Yan Shunkai
# Yan Shunkai

Yan Shunkai (Chinese: 严顺开; 6 June 1937 – 16 October 2017) was a Chinese comedian, actor and film director.

Yan rose to fame after portraying Ah Q in The True Story of Ah Q, which was based on an episodic novella by Lu Xun, one of the pioneers of modern Chinese literature. He was awarded the Best Actor at the 6th Hundred Flowers Awards and earned "The Gold Stick Prize" at the Second International Comedy Film Festival of Vevey, Switzerland in 1982.

## Biography

### Early life and education

Born in Shanghai on June 6, 1937, Yan enrolled in the Central Academy of Drama in 1959, graduating in 1963. After graduation, he joined the Shanghai Farce Troupe (上海滑稽剧团).

### Career

Yan first garnered recognition for his acting in 1980, when his performance in The True Story of Ah Q earned him a Best Actor award at the 6th Hundred Flowers Awards, the Chinese equivalent of the Golden Globes, and received "The Gold Stick Prize" at the Second International Comedy Film Festival of Vevey, Switzerland in 1982. The film is his film debut.

Yan co-starred with Liu Falu, Jin Kangmin, Niu Hong, Chen Qi and Fang Qingzhuo in the 1983 film Spring in the Hometown as a lame person.

In 1984, Yan starred as Du Xiaoxi in Wang Weiyi's drama film The New Stories Of Du Xiaoxi.

Yan appeared in the romance film The Female Director's Boyfriend (1986), in which he played Cui Hailong.

In 1988, Yan made his directorial debut The Story of Ah Tan, and he also starred as Ah Tan in the film.

In 1996, Yan starred with Lu Yanfang in the comedy film The Harmonious Gouple.

Yan appeared in Huang Jianzhong's Girls in the Red Chamber (2002), based on Cao Xueqin's classical novel Dream of the Red Chamber, as Jia She, one of the heads of the Jia family.

In 2003, he was cast in the romance television series Dear Angle with Chang Yue and Li Xiaolu.

Yan filmed in Legend of the Book's Tower, a wuxia television series starring Sharla Cheung, Nicky Wu, Allen Lin, and Tiffany Tang.

In 2006, Yan had a minor role in Pretty Girls in Jianghu. The drama stars Christy Chung, Du Chun, and Liang Guanhua.

In 2010, when he was 72, he starred as Wang Mugen, reuniting him with co-star Yvonne Yung, who played his daughter-in-law, in the television series My Ugly Dad.

### Death

Yan died on 16 October 2017, aged 80, in Shanghai.

## Filmography

### Film

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1981 | The True Story of Ah Q | 阿Q正传 | Ah Q | |
| 1983 | Spring in the Hometown | 鼓乡春晓 | A lame person who named Zhu | |
| 1984 | The New Stories Of Du Xiaoxi | 阿混新传 | Du Xiaoxi | |
| 1986 | The Female Director's Boyfriend | 女局长的男朋友 | Cui Hailong | |
| 1988 | The Story of Ah Tan | 阿谭内传 | Ah Tan | also director |
| 1996 | The Harmonious Gouple | 夫唱妻和 | Mu Ahman | |
| 2000 | A Widow's Romance | 好女不愁嫁 | Lao Wogua | |
| 2005 | Silver Ornaments | 银饰 | The old craftsman | |

### TV series

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Role |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1994 | Mr. Wang and Xiao Chen | 王先生和小陈 | Mr. Wang |
| 1997 | | 新72家客房 | Shui Gen |
| 2001 | | 小皮匠登基 | The old craftsman |
| 2002 | Girls in the Red Chamber | 红楼丫头 | Jia She |
| 2003 | Dear Angle | 我的淘气天使 | Cheng Dongming |
| 2004 | Our Story | 我们的故事 | Yan Fugen |
| 2004 | Legend of the Book's Tower | 风满楼 | Master Ao |
| 2004 | | 王保长后传 | specialist |
| 2005 | Dead Men Do Tell Tales | 大宋提刑官 | Censor Feng |
| 2006 | Pretty Girls in Jianghu | 江湖俏佳人 | His Royal Highness Zhu |
| 2010 | My Ugly Dad | 我的丑爹 | Wang Mugen |

### CCTV New Year's Gala

| Year | English title | Chinese title | Cast members |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1983 | A Monologue of Ah Q | 阿Q的独白 | |
| 1983 | Playing the Piano | 弹钢琴 | |
| 1983 | Visiting the Factory | 逛厂甸 | Siqin Gaowa |
| 1990 | Fellow Sufferers | 难兄难弟 | Huang Hong |
| 1992 | Stars | 今夜星辰 | Sun Qixin, Liang Guyin, Chen Xu and Da Shichang |
| 1993 | Zhang San | 张三其人 | Zhao Lingqi, Yang Xinming, Xu Xiaofan and Ju Bo |
| 1998 | Road | 我在马路边 | Du Ninglin, Zhao Lingqi and Jiang Xiaohan |
| 1999 | Father and Son | 爱父如爱子 | Zhang Kaili, L Ding and Wang Xinyue |
| 2004 | Storytelling | 讲故事 | Hong Jiantao and Xiao Dingdang |
| 2007 | | 假话真情 | Lin Yongjian, Liu Xiaomei and Liu Guijuan |

## Film and TV Awards

| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1982 | The True Story of Ah Q | Second International Comedy Film Festival of Vevey, Switzerland - Best Actor | Won | |
| 1983 | The True Story of Ah Q | 6th Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Actor | Won | |
