Jiang Qing, also known as Madame Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary, actress, and major political figure during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). She was the fourth wife of Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the Communist Party and Paramount leader of China. She used the stage name Lan Ping (藍蘋) during her acting career, and was known by many other names. Jiang was best known for playing a major role in the Cultural Revolution and for forming the radical political alliance known as the Gang of Four.
Letter from an Unknown Woman is a novella by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig. The work first appeared in the 1 January 1922 issue of the Viennese Neuen Freien Presse, before being published in book form as part of the collection Amok: Novellen einer Leidenschaft. The novella tells the story of an author who, while reading a letter written by a woman he does not remember, gets glimpses into her life story. It is generally considered to be Zweig's most famous work of fiction.
Jiang Wen is a Chinese actor, screenwriter, and director. As a director, he is sometimes grouped with the "Sixth Generation" that emerged in the 1990s. Jiang is also well known internationally as an actor, having starred with Gong Li in Zhang Yimou's debut film Red Sorghum (1986), and more recently as Baze Malbus in the Star Wars film Rogue One (2016). He is the older brother of fellow actor Jiang Wu.
The Investiture of the Gods, also known by its Chinese names Fengshen Yanyi (Chinese: 封神演義; pinyin: Fēngshén Yǎnyì; Wade–Giles: Fêng1-shên2 Yan3-yi4; Jyutping: Fung1 San4 Jin2 Ji6) and Fengshen Bang (封神榜), is a 16th-century Chinese novel and one of the major vernacular Chinese works in the gods and demons (shenmo) genre written during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Consisting of 100 chapters, it was first published in book form between 1567 and 1619. Another source claims it was published in a finalized edition in 1605. The work combines elements of history, folklore, mythology, legends and fantasy.
Devils on the Doorstep is a 2000 Chinese black comedy war film directed, co-written and produced by Jiang Wen, starring Jiang himself, Kagawa Teruyuki, Yuan Ding and Jiang Hongbo. Shot in black and white to mimic old-time war movies, the film premiered at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival on 12 May where it won the Grand Prix. The film was initially not allowed to be shown in theaters in its native China for a certain period but has eventually been made commercially available there since.
In the Heat of the Sun is a 1994 Chinese film directed and written by Jiang Wen. The film is based loosely on author Wang Shuo's novel Wild Beast.
Xu Jinglei is a Chinese actress and film director. She is known as one of the Four Dan Actresses in China.
The Warlords (投名狀), previously known as The Blood Brothers, is a 2007 Chinese–Hong Kong epic historical action film directed and co-produced by Peter Chan, starring Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Xu Jinglei. The film, set in China in the 1860s during the Taiping Rebellion, revolves around the sworn brotherhood of three men. The film was released on 13 December 2007 simultaneously in most of Asia, except Japan. It won a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film and a Golden Horse Award for Best Feature Film. For the film, Li became the highest paid actor in a Chinese-language movie, previously holding the record for his part in Hero (2002).
Hibiscus Town is a 1986 Chinese film directed by Xie Jin, based on a novel by the same name written by Gu Hua. The film, a melodrama, follows the life and travails of a young woman who lives through the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution and as such is an example of the "scar drama" genre that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s that detailed life during that period. The film was produced by the Shanghai Film Studio.
I Love You is a 2002 Chinese drama film directed by Zhang Yuan and starring Xu Jinglei and Tong Dawei. The film was a co-production between the Xi'an Film Studio and Jewel Film Investment Company.
Spring Subway is a 2002 Chinese romance film directed by Zhang Yibai and starring Xu Jinglei and Geng Le. Sixth Generation director Zhang Yang also plays a role. The film represents a relatively new genre in China, the artistic "commercial film" with its international urban sensibilities designed to appeal to young middle-class Chinese. Spring Subway is a stylistic film that plays with chronological conventions and flashbacks, and with characters that often break the fourth wall to directly address the audience.
Spicy Love Soup is a 1997 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yang and written by Zhang, Liu Fendou, Cai Shangjun, and Diao Yi'nan based on a story by Zhang and Peter Loehr. Spicy Love Soup was produced by Loehr's Imar Film Company, Xi'an Film Studio, and Taiwanese financing.
My Father and I is a 2003 Mainland Chinese drama directed by actress Xu Jinglei in her directorial debut. The film centers around a young girl, played by Xu, and her father, played by Ye Daying, following the death of her mother in an accident. It was critically well-received, winning the Best Directorial Debut Award for Xu Jinglei at the 2003 Golden Rooster Awards. Internationally, it screened at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival.
Sun Weishi was the first female director of modern spoken drama (Huaju) in Chinese history. Sun's father was killed by the Kuomintang (KMT) in 1927, and Sun was eventually adopted by Zhou Enlai, who later became the first premier of the People's Republic of China. While in Yan'an, Sun aroused the enmity of Mao's wife, Jiang Qing, beginning a rivalry between the two that lasted throughout Sun's life until her ultimate death at Jiang's hands. During World War II, Sun lived in Moscow, studying theater. Lin Biao was also in Moscow at the time and proposed to Sun before returning to China in 1942, but Sun rejected him. Lin married another woman, Ye Qun, in 1943. Ye held a lifelong grudge against Sun for her earlier relationship with Lin.
Tao Hong is a Chinese actress and former synchronised swimmer. A National Games of China champion, Tao was part of the Chinese national team at several synchronised swimming competitions from 1987 to 1991, including the 1991 World Aquatics Championships.
A Sentimental Story is a 1997 Chinese romantic thriller television drama series directed by Zhao Baogang and written by Hai Yan. The story is about a young policewoman falling in love with a gangster she pursues. A smash hit, the series is credited with catapulting lead actress Xu Jinglei, a little-known Beijing Film Academy student, to national fame.
Somewhere Only We Know is a 2015 Chinese romantic drama film directed by Xu Jinglei. Filming took place in Prague, Czech Republic. The film was released on February 10, 2015.
Xu Guangping, courtesy name Shuyuan, infant name Xia, was a Chinese female writer, politician, and social activist. She was well known as the partner of Chinese writer Lu Xun.
Shu Xiuwen, also romanized as Shu Hsiu-wen, was a Chinese film and stage actress, as well as the first voice actress in China. She grew up in poverty but made a name for herself in the drama and film industry of Shanghai before the Second Sino-Japanese War, and then in the wartime capital Chongqing. She starred in numerous films and stage plays, including her most acclaimed film The Spring River Flows East, and was recognized as one of China's top four actresses.
Chun Tao is a feature film jointly produced by Nanhai Film Company and Liaoning Film Studio, directed by Ling Zifeng. Released in mainland China in 1988. The film was adapted from Xu Dishan's Chun Tao. After telling that Chuntao and Li Mao were scattered by the bandits on the wedding night, she went to Beijing to scavenge the wasteland and lived with Liu Xianggao. The emotional story of her life with two men after Li Mao's accidental disability.
