At 3:25 p.m. on April 22, 1989, Fang Rongxiang died of a heart attack in Jinan at the age of 63. As early as 15 July 1988, before the second surgery at Hong Kong Adventist Hospital, he had made a will on a napkin, and the content of the will was moving.
Fang Rongxiang's "Heavy Trust" written by Fang Rongxiang on his hospital bed (Collection of Shandong Provincial Archives)
Heavy Trust:
Once the operation does not go well, my relatives, relatives and friends, especially my children, cannot have the slightest dissatisfaction with medical care. Medical care is to treat everyone and save lives wholeheartedly, just like every time we act, we want to act well, but for that reason we are not willing to act. Moreover, since my 85-year surgery, I have acted in many plays, made movies, recorded audio-visuals, gone to several places, and participated in the first Chinese arts festival, as a Peking Opera actor, I think it is very honorable. Now in his 60s, I am afraid that the amount of heart load is very limited, so this second operation cannot but be said to be very difficult. Due to my subjective inadequacies, I must not complain about wholehearted and kind medical care, they are all kind and kind stars who save mankind! We only have respect and gratitude for him or her.
If I can't do it, I'll have to do it simply. Although there are many friends and the care and care of the government, I also ask them to save for me. My body was incinerated on the spot, and the ashes were scattered in the Hong Kong Bay, a beautiful land in the world, how happy I should be! Don't leave the urn, my actor's name is left to a wide audience, which is the greatest honor of an actor's life. Of course, what I am not satisfied with in my heart is that there are still many performances, videos, audio recordings, and filmmaking work that have not been completed, and I am deeply ashamed. Apologies to the families.
My wife Zhang Yurong and I have worked hard together for decades, supporting my work, taking care of family affairs, taking care of the old and the young, and I feel inexhaustible. How can I let my heart leave you! It is not that I am ruthless, it is that God has taken my life and cannot be disobeyed. Fortunately, with the help of some kind and kind friends, as well as the necessary care of the country, you can't be too bitter. Your heart should think widely, live happily, and spend your old age happily! Have a nice day! happiness!
I hope that we will not ask the country for any disrespectful demands and care. You will be like this.
I have a request to the Department of Culture and the Shandong Provincial Peking Opera Troupe, that is, the more than ten pieces of costumes that Master Qiu gave away are precious heritage. I sincerely recommend several exhibitions in Beijing, Tianjin and Shandong. If there is such an exhibition room in Hong Kong, it is better to send a piece to display. I have already spoken to Director Yu on this matter. I borrowed 36,000 yuan that year, and I wanted to ask all parties for funding. The director of the department meant that he did not have to ask for financial support, but must do as I asked. I suggest that this costume should not be used "in the middle of the game". We must perpetuate this treasure and the artistic cause of the Qiu School forever.
The twelve plays are the essence of Qiu Shi, and are published by Tong Yunhong, Xia Yunlong, Zhu Jinhua and I to be published by China Drama Publishing House. Please persist in this Qiu Pai art essence, pass it on, and live up to the expectations of the public.
I hope that no farewell or memorial service will be held to the remains. If medicine needs research I agree to dedicate myself.
To the leaders of the party and the state at all levels, the leaders of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee, the provincial government, the provincial people's congress, the provincial CPPCC at all levels, and friends from all walks of life wish the work smoothly! Career booming!
My son Fang Lisheng has been with me for several years, always in a state of tension, worried and laborious for me, and I am grateful to him.
On July 15, 1988, Fang Rongxiang Hong Kong Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
On the sickbed, before the operation, Fang Rongxiang thought of maintaining and thanking the medical staff; thinking of regret for his unfinished career; thinking of the regret of his family; thinking of the inheritance of Qiu Pai's art; thinking of doing things after his death, not causing trouble to the country; thinking of contributing himself to the medical cause... Everything that comes to mind is unselfish, everything that comes to mind is gratitude, touching and gratitude...
Some people say that there are those who are rongxiang art elite, such as rongxiang art elite, such as rongxiang virtue, but there are few people who re-integrate the art essence into one.
After Fang Rongxiang was 16 years old and worshipped Qiu Shengrong as a teacher, he studied and practiced diligently, and deeply understood the essence of Qiu Pai's art, and was praised as "the first person in the world of Qiu Pai", "the leader of Qiu Shengrong's disciples", "the outstanding heir of Qiu Pai art" and so on.
Fang Rongxiang as Lian Po stills
Fang Rongxiang taught his disciples that the most common thing to say was: "Singing opera is a natural duty, being a person is fundamental, singing on the stage is a drama for a while, and being a person in the world is a lifelong thing." Fang Rongxiang respected the master and respected everyone, before Qiu Lao's death, he took care of him at any time, Qiu Lao was sick, he accompanied the attendant, even if Qiu Lao suffered cruel persecution during the Cultural Revolution, in the miserable days before his death, only he went to visit him rain or shine. The master's mother's life was hard, and Fang Rongxiang himself had to help the master and mother no matter how hard he was.
He doesn't care about fame and fortune, he doesn't put up shelves, no matter where he goes to perform, he doesn't compete for a role, he doesn't care about remuneration, he doesn't engage in special, he doesn't live in high-end hotels, he eats big pots of rice...
On the front line battlefield, he sang passionately to the soldiers in the trenches to boost their morale, and he even stood with tears in front of the list of victims who could not see his performance before the battle, and sang meticulously and earnestly, in order to comfort the dead and fulfill the duty of a literary and artistic warrior.
Usually Wherever Fang Rongxiang goes, he sings for everyone, when he goes to Pangjia Village in Wudi County, which has been most seriously affected by hail disasters, looking at the villages that have fallen apart after the disaster, looking at the villagers who are working hard in the fields, he is very uncomfortable in his heart, seeing a middle-aged couple struggling to pull a car, he hurried up to pick up the handle, just next to the fellow's car, on the ground, Fang Rongxiang sang for the villagers with tears, performed in Wudi for 6 days, and he starred for 4 days alone.
A poet once said it best: "Some people are dead, but he is still alive". The value of a true artist lies in bringing the beauty of art to everyone, and Fang Rongxiang has done it; the character of a real artist lies in dedication, and Fang Rongxiang has also done it.
Postscript: Fang Rongxiang's widow Zhang Yurong, sons Fang Lisheng and Fang Limin all gave understanding and support to Fang Rongxiang's last wishes, and took the initiative to contact the Shandong Provincial Archives to donate Fang Rongxiang's personal files. From 2006 to 2010, the Shandong Provincial Archives continued to contact Fang Rongxiang's relatives and former work units, and received a total of 2,001 pieces of Fang Rongxiang's personal archives, including Fang Rongxiang's manuscripts, notes, letters, photos, audio-visual, calligraphy and paintings, medals and used objects, as well as calligraphy and painting works donated by Ouyang Zhongshi, Cheng Shifa and Hou Baolin, which are systematic, detailed, and very precious, and are of great significance to the study of the development of Peking Opera Qiu Pai art and the protection of national culture.