Ruan Lingyu
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Ruan Lingyu (born Ruan Fenggen; April 26, 1910 – March 8, 1935), also known by her English name Lily Yuen, was a Chinese
silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
actress. One of the most prominent Chinese film stars of the 1930s, her exceptional acting ability and suicide at the age of 24 led her to become an icon of
Chinese cinema The cinema of China is one of three distinct historical threads of Chinese languages, Chinese-language cinema together with the cinema of Hong Kong and the cinema of Taiwan. Cinema was introduced in China in 1896 in China, 1896 and the first C ...
.


Early life

Ruan was born to a
working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...
family in
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
, and her ancestral home is in Xiangshan,
Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
. Her father died when she was young, and her mother brought her up working as a housemaid.


Career


Early career

In 1926, to help make ends meet, Ruan signed up for the prominent
Mingxing Film Company Mingxing Film Company (), also known as the Star Motion Picture Company, was one of the largest production companies during the 1920s, and 1930s in the Republican era. Founded in Shanghai, the company lasted from 1922 until 1937 when it was close ...
. She made her first film at the age of 16. The film, ''A Married Couple in Name Only'' (掛名的夫妻/挂名的夫妻), was directed by
Bu Wancang Bu Wancang (July 1, 1900 – December 30, 1973), also known by his English name Richard Poh, was a prolific Chinese film director and screenwriter active between the 1920s and the 1960s. He was born in Anhui. Career Originally a member of the ...
. Two years later, she was signed by Da Zhonghua Baihe Company (大中華百合公司/大中华百合公司), where she shot six films. Her first big break came in ''Spring Dream of an Old Capital'' ( or ''Reminiscences of Beijing'', 1930), which was a massive hit in China. It was Ruan's first major work after signing with the newly formed Lianhua Studio in 1930. In it, she played a prostitute by the name of Yanyan.


Breakthrough and important films

Thereafter, Ruan became Lianhua's major film star. Her most memorable works came after 1931, starting with the melodrama '' Love and Duty'' (directed by
Bu Wancang Bu Wancang (July 1, 1900 – December 30, 1973), also known by his English name Richard Poh, was a prolific Chinese film director and screenwriter active between the 1920s and the 1960s. He was born in Anhui. Career Originally a member of the ...
). Ruan had by then gained popularity owing to a string of leading roles, and in 1933 she was voted second runner-up in a poll held by '' Star Daily'' (明星日報) for China's "movie queen". (
Hu Die Hu Die (; 1907 or 1908 – April 23, 1989), also known by her English name Butterfly Wu, was a Chinese actress during the 1920s and 1930s. Like many artistes and writers, she was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. Biography Early ...
emerged the winner and Chen Yumei was first runner-up). Beginning with '' Three Modern Women'' (1932), Ruan started collaborating with a group of leftist Chinese directors. In ''
Little Toys ''Playthings'' (), also known as ''Little Toys'', is a 1933 silent film directed by filmmaker Sun Yu. It is one of two films Sun Yu directed in 1933 (the other being '' Daybreak''). The film stars popular Chinese actress Ruan Lingyu, and was pro ...
'' (1933), a film by Sun Yu, Ruan played a long-suffering toy-maker. Her next film, '' The Goddess'' (1934; dir:
Wu Yonggang Wu Yonggang (November 1, 1907 – December 18, 1982) was a prominent Chinese film director during the 1930s. Today Wu is best known for his directorial debut, '' The Goddess''. Wu had a long career with the Lianhua Film Company in the 1930s, in ...
), is often hailed as the pinnacle of Chinese silent cinema; Ruan sympathetically portrayed a
prostitute Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
bringing up a child. Later that year, Ruan made her penultimate film, ''
New Women ''New Women'' () is a 1935 Chinese silent drama film produced by the United Photoplay Service. It is sometimes translated as ''New Woman''. The film starred Ruan Lingyu (in her penultimate film) and was directed by Cai Chusheng. This film became ...
'' (directed by
Cai Chusheng Cai Chusheng (January 12, 1906 – July 15, 1968) was a Chinese film director of the pre-Communist era, and was the first Chinese director to win an international film award at the Moscow International Film Festival. Best known for his progres ...
), in which she played an educated woman forced to death by an unfeeling society. The film was based on the life of actress
Ai Xia Ai Xia (; 29 November 1912 – 15 February 1934) was a Chinese left-wing silent film actress and screenwriter. She committed suicide in 1934, the first Chinese actor to have done so. Her suicide inspired Cai Chusheng's classic film ''New Women' ...
, who killed herself in 1934. Her final film, ''
National Customs ''National Customs'' () is a 1935 Chinese film directed by Luo Mingyou and Zhu Shilin. The film was silent film star Ruan Lingyu's last performance before she died in 1935. This film is a propaganda film promoting the New Life Movement, which w ...
'', was released shortly after her death. One of Ruan's earliest films, '' Love and Duty'' (1931), directed by
Bu Wancang Bu Wancang (July 1, 1900 – December 30, 1973), also known by his English name Richard Poh, was a prolific Chinese film director and screenwriter active between the 1920s and the 1960s. He was born in Anhui. Career Originally a member of the ...
and long believed to be a lost film, was discovered in
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
in 1994.


