Likun Yang(1942-2000)
- Actress
Yang Likun was born in a family of 11 children (she's number 9, hence
the nickname "Xiaojiuer", i.e., "Little Nine"). She joined Yunnan
Province Singing & Dancing Troupe at the tender age of 11. She had only
appeared in two musicals, Five Golden Flowers (1958) and Ashima (1964),
and yet she became Judy Garland of China at her time. Unfortunately,
early fame brought her trouble during the Cultural Revoluation as she
was accused for being anti-revolutionary, tortured and turned insane.
She entered a mental hospital in 1970 when she was only 28 - and she
was unable to return to show business after that. After her death, two
tombs were erected in Shanghai and Kunming respectively, each burying
half of her ashes.
