In 1986, a "Journey to the West" swept the country like a whirlwind and became a popular TV series for all ages. The "Monkey King" and "Tang Seng" in the play became household names for a while, especially Chi Chongrui, who played Tang Seng, and became the male god in the hearts of thousands of girls.
However, at the same time as this drama was broadcast, a love story across ages and identities also quietly kicked off. The heroine of the story is Chen Lihua, a female entrepreneur who was already quite famous at that time.
Chen Lihua's relationship with the crew of "Journey to the West" starts with her little Zhao Lirong. Zhao Lirong played the role of "Queen Chechi" in the play, and one day Chen Lihua came to the crew to visit the class, so she got acquainted with the crew.
Among them, it naturally also includes Chi Chongrui, who plays Tang Seng. On that day, everyone talked happily and the atmosphere was warm. No one expected that this seemingly ordinary visit would become an important moment that changed the trajectory of Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua's lives.
Soon after the filming, Chen Lihua invited the crew to a meal. During this dinner, she suddenly announced a surprise to everyone - she was going to marry Chi Chongrui.
This news was like a bombshell and caused quite a stir at the dinner table. After hearing this, Ma Dehua, the actor of "Zhu Bajie", said with a smile: "Okay, this is a good thing, Mr. Chen has become my teacher."
He also added that the first time he saw Chen Lihua, he thought she was a kind person, very good. In this way, with everyone's blessings, the love story of Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua officially began.
Although there are many doubts about this relationship, the two don't seem to care. They believe that time will tell. This fate, which began in "Journey to the West", not only changed Chi Chongrui's career trajectory, but also completely changed his life.
Since then, he is no longer just a "Tang Seng" on the screen, but has become the other half of Chen Lihua in real life. This unexpected encounter began their thirty-year love story.
In 1990, Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua's wedding was held as scheduled, but it caused a lot of shock in the society. This marriage is like a stone stirring up a thousand waves, arousing many speculations and questions from the outside world.
Chen Lihua, a woman born in 1941 in the Summer Palace, has a prominent family background. She was born in the Manchu Yellow Banner and is the eighth generation descendant of the Yehenala clan.
In addition, she is also the first collector of red sandalwood in China, and is known as the richest woman who owns "half of Wangfu Street". It is rumored that a single red sandalwood ornament in her collection can match the value of a mansion.
In contrast, although Chi Chongrui became popular because of "Journey to the West", he is far from Chen Lihua in age and wealth. He is ten years younger than Chen Lihua, and he is in the rising period of his career, and his future is immeasurable.
Such a huge age gap and identity difference undoubtedly caused huge controversy in the social environment at the time. In the face of overwhelming doubts, Chi Chongrui chose to remain silent.
He firmly believes that sincere feelings will eventually stand the test of time. For the sake of this relationship, he resolutely chose to quit the thriving showbiz and devoted himself to his life with Chen Lihua.
Chen Lihua's decision was not impulsive. As a divorced woman, in that more traditional era, it was not easy to remarry. But she thinks that since she has met like-minded people, it is fate and it is worth cherishing.
She consulted her three children before making a decision. It is reassuring to know that the children are all open-minded and fully supportive of their mother's pursuit of her own happiness. When asked why she chose Chi Chongrui, Chen Lihua said frankly: "Mr. Chi is beautiful, and many women line up to pursue him, how can it be his turn?" In this sentence, there is not only appreciation for Chi Chongrui, but also some hard-won cherishment.
Chi Chongrui said that when he and Chen Lihua met, they found that the two had many hobbies in common. Especially in traditional culture and Peking Opera, the two have a deep common interest.
It is these spiritual connections that transcend the material that bring them together so quickly. In this way, at a challenging beginning, Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua embarked on the journey of marriage hand in hand, and began their love story across ages and identities.
This high-profile marriage also kicked off a 30-year prelude. Thirty years have passed, and Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua's marriage is still as loving as ever, which can't help but make people curious about how they get along.
If we look closely, we will find that their married life has unique characteristics. First of all, the two have always maintained a respectful attitude towards each other. Chi Chongrui always refers to Chen Lihua as "you", and his tone is full of respect.
"It's time for you to eat", "It's time for you to drink", "It's time for you to rest", such words have become their daily routine. Chen Lihua once revealed that in the decades they have been together, the two have never made a joke.
This serious way of getting along may seem a bit restrained to others, but for them it is an important way to maintain their relationship. However, this does not mean that there are no contradictions in their married life.
Chi Chongrui has a gentle personality, while Chen Lihua is more aggressive and straightforward. Whenever there is a disagreement, Chi Chongrui always chooses to take a step back. He knows that in family life, tolerance is more important than arguments.
As he said, "At home, you don't need to be reasonable, you just need to be tolerant." Although Chen Lihua has a straightforward personality, she also knows how to reflect. Whenever she realizes that something is wrong with her, she will apologize by caring more.
This attitude of mutual understanding and tolerance has become the secret of their long-term marriage. It is worth mentioning that their family has an unshakable rule - the whole family must eat together every night.
In these fast-paced times, it's not easy to stick to such a family tradition. But it is this insistence that makes their feelings deeper and deeper. Chi Chongrui once sighed: "We seem to have endless energy to do things together.
This sentence may be a true portrayal of their thirty years of married life. Together, they run the Rosewood Museum and collect antiques together, and these shared interests and careers make their lives full of fun and passion.
When asked if there was any pressure, Chi Chongrui said not at all. He is a character who is not impatient and has a relatively stable mentality, so he does not feel pressured.