Personal life

At the age of 16, Ruan became acquainted with Zhang Damin (张达民/張達民), whose family her mother worked for. Zhang was later driven out of his wealthy family due to his spendthrift ways and became a chronic gambler, supported by Ruan's salary. Unable to tolerate Zhang's gambling, Ruan split with him in 1933. She then began living with Tang Jishan, a tea tycoon. In 1935, Zhang filed a lawsuit asking for reparations from Ruan. The tabloids seized on this opportunity to probe into Ruan's private life and put her under intense pressure. Following the completion of ''New Women'', Ruan's life began to unravel. The film opened in Shanghai in 1935. Cai Chusheng was under massive pressure from tabloid reporters, who were extremely hostile, owing to the scathing depiction of the Shanghai tabloids in the movie. Cai was forced to make extensive cuts to the film. Even after that, Ruan's private life was mercilessly seized upon by the tabloids and her lawsuit with her first husband, Zhang Damin, became a source of vindictive coverage.


Death

Faced with her various public issues and intense private problems, Ruan committed suicide in Shanghai on March 8, 1935, at the age of 24, by taking an overdose of
barbiturate Barbiturates are a class of depressant drugs that are chemically derived from barbituric acid. They are effective when used medically as anxiolytics, hypnotics, and anticonvulsants, but have physical and psychological addiction potential as we ...
s. Her suicide note apparently contained a line which says "gossip is a fearful thing" (人言可畏), although recent researchers have doubted the note's authenticity as it appears to have been forged by Tang Jishan. Even China's preeminent intellectual
Lu Xun Zhou Shuren (25 September 1881 – 19 October 1936), better known by his pen name Lu Xun (or Lu Sun; ; Wade–Giles: Lu Hsün), was a Chinese writer, essayist, poet, and literary critic. He was a leading figure of modern Chinese literature. W ...
was appalled at the details surrounding Ruan's death and wrote an essay entitled "Gossip is a Fearful Thing", denouncing the tabloids. Recent researchers believe her deteriorating relationship with Tang Jishan and Zhang Damin's lawsuit were the cause of Ruan's death. It was further intensified by the mob media of China after ''New Women'' was released, since the film depicted the life of actress
Ai Xia Ai Xia (; 29 November 1912 – 15 February 1934) was a Chinese left-wing silent film actress and screenwriter. She committed suicide in 1934, the first Chinese actor to have done so. Her suicide inspired Cai Chusheng's classic film ''New Women' ...
, who committed suicide due to media rumors about her private life. Ruan is also believed to have been physically abused on the evening that she died.


