A few years ago, a variety show invited several famous female stars in the 80s as guests. Liu Xiaoqing, Li Zixiong, Wan Ziliang and others are all in good spirits and demeanor without exception. But there was a "movie queen" Li Xiuming, who was also a household name back then, but he did not appear in the show. It wasn't until much later that some media revealed the news of her now.
It turns out that Li Xiuming, who is now 68 years old, has long been away from the entertainment industry and lives an ordinary life. She lives in Canada with her husband and children, enjoying a leisurely and comfortable retirement. According to her own words: "In addition to exercising, playing chess and cards every day, I just plant some flowers and plants at home, which is really carefree and comfortable."
Why did a big star who had infinite beauty once upon a time choose to resolutely quit the entertainment industry at the peak of his career and live a completely different life from before? Let's review Li Xiuming's twists and turns and wonderful life journey.
Born in an artistic family, the actor's dream is born
Li Xiuming was born in 1954 in Tianjin, China's most prestigious "city of quyi". She has lived in this city with a strong artistic atmosphere since she was a child, and has a natural yearning and love for stage performance art.
Li Xiuming's parents are both art workers, and they gave her a strict art education since she was a child. The father is a famous opera artist, and the mother is a veteran performer in the Peking Opera Troupe, and the two have high expectations for their daughter, hoping that she can continue the family artistic career. In such a family environment, Li Xiuming naturally fell in love with the stage, and was full of strong interest in acting at a young age.
"My family is from an artistic family, and I have been nurtured since I was a child, and I have more feelings for art than others." Li Xiuming recalled, "When I was a child, I was especially envious of the children in the neighborhood, who were free to play outside, and I had to practice, practice the piano, and dance from morning to night. But then I found that this kind of perseverance was worth it, and it allowed me to develop an artistic cell from a young age. "
The bumpy and rugged road into the road was an instant hit and attracted attention
Although Li Xiuming was born in a famous family, the road to entering the entertainment industry is not easier than that of ordinary people. In 1972, after graduating from high school, she was admitted to the cadet class of Tianjin People's Art Theater and began strict stage practice training.
At first, it was not easy, Li Xiuming not only had to take classes every day to learn acting skills, but also sweep the floor, wash dishes, make beds, etc., and do the most ordinary chores. There were a few times when she almost gave up, but she gritted her teeth and persevered. Finally in 1975, Li Xiuming shined in an interview for an important role and won the position of the heroine of the movie "Spring Miao".
The film was a huge success at home and abroad, and Lee Xiuming became a household name with his flick acting and iconic short hairstyle. In the following years, she starred in a number of word-of-mouth masterpieces, such as "The Great Wave" and "The Peacock Princess", etc., and her strength and popularity increased day by day, and she soon became one of the most dazzling new generation movie stars in the 80s.
In 1981, Li Xiuming won the "Double Actress" crown for her outstanding performance, a title that made her the darling of the film industry in one fell swoop, and was known as one of the "Three Golden Flowers of Northern Film" that year. During this period, many directors also came to invite her to join their film and television works.
Marriage and family life come and go
However, just when Li Xiuming's career was in full swing, her married life fell into a trough. In 1986, she starred in the much-watched TV series "Peacock Princess", in which she had many intimate scenes with the actor Tang Guoqiang. Because the two are also very close to each other in real life, there were soon scandals.
This has had a big impact on Li Xiuming's family life. As an actress, she works from 9 to 5 every day outside for filming and rehearsals, and rarely spends time with her family. Coupled with the scandal with Tang Guoqiang, there was a rift in her relationship with her husband, and the contradictions continued to intensify. Finally, in 1993, the two chose to break up.
Soon after the divorce, Li Xiuming met Cheng Jiushi, a businessman who was doing business in Beijing at the time. The two hit it off at first sight and soon became husband and wife. With Cheng Jiushi's support and funding, Li Xiuming decided to quit his job as an actor and start a potato chip processing company with her husband.
In fact, although Li Xiuming was once a hot superstar, his income as an actor is not too high. Under the conditions at that time, if you want to find a stable source of livelihood for your family, going to the sea to do business seems to be a good choice. Most importantly, this allows her to get rid of the drifting life of an actor and live an ordinary but down-to-earth life with peace of mind.
Transformation and entrepreneurship potato chips "candy queen"
In 1992, Li Xiuming and her husband Cheng Jiushi planned a business plan. They chose the sunrise industry of potato chip production, hoping to seize the business opportunities brought about by the reform and opening up.
"We were also thinking about our livelihood at that time, and the potato chip food industry had a bright future." Li Xiuming recalled, "From renting a small workshop of more than 10 square meters at the beginning, to developing into large-scale mechanized production covering an area of tens of thousands of square meters, it can be said that it started from scratch, and it took a lot of hardships along the way." "
With Li Xiuming's ability to operate in the mall and Cheng Jiushi's management experience, their potato chip business soon flourished, and the products sold well all over the country. Some commentators said that Li Xiuming also won the reputation of "Queen of Potato Chips and Candy".
Just when Li Xiuming's potato chip business was becoming more and more prosperous, she also set her sights on other investment areas. In 2000, Li Xiuming and Cheng Jiushi invested in several food companies in a row, and the investment returns were staggering.
With excellent business acumen and keen market sense, Li Xiuming and her husband's career can be said to be getting bigger and bigger, and the wealth is rolling. By 2002, they had fully achieved the goal of "10 million net worth".
Although their careers are in full swing and the banknotes are like being caught, Li Xiuming and his wife did not stop there. They want their children to receive a better education and enjoy a higher quality of life. So, in 2002, Li Xiuming and her husband made a major decision: to sell all the business they had and the family immigrated to Canada to settle down.
"It's one thing to be able to make money, but it's more important to live this life well." Li Xiuming explained the decision that year, "We think we should let the children broaden their horizons and see the world from the outside, instead of confinement them in the city of Beijing." So we resolutely sold all our business and changed to a new living environment. "
In this way, Li Xiuming and his family bid farewell to their parents' hometown of Beijing, and moved to Vancouver, Canada, with a net worth of millions of US dollars. Here, Li Xiuming lived a completely different life from the past.
"What a jump from the bottom of the well to the sky! Our family wasn't as rich as this before. Li Xiuming said with a smile, "In Canada, I never have to worry about money anymore, in addition to going to the gym and playing golf, I am at home with my grandchildren every day." When I have nothing to do, I will also go back to my hometown in Beijing to visit relatives and friends. "
After immigrating to Canada, Li Xiuming completely distanced himself from the aura of the showbiz he once had. She relied on her salary in her early years and her later investment and financial management income to live a carefree and leisurely life.
On the other hand, the film industry peers who were on par with her back then are still running around and struggling for their livelihoods. Liu Xiaoqing starred in online dramas for a living, and Wan Ziliang was caught in financial disputes for many years. In contrast, Li Xiuming undoubtedly made the wisest choice.
Enjoy the red life of the sunset and feel the ups and downs to achieve today
Now 68 years old, Li Xiuming lives with her husband and children in a single-family villa in Vancouver. Her daily routine consists of doing sports, tending to the garden, and occasionally catching up with old friends. He is in good shape and looks much younger than his actual age.
"The quality of life I have now can be said to be undesirable back then. Although I sometimes miss my artistic career, I am more glad that I was able to stop in time and live such a comfortable life. Li Xiuming said.
Looking back on the past, Li Xiuming has too many feelings to confide. Born in a family of operas, he had a bumpy road from art, quit the film industry at the peak of his career and changed his career to business, and immigrated overseas to live the life of a broad wife...... The trajectory of her life can be described as ups and downs and drama.