In November 1923, Xie Jin was born in a poor family in Hang County, Zhejiang Province. Although his family was not wealthy, Xie Jin showed a strong interest in art, especially theater, from an early age.
However, his mother did not approve of her son's pursuit of his artistic dreams, believing that it was "not a proper job". In order to prevent Xie Jin from being exposed to drama, the family even set a rule: no discussion on any topics related to drama.
However, the love of art is like a seed, which has long taken root in Xie Jin's heart. At the age of 18, with an infinite love for drama, Xie Jin resolutely left his hometown and embarked on a journey to pursue his artistic dream.
This decision undoubtedly made his parents sad and disappointed, but Xie Jin understood that only in this way could he realize the value of his life. After coming to Shanghai, Xie Jin began his theatrical career.
On stage, he found a way to express himself, and gradually realized the broader artistic world of film. Despite the hardships of life, Xie Jin's eyes always flashed with a passion for art.
He firmly believes that only through unremitting efforts can he gain a firm foothold in this highly competitive industry. This experience laid the foundation for Xie Jin to become a generation of film masters in the future.
The transition from drama to film not only broadened Xie Jin's artistic horizons, but also made him deeply appreciate the close connection between art and life. This dedication to art will accompany Xie Jin through the peaks and troughs of his life, and become the spiritual strength that supports him through difficult years.
In 1978, with the spring breeze of reform and opening up, Chinese films ushered in new development opportunities. With years of accumulated artistic skills and deep insight into society, Xie Jin created the groundbreaking work "The Legend of Tianyun Mountain".
This film not only marks a new starting point for Xie Jin's career, but also becomes an important milestone for Chinese films in the new era. Immediately afterwards, Xie Jin successively launched far-reaching works such as "Furong Town", "Wrangler" and "Opium War".
"Furong Town" is set in small town life, profoundly revealing the huge impact of the "Cultural Revolution" on the lives of ordinary people, which has aroused strong resonance among the audience. "Wrangler" shows the spiritual outlook of people in the early days of reform and opening up, and has become a classic of that era.
And "Opium War" reflects on the key moments in China's modern history from a grand historical perspective, which has attracted widespread attention at home and abroad. Xie Jin's films have always been able to touch the pulse of the times and reflect the voices of the people.
He uses delicate lens language to tell touching stories. These works have not only received high artistic praise, but also had a profound impact on the development of Chinese cinema.
At this stage, Xie Jin won many honors and became a well-deserved grandmaster in the Chinese film industry. He has cultivated a large number of outstanding film talents and promoted the modernization process of Chinese films.
Xie Jin's works have not only been widely acclaimed in China, but have also won many awards at international film festivals, winning worldwide attention for Chinese films. However, just when his career was at its peak, the hardships of life quietly came.
Family changes and personal health problems have brought a huge blow to Xie Jin, who is at the peak of his creation. But even so, he still adheres to his artistic pursuit, records the times with the lens, warms the audience with his works, and leaves a strong mark in the history of Chinese film.
After getting married, the couple walked hand in hand through the peaks and troughs of life. Xie Jin's wife is a gentle and virtuous woman who likes this talented husband very much. When Xie Jin's film career was booming, his wife chose to step back into the background and wholeheartedly support her husband's work.
She took on the responsibility of taking care of the family, allowing Xie Jin to focus on his artistic creation. However, the trials of fate followed. In 1968, the catastrophe of the Cultural Revolution came, and Xie Jin was beaten as a "cow ghost and snake god" and was criticized.
During these difficult years, his wife always stood firmly by Xie Jin's side, giving him unlimited courage and strength. She disregarded her personal safety and ran around to avenge Xie Jin's grievances.
The husband and wife shared weal and woe and survived that dark time together. After the end of the Cultural Revolution, Xie Jin returned to the film industry and created excellent works. However, fate once again played a cruel joke on the couple.
Xie Jin's wife was diagnosed with a serious illness. Faced with his wife's illness, Xie Jin's heart was like a knife. He did his best to take care of his wife, but in the end he was unable to save his life.
The death of his wife brought a huge blow to Xie Jin. He has burst into tears on the set countless times, as if he had lost the most important pillar of his life. But for the sake of the unfinished movie dream and the children who still need to be taken care of, Xie Jin endured his grief and continued to move forward.
Xie Jin and his wife have four children together, which should be an enviable family. However, fate always seems to play cruel jokes with Xie Jin. Of the four children, three have intellectual disabilities.
This bad news was like a thunderbolt from the sky, shattering the beautiful hopes of Xie Jin and his wife. Faced with such a family reality, Xie Jin's heart was like a knife. He blamed himself many times, believing that he was busy with his career and neglected to take care of his family.
