CCTV 98 version of the TV series "Water Margin" is a classic among classics. Bearded director Zhang Jizhong uses gray tones, real scenes, and sonorous music to perfectly interpret the ups and downs of the Water Margin legend. As soon as this TV series was broadcast, it was already empty of people and became the pinnacle of unrepeatable works.
In this TV series, the hero group image of the good men of Liangshan is almost perfect, and Song Jiang, played by Li Xuejian, and Wu Song, played by Ding Haifeng, are even more unforgettable. Time flies, 22 years have passed, and 4 of the 108 good men of Liangshan have passed away. Today, let us relive the heroic dreams while remembering those artists who left.
01. Xing Guozhou, the actor of the iron arm Cai Fu
Cai Fu (蔡福), the iron-armed man, was a prisoner of the Daimyo Prefecture in Beijing. When Lu Junyi was unjustly imprisoned, he accepted one thousand taels of gold from Xiao Whirlwind Chai Jin, saving Lu Junyi's life. After Liangshan broke the Daimyo Mansion, he and Lu Junyi went to Liangshan together.
Xing Guozhou plays the iron-armed Cai Fu, who does not play much in the play, but he is a famous "cameo king". Dong Chao escorting Lin Chong, the hunter on Jingyang Gang, the prisoner in the Mengzhou prison camp, and the retinue of Taiwei Su Yuanjing are all cameos by Xing Guozhou.
The most impressive thing is the role of "Dong Chao". He shows his greedy, cruel, cunning, and beggar nature to the fullest, and also makes this character a street rat in the audience's heart.
02. Zhai Naishe, the actor of the blue-faced beast Yang Zhi
The blue-faced beast Yang Zhi, the grandson of the Fifth Marquis Yang Linggong, had a fateful life. He successively lost the Huashi Class and the Birth Anniversary Class, accidentally killed the Po Pi Niu Er, and then fell into the grass at the Erlong Mountain, and the Three Mountains Juyi attacked Qingzhou when he went to Liangshan.
Yang Zhi, a blue-faced beast played by Zhai Naishe, is lean and stable, but he is full of vicissitudes, and his eyebrows are full of helplessness in the world. He used superb acting skills to perfectly portray the image of a mature man who did not bow to fate, which aroused strong resonance from the audience.
After starring in "Water Margin", Zhai Naishe has been active in the show business circle, and has also played many roles such as Ouyang Feng in Huang Xiaoming's version of "Divine Eagle Hero".
In 2014, Zhai Naishe died of liver cancer at the age of 58.
03. Cheng Sihan, the actor of the smiling tiger Zhu Fu
Zhu Fu, the smiling tiger, is the younger brother of Zhu Gui in the drylands. When Li Kui returned home to visit his mother, he was arrested, and Zhu Fu designed to use Menghan medicine to turn over his master, Li Yun, a blue-eyed tiger in Yishui County, to save Li Kui, and then went up to Liangshan with his brother Zhu Gui.
Zhu Fu, played by Cheng Sihan, although he did not play much in the Water Margin, almost a dragon set, but he became famous almost overnight. Since then, with his thick, fat head and big ears, he has starred in many film and television works, such as Master Tang monk in "Journey to the West and Descending Demons", and Ji Qian, one of the eight king kongs in "Wise Tiger Mountain". Of course, his most memorable image is a series of Buddha images on the screen.
On November 6, 2019, Cheng Sihan died of a heart attack at the age of 58.
04. Xu Jingyi, the actor of the short-legged tiger Wang Ying
Short-footed tiger Wang Ying, originally a bandit of Qingfeng Mountain, is famous for his lust. He accompanied Song Jiang to surrender to Qin Ming, attacked Qingfeng Village, and married Hu Sanniang after going to Liangshan.
Wang Ying, the short-legged tiger played by Xu Jingyi, left a deep impression on the audience. The ugly and obese him and the youthful and beautiful Third Lady form a strong visual contrast, which has caused a strong psychological impact on the audience. Xu Jingyi vividly interpreted the soul of the beautiful woman after seeing her, and her face was full of treacherous smiles, and portrayed the character image of Wang Xiaohu into three points.
Xu Jingyi has also participated in many film and television works such as "Tianlong Eight Parts", "Laughing Proud of the River", "The Legend of the Eagle Shooting Hero" and so on. On November 6, 2017, Xu Jingyi died of illness at home at the age of 59.
Perhaps, it is precisely because of the hard work of the older generation of artists that there is a peak 98 version of the TV series "Water Margin", which has buried an indelible dream of water margin heroes in the hearts of every post-80s man.
On the occasion of the Qingming Festival, let us remember them together, cherish life and remember dreams.