Li Xuejian: The Life Story Behind China's Great Actor

Li Xuejian is the actor that China calls great, and the word is not used lightly. He has played a selfless official, a bandit leader, a king, and a father, and he has played them all with a depth that few actors can match. He is not a star who chases fame. He is a craftsman who has spent more than fifty years learning his art, and who has survived illness, hardship, and the changing fashions of Chinese cinema, to become one of the most respected actors in the country.

He was born in Jilin province in 1954, in a poor farming family. He worked in the fields as a boy, and he dreamed of becoming an actor. He joined a theatre troupe, and he learned his craft on the stage, performing for audiences in small towns and villages. In 1990, he played Jiao Yulu, a county official who worked himself to death trying to help poor farmers, and the film made him famous across China. He later played Song Jiang in The Water Margin, one of the greatest heroes in Chinese literature, and he became a household name. In 2001, he was diagnosed with cancer, and many people thought his career was over. He survived, and he came back, and he is still acting in his seventies, in films such as The Wandering Earth 2 and Creation of the Gods.

This is the story of how a farm boy from Jilin became a great actor, and how he did it by being honest, patient, and brave, and by never giving up, even when his body failed him.

A Farm Boy in Jilin Who Dreamed of the Stage

Li Xuejian was born on 20 February 1954 in Jiaohe, Jilin province, in north east China. Jilin is known for its cold winters, its forests, and its farms. Li Xuejian grew up in a poor farming family, and he worked in the fields as a boy. Life was hard. There was not much money, and there were not many chances to leave the village. But Li Xuejian loved stories, and he loved to watch plays and films when he had the chance. He dreamed of becoming an actor, even though it seemed like an impossible dream for a farm boy.

As a young man, he joined a theatre troupe, and he began to learn acting. He was not trained in a famous drama school, and he did not have a teacher who was famous. He learned by doing, by performing on small stages in towns and villages, for audiences who were honest and direct. If they did not like a performance, they said so. If they liked it, they clapped and cheered. Li Xuejian learned to work hard, to listen to his audience, and to improve every day. He was patient, and he was willing to start at the bottom.

He also learned something important during these years. He learned that acting is not about being famous. It is about telling a story well, and about making the audience feel something. He played many different kinds of characters, from farmers to soldiers to officials, and he tried to make each one feel real. He did not have much money, and he did not have a comfortable life, but he was happy, because he was doing the work he loved. He believed that if he kept working, his chance would come, and he was right, but it would take many years.

The years in Jilin taught Li Xuejian the values that would guide his whole career. He learned to be humble, to work hard, and to respect ordinary people. He knew what it felt like to be poor, to work in the fields, and to worry about food and money. That knowledge became the foundation of his acting. When he later played Jiao Yulu, a man who helped poor farmers, he was not pretending. He knew those farmers, because he had been one of them. That is why his performance felt so true, and why audiences loved him.

Theatre Years and Learning the Craft the Hard Way

Li Xuejian spent many years working in theatre before he became famous on screen. He acted in plays, and he learned the discipline of live performance. On a stage, there is no second take, and the audience is close enough to see every mistake. Li Xuejian learned to be brave, to trust his preparation, and to keep going when something went wrong. He also learned to work with other actors, to listen to them, and to build a scene together. These are skills that take years to learn, and Li Xuejian learned them the hard way, one performance at a time.

He was not a young star. He was a working actor, and he was not well paid. He travelled to small towns, he performed in simple halls, and he lived a simple life. He did not complain. He loved the theatre, and he loved the feeling of an audience. He also read a great deal, and he studied history and literature, because he believed that a good actor needed to understand people and their world. He was a serious and thoughtful man, and his colleagues respected him for his knowledge and his care.

During these years, Li Xuejian also faced a hard truth. He was a good actor, but he was not famous, and the best roles went to actors who were already known. He had to wait, and waiting is hard. He watched other actors become famous, and he wondered whether his turn would ever come. He did not give up. He kept working, kept learning, and kept believing that his time would come. That belief was tested many times, but he held on to it, because he loved acting, and because he believed that good work would eventually be noticed.