Whenever he saw the dull eyes of the three children, Xie Jin felt a deep sense of powerlessness. He tried various ways to improve the children's condition, but with little success.
The only normal son became Xie Jin's hope. This son is smart and clever, and he is deeply loved by Xie Jin. Xie Jin hopes that he can inherit his career and become an excellent filmmaker.
However, fate dealt Xie Jin a heavy blow again. In 2008, the son was diagnosed with lung cancer. After learning the news, Xie Jinru was struck by lightning. He had hoped that his son would be able to take care of the other three children, but now that hope is about to be dashed.
Xie Jin did his best to treat his son's illness, but in the end, he couldn't change the cruel reality. On October 18, 2008, Xie Jin's only normal son passed away at the age of 59. The death of his son almost destroyed all of Xie Jin's hopes.
He wept bitterly in the middle of the night countless times, asking why the heavens were so unjust. But even so, Xie Jin still did not give up hope for life. He still insists on taking care of the other three children and giving them the love he can.
Shortly after the death of his son, the 85-year-old Xie Jin also passed away in grief. Before his death, he once said: "In my life, I am more bitter than Coptis chinensis." This sentence expressed the pain and helplessness in his heart.
This crippled family has become the biggest source of pain in Xie Jin's life. But at the same time, it also honed his will, allowing him to better understand the suffering of the world in his artistic creation, and create more profound and moving works.
Xie Jin's family tragedy, in stark contrast to his brilliant achievements in the film industry, has become the biggest regret of his life. Although life has hit Xie Jin so hard, he has never given up his love for life and the pursuit of art.
This perseverance may be the driving force that supports him to continue to move forward on the road of art. In 1968, the winds of the Cultural Revolution swept across the country. Intellectuals like Xie Jin naturally could not escape their fate, and they were branded as "bulls, ghosts, snakes, and gods" and were criticized.
The once glamorous film director became a class enemy overnight, suffering unimaginable humiliation and suffering. During those dark years, Xie Jin was forced to leave his beloved film career and was sent to the countryside for labor reform.
Every day, he is no longer confronted with the familiar camera, but with a hoe in the field. The physical exertion and mental torture made Xie Jin miserable. What made Xie Jin even more heartbroken was that the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution directly affected his family.
His wife was also implicated because she was a family member of the "cow ghost snake god". Their children are discriminated against and bullied in school. This kind of blow made Xie Jin fall into despair for a while.
However, even in the most difficult moments, Xie Jin did not give up his love for movies. He secretly conceived a new script in his head, looking forward to one day returning to the screen.
This dedication has supported him through the long ten years of catastrophe. During those days of deprivation of liberty, Xie Jin began to think deeply about the relationship between human nature, society and art.
These reflections have accumulated rich materials for his future creations, and also made his works more profound and humane. In 1978, with the advent of reform and opening up, Xie Jin finally regained his freedom.
He devoted himself to the creation of films with amazing creative enthusiasm, as if he wanted to reclaim the deprived ten years. "The Legend of Tianyun Mountain" has become his masterpiece of returning to the film industry, and it also marks the arrival of a new era of Chinese films.
Xie Jin's experience is the epitome of countless intellectuals in that special era. His persistence and rebirth are not only a personal victory, but also a portrayal of the entire era. The experience of the Cultural Revolution left a deep imprint on Xie Jin, and it also became an important source of his later creations, making his works more profound and moving, and more resonant with the audience.
In his later years, Xie Jin's health deteriorated. However, even if he is unwell, he still cares about the development of Chinese films. He often invites young directors to his home to communicate with them, give them guidance, and hope that Chinese films can continue to innovate and progress.
2008 was the most difficult year in Xie Jin's life. His only normal son died of lung cancer, a blow that nearly destroyed the aging Xie Jin. Shortly after his son's death, Xie Jin's physical condition deteriorated dramatically.
On October 18, 2008, 85-year-old Xie Jin passed away peacefully at his home in Shanghai. His departure marks the end of an important era in Chinese cinema. Many filmmakers and audiences spontaneously came to bid farewell and remember the director who made great contributions to Chinese cinema.
Xie Jin's life can be described as more bitter than Coptis chinensis. He has experienced the ups and downs of his career, the changes of his family, and the turmoil of the times. However, it is precisely these hardships that have achieved his artistic heights and forged his indomitable character.
He recorded the times with his lens, warmed the audience with humanity, and left a valuable spiritual wealth. Xie Jin's story is a legend of perseverance, courage and love. It tells us that even in the darkest moments, as long as there is a ray of hope in our hearts, we will never be defeated by fate.
His departure is not only a huge loss to the Chinese film industry, but also a farewell to an era full of artistic ideals and humanistic care.