Liu Xiao Ling Tong Explained

Liu Xiao Ling Tong
Native Name:六小龄童
Native Name Lang:zh
Birth Name:Zhang Jinlai
Birth Date:12 April 1959
Birth Place:Shanghai, China
Alma Mater:Art School of Zhejiang Kunju Opera Troupe
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:1965–present
Children:1
Parents:Zhang Zongyi (father)
Yan Chagu (mother)
Awards:Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor (1988)
Module:
Child:yes
P:Liù Xiǎo Líng Tóng
Also Known As:Zhang Jinlai
P2:Zhāng Jīnlái

Zhang Jinlai (; born 12 April 1959), better known by his stage name Liu Xiao Ling Tong, is a Chinese actor, best known for his role as the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) in the 1986 television series Journey to the West adapted from the classic Chinese novel of the same name. Zhang adopted his father Zhang Zongyi's stage name, Liu Ling Tong, and amended it to Liu Xiao Ling Tong.[1]

His compelling performance in Journey to the West was greatly praised by critics and helped him win the Best Actor award at the sixth Golden Eagle Awards in 1988. On Sept 27, 2006, he was conferred the Certificate of Mouthpiece of the 3rd International Forum of the China Cultural Industry.

In March 1991, he starred in the drama film "New Year's Day" (过年). In the autumn of 1993, he played the role of his father, Liu Lingtong, in the TV series “Monkey Child (猴娃), for which he won the 12th Golden Eagle Award for the best supporting actor in China. In 2000, he starred in the ancient mythological drama "Journey to the West II", for which he won the National Top Ten Outstanding Actor Award from CCTV.

In 2003, he played the role of Hua Tie Gan in the ancient martial arts drama ”Lian Cheng Jue“ (连城诀), which was his first time playing a villainous role.[2] In June 2007, he played both the roles of Wu Chengen and Sun Wukong in the costume drama "Wu Cheng'en and the Journey to the West" (吴承恩与西游记).[3] In 2009, he acted in the historical drama "War and Peace in the North" (北平战与和).2015, acted in the ancient mythological drama "Shi Dang Dang Zhi Xiong Ceng Tian Dong“ (石敢当之雄峙天东)。

In 2017, he was awarded as a national actor;In the same year he played the role of Master Xuanzang in the documentary "One Belt, One Road - Retracing the Road of Xuanzang" (一带一路·重走玄奘路) and was the chief producer and director of the documentary, which won the Best Documentary Award at the Vancouver International Chinese Film Festival;

In recent years, Zhang has made great efforts promoting Sun Wukong in popular culture, which contributed to increasing the popularity of both the classic novel and the character around the world.

Liu Xiao Ling Tong is the only Chinese citizen who was issued with two identity cards, one using his real name Zhang Jinlai, one using his stage name Liu Xiao Ling Tong, due to the huge popularity of his stage name which makes many people wrongly believe it is his real name.[4]

Early life and family

Zhang was born on April 12, 1959, in Shanghai, in a family of performing artists. His family members, who are Peking opera actors, specialized in playing the role of the Monkey King (Sun Wukong), the protagonist of the classical novel Journey to the West. Zhang's great-grandfather, Zhang Tingchun, was even considered "better than a living Monkey King".[5] Zhang Tingchun mostly performed in the countryside of Zhejiang under the stage name "Huo Hou Zhang" .[6]

Zhang's grandfather, Zhang Yisheng, had the stage name "Sai Huo Hou" .[6] Zhang Yisheng moved from Peking to Shanghai and trained his two sons. Zhang's father, Zhang Zongyi, whose stage name was "Liu Ling Tong", was famously known as "Nan Hou Wang" . Zhang Zongyi's stage name indicated his age when he started performing. His performance was acclaimed by Chinese leaders, including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. His specialty was Sun Wukong, gaining him the nickname "Monkey King of the South"; another actor, Li Wanchun, was better known in northern China.