He also began to get small roles in films and television dramas. He played farmers, workers, and ordinary men, and he tried to make each character feel real. He did not get many lines, and he did not get much attention, but he treated each role seriously. He knew that a small role, played well, could be remembered, and that a director who saw a good small performance might offer a bigger role later. He was right, but it would take many years before that bigger role arrived. He was patient, and he kept working, one small role at a time, for more than twenty years.

Jiao Yulu and the Role That Made Him Famous

In 1990, Li Xuejian was cast as Jiao Yulu in the film Jiao Yulu, a story about a real county official in Henan province who worked tirelessly to help poor farmers, even though he was seriously ill. Jiao Yulu planted trees to stop sandstorms, he helped farmers to find water, and he worked until he died of cancer at the age of forty-two. The part needed an actor who could play a selfless and honest man, who cared more about others than about himself, and Li Xuejian was perfect for it. He played Jiao Yulu with great warmth, humility, and strength, and the film became a huge success.

Jiao Yulu was watched by millions of people, and it made Li Xuejian famous across China. He won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actor, and he became known as the actor who could play a good official, a man who served the people. The film was important, not only for Li Xuejian, but for China, because it told the story of a man who was honest, hard working, and selfless, at a time when many people were worried about corruption. Li Xuejian’s performance gave audiences a hero they could believe in, a man who was not perfect, but who tried his best to help others.

The role was also personal for Li Xuejian. Like Jiao Yulu, he had grown up poor, he had worked in the fields, and he understood the lives of farmers. He did not need to pretend to understand their struggles. He knew them, because he had lived them. That knowledge showed in his performance, and it made Jiao Yulu feel like a real man, not like a statue. Audiences cried when they watched the film, because they saw a good man who gave his life for others, and they were moved by his sacrifice. Li Xuejian had played many roles before, but this was the role that defined him, and it is still the role that most older viewers remember him for.

After Jiao Yulu, Li Xuejian became a respected actor, and he was offered better roles. He did not rush into fame. He chose his roles carefully, and he continued to work on the stage when he could. He knew that one success was not enough, and that he needed to build a career that would last. He was in his late thirties, and he was finally known, but he was not arrogant. He was grateful, and he was determined to keep doing good work. That humility and that care are part of why his career has lasted so long.

The Water Margin and Song Jiang, the Beloved Outlaw

In 1998, Li Xuejian played Song Jiang in The Water Margin, a television drama based on one of the four great classical novels of China. The Water Margin tells the story of a group of outlaws who lived on a mountain and who fought against corrupt officials. Song Jiang was their leader, a man who was kind, wise, and loyal, but who was also flawed, and who made mistakes that led to tragedy. The part needed an actor who could play a complex and human leader, and Li Xuejian was the obvious choice. He played Song Jiang with great depth, showing his kindness, his wisdom, and his sadness, and the drama became one of the most popular in Chinese history.

The Water Margin was watched by millions of people, and it is still shown on television today. Li Xuejian’s performance was praised by critics and by audiences, and it became the role that younger viewers remember him for. He played Song Jiang not as a perfect hero, but as a real man who tried to do good, who made mistakes, and who paid for them. That honesty made the character feel human, and it made the drama more moving. People still talk about his Song Jiang, and they say that no one else could have played the part as well as he did.

The drama was also important because it showed the power of a well made historical drama. It was not only about fights and battles. It was about loyalty, friendship, and the struggle between good and evil. Li Xuejian’s performance was at the centre of that, and it showed that a television drama could be both popular and serious. He became a household name, not only among older viewers who remembered Jiao Yulu, but among younger viewers who loved The Water Margin. He was now one of the most respected actors in China, and he had earned that respect through more than twenty years of hard work.

