Mei Lan, better known by his stage name Mei Lanfang, was a notable Peking opera artist in modern Chinese theater.
13 Facts About Mei Lanfang
2.
Mei Lanfang was considered one of the "Four Great Dan", along with Shang Xiaoyun, Cheng Yanqiu, and Xun Huisheng.
3.
Mei Lanfang was born in Beijing in 1894 into a family of Peking opera and Kunqu performers of Taizhou, Jiangsu ancestry.
4.
At age 8, Mei Lanfang started training in Chinese opera skills such as acting, singing and acrobatics.
5.
Mei Lanfang made his stage debut at the Guanghe Theatre in 1904 when he was 11 years old playing a weaving girl.
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Mei Lanfang was the first artist to spread Beijing Opera to foreign countries, participating in cultural exchanges with Japan, the United States, and other regions.
7.
Mei Lanfang toured the world, forming friendships with the western contemporaries of his day, including Charlie Chaplin.
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Charlie Chaplin 8.
In 1935, Mei Lanfang toured Europe, playing to appreciative audiences in Berlin and Moscow.
9.
Mei Lanfang served as one of the mentors and guardians of the actress Li Yuru as she began her career.
10.
The commander of the Japanese Army ordered Mei Lanfang to perform for them and appointed Mei Lanfang to a high rank official position.
11.
In 1924, Mei Lanfang went to Japan after learning about the Great Kanto earthquake that had caused destruction.
12.
Mei Lanfang's name was Fu Zhifang and together, they had nine children.
13.
Mei Lanfang's son Mei Lanfang Baojiu was a Chinese opera dan performer.