He Qing, Actress in All Four Chinese Classics, Dies at 61

Renowned Chinese actress He Qing, 61, who uniquely portrayed characters across all four of China’s Four Great Classical Novels, died peacefully in Beijing on Saturday, her family said. Local reports indicate she had been suffering from an illness before her death.

Fast Facts

• Full name: He Qing — born January 13, 1964, in Jiangshan, Zhejiang Province.
• Age at death: 61; passed away in Beijing and was said to have died peacefully.
• Unique achievement: the only mainland Chinese actress to play roles in screen adaptations of all four of China’s Four Great Classical Novels.
• Notable roles: Lianlian in Journey to the West (1984), Qin Keqing in Dream of the Red Chamber (1988), Xiao Qiao in Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1993).
• Farewell ceremony: scheduled for 10 a.m. on December 15 at Jiu’an Hall, Changping Funeral Home, Beijing.

The Legacy

He Qing trained at the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe and launched her screen career in 1983 with Disciples of Shaolin Temple. Her stage and screen background in Kunqu Opera informed a grace and precision that audiences and critics praised throughout her career.

Her three most widely recognized performances include:

1. Lianlian in Journey to the West (1984) — the role that earned her lasting public affection and the nickname “Sister Lianlian.”
2. Qin Keqing in Dream of the Red Chamber (1988) — a haunting, ill-fated turn that showcased her depth as a dramatic actress.
3. Xiao Qiao in Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1993) — a defining television epic performance that remains one of her signature roles.

She completed the rare quartet by also portraying Li Shishi in Water Margin, cementing her reputation as a “classical beauty icon” and a singular figure in modern Chinese screen adaptations of literary classics.

Social Proof

Tributes poured in from colleagues, scholars and fans. Actor Liu Xiao Ling Tong — a classmate from their days at the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe — wrote on WeChat: “Farewell, classmate He Qing,” recalling her mastery of Kunqu and calling her accomplishments extraordinary. Yu Yong, a research fellow at Nanjing University of the Arts, posted a black-and-white photo and said she died after an illness; that post drew more than 1,000 comments from shocked and grieving netizens.

Online memorials changed rapidly: He Qing’s Baidu Baike page was greyed out and updated to list both her birth and death years, while fan communities and industry peers shared memories of her performances and wished for her peace.

What Comes Next

The family obituary confirms a farewell ceremony at Jiu’an Hall of the Changping Funeral Home in Beijing at 10 a.m. on December 15. Fans and colleagues are expected to gather to honor her life and extraordinary contribution to Chinese opera and screen adaptations of classical literature.

Reported by Global Times; compiled by Death Note Pro.