After The Water Margin, Li Xuejian continued to work in television and film, playing many different kinds of characters. He played officials, fathers, and leaders, and he played them all with the same honesty and depth. He did not try to be a star. He tried to be a good actor, and he let the audience decide whether they liked his work. They did like it, and they kept watching. He was a veteran, and he was proud of that, but he was also still learning, still reading, and still trying to improve. That willingness to learn, even after becoming famous, is a sign of a true master.

Cancer, Recovery, and a Return to the Screen

In 2001, Li Xuejian was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, a serious illness that affects the nose and throat. It was a frightening diagnosis, and it threatened not only his life, but also his career, because an actor needs his voice to work. He had surgery, and he had treatment, and he spent a long time recovering. Many people thought that he would never act again, or that his voice would never be the same. Li Xuejian did not give up. He fought the illness with the same patience and courage that he had shown in his career, and he recovered.

His voice was changed by the treatment, and he had to learn to speak in a new way. He worked hard to rebuild his voice, and he learned to use it differently. He did not complain, and he did not feel sorry for himself. He accepted that his body had changed, and he found a way to work with the change. That is a brave thing to do, and it is a lesson for anyone who has faced illness. A person can lose something important, and still find a way to keep going, if they are patient and willing to adapt. Li Xuejian did that, and he came back to acting stronger than before.

After his recovery, he returned to work, and he played in many films and dramas. He played in The Wandering Earth 2, a science fiction film, in which he played Zhou Zhezhi, a leader who had to make hard decisions to save humanity. His performance was calm and authoritative, and it showed that he could still play a powerful man, even after illness. He also played in Creation of the Gods, a fantasy film based on Chinese mythology, in which he played King Wen, a wise and kind ruler. His performances were praised, and they showed that age and illness had not diminished his talent. He was still a great actor, and he was still learning.

Li Xuejian’s recovery from cancer is one of the most inspiring parts of his story. He did not let illness end his career. He fought it, he recovered, and he came back to do some of his best work in his seventies. That is a hopeful message for anyone who has been ill, or who has faced a hard time. It says that a setback is not the end, and that a person can come back, even after a serious illness, if they are patient, brave, and willing to work hard. Li Xuejian is living proof of that, and his story gives hope to many people.

The Great Actor Who Never Stopped Learning

Li Xuejian matters because he is a great actor, in the true sense of the word. He is not great because he is famous, or because he is handsome, or because he makes a lot of money. He is great because he has spent more than fifty years learning his craft, because he plays every character with honesty and depth, and because he has survived hardship and illness without giving up. He is a master, and young actors look up to him, not only for his talent, but for his character. He is humble, patient, and hard working, and those qualities are as important as his acting.

He also matters because he has played some of the most important characters in Chinese culture, from Jiao Yulu to Song Jiang to King Wen. These are characters that every Chinese person knows, and Li Xuejian has given them life. He has made them feel real, human, and moving, and he has helped new generations to understand their own history and literature. That is a valuable contribution, and it is one that will last long after he stops acting. His performances are part of China’s cultural memory, and they will be watched for many years to come.

Finally, Li Xuejian matters because he shows that a good life is a long life, lived with patience and integrity. He started as a farm boy, he worked in the theatre for many years, he became famous in his thirties, he survived cancer in his forties, and he is still acting in his seventies. He has never chased fame, he has never been arrogant, and he has never given up. He is a reminder that success is not about being young or famous. It is about doing good work, day after day, year after year, and about never stopping learning. That is the story of Li Xuejian, and it is a story that deserves to be told.

Creation of the Gods and a King in His Seventies

Li Xuejian played King Wen in Creation of the Gods, a large fantasy film based on Chinese mythology, in which he played a wise and kind ruler who was imprisoned by a cruel king. His performance was calm and dignified, and it showed that he could play a mythical king with the same honesty that he brought to Jiao Yulu and Song Jiang. The film was a great success, and it introduced Li Xuejian to younger audiences who loved fantasy films. They saw an older actor who was not trying to be young, but who was playing his age with great skill, and they respected him for it.

