You Benchang, a performing artist at the National Theatre Company of China and a National First-Class Actor, passed away in Beijing on September 24 due to illness at the age of 93. He was well-known for his role as Ji Gong in the TV series "Ji Gong" and gained widespread attention again for his role as "Uncle Ye" in "Blossoms Shanghai."
Born on September 16, 1933, You Benchang had just celebrated his birthday shortly before passing away. He graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1956 and subsequently joined the Central Experimental Drama Theater, now known as the National Theatre Company of China, becoming one of the first batches of young actors trained in the new China.
In the early stages of his acting career, You Benchang often played minor roles, some of which didn't even have lines. Upholding the belief that "there are no small roles, only small actors," he worked diligently on stage for 20 years.
In 1984, You Benchang gained attention for his rich physical performance in the mime act "Shower" at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. Following this, he was invited to star as the lead in the TV series "Ji Gong." The show became a huge hit across mainland China, and his portrayal of Ji Gong, along with the theme song "Shoes are torn, hat is torn," became a shared memory for many television viewers.
You Benchang won the Best Actor award at the 4th China TV Golden Eagle Awards for his role in "Ji Gong." Prior to this, he had spent many years playing supporting roles, only landing his iconic role as Ji Gong at the age of 52.
In the later stage of his career, You Benchang received an invitation to act in Wong Kar-wai's series "Blossoms Shanghai" on his 87th birthday. During filming, he worked nearly 10 hours a day and prepared multiple performance options for each scene. After the series aired, his portrayal of "Uncle Ye" received widespread acclaim, becoming another representative role in his decades-long acting career.