At the end of 2023, a TV series called "Flowers" will become a dark horse on the screen, and both ratings and word-of-mouth will rise.
In this work directed by the famous director Wong Kar-wai, a familiar figure has aroused a warm response from the audience - that is, the old man You Benchang, who once played "Jigong".
The role of "uncle" he played in "Flowers" once again conquered the audience with his superb acting skills, making people feel as if they had returned to the classic "Jigong" era.
You Benchang, this name is synonymous with "Jigong" for many audiences. At the age of 52, he became popular all over the country for playing the role of Jigong, and became a classic in the hearts of countless people.
Behind the scenery, there is an unknown bitterness. In his later years, You Benchang faced the dilemma of selling his house, becoming a monk, and even losing all his family property, but his love for acting has never changed.
From Buddhism to performing arts legends, perseverance and pursuit on the bumpy road of life
In 1933, You Benchang's fate seemed to be fixed by a passing monk: "This child was born with a thin life, but he has a fate with the Buddha, if he does not get married in time, I am afraid he will not live to be 13 years old." ”
So, this sick child, who seemed to be on the verge of dying, was sent to the temple and began his path of Buddhist cultivation.
You Benchang's life is destined to be ordinary. In the temple, he devoted himself to cultivation and showed his innate Buddha nature and wisdom roots. But at the same time, his love for acting also quietly sprouted in his heart.
Since he was a child, he liked to watch movies and was taken to the teahouse by his sisters to watch plays, and he developed a strong interest in acting. Not only can he recite obscure lines backwards, but he often fantasizes about performing on stage.
At the age of 13, You Benchang returned from the temple and returned to the secular world. He focused on his studies and was assigned to the ** Drama Theater after graduating from the Shanghai Theater Academy. thought he could show his strength, but he didn't expect to embark on a 30-year career.
You Benchang did not give up. He insisted on pursuing his dreams and passions in his acting career. Even in his career, he has worked hard to shape every role and constantly improve his acting skills.
His persistence and hard work eventually paid off, and he gradually made his mark in the show business industry with his superb acting skills and deep understanding of the role.
The pantomime legend of the Spring Festival Gala stage, the great wisdom in the small role
You Benchang, who has just entered the theater, is full of enthusiasm and looks forward to shining on the stage. Reality poured cold water on him - all he received were small roles. But You Benchang is not discouraged by this, he firmly believes that every character has its own meaning of existence.
In the days of the theater, although You Benchang has been playing some small roles, he has never been perfunctory. He carefully figured out the inner world of each character, and worked hard to interpret every action and every line vividly.
His dedication and dedication gradually became a good story in the theater. The changes of the times have brought a huge impact to You Benchang's acting career.
In 1966, due to special reasons, You Benchang's acting work was forced to be shelved. But he didn't give up, he remained positive and optimistic, believing that he could return to the stage one day.
For ten years, although You Benchang did not have the opportunity to perform on stage, he still did not give up his love for acting.
He spends his free time honing his acting skills and bringing joy to those around him. His persistence and enthusiasm can't help but be moved.
Ten years later, You Benchang finally had the opportunity to return to the theater. Watching his former colleagues get along with each other, he didn't have the slightest jealousy and complaint.
He still maintains his original intention and plays various small roles with his heart. His indifference and calmness make people have to admire his great wisdom.
It's gold that always shines. You Benchang's outstanding performance in the work "Sun Erniang Opens a Shop" finally made him fall in love with director Huang Yihe.
Subsequently, he received an invitation to the Spring Festival Gala, and the news made him overjoyed. In 1984, You Benchang officially appeared on the stage of the Spring Festival Gala, and the self-directed and self-performed pantomime "Bathing" was presented in front of the national audience.
The whole show is devoid of any language from beginning to end, only based on action. However, You Benchang vividly performed a series of actions such as ** clothing, fetching water, washing hair and stopping water, and won unanimous praise from the audience.
His outstanding performance not only won him a reputation, but also opened a new chapter in his acting career. Zhang Ge, the director of "Jigong", immediately decided to send him an audition invitation after seeing You Benchang's Spring Festival Gala performance.
You Benchang didn't know that the character who was about to affect his life was slowly coming to him. And his acting career has ushered in a new turning point.
You Benchang and "Jigong": A legendary acting experience
On the stage of the Spring Festival Gala in 1984, You Benchang's pantomime performance won full applause. Soon after, he received an unexpected news - he was selected to audition for a role in the TV series "Jigong".
This news made You Benchang both excited and apprehensive, and he was worried that he would not be able to handle this classic role. On the day of the audition, You Benchang performed according to his understanding of Jigong.