He has also continued to work in television dramas, playing fathers, grandfathers, and leaders, and he has shown that an older actor can still be the heart of a story. He does not need to be the leading man in every scene. He can play a supporting role, and still make the whole drama better, because his presence gives weight to every scene he is in. That is a sign of a great actor, and it is why directors keep calling him, even though he is in his seventies. They know that when Li Xuejian appears on screen, the audience will pay attention, and the story will feel more real.

Li Xuejian is now one of the oldest working actors in China, and he is still learning, still reading, and still trying to improve. He has said in interviews that an actor never stops learning, and that every role teaches him something new. That humility is part of who he is, and it is why young actors look up to him. He is not a star who thinks he knows everything. He is a craftsman who knows that there is always more to learn, and that attitude has kept his work fresh for more than fifty years. Li Xuejian has also played in dramas about the lives of ordinary workers, about men who build roads, who work in factories, and who try to provide for their families. These roles are close to his own life, because he grew up poor and worked in the fields. He plays these men with great respect, showing their strength, their patience, and their love for their families. Audiences love him for this, because they see themselves on screen, not as a caricature, but as a real person with hopes and fears. He is not a star who lives far from ordinary life. He is an actor who came from it, and who has never forgotten it.

He has also been honoured with lifetime achievement awards, and he has been praised by younger actors who see him as a teacher and an example. He accepts these honours with humility, saying that he was lucky to work with good directors, and that he learned from everyone he worked with. He does not take all the credit for himself. He shares it with his colleagues, with his directors, and with his audience. That humility is part of why he is loved, and it is why his colleagues respect him. A man who shares credit is a man who understands that good work is made by many people, not by one star alone.

Li Xuejian has also spoken about the importance of health, saying that an actor must look after his body, because the body is the tool of the trade. After his illness, he learned to rest, to eat well, and to take care of himself, so that he could keep working. That is a wise lesson, not only for actors, but for anyone who works hard. Your body is not separate from your work. It is your work, and looking after it is part of doing the job well. Li Xuejian learned that lesson the hard way, through cancer, and he now shares it with young actors, so that they do not have to learn it the same way.

Li Xuejian also played an important role in The Wandering Earth 2, the big science fiction film, where he played Zhou Zhezhi, a senior official who had to make calm and difficult decisions while the whole world was in danger. It was a role that suited him perfectly, because Zhou Zhezhi was a man of patience, wisdom, and quiet authority, and Li Xuejian brought all of his life experience to the part. He did not play the official as a cold leader. He played him as a human being, a man who felt the weight of his decisions, and who carried that weight with dignity. Younger audiences who had never seen his earlier work discovered him in this film, and they were surprised to find that an actor in his seventies could still hold the screen in a modern blockbuster. Over his long career Li Xuejian has won some of the most respected awards in Chinese film and television, including the Golden Rooster Award for his performance as Jiao Yulu, a role that is still taught to young actors as an example of honest and humble acting. He has always accepted these honours with great modesty, saying that the award belonged to the whole team, to the director, to the writers, and to the real people whose lives he played. He does not keep his awards on display to impress visitors. He keeps working, because he believes that an award is not the end of a career. It is a reminder to work harder, and to deserve the honour again in the next role. That attitude is rare, and it is one reason he is loved by everyone in the industry.

My Take:

I think Li Xuejian is a great actor, and I want to be careful with that word, because great is a word that people use too easily. I use it for Li Xuejian because he has earned it, over fifty years, through hard work, through illness, and through performances that have moved millions of people. He is not great because he is famous. He is great because he is honest, patient, and brave, and because he has never stopped learning. I respect him more than almost any other actor I have written about, and I want to explain why.

What stays with me most is his childhood as a farm boy in Jilin. He worked in the fields, he was poor, and he dreamed of becoming an actor. That dream seemed impossible, and many people would have told him to forget it. He did not forget it. He joined a theatre troupe, he performed on small stages, and he worked for more than twenty years before he became famous. That is a long time to wait, and it takes a strong person to keep going. I think about those twenty years, and I wonder how he did it. I think the answer is that he loved the work itself, not the fame. He loved telling stories, and he loved making audiences feel something, even if the audience was small. That love kept him going, and it is a love that I admire deeply.

