One of China's greatest stage actor Yu Shizhi has just passed away. The 86 year old is best known for his unmatched portrayals of a teahouse owner in the drama "Teahouse", based on the novel of famous writer Lao She. Let's recapture the memories and legacy of this artist.
Yu Shizhi was born in 1927 in the city of Tangshan and later moved to Beijing. He rose from a humble beginning working in a storehouse and as a scribe. In his leisure time he joined a university drama club. There he made his first stage debut. He was enrolled in Peking University in 1945 but dropped out because he couldn't afford the fees. Yu then sought a profession as an actor.
He gained initial fame after his role as a lunatic in the Drama "Dragon Beard Ditch" in 1951. In the same year, he took the role of Chairman Mao in the drama "The Long March".
Over the following years, Yu became a constant star in dramas adapted from famous novels, especially that of Lao She. He reached the pinnacle of his career in the drama "Tea house", also by Lao She, portraying the role of Wang Lifa, a shopkeeper who tries his best to please everybody to maintain his business.
After the 1980s, "Tea house" gained international fame and toured in countries including Switzerland, France, Singapore, Japan and Canada.
Yu suffer bitterly from Alzheimer's disease in his latter years and was forced to leave the stage before passing away on January 20th, 2013.
But his vivid portrayals on stage will leave a timeless legacy in the hearts of his audience.
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