always maintain the humble mind of "Buddha has no appearance", be down-to-earth, and impress the audience with pure acting pursuits, rather than being limited by superficial appearances.
A true artist should conquer the world with his inner talent and educate the world with his wise personality. I would like to take Mr. You as an example and strive for excellence on the road of performance in the future, and create more touching artistic images. Through the power of art, promote positive energy and convey the true meaning of life, this is the most important cause that our industry should pursue!
As I was leaving, I bowed deeply to the old man and expressed my admiration. Looking at his peaceful face, I secretly resolved to strive to become a master of both virtue and art like Mr. You. Maybe it is true that he can't become a "Jigong" by his appearance, but as long as he maintains the inner quality of innocence and kindness, he will definitely be able to live forever in the art world and become an immortal "living Buddha" in the hearts of the audience.