Cui Wei (1912-1979), originally named Cui Jingwen, was a renowned filming artist and playwright. Born into an impoverished peasant's family, he escaped from the famine in the area and fled toQingdaoin East China'sShandong Provinceat the age of ten. He went to the Qingdao Tobacco Company to work as a child laborer when he was only 12.
Later he pursued his study with the help and support of relatives and friends. While he was studied in Lixian Middle School in Qingdao, he read a number of progressive artistic books and periodicals, which inspired his revolutionary thoughts and pursuit for progressive art.
He wrote trivial verses, and mocked the Nationalist Party's national anthem to oppose the
bloody killing of the communists in 1927. As a result, he was expelled from school. Later he transferred to Qingzhou Middle School. This time he was expelled from the region due to a passage he wrote which uncovered the collusion between the landlords and the brigands that savagely oppressed the peasants in the countryside.
In 1930, he entered the Shandong Provincial Experimental Theater after passing its entrance examination. In 1932, he went back to Qingdao, and took part in the League of Leftist Writers. He also organized a drama house which put on stage many progressive plays that finally led to his arrest by the authorities. In the summer of 1933, he went toBeijingto study. He continued his drama activities, which also laid the foundation for his active drama creation inShanghaifrom 1935.
Email to Friends
Print
Save