I also think about Jiao Yulu, and I find that role very moving. Jiao Yulu was a real man, a county official who worked himself to death trying to help poor farmers. He was not a hero with a sword. He was a hero with a shovel, planting trees, finding water, and working until he died. Li Xuejian played him with such honesty that audiences cried. I think that is because Li Xuejian understood Jiao Yulu. He had been a poor farmer himself, and he knew what it felt like to be hungry, to work hard, and to hope for a better life. When he played Jiao Yulu, he was not acting. He was remembering, and the audience could feel that truth. That is what makes a performance great, when the actor has lived the life of the character, and when he brings that life to the screen.

I want to talk about Song Jiang in The Water Margin, because it is a complex role, and Li Xuejian played it beautifully. Song Jiang is a leader who is kind and wise, but who also makes mistakes. He wants to do good, but his choices lead to tragedy. That is a hard character to play, because the audience needs to love him and also to see his flaws. Li Xuejian did that. He showed Song Jiang’s kindness, and he also showed his weakness, and he made the audience understand both. I think that is a sign of a great actor, the ability to play a flawed hero and to make the audience care about him anyway. Most actors want to play perfect heroes. Li Xuejian is brave enough to play imperfect ones, and that is why his performances feel so human.

There is a part of his story that makes me think about illness, and about courage. In 2001, he was diagnosed with cancer, and he had to have treatment that changed his voice. For an actor, the voice is everything. Losing your voice, or having it change, is a terrible thing. Many actors would have given up. Li Xuejian did not. He worked hard to rebuild his voice, he learned to speak in a new way, and he came back to acting. That takes enormous courage, and it takes patience. I think about what that must have felt like, to wake up after treatment and realise that your voice, the tool you have used for thirty years, sounds different. I think it must have been frightening, and I admire him for facing that fear and for finding a way to keep working.

I also think about his later work, in The Wandering Earth 2 and Creation of the Gods, and I find it inspiring that he is still acting in his seventies, and still doing great work. Many actors retire, or they play small parts, or they stop learning. Li Xuejian did not stop. He played a leader in a science fiction film, and a king in a fantasy film, and he did both with the same care and depth that he brought to Jiao Yulu thirty years earlier. That is a remarkable achievement, and it shows that age is not a barrier to good work. If you keep learning, keep reading, and keep caring about your craft, you can do great work at any age. Li Xuejian proves that, and his later films are the proof.

I also admire his humility. He is called a great actor, and he accepts that title with grace, but he does not act like a star. He is quiet, he is patient, and he is kind to younger actors. He shares his experience, and he encourages them to work hard and to be honest. That generosity is rare, and it is a sign of a secure man. Insecure people need to prove that they are better than others. Secure people are happy to help others, because they know their own worth. Li Xuejian knows his worth, and he does not need to prove it by being arrogant. He proves it by doing good work, year after year.

If I could ask him one question, I would ask him what he tells young actors who are starting out, and who are afraid that they will never succeed. I think his answer would be simple and practical. He would tell them to work hard, to learn their craft, to be patient, and to love the work itself, not the fame. He would tell them that success takes time, and that a career built slowly will last longer than a career built quickly. I think that is good advice, and it is advice that comes from a man who lived it, from a farm in Jilin to the biggest films in China, over fifty years.

I also think his story is a lesson about China, and about how it has changed. When Li Xuejian was a boy, China was poor, and most people worked on farms. Today, China is a modern country with big cities, big films, and big dreams. Li Xuejian has lived through all of those changes, and he has told the stories of those changes, from Jiao Yulu to Song Jiang to the leaders of The Wandering Earth 2. His career is a kind of history of modern China, told through the characters he has played. That is a valuable thing, and it is why his work matters, not only as entertainment, but as a record of a changing country.

