He Saifei (born 11 April 1963) is a Chinese actress of film and television, as well as a celebrated Yue opera performer of dan (female) roles. Internationally, she is best known for playing supporting roles in period films like Raise the Red Lantern (1991) and Temptress Moon (1996).
He Saifei is the most famous disciple of Yue opera star Zhang Yunxia.
Early life He Saifei was born in 1963 in an island in Daishan County, Zhoushan off the coast of mainland Zhejiang province. She has two sisters. When she was 3, the Cultural Revolution began. In 1967, her father was attacked and sent to the countryside. Her parents divorced, and Saifei lived with one parent while her two sisters lived with another, with no contact between them. After the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976, Yue opera (also known as Yue opera) gradually regained its popularity following a decade of ruinous destruction. When He Saifei was about 16, she successfully auditioned for a Yue opera troupe in Daishan. There she met a slightly younger girl who was also very interested in joining. Neither knew at first, but it turned out that the girl Xia Saili (夏赛丽) was none other than her long-lost sister. After some initial discomfort, they became very close and encouraged each other. In 1983–84, both made the newly established Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe, which, consisting entirely of young girls would immediately take the Yue opera world by storm. He Saifei studied under the master Zhang Yunxia and specialized in Dan (female) roles. Xia Saili specialized in Sheng (mainly male scholar) roles, and as a result often portrayed her sister's lover on stage. Another of He Saifei's frequent on-stage partner was Mao Weitao.
Early career In 1984, the Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe girls starred in the opera film Five Daughters Offering Felicitations (五女拜壽), which became a big national hit and won Best Opera Film (a new award category) at the 5th Golden Rooster Awards. In 1985, He Saifei and Mao Weitao reenacted a scene live at the CCTV New Year's Gala, China's most watched annual television event. This would be the first of He Saifei's four Yue opera appearances on CCTV New Year's Gala (excluding more performances on CCTV New Year's Opera Gala). Soon enough, He Saifei and four other girls from Xiaobaihua — Mao Weitao, He Ying (何英), Fang Xuewen (方雪雯), and Dong Kedi (董柯娣) — emerged as young celebrities, and they were together dubbed the "Five Golden Flowers" (五朵金花) of Yue opera.
Personal life She has one son, born in 1998.
Filmography Film YearEnglish titleOriginal titleRoleNotes1984Five Daughters Offering Felicitations五女拜壽CuiyunYue opera film1987Two Dowagers兩宮皇太后Zijuan1988Tang Bohu唐伯虎Shen JiuniangYue opera film1990Iron & SilkYue opera actressEnglish-language film1991Raise the Red Lantern大紅燈籠高高掛Mei Shan1995Blush紅粉Xiao'eArmed Working Team Behind Enemy Lines敵後武工隊XiaohongyunThe Wandering Songstress天涯歌女Xiaohong1996Temptress Moon風月Lin Xiuyi1999Something About Secret说出你的秘密Employee2000Woman Soccer Player #9女足9号Zhu Yin2007Lust, Caution色·戒Madame Xiao2011Deng Enming's Childhood少年鄧恩銘2014The Struggle of 80's80后的独立宣言2016Super Express超级快递Nana's motherLord of Shanghai上海王Goddesses in the Flames of War那些女人
Television YearEnglish titleOriginal titleRoleNotes2000The Grand Mansion Gate大宅门Yang Jiuhong2003Xiaozhuang Mishi孝庄秘史Harjol2012Tears of Woman女人泪Wu LifangThe New Son-in-Law Era新女婿时代Li GuilanOur Youth in 1977我们的青春1977Shen Yumei2013Na Jinhua and Her Son-in-law那金花和她的女婿Na JinhuaWomen of the Tang Dynasty唐宮燕Empress WeiA Splendid Family金玉满堂Zhao NingliSafeguarding the Grandson保卫孙子Li WanmeiWoman in a Family of Swordsmen刀客家族的女人Yu Huang Shi2014If Happiness Arrives假如幸福来临Jiang XinhuiHeping's Golden Age和平的全盛时代Ding Yulan2015Our Family's Happy Life我们家的微幸福生活Yu MeirenLiving活法Wang Liru2016See You! My Wife再见，老婆大人Zhen Meiren's motherSeeking Nirvana at Shaolin少林問道MeiguMother's Romance老妈的桃花运Ding Xiangxiang2017Xuanwu玄武Xiao MeiguiGreen Love青恋Chunxia 2024 Best Choice Ever 承欢记 Liu Wanyu
Awards and nominations Yue opera
Film & TV Year#AwardCategoryWorkResult199619thHundred Flowers AwardsBest Supporting ActressArmed Working Team Behind Enemy Lines2014China TV Drama AwardsBest Supporting ActressWoman in a Family of Swordsmen201521stShanghai Television FestivalBest Supporting Actress20163rdChina Australia International Film FestivalBest ActressGoddesses in the Flames of War201816thPyongyang International Film FestivalBest Actress202336thGolden Rooster AwardsBest ActressOff the Stage
References
External links
Biography of He Saifei