Zhou Xuan

essential information

Early experience

In 1920, Zhou Xuan was born in a family named Su in Changzhou. Her original name was su PU. Pu is an uncut jade, which means natural and pure. There are eight brothers and sisters in Zhou Xuan's family. She ranks second, so she is named Yiguan. In 1923, Zhou Xuan was abducted by her smoking uncle Gu Shijia to the Wang family in Jintan County, and changed her name to Wang Xiaohong. After the Wang couple divorced, Zhou Xuan was given to a family with the surname of Zhou in Shanghai and renamed Zhou Xiaohong.

In 1928, Zhou Xuan's family was increasingly poor. Zhou Xuan's adoptive mother was forced to help a domestic servant. However, his opium smoking adoptive father had to sell Zhou Xuan to a brothel as a prostitute. Thanks to his adoptive mother's timely rescue, Zhou Xuan was spared a greater disaster. Since she was a child, Zhou Xuan loved to hear people sing and often sang songs with others. In school, her singing performance is always the first.

Acting experience

At the beginning of his career

In 1931, Zhou Xuan joined the bright moon song and dance troupe founded by Li Jinhui. In 1932, she starred in the song and dance drama "special express", and her song "special express" was also made into a record, which made Zhou Xuan stand out in the singing world. In the same year, she also took part in the performance of the national salvation and progress opera "wild rose". At the end of the performance, she sang the opera theme song "light of the nation", in which one of the lyrics "fight with the enemy on the battlefield" Li Jinhui proposed that she change her name to Zhou Xuan.

The period of fame

At the beginning of 1934, on the recommendation of Yan Hua, Zhou Xuan entered the Xinhua opera agency. After participating in several performances organized by Xinhua opera agency, Zhou Xuan began to attract attention from the outside world. Shanghai radio stations such as "Youlian", "Xinxin" and "Qingniao" often invited her to play and sing. EMI and Shengli record company also recorded her songs such as "the wind of May" and "exhortation". In the same year, Zhou Xuan ranked second in the star competition jointly held by Shanghai radio stations and won the title of "golden voice". In addition, she also joined Gong Qiuxia, Bai Guang, Li Xianglan, Yao Li, Bai Hong and Wu Yingyin as the top seven singers in Shanghai.

In 1935, her Shanghai Folk Song "peach blossom of Longhua" was made into a record and broadcast on the radio. In May, introduced by her brother Zhou Lu'an, Zhou Xuan was employed by Shanghai Yihua film company and made her first film "children of the wind and cloud". Although she only played an ordinary role in the film, it provided an opportunity for her to enter the film world. In the same year, she also made a film career She played in the feature film beauty.

In 1936, Zhou Xuan joined the Yihua film company; in January, she became the second heroine in the movie "night of flowers and candles"; in June, she starred in the movie "Avatar girl", which is her only silent black-and-white feature film; in September, she played the daughter of a county magistrate in the feature film "Carnival Night"; in October, she acted as the heroine in the black-and-white comedy feature film "joy at the gate"; in November, she played the leading role , starring in the black-and-white feature film "treasure map" with Guan Hongda, playing the daughter of a bandit leader.

High yield period

In February 1937, she starred in the black-and-white feature film "spring in the garden", playing an innocent girl who caused all kinds of misunderstandings because of love. In addition, she also starred in China's first commercial song and dance film "three stars with the moon", and sang the episode "when will you come again?" the song was widely spread after the release of video screening and recording. Later, she and Zhao Dan co starred in the reflection society "The angel of the road", a film about the fate of the little people at the bottom of the meeting, plays the singer Xiao Hong who suffered insults and damages in the old society, and sings two episodes of the film "the singing girl at the end of the earth" and "the song of the four Seasons"; after its release, "the angel of the road" has not only become Zhou Xuan's representative work, but also won the judges' award of the 12th figradafoz International Film Festival and the excellent film award of China Film century award In the same year, Zhou Xuan took part in the drama "defending Lugou Bridge" and went to the Philippines with Shanghai drama society to promote anti Japanese and national salvation.

In the summer of 1938, Zhou Xuan, who returned from a tour of Southeast Asia, joined the Shanghai "Jazz chorus" and broadcast and sang among various radio stations in Shanghai. Later, she signed a contract with Shanghai Guohua film company. At the beginning of 1939, Zhou Xuan starred in Meng Jiangnu, the first costume drama invested and shot by Guohua company, and sang the episode "hundred flowers song" for the film. This film created a precedent of Chinese costume singing feature film, and achieved good box office results. In June, she co starred in Li Sanniang, an ancient costume song record, and sang two episodes of the film《 In September, she acted as the heroine of the black-and-white feature film "new hell"; in November, she starred in the black-and-white feature film "qichongtian", and sang four episodes for the film, including "refugee brother" and "farewell to you"; in the same year, she released the record "Meng Jiangnv".