In the end, what I take from Li Xuejian is a simple and powerful idea. Work hard, be honest, be patient, and never give up, even when your body fails you. Love your craft, and keep learning, even when you are old. That is what Li Xuejian has done, from a farm in Jilin to a theatre troupe to Jiao Yulu to Song Jiang to cancer to The Wandering Earth 2. He did not become a great actor by luck. He became a great actor by working for fifty years, by surviving hardship, and by never stopping. I think that is the best kind of greatness, and I think his story will inspire people for a very long time, because it is a story about an ordinary boy who became extraordinary by being himself, and by never giving up. I also think about his role as King Wen in Creation of the Gods, and about what it means to play a king in your seventies. A king is a man with power, but King Wen is also a man with wisdom, patience, and kindness. Li Xuejian plays him that way, not as a loud and angry ruler, but as a quiet and thoughtful one. I think that is a good picture of leadership, and it is one that young people should see. A good leader is not the loudest person in the room. A good leader is the wisest person, the one who listens, who thinks, and who cares about others. Li Xuejian shows that kind of leadership, and I think it is an important lesson for anyone who wants to lead.

I also want to say something about his voice after cancer, and about learning to speak in a new way. That must have been very hard, because an actor’s voice is his tool, and when it changes, everything changes. Li Xuejian did not give up. He worked hard, he practised, and he found a new way to use his voice. I think that is a powerful lesson about adapting to change. When life takes something away from you, you do not have to give up. You can find a new way, even if it is different from the old way, and you can still do good work. Li Xuejian proved that, and his later performances are the proof. His voice may sound different, but his acting is as strong as ever.

There is another thing I want to say about Li Xuejian, and that is about his love of the theatre. He started on the stage, and he has never forgotten it. He still talks about the theatre with love, and he still believes that live performance is the best training for an actor. I think he is right. On a stage, you cannot hide. You have to be honest, you have to be brave, and you have to earn the audience’s attention every night. That discipline stays with you, even when you move to film and television. Li Xuejian carries that discipline with him, and it shows in every performance, in the way he stands, speaks, and listens.

I also think about his family, and about the people who supported him through his illness. He does not talk about them very often, but I know that recovering from cancer takes more than medicine. It takes love, patience, and support from family and friends. Li Xuejian had that support, and he is grateful for it. I think that is an important part of his story, because it reminds us that no one recovers alone. We need other people, and we need to accept their help. Li Xuejian accepted help, and he came back stronger, and that is a lesson for anyone who is facing a hard time. Do not be afraid to ask for help. It is not a weakness. It is a strength.

Finally, I want to say that Li Xuejian is the actor I will remember most from this group, because his story is the longest, the hardest, and the most inspiring. He was a farm boy, he worked in the theatre for twenty years, he became famous, he survived cancer, and he is still acting in his seventies. He did it all with humility, patience, and hard work, and he never gave up. I will think of him the next time I face a difficulty in my own life. I will tell myself to be patient, to work hard, and to keep going, one day at a time, like Li Xuejian did, for fifty years. That is a great lesson, and it is one that I will carry with me for a long time. I also think about his roles as workers, and about why they matter. Workers are the people who build roads, grow food, and keep a country running, and they are often ignored in films. Li Xuejian shows them with respect, and he makes them the heroes of his stories. I think that is important, because it tells ordinary people that their lives matter. When a factory worker watches Li Xuejian play a factory worker, he feels seen, and that feeling is valuable. It says, your life is important, and you are not invisible. That is a powerful message, and Li Xuejian delivers it with great honesty.

I also want to say something about health, and about looking after your body. Li Xuejian learned this lesson through cancer, and he now tells young actors to rest, to eat well, and to take care of themselves. I think that is wise advice, not only for actors, but for everyone. We often work too hard, we do not sleep enough, and we do not look after ourselves, until our bodies force us to stop. Li Xuejian learned to look after himself before it was too late, and he is still working in his seventies because of it. I will try to remember that, and to take better care of myself, because my body is the tool I use for everything I do.

