Li Yugang

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Li Yugang

| image = Li Yugang as Yang Guifei.jpg

| alt = Yang Guifei in "Portrait of Four Beauties.(2011)

| caption = Yang Guifei in "Portrait of Four Beauties.(2011)

| native_name = {{nobold|李玉刚}}

| native_name_lang = zh-hans

| birth_name = Li Gang ({{lang|zh|李刚}})

| alias = Mr. Yu ({{lang|zh|玉先生}})

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|07|23}}

| birth_place = Gongzhuling, Jilin, China

| genre = {{hlist| Beijing opera | Mandopop }}

| occupation = Singer, stage actor

| instrument = Vocals

| years_active = 2006–present

| label = Jade ({{lang|zh|玉泽东方}})

| website = https://weibo.com/n/李玉刚

| module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes

| s= 李玉刚

| t= 李玉剛

| p = Lǐ Yùgāng

}}

Li Yugang ({{zh|c=李玉刚|p=Lǐ Yùgāng}}; born July 23, 1978) is a Chinese singer, artist, the soloist of [http://www.cnoddt.com/ China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater] and national first class actor. He specialises in "nándàn" (男旦) roles, which is male who plays female role in Peking opera and is also known for his ability to sing in both male and female voices. Li has released a number of CDs.

Today, the range of Li Yugang's influence extends far beyond the entertainment world, opening up new dialogues among critics of contemporary music, theatre and aesthetics, and has become an icon in China's contemporary cultural scene.

Beyond his professional and international accolades, Li is known as a celebrity in his own hometown, Gongzhuling in Jilin, and is respected for his generous donations and help to local charity organisations, especially in education.

A very modest man who is aware that he has not had the rigorous training of traditional Peking opera, he is constantly studying and passionately committed to make China's rich cultural heritage accessible both to the young generation and to audiences around the world.

Early life

Li was born into a farming family in Jilin province in 1978. His parents were too poor to send him to college even though he was accepted by the provincial Art College. He worked in various jobs in Changchun after finishing high school.{{cite news |url=https://gbtimes.com/rising-chinese-opera-star-li-yugang |title=Rising Chinese opera star: Li Yugang |author=Chang Lu |date= December 16, 2012 |work=GBTimes}}

Li went to Xi'an to work as a waiter in an entertainment club after he became jobless in Changchun for a full year. He was fascinated by the singers whom he came across for the first time in his life. Soon, he was allowed to sing a few songs and became a club singer. His breakthrough came when one day a female colleague didn't show up and he had to take her place singing in female voice. "That's how I started with female roles" recalled Li Yugang. His talent to sing both male and female voices impressed the audience. The owner of the establishment hired him full-time and he started to have a proper job. From 1998 to 2006, he began to be trained professionally and to develop his singing and acting in nan dan (male plays female role in Peking Opera).

Career

File:P7301085 copy 2.jpg

= Early years =

In 2006, Li came to prominence after he came third in the Star Boulevard ({{lang|zh|星光大道}}), a nationwide talent competition programme on CCTV.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-vA7w3e1YR0C&pg=PA92 |title=The Soul of Beijing Opera: Theatrical Creativity and Continuity in the Changing World |author= Ruru Li |page=98 |publisher= Hong Kong University Press |year= 2010|isbn=978-9622099951 }} His performance in "Farewell My Concubine" ({{lang|zh|霸王别姬}}) and "The Drunken Beauty" ({{lang|zh|贵妃醉酒}}), both from the famous Peking Opera made him an overnight sensation. He became a highly sought-after performer afterwards.

The following year, Li became an unprecedented success when he gave his first solo performance in Beijing: "Where Flowers are Unbounded" ({{lang|zh|凡花无界}}). In April 2008, Li made a special performance in the "2008 United Nations Spring Cultural Festival" at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.{{Cite web |title=中国青年表演艺术家李玉刚个人资料及其简介-搜狐娱乐 |url=http://yule.sohu.com/20101216/n278342337_1.shtml |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=yule.sohu.com}} In 2009, he was invited to join the "China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater" and was awarded "National First-Class Actor"(National Treasure).{{cite web |url=http://www.china.org.cn/culture/2009-03/11/content_17421168.htm |title=National company signs Li Yugang |work=China Daily |date=March 11, 2009 |publisher=China.org.cn }} In that same year, Li Yugang was invited to perform at Sydney Opera House in Australia, the second Chinese artist to have done so, and was awarded Southern Cross Gold Prize for Culture by the Australian Government.

