Gu Zhengqiu
During the Republic of China period, Peking Opera swept the country, and Peking Opera actors were also widely sought after by the audience, as long as they could become a famous character, money and fame would come like a tide.
Once the world became famous, it was followed by a jump in social class and an improvement in social identity.
However, for Mei Lanfang's apprentice Gu Zhengqiu, the fame and fortune brought by singing were finally abandoned by her.
She once studied art with famous teachers, became famous early, and became popular throughout the Republic of China, during which time, countless suitors, even Chiang Kai-shek's son Chiang Ching-kuo also courted her.
But she followed her heart's desire, married a powerless Ren Xianqun, and even made a concubine, slowly quit the Peking Opera circle, and was willing to become a peasant's wife.
Gu Zhengqiu dressed up
Gu Zhengqiu was born in Nanjing in 1928, her original name was Ding Lanbao, she experienced the early death of her father since she was a child, and lived with her grandmother, who loved her very much.
Gu Zhengqiu was born with a good voice, the tone is round and beautiful, the pitch is good, perhaps influenced by his grandmother, Gu Zhengqiu wanted to listen to the opera and sing at a very young age.
My grandmother had an old-fashioned phonograph at home, often playing Peking Opera singing segments, Gu Zhengqiu liked to stay in front of the phonograph, pinching his throat to learn to sing the opera in the phonograph.
Although Gu Zhengqiu was still young at that time, he did not know what the content of the singing was. But her tone is very accurate, and the imitation of the singing voice is also gentle.
Chiang Ching-kuo
Her grandmother listened to a small play that Gu Zhengqiu himself learned to sing, and smiled closely, she felt that Gu Zhengqiu may have a talent in singing and can try to cultivate in this regard.
In 1939, at the age of 11, Gu Zhengqiu was admitted to the Shanghai Drama School's orthography class and began to receive professional opera training.
Gu Zhengqiu studied hard and had a high level of understanding, and she understood the content taught by the teacher at one point, and she was praised by many teachers.
After studying in the school for three or five years, Gu Zhengqiu practiced solid basic skills, extensively studied the singing methods of many Peking Opera schools, and integrated them, and finally got the opportunity to perform on stage on behalf of the school.
Take the stage to perform live
This time on stage, it is equivalent to a self-recommendation letter from Gu Zhengqiu to the Peking Opera circle, and under the public performance stage, Peking Opera bigwigs gathered, and Mei Lanfang was also among them.
And Gu Zhengqiu lived up to expectations, played an extraordinary role in the public performance, and was unanimously praised by the famous opera artists in the audience, and Mei Lanfang also specifically found her after the performance, saying that she was willing to accept her as an apprentice.
Gu Zhengqiu was naturally overjoyed, and with Mei Lanfang's status in the Peking Opera circle at that time, there were countless students who wanted to worship him.
Gu Zhengqiu excitedly bowed to Mei Lanfang and thanked her, and soon after the completion of the worship ceremony, Gu Zhengqiu officially became a disciple of Mei Lanfang and followed Mei Lanfang to learn the authentic Mei School of Singing.
Gu Zhengqiu and Mei Lanfang
Gu Zhengqiu studied hard, and quickly understood the knowledge and experience imparted by Mei Lanfang, and soon when she performed, she raised her hands and feet, and every smile was influenced by Mei Lanfang, and there was a bit of Mei Lanfang's shadow.
Gu Zhengqiu has received more and more attention from Peking Opera fans, and her best plays: "Baolian Lantern", "Shilang Visiting Mother", "Red Maned Horse", "Royal Monument Pavilion", etc., when performing in the theater, the venue was full.
Later, in the 1940s, due to changes in the situation in the mainland, Gu Zhengqiu followed the opera team to Taiwan to perform.
During the Taipei Theater performance, Taiwanese audiences were very popular with Gu Zhengqiu, and more newspapers directly referred to Gu Zhengqiu as "Taiwan Mei Lanfang".
Gu Zhengqiu's life photos
At that time, the situation on the mainland was not yet stable, gu Zhengqiu decided to stay in Taiwan for long-term development, and in Taiwan she quickly gained a bunch of fans and many suitors.