There is another thing I want to say about Li Xuejian, and that is about sharing credit. When he wins an award, he thanks his directors, his colleagues, and his audience. He does not say, I did it all myself. He says, we did it together. That is a generous and honest way to accept praise, and it is one that many famous people forget. Success is rarely the work of one person. It is the work of many people, and a good person remembers that. Li Xuejian remembers, and that is why his colleagues love working with him. He makes them feel valued, and that makes them want to do their best work.

Finally, I want to say that Li Xuejian is a great man, not only a great actor. He is humble, patient, brave, and kind, and he has lived a life that proves that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. He was a farm boy, he worked in the theatre for twenty years, he became famous, he survived cancer, and he is still acting in his seventies. I will carry his story with me, and I will think of him when I face hard times. I will tell myself to be patient, to work hard, and to never give up, like Li Xuejian did, for fifty years. That is the best lesson I have learned from this whole group, and I am grateful to have learned it from him.

I keep thinking about his role in The Wandering Earth 2, because it shows something beautiful about old age. Zhou Zhezhi is an old man who must decide the fate of the world, and Li Xuejian plays him with a calm that only a man of seventy can bring. A young actor could not play that calm, because it comes from a lifetime of experience, from knowing what loss feels like, and from understanding that hard decisions cannot be rushed. I think that is a lesson for our time. We often treat old people as if they have nothing left to give, but Li Xuejian proves the opposite. Old people have the most to give, because they have lived the longest, and they have learned the most. We should listen to them more. I also want to talk about his awards, and about the way he accepts them. Many actors collect awards and show them off, as if the award itself were the achievement. Li Xuejian treats an award as a debt, something he must repay with even better work. I find that attitude deeply admirable, because it keeps a person humble and hungry. He won a Golden Rooster for Jiao Yulu, one of the highest honours in Chinese film, and he did not stop. He kept learning, kept reading scripts, and kept taking on hard roles. That is the difference between a star and a craftsman. A star collects prizes. A craftsman keeps working, and lets the work speak for itself. There is one more thing I want to say, and it is about his early years in the theatre, when he was learning his craft far from fame. The theatre is a hard school. There is no camera to save you, no second take, and no editing to hide a mistake. You must learn your lines, know your character, and give everything you have, night after night, for a small audience that may not even know your name. Li Xuejian learned his craft in that hard school, and it gave him a strength that has lasted for fifty years. I think young people today, who want success quickly, should remember the theatre. Real skill is built slowly, in small rooms, in front of few people, and that slow building is what makes a great actor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Li Xuejian born and what was his family like?

Li Xuejian was born on 20 February 1954 in Jiaohe, Jilin province, in a poor farming family, and he worked in the fields as a boy.

Who did Li Xuejian play in Jiao Yulu?

In Jiao Yulu from 1990, Li Xuejian played the real county official Jiao Yulu, who worked himself to death helping poor farmers, winning the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actor.

Who did Li Xuejian play in The Water Margin?

In The Water Margin from 1998, Li Xuejian played Song Jiang, the kind and wise leader of the outlaws, in one of the most popular dramas in Chinese history.

What illness did Li Xuejian survive in 2001?

In 2001, Li Xuejian was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, had treatment that changed his voice, and worked hard to rebuild it and return to acting.

What recent films has Li Xuejian appeared in?

He appeared in The Wandering Earth 2 as the leader Zhou Zhezhi, and in Creation of the Gods as King Wen, showing he is still doing great work in his seventies.

Why is Li Xuejian called a great actor?

He is called great because of fifty years of honest and deep performances, from Jiao Yulu to Song Jiang, and his courage in surviving cancer and returning to the screen.

Did Li Xuejian study at a famous drama school?

No, Li Xuejian learned acting by performing in a theatre troupe on small stages in towns and villages, learning his craft the hard way over many years.