His demeanor, movements, and expressions all made director Zhang Ge see the shadow of Jigong. In this way, You Benchang won the first leading role in his acting career.
In order to play this role well, You Benchang has made great efforts. He was preparing to start filming in just one month, and despite decades of acting experience, he still felt a lot of pressure.
Luckily, he found inspiration in a Jigong statue on a roadside stall. He went home to change into old clothes, cut the fan, and tried to build himself into the image of Jigong in the eyes of the audience.
During the filming process, You Benchang faced various challenges. One of the most classic shots, Jigong eating meat, turned out to be a piece of meat that had already stinked.
Due to the hot weather and improper preservation, the piece of meat had gone bad at the time of filming. You Benchang relied on his excellent acting skills and professionalism to interpret this scene to the fullest.
It wasn't until the shooting was done that he couldn't help but throw it up. This scene was later widely acclaimed, and was even included in the Beiying textbook.
After Jigong was broadcast, the ratings soared. You Benchang's superb acting skills and Jigong's crazy and optimistic character image won the audience's love.
Many viewers said that You Benchang is the "Jigong" in their minds. This role also made You Benchang a god in the entertainment industry, and no one has been able to surpass it so far.
When his career was in full swing, You Benchang chose to escape the world leisurely. He turned down offers from many directors to focus on his life and artistic pursuits.
Unexpectedly, this move actually led to him being the director in the circle**. Despite this, You Benchang still adheres to his beliefs and pursuits, and proves his value with strength and actions.
You Benchang: Rainbow and hope after the wind and rain
In 1991, You Benchang's acting career was on the rise, but fate brought him a heavy blow - his wife was suffering from cancer.
Faced with this sudden bad news, You Benchang did not hesitate, resolutely turned down all performance invitations, and decided to accompany his wife to fight cancer together.
While taking care of his wife, You Benchang also tried to invest in works such as "Mr. You Smiled Dumbly" and "Lifan", hoping to continue to pursue his artistic career. These works were not favored by capital, and the ratings were mediocre, and they couldn't even support his livelihood.
But You Benchang did not give up. In order to better star in the drama "Master Hongyi", he chose to become a monk for the second time and experience the role in depth.
He founded an art troupe, recruited actors, and did everything himself. Due to a lack of financial support, he had to sell his property in pursuit of the noble art in his heart.
In this process, someone once persuaded him to use the fame of "Living Buddha Jigong" to make money in commercial performances. But You Benchang adhered to his principles and resolutely did not consume his fame in exchange for benefits.
He believes that only by truly respecting art and being responsible to the fans can he win more applause and respect for a longer time.
It was not until 2017, with the successful tour of 130 performances of the drama "Master Hongyi" in Canada, the United States and other places, that You Benchang regained his hope for Chinese drama.
This 84-year-old man at the time proved the charm and vitality of Chinese drama with his persistence and efforts.
A lifelong achiever of both virtue and art
In 2021, Mr. Yau Benchang received the "Lifetime Achievement Award", which is the highest recognition of his decades-long artistic career.
From his childhood with Buddha, to his middle-aged obscurity, to his first protagonist at the age of 52, You Benchang has been chasing art all his life, and he still adheres to professional ethics and ethics after ups and downs.
Mr. You Benchang's acting career can be described as full of twists and turns. In his days in the theater, although he has been playing small roles, he has never been perfunctory.
Every movement, every line has been carefully thought out and pondered by him. This kind of dedication and dedication to art made him finally usher in the first protagonist of his life in middle age - Jigong in "Jigong".
He played this role vividly and deeply in the hearts of the people, and became an unsurpassed classic. Life did not be particularly tolerant of Mr. You Benchang because of this.
In his old age, he encountered another change in his life, but he did not give up the pursuit of art. He chose to become a second monk and even sold his property to support his artistic career. This kind of love and dedication to art makes people can't help but be moved.
Mr. Yau Benchang's success is not accidental, but the result of his long-term persistence and hard work in art.
His optimistic and open-minded attitude of "laughing at life" not only allowed him to maintain a positive attitude in the face of difficulties, but also allowed him to go further on the road of art. This spirit is worth learning from every one of our young people.
Now, Mr. You Benchang has become popular again with "Flowers", which is the honor he deserves. His acting career not only brought countless classic roles and works to the audience, but also let us see the demeanor of an old artist who is both virtuous and artistic.
His success tells us that as long as we maintain our love and dedication to art, adhere to professional ethics and integrity, and never forget our original intention and forge ahead, we will definitely be able to achieve our own achievements on the road of art.