= Stage =

For stage performance, Li created "Flower in Mirror, Moon in Water" ({{lang|zh|镜花水月)}} in 2010 and "The Painting of Four Beauties" ({{lang|zh|四美图)}} in 2011. Together he performed over 100 shows in the country and internationally. In 2015, Li Yugang directed and starred in his own stage masterpiece "Lady Zhaojun" ({{lang|zh|昭君出塞)}}, a grand Oriental Poetic Stage production which took him three years in preparation.{{cite web |author=Chen Nan |date=2011-09-06 |title=The MAN behind the WOMEN |url=http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2011-09/06/content_13629929.htm |work=China Daily}} "Lady Zhaojun" premiered in Beijing on April 16–19, 2015.

On 26 April 2019, a brand-new musical adaptation of "Lady Zhaojun" premiered at Beijing Tianqiao Art Center, and then launched a global tour in June. As of 8 Dec. 2019, "Lady Zhaojun" has toured 46 performances at home and abroad.{{Cite web |title=诗意歌舞剧《昭君出塞》世界巡演启动仪式在京举行-新华网 |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-04/18/c_1124385824.htm |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=www.xinhuanet.com}}

In 2023, "Lady Zhaojun" plans to restart the tour.{{Cite web |title=2023我们剧场见！ |url=https://weibo.com/2276768594/Mnlcr88ak |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=Li Yugang Art Studio(李玉刚艺术工作室)}}

= Music =

In 2010, Li Yugang released his debut album "The New Drunken Beauty" ({{lang|zh|新贵妃醉酒)}}, and then released "Dream-chasing Chant" ({{lang|zh|逐梦令}}) and "Lotus" ({{lang|zh|莲花)}}. In 2014, the Rhymoi Music company released Li Yugang's "Once Upon a Time in Shanghai" ({{lang|zh|民国旧梦)}} CD album.

On 10 November 2016, the single "Happened to meet you" ({{Lang|zh|剛好遇見你}}) was released for the 10th anniversary of his debut and the self-titled album was released in 2017. "Happened to meet you" stayed on the music charts for 10 weeks, and the music video for the song reached over 100 million views on YouTube. After that, he started the tour of "Li Yugang's 10-year Classic Concert" ({{Lang|zh|李玉剛十年經典演唱會}}) on 17 Dec. 2016.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-03 |title=李玉刚《刚好遇见你》首发演唱会将在京开唱_娱乐_腾讯网 |url=https://ent.qq.com/a/20161111/033083.htm |access-date=2023-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203170426/https://ent.qq.com/a/20161111/033083.htm |archive-date=2021-02-03 }}

By now(2023), Li Yugang has released nearly a hundred singles, mainly in Chinese style. He has also blended variety styles like R&B, rap and electronic elements into his music.

= Cross-Border =

In addition to being a stage actor and singer, Li Yugang has also branched out into writing, planning and holding cultural gatherings, promotion of ceramic culture, and film director.

In November 2016, his first literary work "The beauty I met" ({{Lang|zh|玉見之美}}) which recorded his pilgrimage to China's intangible cultural heritage with words and pictures was published.{{Cite web |title=李玉刚首部文字作品《玉见之美》出版：深度呈现传统文化之美 |url=http://culture.taiwan.cn/lawhsx/201611/t20161103_11612438.htm |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=culture.taiwan.cn}} At the end of 2016, Li 's art space "Jade Space" ({{Lang|zh|玉空間}}) was completed in Beijing, extending his love and obsession with traditional culture from stage art to life aesthetics.{{Cite web |last=新京报 |date=2020-09-28 |title=李玉刚举办茶事雅集，茶文化中融入古琴、昆曲、京剧等艺术 |url=https://k.sina.cn/article_1644114654_61ff32de0200139a8.html?from=news&subch=onews |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=k.sina.cn}} In May 2021, after the "Jade Space" in Beijing and Suzhou, Li Yugang's porcelain culture-themed art space - "Jade Workshop" ({{lang|zh|玉工坊}}) was unveiled in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province.{{Cite web |title=当李玉刚邂逅千年瓷都，用「玉工坊」书写瓷玉墨香_玉先生 |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/www.sohu.com/a/467579069_120619310 |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=www.sohu.com}}

