On October 11, 2023, director and screenwriter Guo Baochang passed away at the age of 83. Liu Gege, Guo Baochang's widow, faces great grief, alone with her pet dog, and her life is filled with remorse and worry. This is the stormy years she spent with Guo Baochang, the strength and thinking of a single old man without children.
01 From Peking Opera Troupe to Repertory Theatre: Liu Gege's Tenacity and Growth.
Liu Gege, born in Qingdao, Shandong Province in 1955, began to study Peking Opera Dao Ma Dan at the age of 11. She could have entered the Shandong Peking Opera Troupe, but in order to pursue a colorful military camp life, she chose to join the army. In the barracks, she not only faced the artistic transformation of singing, chanting, doing, and fighting, but also needed to overcome the huge gap between Peking Opera and drama. Through hard practice of pronunciation and pronunciation, she became a pillar of the avant-garde repertory troupe.
In 1981, the art master Tao Jin discovered Liu Gege during the national audition of actors and invited her to star in the film "Sisters". Although Liu Gege was worried that she would smash the role, she resolutely committed and established a deep sisterhood with Zhang Jinling.
However, due to various reasons, the film was not released. Liu Gege transferred to the Guangdong TV Actors Troupe, and for the sake of her career, she accepted the job of an announcer. When she worked at Shenzhen TV Station, she even had a physical breakdown due to excessive work intensity, but she persevered in her work.
02 The choice between career and family: Liu Gege's regrets and struggles.
During her work at Guangdong TV, Liu Gege took on a small number of film and television dramas, but it was not until 1989 that the TV series "Special Zone Immigration" directed by Guo Baochang gave her a breakthrough. However, this sensitive drama was not broadcast because it did not pass the censorship, which became Liu Gege's regret. During the filming process, she cooperated with Guo Baochang very happily, and the two gradually established a deep relationship.
Guo Baochang was sold twice, but eventually became the young master of Tong Ren Tang. After getting married, Liu Gege and Guo Baochang faced the problem of childbirth together. Although the doctor recommended that she consider getting pregnant after stopping the drug for a year or two, Guo Baochang's blood sugar and blood pressure soared after stopping the drug, making Liu Gege dare not risk getting pregnant. This became Liugege's lifelong regret.
03 Career Achievements and Family Sacrifices: Liu Gege's Uncomplaining Dedication.
Liu Gege's career achievements do not stop there, she starred in the TV series "Please Dial 315" caused a huge response, showing her extraordinary talent in Peking Opera singing.
After marrying Guo Baochang, she chose to give up the opportunity to take over the drama independently and wholeheartedly support Guo Baochang's career. Even though Guo Baochang arranged roles for her in the dramas he directed in order to make up for her sacrifice, Liu Gege never gave up his dedication to his family.
However, as Guo Baochang grew old and frail, the number of directors decreased, and Liu Gege became the pillar of the family. She takes care of all aspects of her husband's work, including household chores, hospital visits, and even renovating the house. Guo Baochang is deeply fortunate to Liu Gege's dedication, but Liu Gege has a trace of loss in her heart, because she can't understand the deep affection of her own child.
04 Lonely Old Age: Liugege's Remorse and Anxiety.
On October 11, 2023, Guo Baochang passed away, and Liu Gege fell into grief. Now, at the age of 69, she lives alone, with no children and no daughters, and her mother's family is far away in Qingdao, and her life has become lonely.
She regretted that she had not followed her husband's advice and had a child through medical means. As for the future, Liugege is worried about the problems that exist in nursing homes, especially the indifference that the elderly without children may face.
Liugege is now accompanied by a pet dog, she takes care of her life alone, and her hair is basically gray. In the community, she often walks alone with her pet dog, giving people a deep sense of loneliness.
Liugege's tenacity and uncomplaining.
Liu Gege's life is full of ups and downs, from the military years to the acting career, to the sacrifice of the family. She has walked through every step of her life with tenacity and uncomplaining attitude, and has spent a full and touching time with Guo Baochang. Although she faced the regret of having no children and no daughters, she still lived strongly, nostalgic for the good times with Guo Baochang.