Zhou Xuan
Encyclopedia
Zhou Xuan was a popular Chinese
singer and film
actress. By the 1940s, she had become one of China's seven great singing stars
. She is probably the most well-known of the seven, as she had a concurrent movie career until 1953.
According to later family research, a relative who was an opium
addict took her at the age of 3 to another city and sold her to a family named Wang
, who named her Wang Xiaohong. She was later adopted by a family named Zhou
, changing her name to Zhou Xiaohong.
At the age of 13 she took Zhou Xuan as her stage name, 'Xuan' meaning beautiful jade in Chinese.
. She later achieved stardom in 1937 in Street Angel
(馬路天使), when director Yuan Muzhi
cast her as one of the leads as a singing girl.
The "Golden Voice" (金嗓子) was Zhou's nickname to commend her singing talents after a singing competition in Shanghai
, where she came in second. Zhou rapidly became the most famous and marketable popular singer in the gramophone
era up to her death, singing many famous tunes from her own movies. Her light but eminently musical voice captured the hearts of millions of Chinese of her time.
Between 1946 and 1950, she often went to Hong Kong to make films such as "All-Consuming Love" (長相思), "Hua wai liu ying" (花外流鶯), "Qinggong mishi" (清宮秘史), and "Rainbow Song" (彩虹曲). After introducing "Shanghai Nights" (夜上海) in 1949, Zhou returned to Shanghai. She spent the next few years in and out of mental institutions owing to frequent breakdowns. Through the years, Zhou led a complicated and unhappy life marked by her failed marriages, illegitimate children, and suicide attempts.
Having made a total of 43 movies, her favourite film was always Street Angel
. This contained two theme songs: "Four Seasons Song" (四季歌) and "The Wandering Songstress
" (天涯歌女), which enjoyed long-lasting popularity.
in a mental asylum at the age of 39 during the Anti-Rightist Movement
. A possible cause of death may be encephalitis
following a nervous breakdown
.
Zhou Xuan was survived by 2 sons, Zhou Wen and Zhou Wei, born of different fathers. According to Zhou Wen's biography, the younger son, Zhou Wei, was the son of Tang Di (唐棣), while the father of Zhou Wen is unknown.
Zhou Wei currently lives in Toronto
performing at times in the TTC
subways, and participating in various musical projects, including teaching. He is known as a flautist. He has two daughters, both musicians. The elder of the two, Zhou Xiaoxuan, is a classical pianist trained at Concordia University
and now living in Beijing.
There have been 2 biographies written by Zhou Xuan's surviving family members. The book My Mother Zhou Xuan (我的媽媽周璇) was written by Zhou Wei and his wife Chang Jing (常晶); while a later book, Zhou Xuan Diary (周璇日記), was written by Zhou Wen.
's Song Bird
in 1989, starring Nadia Chan
as Zhou Xuan and Leon Lai
as her lover. In this series, Xuan's songs were re-written in Cantonese and sung by Chan. She sang the duets with Lai in the program while under the limits of Crown Records (娛樂唱片). Deric Wan
replaced Lai's vocals on the soundtrack album.
Another adaptation, based on Zhou Wei's biography, is the Chinese
serial titled Zhou Xuan (周璇), starring Cecilia Cheung
. This version of the story was accused by Zhou Wei as a false representation of Zhou Xuan and damaging to the reputation of the Zhou family.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
singer and film
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...
actress. By the 1940s, she had become one of China's seven great singing stars
Seven great singing stars
The Seven Great Singing Stars refers to the seven most renowned singers of China in the early 20th century.-Background:Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese in the 1930s. World War II also had an effect on the economy at the time. Several of the stars acted in films, and their music played a...
. She is probably the most well-known of the seven, as she had a concurrent movie career until 1953.
Biography
Zhou was born Su Pu (蘇璞), but was separated from her natural parents at a young age and raised by adoptive parents. She spent her entire life searching for her biological parents but her parentage was never established until after her death.According to later family research, a relative who was an opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
addict took her at the age of 3 to another city and sold her to a family named Wang
Wang (surname)
Wang is a Chinese family name and one of the most common surnames in the world. It is ranked 8th in the Hundred Family Surnames, and first in the People's Republic of China's National Citizen ID Information System . Wang is ranked as the most common surname in mainland China, with 92.88 million...
