Zhao Lirong was born in 1928 in an ordinary family in Baodi County, Tianjin. She was the youngest girl in the family, so she was loved by her family. From the age of one, she was brought to the stage and played the role of Niancai Wazi (Xishen) for the first time. In this early experience, Zhao Lirong established an indissoluble bond with theater.
At the age of 15, Zhao Lirong was already proficient in singing, and her theatrical talent began to gradually show. However, she did not receive a formal schooling because she was too active to sit quietly. Despite trying to go to school, she soon realized that her interest was to learn play, not to sit in the classroom.
Fortunately, Zhao Lirong met the drama actor Hibiscus Flower. Hibiscus deeply appreciates Zhao Lirong's passion for drama and decides to teach her drama. She gave Zhao Lirong the stage name Zhao Lirong and invited a special teacher for her. Zhao Lirong began to watch other people's performances next to the stage, and kept practicing, she had to get up before dawn every morning, and practice with her voice raised, no matter spring, summer, autumn and winter, no matter the frost and heat, she laid a solid foundation for her performance. By the time she debuted on stage at the age of 6 and became the lead role at the age of 15, she had already shown excellent acting skills.
In 1945, after the liberation of Zhangjiakou, Zhao Lirong joined the China Ping Opera Troupe and began to perform in Ping Opera. Later, she was transferred to the China Repertory Theatre, became good sisters with Xin Fengxia, and performed together in plays such as "Little Erhei Gets Married" and "Flowers as the Matchmaker". Xin Fengxia and Zhao Lirong are not only good friends in private, but also have excellent cooperation on the stage.
Zhao Lirong's life is not smooth, she first lost her husband Sheng Qiang unexpectedly and fell into grief and despair. In order to take care of her two young sons and continue acting, she left the children in the care of her husband's younger brother, Sheng Hong. Sheng Hong helped and supported her wholeheartedly, gradually fell in love with Zhao Lirong, and accepted the two children as his own.
Zhao Lirong felt deeply grateful and moved to her brother-in-law, and agreed to his marriage proposal. However, this decision of hers was strongly opposed by her second brother. The second brother believes that this kind of marriage is contrary to ethics and morals and will be criticized by society. He resolutely severed his relationship with Zhao Lirong and never said a word to her again. Even before his death, he did not forgive her.
However, Zhao Lirong did not give up the choice of marriage because of this. Although she was sad, she firmly believed that she had made the right decision. After she married Sheng Hong, they lived a happy life, and the two children gradually accepted Sheng Hong and treated him as their own father. Zhao Lirong and Sheng Hong supported each other to face the hardships and difficulties of life together, and their marriage lasted until Zhao Lirong's death.
Zhao Lirong has always aspired to become a great actor, so she constantly works hard to study and perfect her acting skills. However, a major mistake left her in great confusion and self-blame. In 1940, Zhao Lirong made a big mistake because she was afraid of pain during a blood donation event - she used an anesthetic when donating blood, which caused a scandal. This incident deprived her of some performance opportunities, and also made her feel that she did not have enough respect and awe for art.
However, Zhao Lirong was not discouraged, on the contrary, she strengthened her determination to become an excellent actor. She deeply reflects on her own shortcomings, and actively participates in various trainings and studies to continuously improve her acting skills. She turned down many comfortable opportunities and chose to perform hard in a first-line theater troupe, constantly improving her expressiveness and charm on stage. With tenacity and perseverance, she regained the trust of the audience and the director, and once again became a well-deserved generation of acting superstars.
Zhao Lirong has a unique performance style, she plays the role with full emotion and rich expressions. She is good at conveying the inner emotions of the drama to the audience through the use of her voice, giving people great touch and resonance. She expressed herself in her own way, eclectic, and won the love and admiration of the audience.
Zhao Lirong has created many classic roles, such as Lu Xiaozhen in "Full Sleeves of Tea", Jiang Yuzhen in "Thin Golden Mirror", etc. Her acting skills are superb and have brought many unforgettable theatrical experiences to the audience. Her performance style has her own unique personality and charm that makes the audience fall in love with it.
Zhao Lirong has won many honors and awards in her acting career. In order to commemorate her contribution to China's performing arts, people specially set up an award named after Zhao Lirong. The Zhao Lirong Award is an annual awards ceremony for the Chinese television art industry, which aims to recognize outstanding TV actors and encourage them to inherit and carry forward Zhao Lirong's artistic spirit and style.
Zhao Lirong is a great actor, her acting career is full of ups and downs and bitterness, but she never gives up and always maintains her love and pursuit of drama. Her story has inspired countless young actors and actresses to keep working hard and contribute more to their artistic careers. Her wonderful performance will always be remembered in the hearts of the audience.