Jun Pin Talk | You Benchang: Use a innocent heart to demonstrate the way to save the world

From the stage to the screen, from "Jigong Living Buddha" to the uncle in "Fanhua",

He is not only a first-class actor at the National Theater of China, but also an artist with both virtue and art in the hearts of hundreds of millions of viewers.

He interprets compassion with his innocent heart and protects the warmth of the world with artistic ideals.

His life is the true mark left by the "gentleman" character in light, shadow and time.

With your true self, respect your virtue. The fifth season of the large-scale cultural IP program "Junpintan", jointly produced by Phoenix.com and Guizhou Xijiu, will be in the fifth season of this episode. This episode will talk to You Benchang, a first-class actor of the National Theater of China, and enter his artistic life with sincerity.

Artistic life: Perseverance and exploration from stage to screen

"From pantomime to Jigong, from Jigong to uncle, and from uncle to Jigong and grandfather, another era has passed, and it seems that a lifetime has passed." At the beginning of the interview, Teacher You Benchang reviewed his artistic career in this way. For the 92-year-old, stage and screen are not only career choices, but also lifelong beliefs and practices.

You Benchang was born in Jiangsu in 1933. He was in the War of Resistance Against Japan when he was a teenager. That personal experience of the nation's peril made him sow the seeds of "awakening people's hearts with literature and art" in his heart early. He once admitted: "Some people don't want to live like this, so I especially admired Lin Zexu and Sun Yat-sen at that time." Art and family and country have never been separated in his life.

After entering the National Theater of China, he started as a pantomime actor and gradually emerged in the performance field with his keen physical expression and stage skills. But what really made him famous was the TV series "Jigong" in the 1980s. In that era when there were few characters on the screen, the "Living Buddha Jigong" he portrayed became a classic in the hearts of hundreds of millions of viewers with his crazy behavior, innocent heart and a fight against injustice in the world.

"Premier Zhou once commented that Jigong was 'in charge of injustice in the world', and this sentence was his core." You Benchang said. He firmly believes that the power of a character is not just entertainment, but guiding people's hearts and conveying value.

After becoming famous, he did not choose to follow the trend, but took the initiative to put down some of the invitations to the role and devote more energy to teaching, drama creation and charity. His family once felt that he was "a bit out of the way" and even "is not the mainstream in the entertainment industry." But he always insisted that real art is not about pursuing fame and fortune, but about shaping spiritual strength. "He would rather think about what he likes at home." It was this kind of courage that allowed him to embark on a "non-mainstream" but more profound artistic path.

Jigong Spirit: Transforming people's hearts and the road to public welfare

"Don't think about how to guide people's hearts, and transform yourself into your hearts. This is the most important thing." This is a sentence that You Benchang often talks about. For him, Jigong is not only a classic character on the screen, but also a core of his artistic life and values.

In 2018, You Benchang initiated the establishment of the "Zhejiang Jigong Public Welfare Foundation", hoping to use this platform to continue the spirit of "helping the world to the public" to reality. His family once worried that this was an "idealized" move: the foundation is not like a company, it must have a professional team and long-term investment, but You Benchang insisted on doing it. He said that the spirit of Jigong cannot just stay in drama, but should be transformed into actions and become a bridge to help others.

The foundation was almost exclusively maintained in its early stages of its establishment. However, as practice advances, it gradually enters the countryside, promotes art and aesthetic education for left-behind children, and uses the "art" project as the cycle, and continuously optimizes the "viability" of the foundation's operation. You Benchang believes that drama education can change children's mental state, "even if parents are not around, children can feel fulfilled and happy through art." In Qinghai, a child with average academic performance was inspired by playing the Air Force in a dramatic performance. Since then, he has determined to apply for the Air Force school and his academic performance has also improved by leaps and bounds. "This is the magical power of drama." You Benchang sighed.

This spirit of "focusing on injustice in the world" is not only reflected in public welfare, but also throughout his daily life. He once went to Tibet with the Central Delegation on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet. When he first saw the Potala Palace, he was shocked and immediately donated a sum of money: "I can't help but want to add bricks and tiles to the Potala Palace." In his opinion, charity is not a form, but a kindness and responsibility that surges from the heart.

The way of a gentleman: the heart of a child and the great wish of life

This year, 92-year-old You Benchang took the oath to join the party. Some people wonder: "Why did 'Jigong' You Benchang join the party?" In response, his answer was firm and simple: "Jigong is not for personal gain, but for the public; party members serve the people, which is exactly the same as my belief."

For him, the meaning of life always lies in the "future". He had survived a life-and-death crisis on his sickbed, and his family chose to respect his wishes and not invasive treatment. After miraculously recovering, he said, "God must have something that I haven't finished."

And his definition of "unfinished" is not personal honor, but contribution to the country and society. "The greater the power of wish, the stronger the vitality will be, and no one can take it away." He firmly believed that life will never be destroyed because of the great wish.

He often uses pine trees to describe himself: "The pine squeezed out from the cracks of the stones has strong vitality." He hopes that young people can also learn to stand up like pine trees, and stick to their true hearts no matter what the environment is.

You Benchang's life is like the symphony of Schubert's "Unfinished" that he quotes: always on the road, always facing the future. His art does not ignite the heart lamp for pursuing fame and fortune; his life does not fulfil personal things, but to help the world and the public. This is exactly the "gentleman spirit" paid tribute to "Jun Pintan".

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He is not afraid of vulgarity and insists on pursuing truth, goodness and beauty on the stage; he does not care about gains and losses, and is willing to continue the spark of culture with his vitality. As he said, "The greater the power of wishes, the stronger the vitality." This is his gentleman's way.

"Junpintan", jointly produced by Phoenix.com and Guizhou Xijiu, pays tribute to You Benchang, to everyone who warms people's hearts with art, and to every gentleman who upholds faith and saves the world: May we keep our sincerity in the flow of time and convey warmth in the tide of the times. Pay tribute to a bright life with the way of a gentleman.