Zuo Dabin (Chinese: 左大玢; pinyin: Zuǒ Dàbīn; born 22 October 1943), also known by her art name Honghui (红辉), is a Chinese actress and educator best known for her role as Guanyin in Journey to the West.[1]

Zuo Dabin
左大玢
Born (1943-10-22) October 22, 1943 (age 81)
Xingyang, Henan, China
Other namesHonghui (红辉)
Occupation(s)Actress, educator
Years active1959–present
Organization(s)Hunan Vocational College of Art
Hunan Opera Theatre
Political partyChinese Communist Party
Parent(s)Zuo Zonglian (father)
Zheng Fuqiu (mother)

She was a member of the 7th and 8th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. She is vice president of Hunan Federation of literary and Art Circles and Hunan Drama Association.[2]

Early life and education

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Zuo was born on October 22, 1943, in Xingyang, Henan, to Zuo Zonglian (左宗濂), a major general under the leadership of Cheng Qian in the KMT troops and magistrate of Ru County (1940–1943) and Xingyang County (1943–1945), and Zheng Fuqiu (郑福秋), a Xiang opera performer.[3][4] She has an elder sister.[3] Her ancestral home is in Changsha, Hunan. In 1954 she was accepted to Hunan Drama School, majoring in Xiang opera [zh].[4] After graduation, she was assigned to Hunan Opera Theatre as an actress.[4]

Acting career

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In 1959, when Mao Zedong returned to Hunan, she performed For Life or for Death. After the performance, Mao Zedong invited her to dance.[4]

In 1966, the Cultural Revolution broke out, she was denounced as a "shoots of revisionism" because her father once served in the National Revolutionary Army. She was sent to the Dao County to do farm works for two years.[citation needed]

In 1973, she made her film debut in Song of Teacher, playing Yu Ying. Jiang Qing criticizes her "acting like a young mistress of the house! The film is a poisonous grass!" On August 4 of that same year, she made a review at the Beijing Exhibition Hall. After watching the film, Mao Zedong said: "What is the 'big poisonous grass'? What's wrong with it?" Mao Zedong's speech lessened her criticism.[4]

In 1976, at the age of 33, she acted as Guanyin in The Legend of Chasing Fish. After watching the opera, director Yang Jie felt very satisfied. In 1982, Yang Jie invited her to portray Guanyin in Journey to the West, adapted from Ming dynasty novelist Wu Cheng'en's classical novel of the same title. The series was one of the most watched ones in mainland China in that year.[5]

She joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1984.[citation needed]

Since 2003, she taught at Hunan Vocational College of Art and Hunan Opera Theatre.[citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
1973 Song of Teacher 园丁之歌 Yu Ying

Television

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Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
1986 Journey to the West 西游记 Guan Yin
2000 Journey to the West 西游记续集 Guan Yin

Xiang opera

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Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
1960 The Broken Bridge 断桥
1978 Guo Liang 郭亮
1982 Princess Baihua 百花公主
1986 Giving a Sword 赠剑
1989 Yang Saifeng 杨赛风
1997 Zixue 子血

Variety show

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Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
2018 Ace vs Ace 王牌对王牌 Herself [6]

Awards

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Year Award Category Result Notes
1989 6th Plum Blossom Prize Traditional Opera Award Won

References

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  1. ^ Zhang Xingjian (5 February 2018). "'Journey to the West' cast reunion spells nostalgia". Chinadaily. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  2. ^ 湖湘人物左大玢. Hunan Library (in Chinese). 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  3. ^ a b Mi Fangjie (米方杰) (20 September 2018). "观音菩萨"左大玢回到出生地荥阳:不忘自己是河南人. sina (in Chinese). Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e Huang Yukang (黄禹康) (2006). “观世音”与毛泽东的忘年交. people.com.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  5. ^ 西游记“观世音”老到认不出!当年片酬57元一集,却成就经典!. sina (in Chinese). 4 February 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  6. ^ 《王牌对王牌》回归 《西游记》张青燃爆泪点. 163.com (in Chinese). 5 February 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2019.