Chang Xiangyu

Chang Xiangyu was a Chinese opera actress who performed renditions of the story of Hua Mulan across China in support of the Korean War and who appeared in a 1956 screen adaptation.

On the outbreak of the Korean War, Chang took part in live action performances of Mulan across China to raise funds for a military plane. Along with other opera troops she eventually raised 1.52 billion yuan, enough for one plane. By 1956 the Chinese Communist Party had banned all American films from being imported into China and nationalized the country's film studios so as to produce films with pro-party messages. To tout their gender egalitarian policies, a film about Mulan was made with Chang cast in the lead role.

Later Chang got into politics and was elected to the National People's Congress attending the first three session and then the fifth sixth and seventh. In 1995 she was awarded National Advanced Worker award for her contributions.

Filmography