Liu Xiao Ling Tong
Encyclopedia
Liu Xiao Ling Tong is the stage name
of Zhang Jinlai ' onMouseout='HidePop("50821")' href="/topics/Pinyin">pinyin
: Zhāng Jīnlái), a famous Chinese actor
who was known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sun Wukong
in the 1986 Journey to the West
TV series.
into a renowned artistic family. His family is one of two families with the most Peking Opera players specialized in performing Sun Wukong
, the Monkey King from the Chinese literary classic Journey to the West
. His great-grandfather Zhang Tingchun was even considered "better than a living Monkey King".
Zhang Jinlai's great-grandfather mostly performed in the countryside of the Zhejiang
Chinese province under the stage name "Sai Huo Hou", or "Better Than a Living Monkey". Zhang's grandfather moved to Shanghai
and trained two sons. Zhang Jinlai's father, Zhang Songyi, stage named as Liu Ling Tong or "Six Years Old Kid", or famously known as "Nan Hou Wang" (the Southern Monkey King), indicating his age when he started to perform, was a famous Chinese opera
player who was acclaimed by Chinese leaders including late Chairman Mao Zedong
and premier Zhou Enlai
. His specialty was Sun Wukong
, gaining him the nickname "Monkey King of the South", as Li Wanchun dominated Northern China. Zhang Jinlai's uncle, who specialized in performing Zhu Bajie
, had the stage name "Qi Ling Tong", or "Seven Years Old Kid".
Named after his father, Zhang Jinlai's elder brother used stage name Xiao Liu Ling Tong, which means "Little Six Years Old Kid", or "Six Years Old Kid, Jr.". The role of Sun Wukong was originally offered to this elder brother, who died of leukemia
in 1966. Zhang took the role instead. Zhang Jinlai's stage name Liu Xiao Ling Tong means "Six Little Years Old Kid", which was also named after his father. This name was constructed in an awkward way, because the normal way of putting "Jr." in a name was already taken by his brother.
Before his death, Zhang Jinlai's brother told him that he would see him when he played Sun Wukong
. After he died, Zhang Jinlai tried very hard to do that, as well as to help the needy people with leukemia. In 1992, CCTV made an 8-episode series titled "Hou Wa" (猴娃）(monkey child) about this remarkable actor.
Zhang Jinlai gained international fame thanks to his starring role as Sun Wukong
in the 1986 adaptation
of Journey to the West
. His compelling performance, which was greatly praised by critics, helped him capture the title of Best Actor at the Sixth Golden Eagle Prize, the highest honour in the TV production industry in China. After that, he also appeared in other movie
s and TV series, such as "New Year's Day (过年)". On September 27, 2006, he was conferred the Certificate of Mouthpiece of the 3rd International Forum on China Cultural Industry. Currently he is filming Wu Cheng En Yu Xi You Ji (吴承恩与西游记), a film based on Wu Cheng'en
's life - Journey to the West's author. He would star in both roles as Wu Cheng'en and Sun Wukong.
His nowaday activities mostly focuses on promoting monkey culture. Zhang also expressed his concern over recent Sun Wukong portrayals. He said while he was happy to see that "Journey to the West", as well as other Chinese classical novels, received such attention from foreign directors, he emphasized "...such adaptation has to be based on adequate knowledge of Chinese culture." and "Monkey King is not King Kong."
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
of Zhang Jinlai ' onMouseout='HidePop("50821")' href="/topics/Pinyin">pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Zhāng Jīnlái), a famous Chinese actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who was known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
in the 1986 Journey to the West
Journey to the West (TV series)
Journey to the West is a Chinese television series adaptation of Wu Cheng'en's Chinese classical novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CCTV in China on 1 October 1986....
TV series.