Among Gu Zhengqiu's suitors, there is one who is the most famous, he is Chiang Kai-shek's son Chiang Ching-kuo, the Chiang family's influence covers almost the whole of Taiwan, Chiang Ching-kuo can be regarded as the prince of Taiwan.
Jiang Chingguo often went to the Taipei Theater where Gu Zhengqiu performed to give her a show, and every time before Gu Zhengqiu's performance, the door of the theater was filled with flower baskets sent by Chiang Ching-kuo, and after the performance, Chiang Ching-kuo always went backstage to communicate with him.
Usually, in order to please the beautiful people, Chiang Ching-kuo often collects good things from all over the world to give to Gu Zhengqiu, antique calligraphy and paintings, jewelry, or exquisite dot-and-dotted cuitou noodles, always sent to Gu Zhengqiu's apartment.
Gu Zhengqiu in Peking Opera
These gifts filled the whole table, but Gu Zhengqiu did not seem to have the heart to take them apart one by one, and Chiang Ching-kuo's incomparably hot pursuit did not seem to impress her.
However, she also did not want to refute Chiang Ching-kuo's face, every time Chiang Ching-kuo came to the theater to watch a play, she would also receive polite reception, and the gifts she sent would also be received, but she did not respond positively to Chiang Ching-kuo's pursuit.
At this time, Chiang Ching-kuo already had a family, and his wife was Jiang Fangliang, who supported each other for many years in order to have children. In addition, Chiang Ching-kuo also had a relationship with Zhang Yaruo and gave birth to a pair of twin sons.
Gu Zhengqiu considered the particularity of Chiang Ching-kuo's identity and was worried that being with him would lead to many incidents, and at the same time, Chiang Ching-kuo's personality was not the kind she admired.
She did not agree to Chiang Ching-kuo's pursuit, of course, she did not dare to refuse too explicitly, after all, she was in Taiwan, compared with the Chiang family, people were light-hearted.
Chiang Ching-kuo family
Soon, she met Ren Xianqun, then director of taiwan's Provincial Department of Finance, who had also gone to the Taipei Theater to watch Gu Zhengqiu's performance.
He can be said to be obsessed with Gu Zhengqiu at first sight, often asking Gu Zhengqiu to go out to dinner, he is a careful and considerate person, always caring about Gu Zhengqiu in the small details of daily life, so that Gu Zhengqiu feels warm.
In his in-depth interaction with Ren Xianqun, Gu Zhengqiu felt that he was a humorous, good at talking, and careful and thoughtful person.
However, Ren Xianqun also already had a family, and also informed Gu Zhengqiu, originally Gu Zhengqiu was hesitant in his heart, but in the end, under the attack of Ren Xianqun, they still came together.
Gu Zhengqiu refused the powerful crown prince Jiang Jingguo and Ren Xianqun to come together, which made it difficult for her friends around her to understand, not to mention that Ren Xianqun also already had a family.
Gu Zhengqiu later said in his memoirs: "I did not fall in love with Ren Xianqun at first sight, but after I met, I was attracted by his humorous and straightforward personality. ”
"When I was with him, I felt happy and comfortable, and I finally broke through all the difficulties, we came together and decided to stay together."
Ren Xianqun
Gu Zhengqiu's simple words may reveal the most simple nature of love, and the last time two people can stay together is to see whether each other's souls fit.
Soul-matched relationships tend to be the longest- and if they are based on material and fame considerations, then when these external conditions are unstable, the feelings will also crack.
When Gu Zhengqiu went to choose a partner, she abandoned external conditions, she used a heart to feel the essence of this person, and the essence of the human soul is the essence that can be purified by time and is constant.
However, the process of Gu Zhengqiu and Ren Xianqun finally coming together is also very tortuous, first of all, Ren Xianqun's wife is unwilling to break the marriage contract with him, so Gu Zhengqiu can only be a concubine.
At that time, Taiwan retained the social atmosphere of the early years of the Republic of China, and people could generally accept a man's multiple marriages, so although Gu Zhengqiu was also unwilling in his heart, he could also accept Ren Xianqun as a concubine.
But Ren Xianqun also wants to try his best to make up for Gu Zhengqiu, and he hopes to give her a beautiful wedding.
However, while the two were preparing for the wedding, Ren Xianqun's superiors told Ren Xianqun that he could not have a wedding with Gu Zhengqiu because it was not in line with the internal discipline of the Kuomintang.
