Liu Ling Tong


Zhang Zongyi, better known by his stage name Liu Ling Tong and famously known as "Nan Hou Wang", was a Chinese Shao opera actor and artist best known for his role as the Monkey King in Shao opera. He was president of the Zhejiang Shao Opera Theatre and a member of special government allowances of the State Council of Experts. He was a member of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Biography

Zhang was born on March 16, 1924 in Shangyu District of Shaoxing, Zhejiang in a family of performing artists. His grandfather, Zhang Tingchun, mostly performed in the countryside of Zhejiang under the stage name "Huo Hou Zhang". Zhang's father, Zhang Yisheng with the stage name "Sai Huo Hou". His elder brother, Zhang Zongxin, who specialised in playing Zhu Bajie, had the stage name "Qi Ling Tong".
Zhang began his acting career at age 6 and made his acting debut at age 12.
After the founding of the Communist State, he was appointed president of the Zhejiang Shao Opera Troupe. In August 1956, Zhang performed The Monkey King caused havoc in Heaven for Vice Premier Chen Yi and Indonesian President Sukarno. On December 17, 1957, he performed The Monkey King caused havoc in Heaven again for Premier Zhou Enlai and Soviet guests at Shanghai Sino - Soviet Friendship Mansion. In 1961, he performed The Monkey King Thrice Defeats the Skeleton Demon for Mao Zedong, his performance was acclaimed by Mao. It was filmed as a color drama film, released in 72 countries and regions.
In 1966, Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution, Zhang was labeled as a rightist, a capitalist roader, a reactionary scholar and a counter-revolutionary revisionist. The Red Guards
took him into custody and put him under investigation. They paraded him through the streets and beat him in public. Finally, he was sent to countryside to a labour camp. In the fall of 1971, Mao Zedong toured in southern China and ordered him to be released. In 1974, Zhang returned to the public stage, he earned an Outstanding Performance Award in the 1st Zhejiang Drama Festival for his performance as Sun Wukong in The Flaming Mountain.
On January 31, 2014, he died of illness in Shaoxing, Zhejiang.

Drama work

Zhang had eleven sons. Zhang Jinlai, better known by his stage name Liu Xiao Ling Tong, and Zhang Jinxing, better known by his stage name "Xiao Liu Ling Tong".