In 2019, the short film "A Date After Twilight", Li directed and starred, was set as the opening film of the 86358 Short Film Exchange Week hosted by Jia Zhangke Art Center.{{Cite web |last=sina_mobile |date=2019-08-05 |title=李玉刚导演处女作《人约黄昏后》86358电影周开幕片 |url=https://k.sina.cn/article_5626541356_14f5e352c00100jkg6.html |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=k.sina.cn}} On 30 March 2023, Li has begun filming his feature directorial debut "Nostalgia in the Cloud" ({{lang|zh|雲上的雲}}).{{Cite web |title=李玉刚电影导演处女作《云上的云》开机 "我为电影准备了十多年"_YNET.com北青网 |url=http://ent.ynet.com/2023/03/30/3605508t1254.html |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=ent.ynet.com}}

Stage works

2010 "Flower in Mirror, Moon in Water" ({{lang|zh|镜花水月}}){{Cite web |last=李齐 |title=Cross-dressing sensation marches on despite controversies |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201904/25/WS5cc101baa3104842260b82ea.html |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn}}
2011 "The Painting of Four Beauties" ({{lang|zh|四美图}})
2012 "The new Flower in Mirror, Moon in Water" ({{lang|zh|新镜花水月}})
2019 "Lady Zhaojun" ({{lang|zh|昭君出塞}}){{Cite web |last=susanfarese |date=2019-11-07 |title=Chinese Theatrical Production "Lady Zhaojun" Premieres in San Diego 12/1 and 12/2 Starring Multi-Award Singer Li Yugang |url=https://sjfcommunications.com/2019/11/07/chinese-opera-dance-lady-zhaojun-li-yugang-san-diego/ |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=SJF Communications- 'Creative Ideas {{!}} Dynamic Results' |language=en-US}}