At that time, it was very normal for high-ranking Kuomintang officials to secretly have three wives and four concubines, so Ren Xianqun obviously did not believe the reason why his superiors did not allow him to have a wedding.
He looked at his superiors who also seemed to be embarrassed, and he understood that when he and Gu Zhengqiu were together, he already knew about Chiang Ching-kuo's pursuit of Gu Zhengqiu's rejection.
At that time, although Chiang Ching-kuo did not trouble Ren Xianqun because of his image, Ren Xianqun knew that now with the power of the Jiang family, it was easy to find a reason to embarrass him at random.
At that time, Ren Zhengqun's colleagues were all advising him, and some people suggested that he simply hide the golden house and not announce the news that he was with Gu Zhengqiu, which might save his career.
But Ren Xianqun did not want Gu Zhengqiu to be wronged again, so he quit his job, left the Department of Finance, got rid of the scruples of his career, Ren Xianqun held a lively wedding for Gu Zhengqiu, he thought, even if it is a concubine, the name that should be given must be given to Gu Zhengqiu.
After marriage, the two lived their own small lives with peace of mind, and Ren Xianqun found a new position in a company, but soon, bad news came to this small family.
Gu Zhengqiu and Ren Xianqun wedding photos
Ren Xianqun was arrested and imprisoned for harboring bandit espionage, and before Ren Xianqun could plead his case, the case was completed as quickly as possible, and Ren Xianqun was eventually sentenced to seven years.
This is an old case from two years ago, probably a friend whom Ren Xianqun once received was suddenly identified as a bandit spy, but ironically, this bandit spy was finally sentenced to a year.
Clear-eyed people can see that Ren Xianqun has offended people, been framed and implicated, but who in the end wants to frame Ren Xianqun?
The answer is self-evident, for Chiang Ching-kuo, he was even willing to divorce his original wife for Gu Zhengqiu, but she still refused to marry a finance department director as a concubine, which was undoubtedly punching him in the face.
For Gu Zhengqiu, the reality is undoubtedly so cruel, her newly married husband suddenly went to prison, the sentence was up to seven years, and the relatives and friends around her were persuading her to leave Ren Xianqun and marry someone else.
However, Gu Zhengqiu refused to break the marriage contract with Ren Xianqun, and she stayed in the small home of the two of them, waiting for Ren Xianqun to be released from prison.
During the period, she even refused to return to the stage to perform, and when the theater owner who had worked with her came to her, she resigned: "My husband is still in prison, how can I sing again?" ”
In fact, after Ren Xianqun was imprisoned, his property was confiscated, at this time Gu Zhengqiu undoubtedly needed an income the most, and what she was best at was singing, and she was at the peak of her career at that time.
But she still chose to fade out of the drama stage, and the reason for this was actually that she was afraid of Chiang Ching-kuo's further retaliation.
Gu Zhengqiu Pictorial
Although Gu Zhengqiu relied on singing fame and fortune, but fame and fortune in the face of absolute power, also seemed so weak, Gu Zhengqiu could not figure out Chiang Chingguo's next move, but Ren Xianqun's sudden arrest and imprisonment was enough to make her afraid.
In fact, there is no shortage of beautiful people around Chiang Ching-kuo, but he has been chasing Gu Zhengqiu poorly, probably because Gu Zhengqiu failed to yield to his soft and hard offensive.
For a person in a high position like Chiang Ching-kuo, the beauty that cannot be obtained is the most beautiful, and the more he does not get, he often wants to do his best to get it.
Therefore, perhaps only when Gu Zhengqiu slowly fades out of the opera stage and disappears from Chiang Ching-kuo's vision will they be safe, and when Ren Xianqun is released from prison, they can live a peaceful life.
Therefore, Gu Zhengqiu washed the lead, faded his costume, lived in simplicity, and silently waited for Ren Xianqun to get out of prison. Finally, in 1958, Ren Xianqun was released from prison early.
However, given Chiang Ching-kuo's power, Ren Xianqun was unable to gain a foothold in the city. The two moved to the countryside, bought a bungalow, and worked on their own land, living a poor but steadfast life.
After a few years, the two founded Jinsan Farm and CITIC Department Store together, and their incomes increased a lot, and their lives slowly improved.
