Behind Bars and Backstage in China: The Extraordinary Life of Ying Ruocheng

CEAS CHINA BROWN BAG SERIES

Claire Conceison Professor, Theater Studies, Duke University

Renowned Chinese actor Ying Ruocheng (1929-2003) partnered with Arthur Miller to stage Death of a Salesman in Beijing and was featured in Bertolucci’s film The Last Emperor. Often called China’s “cultural ambassador” between China and the West, he rose to Vice Minister of Culture in the years leading up to and during events in Tiananmen Square in 1989. These experiences, along with his Manchu Catholic family background and his imprisonment during the Cultural Revolution, afforded him a unique perspective on Chinese culture and politics. Claire Conceison collaborated with Ying on his autobiography before his death, and presents a narrative and visual account of his unusual story.