Zhang's uncle, who specialized in playing Zhu Bajie, had the stage name "Qi Ling Tong" . Zhang's elder brother used the stage name "Xiao Liu Ling Tong", which means "Little Six Year Old Child", or "Six Year Old Child, Junior". The role of Sun Wukong was originally offered to Zhang's elder brother, but because his brother died of leukemia in 1966, Zhang inherited his father's legacy instead.[7] He changed his stage name slightly, to "Liu Xiao Ling Tong", which still means "Little Six Year Old Child".

As a dedication to the memory of his elder brother, Zhang put great effort into playing the role of Sun Wukong well. He also helped people affected by leukemia. In 1992, China Central Television produced an eight-episode television series titled Hou Wa about Zhang's life.[8]

Career

Zhang gained international fame for his starring role as the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) in the 1986 television series Journey to the West, adapted from the classic Chinese novel of the same title. Zhang's compelling performance, which was greatly praised by critics, helped him win the Best Actor award at the 6th Golden Eagle Awards in 1988.[5] After that, he also appeared in other films and television series, such as New Year's Day . On September 27, 2006, he was conferred the Certificate of Mouthpiece of the 3rd International Forum of the China Cultural Industry.[9]

Zhang reprised his role as Sun Wukong in Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West, a 2010 television series about Wu Cheng'en—the author of Journey to the West—and his inspiration for writing the novel. Zhang also simultaneously portrayed Wu Cheng'en.[10]

Filmography

Film

YearEnglish TitleChinese TitleRoleNotes
1981The True Story of Ah QChinese: 阿Q正传The revolutionist
1991At Love-Corner in WeekendChinese: 周末恋爱角Du Dachuan
1991New Year's DayChinese: 过年Cheng Zhi
1991The ExtraChinese: 喜剧明星The journalist
1992Good LuckChinese: 祝你好运Director Zhang
1994Chinese: 青春的忏悔The doctor
2017Buddies in IndiaChinese: 大闹天竺Wu Shen[11]
TBAChinese: 一带一路·重走玄奘路Xuanzang
Himself
Also director[12]
TBAMiserChinese: 财迷Mr. Hao
TBAJourney to the West 3DChinese: 敢问路在何方Sun Wukong

Television

Year English Title Chinese title Role Notes
1986 Journey to the West Chinese: 西游记
1993 Monkey Child Chinese: 猴娃 Liu Lingtong
1994 Chinese: 大上海屋檐下 Yan Shipeng
1997 Chinese: 双筒望远镜 Father
2000 Chinese: 追踪309 Luo Dapeng
Chinese: 1939·恩来回故里
Journey to the West Chinese: 西游记续集 Sun Wukong
2001 The Pearl King Chinese: 义海风云 Li Zhengping
2002 Chinese: 某年某月某一天 The doctor
2004 The Story Of Three loves Chinese: 啼笑姻缘 Guan Shoufeng
2005 Lian Cheng Jue (A Deadly Secret) Chinese: 连城诀 Hua Tiegan
The Delighted Seven Fairies Chinese: 欢天喜地七仙女
2006 Xun Huisheng Chinese: 荀慧生 Wang Yaoqing
2007 Legend of He Long Chinese: 贺龙传奇 Zhou Enlai
2009 War and Peace over Peking Chinese: 北平战与和
2010 Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West Chinese: 吴承恩与西游记
2013 Chivalous Robber Lee-San Chinese: 新燕子李三 Li Xian
2015 Dare Stone Male Tiandong Chinese: 石敢当之雄峙天东

Personal life

On June 12, 1988, Zhang married Yu Hong, a staff of China Central Television, in Beijing.[13] Their daughter, Zhang Tongtong, was born in November 1990.[13]

Views

Zhang's activities mainly focus on promoting Sun Wukong in popular culture.[5] [14] Zhang expressed his concern over more contemporary Sun Wukong portrayals. While Zhang stated that he was happy to see Journey to the West, as well as other Chinese classical novels, receiving increased attention from foreign directors, he emphasized that "such adaptation has to be based on adequate knowledge of Chinese culture" and that "the Monkey King is not King Kong".[15] Zhang believes that Goku from Dragon Ball does not portray the Chinese style of Sun Wukong.[16] [17]

