Liu Xiao Ling Tong

Zhang Jinlai (Chinese: 章金莱; born 12 April 1959), better known by his stage name Liu Xiao Ling Tong (六小龄童; 'Little Six Year Old Child'), is a Chinese actor, best known for his role as the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) in the 1986 television series Journey to the West (Chinese: 西游记; pinyin: Xī Yóu Jì) 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]

In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.
Liu Xiao Ling Tong
六小龄童
Liu Xiao Ling Tong on Star Reunion in 2014.
Born
Zhang Jinlai (章金莱)

(1959-04-12) 12 April 1959
Shanghai, China
Alma materArt School of Zhejiang Kunju Opera Troupe
OccupationActor
Years active1965–present
Spouse
Yu Hong
​
(m. 1988)​
Children1
Parent(s)Zhang Zongyi (father)
Yan Chagu (mother)
AwardsGolden Eagle Award for Best Actor (1988)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese六小齡童
Simplified Chinese六小龄童
Zhang Jinlai
Traditional Chinese章金萊
Simplified Chinese章金莱

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.[1]

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 Chengen 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.[1]

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 (章廷椿), 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" (活猴章).[6]

Zhang's grandfather, Zhang Yisheng (章益生), had the stage name "Sai Huo Hou" (赛活猴; 賽活猴; Sài Huó Hóu; 'Better than a living monkey').[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" (六龄童; 六齡童; Liù Líng Tóng; 'Six Year Old Child'), was famously known as "Nan Hou Wang" (南猴王; Nán Hóu Wáng; 'Southern Monkey King'). 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" (七龄童; 七齡童; Qī Líng Tóng; 'Seven Year Old Child'). Zhang's elder brother used the stage name "Xiao Liu Ling Tong" (小六龄童; 小六齡童; Xiǎo Liù Líng Tóng), 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 (猴娃; 'monkey child') 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 (《过年》). 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
Year English Title Chinese Title Role Notes Ref.
1981 The True Story of Ah Q 阿Q正传 The revolutionist
1991 At Love-Corner in Weekend 周末恋爱角 Du Dachuan
1991 New Year's Day 过年 Cheng Zhi
1991 The Extra 喜剧明星 The journalist
1992 Good Luck 祝你好运 Director Zhang
1994 青春的忏悔 The doctor
2017 Buddies in India 大闹天竺 Wu Shen [11]
TBA 一带一路·重走玄奘路 Xuanzang
Himself		 Also director [12]
TBA Miser 财迷 Mr. Hao
TBA Journey to the West 3D 敢问路在何方 Sun Wukong

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

Personal life

On June 12, 1988, Zhang married Yu Hong (于虹), a staff of China Central Television, in Beijing.[13] Their daughter, Zhang Tongtong (章同童), 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 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
YearNominated workAwardResultNotes
1988Journey to the West6th Golden Eagle Television Awards: Best ActorWon
1994Monkey Child12th Golden Eagle Television Awards: Best Supporting ActorWon

References
  1. "Liu Xiao Ling Tong Introduction". Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  2. "《连城诀》借武侠说现实事 六小龄童首次演反派" (in Chinese). 2004-06-24.
  3. Fangchun, LIU. "《吴承恩与西游记》主创六小龄童等到访(图)" (in Chinese).
  4. Lục Tiểu Linh Đồng và đặc quyền mà Trung Quốc chỉ dành cho một công dân
  5. Liu Xiao Ling Tong-- the "Monkey King". Dandan. crienglish.com. Retrieved on May 22, 2008.
  6. 六小龄童是电视剧里演得最好的猴子 (in Chinese). The Paper. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  7. "Liu Xiao Ling Tong's father, Liu Ling Tong, has passed away". February 2014. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  8. "Good bye, Xiao Liu Ling Tong(Liu Xiao Ling Tong's elder brother)". 11 October 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  9. Liu Xiao Ling Tong (actor of Monkey King): Mouthpiece of the 3rd International Forum on China Cultural Industry. cciif.com. Retrieved on May 22, 2008.
  10. "Liu Xiao Ling Tong responded to his portraits in Wu Cheng En's former House". Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  11. 六小龄童惊喜现身《大闹天竺》. Mtime (in Chinese). January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  12. 《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. sohu.com (in Chinese). July 24, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  13. 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 (in Chinese). 19 June 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  14. 六小龄童：弘扬中华优秀传统文化的“行者”. gmw.com (in Chinese). 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
  15. Foreign versions of "Journey to the West" tell a different story. Chinanews.cn. Retrieved on May 22, 2008
  16. 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 (in Chinese). 3 February 2017. Retrieved 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. 专访六小龄童：《七龙珠》不是我们民族东西. www.JiaoDong.net (in Chinese). 6 February 2016. Retrieved 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。
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