Fang Yanfen

Fang Yanfen (MBE, BBS) was born in Nankenglong Village, Dongcheng, Enping County, Guangdong Province in 1928. Her original name was Zhou Dongshi, also known as Liang Yanfang. In her early dramas, she mostly played unrestrained women and unruly unconventional female roles, and was even dubbed "meat". However, Hong Kong's "Overseas Chinese Daily" was voted by readers as the most popular Huadan, and has been dubbed the "Huadan Emperor" ever since. Fang Yanfen grew up in a poor family and was raised by Aunt Liang Shan, who loved Cantonese opera. Yan Fang often accompanied her to watch it. She once learned acting from male actors Bai Jiechu, Xiao Lanfang and others. Coincidentally, the neighbor is Cantonese opera teacher Wang Jiu. Seeing her sweet voice and good dancing posture, he taught her singing skills and took her to perform on stage, showing her artistic talent. From then on, she took to the Cantonese opera art scene and took the stage name "Fang Yanfen". In 1936, she joined the Guosheng Theater, and in 1937, she joined the "Sheng Shou Nian Cantonese Opera Troupe" with Hong Xiannv. After that, she learned and acted with Wei Shaofang, Ma Shizeng and others. Later, she was promoted to Zhengyin Dan in the "Zhou Fengnian" class organized by Luo Jiaquan. After the end of the Anti-Japanese War, she joined the "Dragon and Phoenix Troupe (Guangzhou)" and performed with Bai Yutang, He Feifan, Xin Ma Shizeng, Feng Jinghua, Lv Yilang and others. She became famous and created her own "Fang Tune". In the autumn of 1949,she went to Hong Kong and formed the "Beautiful Begonia" class with Chen Jintang, Luo Jiaquan, Lu Yunfei, Feng Jinghua and others. In 1952, she formed her own theater troupe "Xin Yanyang", and at the same time formed the "Sunny Sky" troupe with Hong Kong famous actors Ren Jianhui, Xin Ma Shizeng, Mai Bingrong and others. In 1954, the scholar Jian Youwen was invited to write the late Ming historical drama "Zhang Yuqiao" and Pan Yifan to write "The History of Liang Zhu's Hate". Follow the fashion of the time to participate in the film. With the rise of movies, the art of Cantonese opera has also been brought to the screen. In order to meet the needs of the audience, she accepted the invitation of the Hong Kong film company to serve as the company's first heroine. She has filmed and acted in more than 150 Cantonese opera art films with Lin Jiasheng, Deng Biyun, etc., making her acting career reach the pinnacle. Her films are quite popular, until today, almost all Hong Kong TV stations broadcast related programs, and her records and tapes are also very popular in the Hong Kong and Macau markets. In 1990, she spent a lot of effort to record the first repertoire accumulated over the years into a set of laser discs - "Fang Tune New Singing", which completed an artistic project, which was widely praised by the Cantonese opera circle and the audience. It has made many contributions to its inheritance and creation. In 1954, Fong Yim Fen self-financed the movie "Penang Beauty". Apart from traveling to Malaya to shoot the scene, she also made heavy publicity efforts. One month before the film was released, Fong Yim Fen took the lead in the New Year's program on the radio. At that time, she sang the episode "Penang Beauty", which aroused the attention and expectation of local music fans. On the day of the premiere of the movie "Penang Yan", Zhongben presented the audience with a record and a ten-inch signed photo of Ms. Fang Yanfen. The movie "Penang Yan" tells: Teacher Luo Zhonghua (Luo Jianlang) hides from his family and lives with singing girl Hong Lingyan (Fang Yanfang). Not long after, Hua was forced to resign by the school and suffered from a sudden illness. In order for Hua to be properly governed, Yan promised Hua's mother to break away from Hua. However, Hua's mother was eventually moved by Hua's true love, and the two became husband and wife. On August 10, 1958, donated the "Fang Yanfen Hall" meeting place of Bahe Hall. In 1959, she married doctor Yang Jinghuang, and announced her official retirement in the same year. However, she began to perform in the name of charity in October 1987, 1993, 1995, and 1998. Fang Yanfen promoted the art of Cantonese opera with enthusiasm and supported charity. , was awarded the 2003 Bronze Bauhinia Star in Hong Kong. In the decades after she retired, "Fang Tune" continued to circulate with versions of Li Baoying's performances on stage and recordings. Fang said that the apprentice she accepted in the past gave up this art for many years, and she was not considered an "inheritor".