Guo Qiru facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guo Qiru
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| Born | 12 April 1900 |
| Died | 24 April 1969 (aged 69) Beijing, China
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| Occupation | Xiangsheng performer |
| Years active | 1925–1969 |
Guo Qiru (simplified Chinese: 郭启儒; traditional Chinese: 郭啟儒; pinyin: Guō Qǐrú; 1900 – 1969) was a famous Chinese xiangsheng performer. Xiangsheng is a popular type of Chinese comedy. It often involves two performers telling jokes and funny stories.
Contents
The Life of Guo Qiru
Early Life and Education
Guo Qiru was born on April 12, 1900, in Beijing, China. His family was not wealthy. He was part of the Manchu ethnic group. The Manchu are a group of people native to Northeast Asia.
Guo went to an old-style private school for about six years. These schools taught traditional Chinese subjects.
Starting His Performance Career
In 1923, Guo Qiru joined a group called Hongkuishe (鸿奎社). This was a place where he began to learn about traditional Chinese opera. Chinese opera combines music, singing, acting, and acrobatics.
By 1925, Guo decided to focus on xiangsheng. He studied under a teacher named Liu Dezhi (刘德智). This made him a fifth-generation xiangsheng performer. This means he was part of a long line of students learning from masters.
Becoming Well-Known
Guo Qiru became very famous in 1940. This was when he started performing xiangsheng with Hou Baolin. Hou Baolin was another very popular xiangsheng artist. Their performances together were a big hit.
They often performed for important events. In 1951, Guo and Hou Baolin performed for soldiers. This was a special "gratitude performance" for those fighting in the Korean War. Later, in 1954, they gave another gratitude performance in Tibet.
Guo Qiru passed away in 1969. He is remembered as an important figure in Chinese comedy.