Biography
Liu Xiao Ling Tong was born Zhang Jinlai (章金莱) on April 12, 1959 in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
into a renowned artistic family. His family is one of two families with the most Peking Opera players specialized in performing Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
, the Monkey King from the Chinese literary classic Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
. His great-grandfather Zhang Tingchun was even considered "better than a living Monkey King".
Zhang Jinlai's great-grandfather mostly performed in the countryside of the Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
Chinese province under the stage name "Sai Huo Hou", or "Better Than a Living Monkey". Zhang's grandfather moved to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and trained two sons. Zhang Jinlai's father, Zhang Songyi, stage named as Liu Ling Tong or "Six Years Old Kid", or famously known as "Nan Hou Wang" (the Southern Monkey King), indicating his age when he started to perform, was a famous Chinese opera
Chinese opera
Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE...
player who was acclaimed by Chinese leaders including late Chairman Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
and premier Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
. His specialty was Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
, gaining him the nickname "Monkey King of the South", as Li Wanchun dominated Northern China. Zhang Jinlai's uncle, who specialized in performing Zhu Bajie
Zhu Bajie
Zhu Bajie, also named Zhu Wuneng, is one of the three helpers of Xuanzang in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. He is called "Pigsy" or "Pig" in many English versions of the story....
, had the stage name "Qi Ling Tong", or "Seven Years Old Kid".
Named after his father, Zhang Jinlai's elder brother used stage name Xiao Liu Ling Tong, which means "Little Six Years Old Kid", or "Six Years Old Kid, Jr.". The role of Sun Wukong was originally offered to this elder brother, who died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
in 1966. Zhang took the role instead. Zhang Jinlai's stage name Liu Xiao Ling Tong means "Six Little Years Old Kid", which was also named after his father. This name was constructed in an awkward way, because the normal way of putting "Jr." in a name was already taken by his brother.
Before his death, Zhang Jinlai's brother told him that he would see him when he played Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
. After he died, Zhang Jinlai tried very hard to do that, as well as to help the needy people with leukemia. In 1992, CCTV made an 8-episode series titled "Hou Wa" (猴娃）(monkey child) about this remarkable actor.
Zhang Jinlai gained international fame thanks to his starring role as Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong
Sun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
in the 1986 adaptation
Journey to the West (TV series)
Journey to the West is a Chinese television series adaptation of Wu Cheng'en's Chinese classical novel of the same title. The series was first broadcast on CCTV in China on 1 October 1986....
of Journey to the West
Journey to the West
Journey to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
. His compelling performance, which was greatly praised by critics, helped him capture the title of Best Actor at the Sixth Golden Eagle Prize, the highest honour in the TV production industry in China. After that, he also appeared in other movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s and TV series, such as "New Year's Day (过年)". On September 27, 2006, he was conferred the Certificate of Mouthpiece of the 3rd International Forum on China Cultural Industry. Currently he is filming Wu Cheng En Yu Xi You Ji (吴承恩与西游记), a film based on Wu Cheng'en
Wu Cheng'en
Wu Cheng'en , courtesy name Ruzhong , pen name "Sheyang Hermit," was a Chinese novelist and poet of the Ming Dynasty, best known for being the attributed author of one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, Journey to the West.-Biography:Wu was born in Lianshui, in Jiangsu...
's life - Journey to the West's author. He would star in both roles as Wu Cheng'en and Sun Wukong.
His nowaday activities mostly focuses on promoting monkey culture. Zhang also expressed his concern over recent Sun Wukong portrayals. He said while he was happy to see that "Journey to the West", as well as other Chinese classical novels, received such attention from foreign directors, he emphasized "...such adaptation has to be based on adequate knowledge of Chinese culture." and "Monkey King is not King Kong."
Awards
- 6th Golden Eagle Television Awards: Best ActorGolden Eagle Awards (China) for Best ActorGolden Eagle Award for Best Actor also known as Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.This category was absent during 2000-2002.-2010s:-2000s:-1990s:-1980s:...
for Journey to the West as Sun Wukong (1988)