, who named her Wang Xiaohong. She was later adopted by a family named Zhou
Zhou (surname)
Zhōu is the Hanyu Pinyin transliteration of the Chinese family name 周, which now ranks as the 10th most common surname in Mainland China. It has been one of the ten most common surnames in China since the Yuan Dynasty....
, changing her name to Zhou Xiaohong.
At the age of 13 she took Zhou Xuan as her stage name, 'Xuan' meaning beautiful jade in Chinese.
Career
In 1932, Zhou began acting as a member of the Bright Moonlight Song and Dance TroupeBright Moonlight Song and Dance Troupe
Bright Moonlight Song and Dance Troupe was a group founded by Li Jinhui from late 1920s to 1930s. It is also referred to as "Bright Moon Song and Dance Troupe".-Background:...
. She later achieved stardom in 1937 in Street Angel
Street Angel (1937 film)
Street Angel is a Chinese film released in 1937. The film was directed by Yuan Muzhi and stars the popular singer Zhou Xuan.-Synopsis:The film deals with two sisters, Xiao Hong and Xiao Yun who have fled from the war in Northeast China to Shanghai, where they are living under the brutal thumb of...
(馬路天使), when director Yuan Muzhi
Yuan Muzhi
Yuan Muzhi was an actor and director from the Republic of China and later of the People's Republic of China.- Career :...
cast her as one of the leads as a singing girl.
The "Golden Voice" (金嗓子) was Zhou's nickname to commend her singing talents after a singing competition in 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...
, where she came in second. Zhou rapidly became the most famous and marketable popular singer in the gramophone
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
era up to her death, singing many famous tunes from her own movies. Her light but eminently musical voice captured the hearts of millions of Chinese of her time.
Between 1946 and 1950, she often went to Hong Kong to make films such as "All-Consuming Love" (長相思), "Hua wai liu ying" (花外流鶯), "Qinggong mishi" (清宮秘史), and "Rainbow Song" (彩虹曲). After introducing "Shanghai Nights" (夜上海) in 1949, Zhou returned to Shanghai. She spent the next few years in and out of mental institutions owing to frequent breakdowns. Through the years, Zhou led a complicated and unhappy life marked by her failed marriages, illegitimate children, and suicide attempts.
Having made a total of 43 movies, her favourite film was always Street Angel
Street Angel (1937 film)
Street Angel is a Chinese film released in 1937. The film was directed by Yuan Muzhi and stars the popular singer Zhou Xuan.-Synopsis:The film deals with two sisters, Xiao Hong and Xiao Yun who have fled from the war in Northeast China to Shanghai, where they are living under the brutal thumb of...
. This contained two theme songs: "Four Seasons Song" (四季歌) and "The Wandering Songstress
The Wandering Songstress
"The Wandering Songstress" was one of two theme songs from the 1937 Chinese film Street Angel; the other song was "Four Seasons Song"...
" (天涯歌女), which enjoyed long-lasting popularity.
Death
In 1957 she died 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...
in a mental asylum at the age of 39 during the Anti-Rightist Movement
Anti-Rightist Movement
The Anti-Rightist Movement of the People's Republic of China in the 1950s and early 1960s consisted of a series of campaigns to purge alleged "rightists" within the Communist Party of China and abroad...
. A possible cause of death may be encephalitis
Encephalitis
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain. Encephalitis with meningitis is known as meningoencephalitis. Symptoms include headache, fever, confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue...
following a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
.
Zhou Xuan was survived by 2 sons, Zhou Wen and Zhou Wei, born of different fathers. According to Zhou Wen's biography, the younger son, Zhou Wei, was the son of Tang Di (唐棣), while the father of Zhou Wen is unknown.
Zhou Wei currently lives in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
performing at times in the TTC
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
subways, and participating in various musical projects, including teaching. He is known as a flautist. He has two daughters, both musicians. The elder of the two, Zhou Xiaoxuan, is a classical pianist trained at Concordia University
Concordia University (disambiguation)
Concordia is the name of several universities, colleges and seminaries:-Australia:*Concordia College, Adelaide in South Australia*Concordia College, Toowoomba in Queensland-Canada:*Concordia University in Montréal, Québec...
and now living in Beijing.