In February 1940, she collaborated with comfort again, starring in the ancient costume song record Dong Xiaowan, playing Dong Xiaowan, a famous prostitute of Qinhuai, whose episodes Dong Xiaowan and ethereal song were sung by Zhou Xuan; in June, she starred in the romantic comedy Sanxiao, playing the beautiful Qiuxiang, and singing four episodes for the film, such as Sanxiao and dianqiuxiang; in August, she cooperated with Shu Everlasting longing for each other, Meng Lijun, who is the main actor to change the movie according to the classical novel gorgeous margin, in September, starred in the black and white story of Su three, and four episodes of "the flowers of lights" and "the longface". In December, the black and White Costume drama "West Chamber" was starred by Zhou Xuan, and Zhou Xuan played be clever and sensible Cui Yingying. In addition, she also starred in the song and dance film Tianya singer, playing a singer who had to sing in order to survive, and released the record Sanxiao in the same year.

In April 1941, she starred in the black-and-white costume feature film "Mei Fei", played Mei Fei who was denounced by Emperor Tang Ming, and sang the film episode "Mei Fei Qu"; in July, she co starred with Han Fei in the black-and-white feature film "deep night", in which she played the singer Yuerong, a tragic character; in October, she starred in the black-and-white feature film "jieyuhua", which promoted Anti Japanese War, playing a girl who dared to pursue love In addition, she also starred in the love movie "annoying spring" and sang the episode "Zhongshan spring"; in the same year, the film special issue of Shanghai Daily carried out a "movie queen" selection, and Zhou Xuan was elected as "movie queen"; however, Zhou Xuan thought that the honor was too high and did not accept it It's not a good thing, so she declined the title of "movie queen".

In March 1942, Zhou Xuan played a lady of a wealthy family in the black-and-white feature film mengduan Guanshan. This is the last film Zhou Xuan made for Guohua film company. After making this film, Zhou Xuan broke his contract with Guohua company. Because it was the period of enemy and puppet forces in 1942, Zhou Xuan announced that he would retire from the performing arts circle temporarily. In September 1943, at Bu wancang's repeated invitation, Zhou Xuan returned to the screen. In the same year, she joined China Film United Co., Ltd. and starred in the film "Fisherman's daughter". In the film, Zhou Xuan's Fisherman's daughter Zhou Qiongzhu was rescued by Cui Shijun, an art student at the time of crisis. They fell in love at first sight. The film was welcomed by the audience when it was shown continuously in Daguang cinema, and was released by the audience The film episode "Fisherman's girl" sung by Zhou Xuan is also popular in Shanghai.

In 1944, the song and dance film Luan Feng He Ming, starring Zhou Xuan, was released. She sang seven movie episodes, including "red singer" and "disgusting morning", among which the representative work "disgusting morning" showed another style of singing. In June, she co starred with Yuan Meiyun, Wang Danfeng and Ouyang Shafei in the ancient costume film "a dream of Red Mansions", in which Zhou Xuan played a sentimental Lin Dai Yu, the film's interludes "burying flowers" and "sad autumn" are sung by Zhou Xuan. After being released in Shanghai, the film has not only been popular, but also become the first Chinese film introduced to Japan.

In March 1945, she starred in the black-and-white feature film fenghuangyufei, played Wu Shuzhen, who loved singing, and sang 11 episodes such as praise of smile and motherly heart. In May, Zhou Xuan held three solo concerts in Shanghai Jindu Grand Theater, including "Fisherman's daughter", "Luan Fenghe Ming" and "fenghuangyufei", which were known as "trilogy of silver sea".

Go to Hong Kong

In the winter of 1946, Zhou Xuan arrived in Hong Kong by plane at the invitation of Jiang Boying, the boss of Hong Kong Greater China film company. Everlasting longing for each other, Zhou Xuan appeared on the screen of Hongkong for the first time in January 1947. She co stars with the comfort and whiteness, playing the black and white story of "the longface", playing the singer Gu Xiangmei, and singing the movie interludes like "the beautiful years" and "night Shanghai". Among them, "night Shanghai" has been circulated in Chinese society after the launch. This song has also become one of Zhou Xuan's representative works; in February, it was in black and white. Zhou Xuan and Gong Qiuxia jointly perform two young women struggling in the bottom of Hong Kong in the event film "each has its own strong points". At the same time when the film is released, EMI records company also records the episode of Zhou Xuan's singing in the film. After its release, the record is not only popular, but also tops the sales list. In the same year, she also starred in the film "memory of Jiangnan", in which Zhou Xuan plays a separate role Xie dai'e, a kind and simple girl from the countryside, and Huang, a spoiled and shrewd miss from Hong Kong

Chinese PinYin : Zhou Xuan