Farewell! Golden Rooster Award-winning actor Teng Rujun, who starred in “Red Sorghum”, dies
Beijing, China – Teng Rujun, the beloved actor who won the prestigious Golden Rooster Award for his outstanding performance in “Red Sorghum”, passed away on September 13th in Beijing. He was 77 years old.
Teng Rujun started his journey in the world of acting after graduating from the Performance Department of the Central Academy of Drama. He then joined the Hebei Chengde Repertory Theater and later returned to his alma mater as a teacher until his retirement. It was in 1987 that Teng Rujun gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Uncle Arhat in Zhang Yimou’s acclaimed film “Red Sorghum”. Throughout his career, he also appeared in notable roles such as Ding Ruchang in “Beiyang Navy”, Section Chief Tian in “Ambush”, a film projectionist in “Year After Year”, and a nuclear physics expert in “The World“.
In 1999, Teng Rujun’s talent was acknowledged once again when he won the Best Actor Award at the 19th China Golden Rooster Award for his performance in the rural literary film “The Mountain, That Man, That Dog”, directed by Huo Jianqi. Despite starting to gain recognition after the age of 40, Teng Rujun’s artistic achievements were sadly cut short due to health reasons. After suffering a cerebral infarction, he declined most acting offers, fearing that his condition would cause trouble for the production crew.
Aside from his on-screen accomplishments, Teng Rujun played a significant role as an acting teacher. Notably, he discovered Chen Hao, an actress who expressed her eternal gratitude towards him.
A poignant moment occurred two days before his passing when Teng Rujun, who had lost the ability to speak or communicate, wrote the words “The scented tea must be hot” to his family. This message became his final form of communication with the world. It was known that Teng Rujun had a profound love for scented tea, symbolizing a life that was not forceful, yet transparent and elegant.
The news of Teng Rujun’s death has saddened fans and the entertainment industry alike. His contributions to Chinese cinema will be remembered, and his legacy will live on through his timeless performances.
(Editor: Yang Shijie)