Funeral services and subsequent tributes

Her funeral service at the Wanguo Funeral Home lasted for three days. Several well-known film actors and actress attended her funeral, including
Wang Renmei Wang Renmei (; December 1914 – 2 April 1987) was a famous Chinese actress and singer nicknamed the "Wildcat of Shanghai". She was mainly active during the 1930s, and her most notable film was the 1934 ''Song of the Fishermen'' (available onli ...
,
Lin Chuchu Florence Lim (21 January 1905 – 16 February 1979), better known as Lim Cho-cho, was a Chinese Canadian actress in the cinema of the Republic of China and British Hong Kong from 1925 to 1954. She was the second wife of filmmaker Lai Man-Wai a ...
and Liang Saizhen, and her pallbearers included some of the leading film directors such as
Lai Man-Wai Lai Man-wai (; September 25, 1893 – October 26, 1953), also romanised as Lay Min-wei or M.W. Ray, considered the "Father of Hong Kong Cinema", was the director of the first Hong Kong film ''Zhuangzi Tests His Wife'' in 1913. In the film, Lai ...
,
Fei Mu Fei Mu (October 10, 1906 — January 31, 1951), also romanised as Fey Mou, was a Chinese film director of the pre-Communist era. His ''Spring in a Small Town'' (1948) was declared the greatest Chinese film ever made by the Hong Kong Film Criti ...
,
Wu Yonggang Wu Yonggang (November 1, 1907 – December 18, 1982) was a prominent Chinese film director during the 1930s. Today Wu is best known for his directorial debut, '' The Goddess''. Wu had a long career with the Lianhua Film Company in the 1930s, in ...
and
Cai Chusheng Cai Chusheng (January 12, 1906 – July 15, 1968) was a Chinese film director of the pre-Communist era, and was the first Chinese director to win an international film award at the Moscow International Film Festival. Best known for his progres ...
. After the service, Ruan's casket was taken to a cemetery in
Zhabei Zhabei, formerly romanized as Chapei, is a neighborhood and a former district of Shanghai with a land area of and a resident population of 847,300 as of 2013. It is the location of the Shanghai railway station, one of the main railway stations ...
district. Her funeral procession was reportedly long, with three women committing suicide during the event. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' called it "the most spectacular funeral of the century". Ruan Lingyu's tomb was destroyed during the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
. In 1998, a uniquely designed monument dedicated to her debuted in Fushouyuan Cemetery in Shanghai.


Suicide notes and alleged forgery

Two sets of suicide notes existed that were purportedly written by Ruan Lingyu just before her death.


First version

The earlier suicide notes were first published in ''Lianhua Pictorial'' (聯華畫報) on April 1, 1935, in a commemorative issue on Ruan Lingyu's death, supplied by Tang Jishan with whom Ruan Lingyu was cohabiting at the time of her death. These suicide notes are now believed to have been forged by Tang Jishan, as Ruan Lingyu was unlikely to have written a letter to the press over her suicide, furthermore with lines like " y spiritwill watch over you forever and ever" to Tang Jishan, a notorious womanizer. ' ' '


Second version

On April 26, 1935, the ''Siming Journal of Business'' (《思明商學報》) published what are now believed to be the real suicide notes of Ruan Lingyu. As the ''Siming Journal'' was a journal with an internal circulation of just 1,500 copies, few in China read about this and the article was largely forgotten after its initial publication. The editor of ''Siming Journal'' claimed that Tang Jishan got Liang Saishan (梁賽珊), the sister of his lover Liang Saizhen (梁賽珍), to forge Ruan Lingyu's handwriting and suicide notes, which were then published in ''Lianhua Pictorial''. Pricked by their conscience, Liang Saishan and Liang Saizhen later supplied ''Siming Journal'' with Ruan Lingyu's real suicide notes. The notes were allegedly carelessly written, with many characters stricken off and rewritten, reflecting Ruan Lingyu’s state of mind. Most researchers believe them to be the authentic suicide notes left behind by Ruan. The suicide notes were republished by Professor Lian Wenguang (连文光) in his 1993 book, ''Chinese and International Cinemas: History and Anecdotes''. Public interest reignited after Shanghai's ''
Xinmin Evening News ''Xinmin Evening News'' (), formerly known as ''Xinmin Po'', is a state-owned newspaper published since September, 1929 in Shanghai, China. It is now owned by Shanghai United Media Group. Its current editorial mission is the socialist-inspired "pr ...
'' reported the research of film historian Shen Ji (沈寂) in 2001, which coincided with Lian Wenguang’s findings. Suicide note 1: Suicide note 2:


Portrayal in popular culture


Films

Zhang Damin, who tried to tell his story regarding Ruan's suicide (and profit financially), agreed in 1935 to star as himself in a film titled ''Tears of Love'' (情淚). The film was aborted following angry backlash. Zhang did not give up, however. In 1937, a Hong Kong film titled ''Who's to Blame?'' (誰之過) directed by Shum Kat-sing (沈吉誠) appeared, starring Zhang as himself and Tam Yuk Lan (譚玉蘭) as Ruan; this may have been the same film as ''Tears of Love''. In 1938, Zhang starred in yet another Hong Kong film, ''Wife of a Friend'' (朋友之妻), written and directed by Mak Tai-fung (麥大豐). This film did not invoke Ruan's name, but the reference cannot be more obvious: according to a handbill, the film told about an immoral womanizer who abandons his own wife to seduce his friend's, with the friend's wife committing suicide in the end. Neither film appears to have survived, and Zhang died from an illness later in 1938 in Hong Kong, apparently penniless. In 1991, Hong Kong director
Stanley Kwan Stanley Kwan (traditional Chinese: 關錦鵬; simplified Chinese: 关锦鹏); born 9 October 1957) is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Kwan landed a job at TVB after receiving a mass communications degree at Hong Kong Baptist College. ...
made a movie about her life, '' Center Stage'', starring
Maggie Cheung Maggie Cheung Man-yuk (; born 20 September 1964) is a Hong Kong former actress. Raised in Hong Kong and Britain, she started her career after placing second in 1983's Miss Hong Kong Pageant. She achieved critical success in the late 1980s and in ...
as Ruan Lingyu. Cheung won the
Berlin Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...
Silver Bear for Best Actress The Silver Bear for Best Actress (german: Silberner Bär/Beste Darstellerin) was an award presented at the Berlin International Film Festival from 1956 to 2020. It was given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance and was chos ...
. Zhang Damin and Tang Jishan are portrayed by
Lawrence Ng Lawrence Ng Kai-wah (, ; born 19 May 1964) is a popular TV actor in Hong Kong. His more famous works include the television series '' Healing Hands'' and the films ''Fate Twisters'' and ''Sex and Zen''. Ng's older brother is former Charlie N ...
and Chin Han respectively. The film is credited to have revived public interest in Ruan Lingyu and her films.


TV series

In 1985,
Cecilia Wong Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy, where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for girls born ...
(黃杏秀) played Ruan in a 20-episode TV series aired on
Asia Television Asia Television Limited (, also known as ATV) is a digital media and broadcasting company in Hong Kong. Established as the first television service in Hong Kong as Rediffusion Television () on 29 May 1957, it shifted to terrestrial televisio ...
, titled ''Ruan Lingyu/The Stardust Memories''. In 2005,
Jacklyn Wu Chien-lien Jacklyn Wu Chien-lien (born 3 July 1968) is a Taiwanese actress and singer who began her career in Hong Kong. She graduated from Taipei National University of Arts. Career In 1990, Wu's acting career began. For her first acting role, Johnni ...
played Ruan in a 30-episode Chinese TV series, also titled ''Ruan Lingyu''. Kong Lingjie (孔令洁) played Ruan Lingyu in the 1996 Chinese TV series ''Movie Queen Butterfly'' (影后胡蝶). Ruan Lingyu's name was discussed throughout the HK TVB series - The 'W' Files (衛斯理) in 2003; however, there was no character portrayal. It was fitting to mention her name in the series since the plot was set in Shanghai during the 1930s, and she was a notable figure during that time.


Filmography


See also

*
Cinema of China The cinema of China is one of three distinct historical threads of Chinese-language cinema together with the cinema of Hong Kong and the cinema of Taiwan. Cinema was introduced in China in 1896 and the first Chinese film, '' Dingjun Mountai ...
*
Jin Yan Jin Yan (; April 7, 1910 – December 27, 1983), also known by his English name Raymond King, was a Korean-born Chinese actor who gained fame during China's golden age of cinema, based in Shanghai. His acting talents and good looks gained hi ...
*
Zhou Xuan Zhou Xuan (; born Su Pu (); August 1, 1920 – September 22, 1957), also romanized as Chow Hsuan, was an iconic Chinese singer and film actress. By the 1940s, she had become one of China's Seven Great Singing Stars. She was the best known o ...


References


Bibliography

*


External links


Chinese Film Classics: Ruan Lingyu
(chinesefilmclassics.org): scholarly website with English-subtitled versions of Ruan's films ''Love and Duty'' (1931), ''The Peach Girl'', ''Playthings'' (aka ''Little Toys''), ''Goddess'' (plus two video lectures), and ''New Women'' (plus two video lectures), and related material about Ruan, hosted by the University of British Columbia
''Love and Duty'' (1931)
with English subtitles (Chinese Film Classics website)
''The Peach Girl'' (1931)
with English subtitles (Chinese Film Classics website)
''Playthings'' (1933)
with English subtitles (Chinese Film Classics website)
''Goddess'' (1934)
with English subtitles (Chinese Film Classics website)
''New Women'' (1935)
with English subtitles (Chinese Film Classics website) *
Ruan Lingyu at the dianying.com


* The Beauty Of Shanghai – Ruan Ling Yu: The Chinese Greta Garbo (Biography, ) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruan, Lingyu 1910 births 1935 suicides Chinese film actresses Chinese silent film actresses Drug-related suicides in China Suicides in the Republic of China 20th-century Chinese actresses Actresses from Shanghai Burials in Shanghai People of Cantonese descent 1935 deaths