Adaptations
To this day, Zhou Xuan's songs still remain a staple in many Golden Oldies collections in Mandarin popular music.There have been 2 biographies written by Zhou Xuan's surviving family members. The book My Mother Zhou Xuan (我的媽媽周璇) was written by Zhou Wei and his wife Chang Jing (常晶); while a later book, Zhou Xuan Diary (周璇日記), was written by Zhou Wen.
Biography controversy
After Zhou Wen's biography was published, Zhou Wei accused Zhou Wen for altering Zhou Xuan's diary and copying the contents in an attempt to mislead readers into distorting the image of Zhou Xuan. The rebuttal also revealed that Zhou Wen had hated Zhou Wei since youth. Zhou Wen was sent for adoption after birth, followed by alleged dark influences. Zhou Wei then legally inherited Zhou Xuan's wealth over Zhou Wen.Television
An adaptation of the life of Zhou Xuan was TVBTelevision Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
's Song Bird
Song Bird (TV series)
Song Bird is a historical drama television series produced by TVB and broadcasted in Hong Kong in 1989. The story is based on the life of shidaiqu singer Zhou Xuan...
in 1989, starring Nadia Chan
Nadia Chan
Nnadia Chan Chung Ling is a Hong Kong actress and singer. She started show business in 1985 at the age of 14 winning a Sally Yeh impersonation contest hosted by TVB, within the show Enjoy Yourself Tonight . Thereafter she hosted many children's show and sang many children's songs which gained her...
as Zhou Xuan and Leon Lai
Leon Lai
Leon Lai is a Hong Kong-based actor and Cantopop singer. The media refer to Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . He uses the stage name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming" which literally means "dawn."-Biography:...
as her lover. In this series, Xuan's songs were re-written in Cantonese and sung by Chan. She sang the duets with Lai in the program while under the limits of Crown Records (娛樂唱片). Deric Wan
Deric Wan
Deric Wan Siu-Lun is a Hong Kong actor, singer and songwriter who has acted in many movies and TV series and released several music albums. He is most notable for his TV theme songs, including a duet with Nadia Chan, a reproduction of the song What One Wants in Life, and TVB series such as Looking...
replaced Lai's vocals on the soundtrack album.
Another adaptation, based on Zhou Wei's biography, is the Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
serial titled Zhou Xuan (周璇), starring Cecilia Cheung
Cecilia Cheung
Cecilia Cheung Pak-Chi is a Hong Kong actress and cantopop singer. She is the ex-wife of Nicholas Tse, thus being the daughter-in-law of Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee. She and Nicholas have two sons, Lucas and Quintus Tse...
. This version of the story was accused by Zhou Wei as a false representation of Zhou Xuan and damaging to the reputation of the Zhou family.
Filmography
- 狂歡之夜 (1935)
- Street AngelStreet Angel (1937 film)Street Angel is a Chinese film released in 1937. The film was directed by Yuan Muzhi and stars the popular singer Zhou Xuan.-Synopsis:The film deals with two sisters, Xiao Hong and Xiao Yun who have fled from the war in Northeast China to Shanghai, where they are living under the brutal thumb of...
(馬路天使, 1937) - 西廂記 (1940)
- 孟麗君 (1940)
- Dream of the Red ChamberDream of the Red Chamber (1944 film)Dream of the Red Chamber is a 1944 Chinese film directed by Bu Wancang. It is an adaptation of the classic Qing-era novel by Cao Xueqin.- External links :* at the Chinese Movie Database...
红楼梦 (1944) - Night InnNight InnNight Inn is a Chinese black-and-white film released in 1947, directed by Huang Zuolin and starring the popular Shanghai singer Zhou Xuan.The film is based on the Chinese theatrical adaptation of Maxim Gorky's The Lower Depths by playwright Ke Ling...
夜店 (1947) - 長相思 (1947)
- 清宮秘史 (1948)
- 花外流鶯 (1948)
- 歌女之歌 (1948)
- 莫負青春 (1949)
- 花街 (1950)
External links
- Zhou Xuan at China's Movie Database
- Zhou Xuan at the Chinese Movie Database
- Zhou Xuan's recordings