Liu Yilong, a national first-class actor, died at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital on December 13, 2023 at the age of 83 due to ineffective medical treatment. This news was like a bombshell that shook the entire entertainment industry. He is a legend of a Kunqu opera clown, a treasure in the opera world, and his departure is heartbreaking. Liu Yilong was born in Wuhan, and when he was a teenager, he went to play at his in-laws' house in Shanghai when he came across the opportunity of the Shanghai Opera School to recruit the first Kunqu Opera class. After he was admitted, after learning and Xi and interpreting the roles of Xiaosheng, Wusheng, Huamian and Lao Dan, he finally found his place - ugly behavior.
Under the careful teaching of Kunchou Taidou Hua Chuanhao, Wang Chuansong, and Zhou Chuancang, Liu Yilong became a famous ugly artist, and was called "Kuntan Qing Ugly" by Chen Congzhou, a master of garden art. Liu Yilong's acting career can be described as brilliant. His performance of "Down the Mountain" won the Outstanding Performance Award at the 1960 Shanghai Youth Association, and "Captured Alive" won the Outstanding Performance Award and the Corolla Award at the 2nd Shanghai Theater Festival. He played the role of Colliers in "The Palace of Eternal Life", won the 1st Shanghai Magnolia Drama Performing Arts Supporting Actor Award, and also won the Honorary Performance Award at the first China Kunqu Opera Arts Festival.
He also participated in the opera sketch "Ugly Fighting for Spring" in the 1993 Spring Festival Gala. Liu Yilong has created many characters that are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. For example, Lou Arat, in "Fifteen Runs", Zhu Bajie in "Monkey King Three Fights White Bone Spirit", Gao Lishi in "The Palace of Eternal Life", Hu Tu in "The Dry Well Case", Ximen Qing in "Pan Jinlian", etc. Among them, "Fifteen Runs" is known as "a play to save a genre", and the interaction between Lou Arat, who he played in the play, and the prefect of Suzhou, Guo Zhong, aroused laughter and resonance from the audience. This play has been performed for 38 consecutive days, and every show is full, which shows Liu Yilong's superb acting skills.
For Liu Yilong, acting ugly is not only funny and funny on the surface, but also requires a deep understanding and grasp of beauty and ugliness. He once said: "To play ugly, you must first distinguish between beauty and ugliness, if you don't have a strong love and hatred for right and wrong, you will definitely not be able to play a clown." This sentence expresses his unique insight and deep understanding of the role of the harlequin. Liu Yilong's departure has brought a huge loss to the entertainment industry, and his superb acting skills and unique charm will always remain in people's hearts. His death makes people sigh, time flies, and the years are like songs. But his work and spirit will live on forever and become an eternal presence in our hearts.
In this country that loves opera, we should cherish the dedication and contribution of every actor even more. With their talents and sweat, they have brought us countless laughs and touches. May Liu Yilong's soul rest in heaven, and may his spirit continue to illuminate our way forward. Let us remember his name, feel his art, and forever miss his presence. In the Chinese opera world, Liu Yilong is an acclaimed Kunqu opera clown actor whose acting skills and dedication to the arts have made him a leader in the field. However, his recent death has left people feeling very sad and sad.
Liu Yilong once said, "Harlequin is not ugly, beauty is in it", he believes that a successful clown actor should not only make a fuss about appearance, but also expose the inner ugly soul through performance skills, so that the audience can deeply understand the artistic beauty of the villain. It is precisely because of this persistent pursuit that Liu Yilong's performance is loved and recognized by the audience. Whether he plays Lou Arat, the little monk or Tang Zhixian, he can perfectly interpret the inner emotions of the character and move the audience.
Liu Yilong's talent is not only reflected in his acting skills, he is also an excellent educator. He has trained many outstanding harlequin actors, including well-known artists such as Gu Haohao. Gu Haohao once recalled his student days, and said that Liu Yilong was a very strict teacher, but he treated his students very warmly, which made people deeply admired and grateful. Even in his later years, Liu Yilong was still passionate and persistent in his pursuit of art. Although his body no longer allowed him to perform on stage, he still regarded his home as a classroom, constantly teaching his younger students opera performance skills and artistic pursuits.
Liu Yilong's departure made Kunqu opera and the audience feel very reluctant, but his talent and spirit will always be engraved in people's hearts. With his artistic pursuit and perseverance, he has made outstanding contributions to the opera industry.