Zhang Zhiyun

Zhang Zhiyun

Zhang Zhiyun (1904-1975), actor, formerly known as Zhang Ashan (ah XI), was born in Panyu County, Guangzhou Prefecture, Guangdong Province. He moved to Shanghai when he was young. She was one of the first generation female stars in China and the first Chinese film queen.

In 1923, he was admitted to Shanghai Greater China Film Company and starred in silent films "people's heart" and "battle success". In 1925, he joined the star film company and starred in "poor girl", "new family" and "empty valley orchid". He was once selected as "movie star queen" by Shanghai New World Amusement Park. After 1926, he starred in fiancee, love and gold and jade. In 1927, she went to the United States with Tang Jishan to get married, and then was abandoned. Star film company shot "lovelorn" with her experience, and starred by me. In 1935, he took part in the sound film "New Peach Blossom Fan" and in 1937, he took part in the shooting of Cantonese film "the pride of heaven".

Personal experience

Zhang Zhiyun, a native of Panyu county (now Guangzhou) in Guangzhou, moved to Shanghai when he was young. He was one of the first generation female stars in China. In his early years, his father died and his family was in difficulty. He left school before finishing junior high school. His adoptive mother took care of all his life.

At the beginning of 1924, Gu Kenfu, Lu Jie, bu wancang and others founded the Greater China film company, published the newspaper to recruit actors, and borrowed the mailbox of Shen Bao office as the receiving office. Ten days later, there were more than ten thousand photos of women in the open box inspection, but none of them could be used. It was reported that this box had been privately opened by a reporter in the newspaper office and was picked up by the best. Gu Kenfu negotiations, the reporter handed over 10 photos taken, including a beautiful picture of Zhiyun. In terms of appearance, Zhang Zhiyun is not outstanding. However, when the photo theft incident was exposed, the Greater China company made a lot of hype, and Zhang Zhiyun became a well-known news figure, so Zhang Zhiyun embarked on the road of film.

Zhang Zhiyun can't speak Mandarin. Fortunately, it was a silent film era, which covered up her language disadvantage. In addition, she was diligent and eager to learn, and her acting skills were improving day by day. Zhang Zhiyun became famous with his excellent performances in "people's heart" and "battle achievement". In 1925, he joined the star film company and starred in such films as poor girl, new family and empty valley orchid. Soon after, Zhang Zhiyun went to Minxin company to play a lovelorn country girl in "jade is clean and ice is clear". His performance is sincere and touching. With the image of a plaintive woman, he won the audience's love and is known as the "holy hand of tragedy".

From August 14 to September 14, 1926, the new world playground and 35 film companies in Shanghai jointly held the first film fair in China. Stars, Shenzhou, Shanghai, Minxin, Guoguang, Youlian and other companies competed to bring new blockbusters to the exhibition. Newspapers and periodicals in Shanghai have launched a great publicity campaign. There was a sensational event at the fair - the election of female movie stars. The votes are published in Shenbao, Xinbao and new world. Readers can circle their favorite actresses. 12 people including Zhang Zhiyun, Xu Suzhen, Yang Naimei, Yin Mingzhu, Wang Hanlun, Xuan Jinglin, Li Minghui, Mao Jianpei and Lin ChuChu were shortlisted in the primary election on September 17, and 4 people including Li Dandan and Hu die were selected. It was originally intended to select one of the 12, but it was not selected later. Zhang Zhiyun, who won 2146 votes in the primary election, became the first "movie queen" in Chinese history, even three years earlier than the first Oscar winner.

After her debut in the Greater China company, she was invited by the star company to star in "poor girl", "new family", "empty valley orchid" and so on. After Li Minwei's job hopping, Minxin company, in Ouyang Yuqian's screenplay and bu wancang's "jade is clean and ice is clear", Zhang Zhiyun plays a country girl in the film. She is lively and naive, heartbroken after being lovelorn, sincere and moving, and is praised as "the holy hand of tragedy". After Yu Jie Bing Qing was successfully filmed, Zhang Zhiyun was frequently brought into various social places by Li Yingsheng's wife Xu Yingying to make friends with dignitaries. Zhang Zhiyun, who was originally in love with Bu wancang, was simple and dull in nature, and was not sociable and familiar with the world, so he was easily controlled by others. He was gradually infected by the flashy and extravagant life, and gradually separated from Bu wancang.

Zhang Zhiyun had many frustrations in his marriage. When she first stepped into the film industry, photographer (later director) Bu wancang gave her wholehearted help in her performance. They fell in love quickly and lived together. After becoming popular, Zhang Zhiyun often went to social places and broke up with Bu wancang. In 1927, Zhang Zhiyun married Tang Jishan, the tea king, and went to the United States with Tang to help him promote tea with the title of "movie queen". However, Tang Jishan is a veteran of love scene, and soon abandons Zhang Zhiyun to pursue another movie star Ruan Lingyu. Zhang Zhiyun once said with great pain: it doesn't count to sacrifice the love of many friends and audiences. The main thing is that my "golden age" has gone with my youth.

Zhang Zhiyun returned to the film world in 1933, starring in the sound film "lovelorn"; in 1935, he starred in "New Peach Blossom Fan". However, because of Zhang's poor Mandarin, the repercussions were flat, so he had to stop again. In the 1940s, she married Zhang Shuping, a native of Hunan Province and an underground worker of the Communist Party of China. In the 1950s, she moved to Hong Kong. According to some records, she and a group of stars from the 1920s, such as Yang Naimei and Wu Suxin, took part in "beauty in heaven". Another record says that she took part in the shooting of the Cantonese film "the pride of heaven" in 1937 and died in Hong Kong in the 1970s.

According to the recollections of many old film makers, Zhang Zhiyun's appearance is indeed elegant and elegant, and her eyebrows always show a kind of light sadness. Because she is good at playing tragic roles, she is known as the "master of tragedy". In the autumn of 1926, the new world elected the first movie queen, and she won the highest vote in the first round. Later, for some unknown reason, she did not hold the second round election, but she was elected from then on Praised as China's first film queen. Since then, she has been living in Hong Kong. According to people she met, her deep understanding of the world has gone far beyond that of a movie star of that day. Her life became more and more flat. A generation of movie queens died in Hong Kong in the mid-1970s.

Main works

Paradise beauty (1953)

The pride of Heaven (1937)

Peach Blossom Fan (1935)

Lovelorn (1932)

Meihualuoshangji I (1927)

Sacrifice for relatives (1927)

Meihualuozhongji II (1927)

Plum blossom falling collection III (1927)

Fiancee (1926)

Yujie Bingqing (1926)

Love and gold (1926)

Poor girl (1925)

Kongulan (1925)

The new family (1925)

War achievements (1925)

War achievements (1925)

People's heart (1924)

Chinese PinYin : Zhang Zhi Yun