Origins & Early Life

Zheng Junli (December 6, 1911 – April 23, 1969) was a Chinese actor and director born in Shanghai and who rose to prominence in the golden age of Chinese Cinema. His films The Spring River Flows East and Crows and Sparrows are widely considered classics of Chinese cinema. He was severely persecuted during the Cultural Revolution and died in prison. Zheng was born into a poor family of Cantonese fruit-sellers in Shanghai.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

At early ages, he showed great interest in reading and art performing. In 1928, he entered the Nanguo she drama school to study under Tian Han and Ouyang Yuqian, who were progressive dramatists. During the 1930s, Zheng was an actor under contract with Lianhua Film Company. While with Lianhua, he played a number of roles, notably as the love-interest Yu Haichou in the film New Women opposite Ruan Lingyu. By the mid-1930s, he was one of the biggest stars in Shanghai film.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Zheng's 1941 film Long Live the Nations (Minzu wansui) was the first Chinese propaganda film aimed at developing solidarity among the ethnic minorities living in China's border regions. The film was produced through the Kuomintang-controlled China Motion Picture Studio. After...

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