In 1978, Ren Xianqun died of overwork and ineffective medical treatment, Gu Zhengqiu buried him in the countryside where the two had stayed together, originally Gu Zhengqiu also left a piece of land for himself next to Ren Xianqun's grave, thinking that he would be buried with Ren Xianqun a hundred years later.
However, it was later found that because Ren Zhengqun had not broken off the marriage contract with his wife, according to Taiwanese customs, she could not be buried with Ren Xianqun, which also became her biggest regret.
However, she later wrote in her memoirs: "In this life, what should be done, I have worked hard, what I should love, I have truly loved, for the rise and fall of life and death, I have looked down." ”
In order to be with Ren Xianqun, Gu Zhengqiu changed from a famous Peking Opera singer to a village woman, gave up his artistic work and began to make a living in the fields, but in the end, he could not be buried with Ren Xianqun.
Perhaps in the eyes of outsiders, her original choice was so worthless, she gave up too much in order to be with Ren Xianqun.
But as the poem puts it: "There are two roads in the yellow woods, but unfortunately I can't set foot in them at the same time, and I stand at the intersection for a long time." ”
Those important choices in life lead us to different paths, and if we choose one, we can't get involved in the other at the same time.
Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling
That road that cannot be set foot in at the same time may be another possible life for Gu Zhengqiu, what if Gu Zhengqiu chose Chiang Ching-kuo and Ren Xianqun between Chiang Ching-kuo and Ren Xianqun?
Then the direction of her life may refer to Chiang Ching-kuo's lover Zhang Yaruo, who gave birth to two twin sons for Chiang Ching-kuo, who was deeply loved by Chiang Ching-kuo and naturally lived very richly.
However, Zhang Yaruo's final ending is lamentable, first of all, her presence makes Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling very angry, believing that Chiang Ching-kuo, as a successor, finds a lover and gives birth to an illegitimate child, which will damage the public image.
Zhang Yaruo
But Chiang Ching-kuo refused to abandon Zhang Yaruo, and Zhang Yaruo also believed that relying on Chiang Ching-kuo's love for herself would sooner or later give herself a name, but she did not expect that what she was waiting for in the end was not fame, but death.
On August 14, 1942, Zhang Yaruo suddenly felt unwell, vomited and diarrhea, and after being sent to the hospital, he was shot, but he never woke up again.
Zhang Yaruo's autopsy report was that he died of blood poisoning, but the cause of the poisoning, as well as the murderer behind the scenes, has not been found.
If Gu Zhengqiu had accepted Chiang Ching-kuo's courtship and become his lover, would she have repeated Zhang Yaruo's tragedy?
It should be known that at that time, Chiang Ching-kuo had even proposed a divorce to his original wife for Gu Zhengqiu, which had greatly angered Chiang Kai-shek. And Chiang Ching-kuo is undoubtedly incapable of resisting Chiang Kai-shek.
And if Gu Zhengqiu chose to return to the stage separately from him after Ren Xianqun was imprisoned, what would be her ending?
What is certain is that she will definitely leave a strong mark in the history of Peking Opera, and she will gain more fame and fortune, but her inner happiness will not necessarily grow.
Gu Zhengqiu is undoubtedly a person of great affection and righteousness, and abandoning her husband when he is in prison is bound to leave a heavy guilt in her heart.
Gu Zhengqiu performance photos
On the other hand, due to the death of her father in childhood and the dispersion of her family, Gu Zhengqiu's heart longed for a sincere emotion, which to a certain extent exceeded her pursuit of Peking Opera art, and more than her love for the fame and fortune brought by art.
When Ren Xianqun resolutely resigned in order to hold a grand wedding for her, she saw Ren Xianqun's true heart for her, and for such a sincere and sincere feeling, she was willing to give up her career, wait for him, and wait for him.
In the vast world, it is not easy to meet a partner whose souls are compatible and can treat each other with sincerity, when Gu Zhengqiu met Ren Xianqun, she decided that he was worthy of his love, so she had no hesitation to love.
As for such a choice, what will be brought in the end, she did not have time to consider at that time, and she will not regret it later.
She looks down on the ups and downs, honors and disgraces, and rises and falls of life, and in the blink of an eye, it is just a gap in the white colt, as long as she does not live up to her own heart, there is nothing unworthy.
Gu Zhengqiu in his later years