Director's works

class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| width="15%" |Year

| width="15%" |Title

| width="25%" |English Title

| width="25%" |Credited as

| width="30%" |Type

2023

|align="left"|雲上的雲

|align="left"|Nostalgia In The Clouds

|align="left"|Director, Writer, Actor

|Feature film

2019

|align="left"|人約黃昏後

|align="left"|A Date After Twilight

|align="left"|Director, Actor

|Short film

2017

|align="left"|般若號角

|align="left"|Prajna Horn

|align="left"|Director, Actor

|Musical

2015

|align="left"|昭君出塞

|align="left"|Lady Zhaojun

|align="left"|Director, Actor

|Musical

Discography

= Singles =

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2024

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2024-02-05

|長春

|Chang-Chun

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2023

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2023-09-29

|九州

|Nine Provinces

align="center" |2023-09-27

|絶色江西

|Stunning Jiangxi

align="center" |2023-06-09

|刻木成香

|Memories of Woodcarving

align="center" |2023-03-31

|刚好遇见你 - 长安幻想

|Happened to Meet You - Chang'an Fantasy

align="center" |2023-01-20

|豫見

|*Encounter Henan

align="center" |2023-01-01

|山河一脈

|*China

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2022

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2022-12-22

|暖暖

|Warm

align="center" |2022-12-19

|故人酒

|Wine for Old Friends

align="center" |2022-09-17

|心憂天下

|Worried about the World

align="center" |2022-09-12

|賦得古原草送別

|Ode to Farewell in the Ancient Grassland

align="center" |2022-09-02

|阿里郎回故鄉

|*Arirang

align="center" |2022-08-17

|鷓鴣天杯滄海

|Partridge Sky

align="center" |2022-06-08

|瓷語

|Porcelain's Talk

align="center" |2022-06-03

|四方明月

|Moonlight Everywhere

align="center" |2022-05-21

|繞

|Winding

align="center" |2022-04-28

|誅仙忘塵

| ZhuXian - Forget the Mundane World

align="center" |2022-04-27

|把酒問月

|Ask the Moon With a Cup of Wine in Hand

align="center" |2022-04-22

|姑蘇

|Gu-Su

align="center" |2022-04-04

|清明客

|Missing my hometown on Qingming Festival

align="center" |2022-03-05

|新霸王別姬

|New Farewell My Concubine

align="center" |2022-02-21

|羽生

|Feather Falls for Rebirth

align="center" |2022-01-27

|世界飛馳吧

|*Fly Me to the World

align="center" |2022-01-22

|窗花

|Paper-cut for Window Decoration

align="center" |2022-01-21

|青城不老

|*Qing-Cheng

align="center" |2022-01-15

|華夏

|Hua-Xia

align="center" |2022-01-01

|長安行

|Changan Trip

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2021

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2021-12-15

|追風趕月的你

|You who Chase the Wind and the Moon

align="center" |2021-11-25

|定風波

|Calming the Storm

align="center" |2021-11-23

|東方不敗

|*Swordsman

align="center" |2021-11-22

|經山海

|Traveling through The Classic of Mountains and Seas

align="center" |2021-10-31

|俠客行

|Ode to Gallantry

align="center" |2021-09-25

|水調歌頭·遊覽

|Prelude To Water Melody-Tour

align="center" |2021-09-17

|天下大足

|Da-zu

align="center" |2021-09-12

|赤伶(交響樂版)

|The Red Actors(Symphony Edition)

align="center" |2021-08-26

|一場煙雨

|*Misty Rain

align="center" |2021-08-07

|一剪梅

|*A Spray of Plum Blossoms

align="center" |2021-07-03

|畫眸

|Painting Eyes

align="center" |2021-07-01

|記號

|Sign

align="center" |2021-06-09

|歸夢長

|Homecoming Dream

align="center" |2021-05-04

|萬疆

|Vast Territory

align="center" |2021-04-08

|將軍嘆

|General's Sigh

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2020

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2020-12-11

|霓裳飛花

|Rainbow Skirts Flying Flowers

align="center" |2020-12-08

|古都風色

|*Ancient Densing

align="center" |2020-11-27

|一念拂曉

|Dawning in a Moment

align="center" |2020-11-02

|茉莉茶歌

|The Song of Jasmine Tea

align="center" |2020-10-21

|滿弦

|Full Moon

align="center" |2020-10-03

|月半望雲山

|Look Over the Cloud-covered Mountains with a Full Moon

align="center" |2020-09-24

|紅昭愿

|Zhaojun's Wishes

align="center" |2020-09-11

|花木蘭

|*Mulan

align="center" |2020-08-08

|遇見桑羅

|Meet SANGLUO

align="center" |2020-07-31

|黍離

|Lush Broomcorn Millet

align="center" |2020-07-18

|昭君出塞

|Zhaojun Goes Out of The Frontier

align="center" |2020-06-29

|無塵

|Out of the World

align="center" |2020-06-17

|白首

|*Growing Old Together

align="center" |2020-06-17

|赤伶

|The Red Actors

align="center" |2020-05-14

|將進酒

|Invitation to Wine

align="center" |2020-05-06

|落緣

|Lost Fate

align="center" |2020-04-18

|清明上河圖

|Along the River During the Qingming Festival

align="center" |2020-04-17

|善念起

|Right Mindfulness Arise

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2019

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2019-12-20

|七子新歌

|*New Song of Seven Sons

align="center" |2019-10-27

|夢回誅仙

|Dream back to ZhuXian

align="center" |2019-09-08

|浮雲散

|Floating Clouds Parted

align="center" |2019-07-23

|長春

|*Chang-Chun

align="center" |2019-05-08

|我只在乎你

|*I Only Care About You

align="center" |2019-04-06

|和項王歌

|Ode to Emperor Xiang

align="center" |2019-02-19

|梨花頌

|Ode to Pear Blossoms

align="center" |2019-01-24

|傳人

|Heirs

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2018

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2018-12-21

|月兒彎彎

|*Curvy Moon

align="center" |2018-11-29

|夜將至

|*Nightfall

align="center" |2018-11-28

|蝶戀

|Butterfly Love

align="center" |2018-10-31

|遇見旗袍

|*Meet Cheongsam

align="center" |2018-09-24

|我一直在這裏

|*I've Been Here

align="center" |2018-06-02

|菩提

|Bodhi

align="center" |2018-05-26

|陌上風雅

|Field Elegance

align="center" |2018-04-18

|花魁

|Oiran

align="center" |2018-04-09

|如初

|As Beginning

align="center" |2018-04-03

|寶頂之巔

|Top of Bao-Ding Mountain

align="center" |2018-02-27

|獨孤天下

|*The Legent of Du-gu

class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" width="100%" style="text-align:left"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| colspan="3" align="center"|2012-2017

