Xu Yulan

Xu Yulan was born in Zhejiang province (the location of present-day Xindeng township, Fuyang District).

In 1952 she won first prize in the first Chinese folk opera festival organized under the new Ministry of Culture.

[1] Xu Yulan's performances were preserved on film, including in The Carp Fairy (1959) and Dream of the Red Chamber (also known as A Dream of Red Mansions) (1962, directed by Cen Fan), the latter enormously successful with Chinese audiences when it was shown in 1978.

With the loosening of restrictions on artists in China, she formed the Red Mansions Opera Company, and was a popular guest at concerts in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand.

[1] Xu Yulan lived with her chaperone and personal assistant Zhao Naixue from 1946 until she married in 1954.

Xu Yulan (back, second from right) with other 9 Yue opera actresses in 1947, collectively known as the "Ten Sisters".