He believes that when two people have a conflict, they should not be impatient at the same time, otherwise it is easy to get into a dispute. It is this way of doing things that allows them to live in harmony for many years.
In thirty years, they have never blushed, let alone quarreled. This may seem like an almost impossible task to others, but for them, it is a natural task.
As Chi Chongrui said, there is indeed nothing worth blushing about. This is the married life of Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua, seeing the truth in the plain, and the temperature in the seriousness. In their own way, they interpret what it means to stay together and what true love is.
In 1999, Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua jointly established China's first Rosewood Museum, which is not only the crystallization of the couple's joint efforts, but also an extension of their common interests.
Located on Jianguo Road in Chaoyang District, this museum covers an area of 25,000 square meters, and its scale is breathtaking. The museum has four floors of exhibition halls and houses hundreds of precious works of art.
These collections include Ming and Qing dynasty furniture made of precious woods such as red sandalwood, huanghuali, ebony, golden silk nan, wenge wood, etc. Each piece of the collection is priceless, and even Ma Wei, a big name in the collection world, will be dumbfounded when he sees it.
Chen Lihua once proudly said in an interview that the artworks in the Rosewood Museum do not have a single nail, and they are all mortise and tenon structures. This age-old craft requires a high degree of skill, and the tenons and tenons and joints must be perfectly sized to ensure that the furniture does not loosen.
However, the acquisition of these precious collections was not an easy task. In order to find rare wood, Chen Lihua and Chi Chongrui have gone deep into remote mountains and forests many times. You can imagine the hardships.
Once, they went to a deep mountain and old forest, the grass grew taller than people, and there were swarms of snakes and pythons in the dense grass, and the slightest carelessness would be life-threatening. Even more thrilling was the fact that they encountered a giant hornet's nest while collecting wood.
Chi Chongrui was unfortunately stung, and his back and thighs bulged high. Fortunately, the local farmers were found in time to treat them with their homemade ointments, and the more serious consequences were avoided.
This bee species, known as the "Seven Mile Bee", is extremely poisonous and can be fatal if you are not careful. These thrilling experiences not only enrich the museum's collection, but also deepen the relationship between the husband and wife.
When Chi Chongrui recalled these experiences, his eyes flashed with pride and nostalgia. In 2004, the Rosewood Museum was rated as a 4A-level tourist attraction by virtue of its unique collection and cultural value, and became a very prestigious existence in the circle.
This honor is not only an affirmation of the value of the museum, but also a tribute to Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua's years of hard work. For this museum that has condensed their efforts, Chen Lihua and Chi Chongrui are full of pride.
They often personally receive visiting guests to show and introduce these precious cultural heritages to the people. At a public event, Chi Chongrui, dressed in a white suit, shook hands with the guests and greeted the guests with a smile as the person in charge of the Rosewood Museum.
His posture is still superior, and he does not lose his momentum in the crowd. The success of the Rosewood Museum is not only the pinnacle of Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua's career, but also the most shining pearl in their married life.
It has witnessed their common struggle and has become an important bond between them for 30 years. Chen Lihua's Manchu background and family history have added a unique cultural heritage to her and Chi Chongrui's careers.
As an eighth-generation descendant of the Yehnara clan, Chen Lihua has been immersed in the deep Manchu culture since she was a child. Her family was once prominent, but as the times changed, so did its status.
However, this history has not been forgotten, but has become an important support for Chen Lihua's career. Chen Lihua's father was a skilled carpenter who was proficient in furniture making and repair.
When she was young, in order to make a living, Chen Lihua dropped out of high school and followed her father around. In the process, she unconsciously learned the whole process of furniture from design, production to sales.
This seemingly ordinary experience laid a solid foundation for her to acquire expensive furniture and open a private museum in the future. At the same time, Chi Chongrui also has a profound cultural heritage.
He was born in a seven-generation Peking Opera family and is the seventh generation of the family. His love for traditional culture has become an important factor in his emotional resonance with Chen Lihua. It is this common love of traditional culture that has allowed them to find a fit in their careers.
They have incorporated the essence of Manchu culture and carpentry skills into the Rosewood Museum, not only preserving these precious cultural heritages, but also passing on this culture. In the Rosewood Museum, each exhibit embodies the carpentry skills taught by Chen Lihua's father, and also embodies the essence of Manchu culture.
These exhibits are not only works of art, but also carriers of culture, conveying the memory of history and the wisdom of craftsmen. Through the operation of the Rosewood Museum, Chen Lihua and Chi Chongrui not only inherited the Manchu culture and carpenter skills, but also made important contributions to the protection and development of traditional Chinese culture.
Their stories are a vivid example of the rejuvenation of traditional culture in modern society. As the years passed, the relationship between Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua became more and more mellow. Although he quit the showbiz, Chi Chongrui did not completely give up his talent.
He occasionally sings on stage to show his still excellent singing skills. A song "Tang Seng Expresses Feelings" can evoke the audience's good memories of "Journey to the West", his movements are strong and powerful, the momentum is extraordinary, and his voice is full of emotion and layers.
Last year, the two appeared together at the Rosewood Museum to participate in the event. Chi Chongrui was dressed in a white suit, with a graceful demeanor, not looking old at all. He shook hands with the guests with a smile in the venue, greeted each other, and his posture was still superior, and his momentum in the crowd was undiminished.
Chen Lihua wore a black printed long dress, a striking jade necklace around her neck, and a huge jade bracelet on her hand, showing her wealth. The story of Chi Chongrui and Chen Lihua is not only a love legend that transcends age and identity, but also an inspirational chapter in life about mutual respect and common growth.
They used practical actions to interpret what is true togetherness and what is a lasting love.