width="15%" align="center" |Date

| width="20%" align="center" |Title

| align="center" |Eng. Title

align="center" |2017-11-03

|天地有靈

|Animism

align="center" |2016-12-10

|天池南

|South of Heaven Lake

align="center" |2016-01-19

|國色天香(對唱版)

|National Beauty (Duet Version)

align="center" |2015-02-12

|李

|Li

align="center" |2015-01-19

|再見，貝兒

|Farewell, Bei-Er

align="center" |2014-01-24

|國色天香

|National Beauty

align="center" |2014-01-22

|日日紅上海

|Shanghai Memory

align="center" |2014-01-22

|于是探戈

|Let's Tango

align="center" |2014-01-22

|與天使同在

|Be with angels

align="center" |2012-02-28

|雨花石

|Yuhua Stone

(English titles with "*" are from the official.)

= Studio albums =

class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| width="15%" |Date

| width="35%" |Title

| width="50%" |Literal English Translation

2021-09-15

|align="left"|《李玉剛合輯》

|align="left"|Li Yugang Compilation

2021-08-26

|align="left"|《李玉剛懷舊集》

|align="left"|Li Yugang Nostalgic Collection

2017-04-05

|align="left"|《剛好遇見你》

|align="left"|Happened to Meet You

2014-12-04

|align="left"|《蓮花》

|align="left"|The Lotus

2014-11-11

|align="left"|《民國舊夢》

|align="left"|Once upon A Time in Shanghai

2011-12-15

|align="left"|《逐夢令》

|align="left"|Dream-chasing Chant

2010-12-28

|align="left"|《新貴妃醉酒》

|align="left"|The New Drunken Beauty (Drunken Concubine)

2010-12-22

|align="left"|《嫦娥奔月》

|align="left"|Chang’e Flying to the Moon

2010-01-01

|align="left"|《遊園驚夢》

|align="left"|Startling Dream (Peony Pavilion)

= EP =

class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| width="15%" |Date

| width="35%" |Title

| width="50%" |Literal English Translation

2022-11-04

|align="left"|《追風趕月的你》

|align="left"|You who Chase the Wind and the Moon

2021-08-10

|align="left"|《四美圖》

|align="left"|The Painting of Four Beauties

2018-11-07

|align="left"|《禪意三部曲》

|align="left"|*Buddhist Mood Trilogy

2015-02-13

|align="left"|《李》

|align="left"|Li

= Live album of Musical =

class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"

style="background:#00B0FF; color:white "

| width="15%" |Date

| width="35%" |Title

| width="50%" |Literal English Translation

2012-12-26

|align="left"|《新镜花水月》2012全国巡演原声大碟

|align="left"|"New Flower in Mirror, Moon in Water" 2012 National Tour Original Soundtrack (CD)

2011-12-15

|align="left"|《四美圖》國家大劇院首演實況DVD

|align="left"|"The Painting of Four Beauties" Live DVD Premiere at the National Center for the Performing Arts

2011-05-23

|align="left"|《鏡花水月》李玉剛新春演歌會

|align="left"|" Flower in Mirror, Moon in Water" Chinese New Year Concert (DVD)

2011-05-03

|align="left"|《镜花水月》演歌會原聲大碟

|align="left"|"Flower in Mirror, Moon in Water" Concert Original Soundtrack (CD)

2011-04-20

|align="left"|《鏡花水月》2010全球巡演日本演歌會

|align="left"|"Flower in Mirror, Moon in Water" 2010 World Tour in Japan (DVD)

References

External links

{{Weibo|id=liyugang}}
[https://space.bilibili.com/85318798/ Li Yugang's space on Bilibili]
{{Youtube|handle=cnliyugang|title=Li Yugang's Official}}
{{YouTube|channel=UCD0BuxpesH4Pft3ApZFDAYw|title=Li Yugang-Topic}}
{{YouTube|playlist=PLYLRBLLKpj7ZILhkaohwdh4eUFV28GNrM|title=China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater- Artists {{!}} 中國歌劇舞劇院-艺术家}}
{{YouTube|show=|title=李玉剛-剛好遇見你（Happened to meet you）|id=aa2AhDaK_iY}}
[https://www.facebook.com/100044640034702/ 李玉剛全球歌友會 Li Yugang Global Fan Club (Facebook)]
[http://www.cctv.com/tvonline/special/C16965/02/ CCTV-星播客-男扮女装李玉刚]

Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Chinese male singers

Category:Singers from Jilin

Category:People from Siping