Two ID cards

Liu Xiao Ling Tong is the only Chinese citizen who was issued with two identity card, one using his real name Zhang Jinlai, one using his stage name Liu Xiao Ling Tong, due to the huge popularity of his stage name which makes many people wrongly believe it is his real name.[4]

Awards

Year Nominated work Award Result Notes
1988 Journey to the West
1994 Monkey Child

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Liu Xiao Ling Tong Introduction. August 9, 2016.
  2. Web site: 2004-06-24 . 《连城诀》借武侠说现实事 六小龄童首次演反派 . zh.
  3. Web site: Fangchun . LIU . 《吴承恩与西游记》主创六小龄童等到访(图) . zh.
  4. https://vtc.vn/luc-tieu-linh-dong-va-dac-quyen-ma-trung-quoc-chi-danh-cho-mot-cong-dan-ar601559.html Lục Tiểu Linh Đồng và đặc quyền mà Trung Quốc chỉ dành cho một công dân
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20081016150754/http://english.cri.cn/4406/2007/11/22/1701%40297096.htm Liu Xiao Ling Tong-- the "Monkey King"
  6. Web site: http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1426447. zh:六小龄童是电视剧里演得最好的猴子. Chinese. The Paper. 28 January 2016. 28 January 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160129065122/http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1426447. 29 January 2016. dead. dmy-all.
  7. Web site: Liu Xiao Ling Tong's father, Liu Ling Tong, has passed away. February 2014 . February 1, 2014.
  8. Web site: Good bye, Xiao Liu Ling Tong(Liu Xiao Ling Tong's elder brother). 11 October 2018 . October 11, 2018.
  9. http://www.cciif.com/english/n26.asp Liu Xiao Ling Tong (actor of Monkey King): Mouthpiece of the 3rd International Forum on China Cultural Industry
  10. Web site: Liu Xiao Ling Tong responded to his portraits in Wu Cheng En's former House. December 3, 2018.
  11. Web site: http://news.mtime.com/2017/01/29/1565937.html. zh:六小龄童惊喜现身《大闹天竺》. January 29, 2017 . Mtime. January 31, 2019. Chinese.
  12. Web site: http://www.sohu.com/a/242636912_100095436. zh:《一带一路·重走玄奘路》获第六届温哥华国际华语电影节最佳纪录片奖 . July 24, 2018. sohu.com. January 24, 2019. Chinese.
  13. News: https://www.sohu.com/a/236499463_100165876 . zh:57岁六小龄童全家近照,妻子于虹竟是个“妖精”,女儿很像爸爸 . Sohu . 19 June 2018 . 10 January 2021 . zh.
  14. Web site: http://interview.gmw.cn/2015-12/08/content_18003998.htm. zh:六小龄童:弘扬中华优秀传统文化的“行者”. gmw.com. Chinese. 2015-12-08. 2019-01-31.
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20090606151234/http://english.ipr.gov.cn/ipr/en/info/Article.jsp?a_no=5317&col_no=928&dir=200605 Foreign versions of "Journey to the West" tell a different story
  16. Web site: https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1610955. zh:东京奥运形象大使不只是孙悟空,“二次元”从边缘走向核心. The Paper. Chinese. 3 February 2017. 31 January 2019. 对此,86版《西游记》孙悟空扮演者六小龄童在接受《环球时报》的采访时也谈及自己对此事的看法。在他看来,《七龙珠》的“孙悟空”并不是中国的孙悟空。.
  17. Web site: http://www.jiaodong.net/ent/system/2016/02/06/013076028.shtml. zh:专访六小龄童:《七龙珠》不是我们民族东西. www.JiaoDong.net. Chinese. 6 February 2016. 31 January 2019. 我要推崇这样的一种精神,让我们的国人和外国观众,真正知道什么是中国的动画片,我们不要一味跟着某一些国家后面去追他们的那种风格,把孙悟空都弄得髭毛乍鬼的那样的,叫什么《七龙珠》,这个不是我们民族的东西。.