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On that sunny April 15 day in 1944, Cao Cuifen was born in an ordinary and warm family in the bustling city of Shanghai. Her parents are intellectuals who love literature and art, and they have given their daughter the strongest literary atmosphere with sincere feelings since she was a child.
With the vision of becoming an excellent actor, Cao Cuifen passed the rigorous examination of the film academy preparatory class without any suspense at the age of 16, and her future opened a new chapter and embarked on a broad road to the bright stage.
In college, Cao Cuifen met her classmate Tan Tianqian, and the two fell in love at first sight. After graduation, they were assigned to the Beijing Film Studio and became glorious actors.
Soon after, they walked into the palace of marriage hand in hand and began a new journey in life.
However, fate always seemed to like to play tricks on people, and the storm of the Cultural Revolution swept in, and they had to endure the pain of separation, spending long and difficult years in the countryside.
It wasn't until 1973 that Cao Cuifen, who was already 29 years old, ushered in her career as an actor and played an insignificant role in the movie "Southern Expedition and Northern War". In the 80s, although she played a supporting role or a small role in many film and television dramas, she was neglected, but she never gave up her dream.
Finally, she waited for her own glorious moment! In the well-known TV series "Shanghai Family", she successfully portrayed Qiaozhen, a classic character that is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and won the honor of Best Supporting Actress at the Feitian Award in one fell swoop.
In order to take care of her seriously ill husband Tan Tianqian, Cao Cuifen once temporarily left the film and television industry and devoted herself to the cause of protecting their love. Tan Tianqian, a handsome and elegant actor, has played a supporting role in many film and television works, but his superb acting skills are often overlooked.
However, their relationship has never wavered. When Cao Cuifen returned to showbiz again, she managed to create countless haunting images of mothers and grandmothers, winning widespread praise in the entertainment industry.
Now, Cao Cuifen and Tan Tianqian have entered their old age, but they are still in love and live a leisurely life. This old couple, who have been together for more than half a century, have witnessed Cao Cuifen's artistic life from obscurity to award-winning art.
In 1990, the famous director Zhang Yimou prepared to shoot the movie "The Red Lantern Hangs High", in which the role of the second aunt is a very challenging and important role, which requires extraordinary acting skills and unique temperament.
Many actresses were called to the crew to audition, but they failed to fully show the inherent charm of this role, which made director Zhang Yimou feel extremely regretful.
When the director was about to despair, a female actor named Cao Cuifen bravely stood in front of him. When they first met, Zhang Yimou made no secret of his thoughts: "Your appearance is a little ordinary, which does not quite meet our expectations of actors."
In the face of the director's direct judgment, Cao Cuifen felt a little lost in her heart, but she did not flinch because of this, but further deepened her in-depth interpretation and accurate grasp of this role.
After in-depth discussion and interaction with director Zhang Yimou, Cao Cuifen has won high recognition from the director and affirmation of the role with her outstanding acting skills. She has a unique and deep understanding of the role of the second aunt: in the context of the patriarchal feudal era, the second aunt only gave birth to a daughter for the lord, and her position is precarious, so she longs to have a son to win her husband's favor.
In order to be able to interpret this role more realistically, Cao Cuifen did not hesitate to travel a long distance, gave up the comfortable rest environment in the crew hotel, and resolutely chose to stay in the homes of local farmers to deeply experience the local customs and customs.
During the filming, there was a scene that was unforgettable: in the scene of massaging the master, Cao Cuifen proposed to add a line of "Master, I still want to give birth to a son for you", and director Zhang Yimou agreed with this and happily adopted this suggestion.
The movie was finally released as scheduled, and at the press conference, director Zhang Yimou spoke highly of Cao Cuifen: "She is an excellent actor, and her performance is unpretentious.
With this role, Cao Cuifen won the Golden Phoenix Award for Best Actress Award issued by the China Film Performing Arts Society.
In 1992, the talented Liu Tianchi successfully portrayed the role of the mute girl Fengxia in the movie "Alive" directed by Zhang Yimou, and won unanimous praise from the entire crew, including the director.
She has a deep family history, and she was at the peak of her career at that time, as if she had embarked on the road of acting after Gong Li, and was about to become the next high-profile first-line film and television superstar.
However, when her acting career was in its prime, Zhang Yimou gave her a profound and pertinent evaluation, as well as valuable advice on life. In an in-depth conversation, the enthusiastic Liu Tianchi confidently showed Zhang Yimou her desire to follow in Gong Li's footsteps and pursue her acting career.
However, with his unique insight and direct candor, Zhang Yimou replied: "Although your performance in this film is excellent, there are certain limitations to your image, and there may be many challenges to achieving an artistic achievement like Gong Li.
I suggest you consider moving into academia, or looking for new opportunities in the world of education. "
In the face of Zhang Yimou's sincere and practical suggestion, Liu Tianchi was deeply moved. She began to reflect on whether she really had all the qualities needed to become a first-list movie superstar.
In the end, she decided to let go of her dream of stardom and firmly embarked on another life path - to devote herself to education.
Liu Tianchi went to Japan for in-depth study, and after four years of success, he officially joined the Central Academy of Drama as a teacher after returning to China. In the following decades, she always adhered to her educational position, tirelessly imparted knowledge, and cultivated batches of outstanding actors, such as Deng Chao, Bai Baihe, Wenwen, Tang Yan and others.
In addition to teaching courses on campus, she also actively participates in various variety reality shows, serves as a performance instructor, and teaches every student with all her heart, and says in a sincere tone: "The master leads the door, and the practice is in the individual.
Although Zhang Yimou was once regarded as difficult to become a first-line celebrity, Liu Tianchi has proved through his own efforts and practice that becoming a mentor and friend to generations of actors can also make important contributions to the prosperity and development of China's performing arts.
She takes teaching and educating people as her own responsibility, and sows the seeds of hope for the motherland's performing arts career in a down-to-earth manner.
It is worth mentioning that as early as 1992, Liu Tianchi won high praise from the whole crew for successfully portraying the role of the mute girl Fengxia in the movie "Alive" directed by Zhang Yimou.
At that time, she was young and beautiful, and it seemed that she was about to embark on the road of acting after Gong Li and become a new generation of first-line celebrities.
However, just when everyone had high hopes for her, Zhang Yimou gave her a pertinent evaluation. In an in-depth conversation, the enthusiastic Liu Tianchi expressed to Zhang Yimou with great anticipation her desire to follow in Gong Li's footsteps and pursue her acting career.
However, Zhang Yimou said bluntly and unreservedly: "Although your superb performance in this film is amazing, but your image does have a certain degree of limitations, and it may not be easy to climb to the same artistic peak as Gong Li."
When hearing Zhang Yimou's calm and objective comments, Liu Tianchi was inevitably confused and confused. She began to ponder whether she was really missing all the ingredients needed to be among the top superstars.
Immediately afterwards, Zhang Yimou suggested to her: "Why don't you try to turn to the academic field anymore, or consider taking up a teaching position in the school?" "
Liu Tianchi was deeply touched by these words. After repeated thinking and weighing, she decided to give up her dream of stardom and resolutely embarked on a new path of life - to devote herself to the noble cause of teaching and educating people.
Since then, she has sown the seeds of hope for China's performing arts in her own unique way.
Although Zhang Yimou asserted that he could not become a superstar like Gong Li, Liu Tianchi has become a mentor and friend to generations of actors through his unremitting efforts and practice, and can also contribute to the prosperity and development of the motherland's performing arts.