Lu Shuming (Chinese: 陆树铭; 15 August 1956 – 1 November 2022) was a Chinese actor best known for his role as Guan Yu on the 1994 television series Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and also garnered recognition for his roles as Bull Demon King and Li Guang on A Chinese Odyssey (1995) and The Emperor in Han Dynasty (2005), respectively.

Lu Shuming
陆树铭
Born(1956-08-15)15 August 1956
Died1 November 2022(2022-11-01) (aged 66)
Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
OccupationActor
Years active1983–2021
SpouseGao Lan
Children2
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLù Shùmíng

Biography

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Lu was born in Qingdao, Shandong, on 15 August 1956, while his ancestral home is in Yantai.[1] Due to his father having participated in supporting the construction of the northwest China, they relocated to Weinan and then Xi'an in Shaanxi province, where he attended Xi'an Road Primary School and Jiefang Road Middle School. At school, he loved basketball and Beijing Opera.[2]

Lu began his acting career in 1980, when he was accepted to Shaanxi Provincial Drama Troupe, but soon he was forced to leave the stage for falling in love with an actress.[2]

In 1983, Lu was cast as Li Hu in Man in the Desert, making his television debut. In the same year, the Communist government began to crack down on people with "Bad Style" (作风不良).[1][3] Lu was jailed for 16 months for "mental pollution" (精神污染), a "crime" originated from when he danced seven or eight times at his friend's uncle's house.[1][3] He went on to appear in other works, including Sing a Romantic Song for You (1986), Exterminate the Banditi in Western Hunan (1986), and Bleak Youth (1988).[2]

In 1989, he was cast as Qin Shi Huang in A Terra-Cotta Warrior, opposite Zhang Yimou and Gong Li.

Lu gained national fame for his starring role as Guan Yu in the 1994 television series Romance of the Three Kingdoms, adapted from Luo Guanzhong's classical novel of the same title.[4]

He co-starred with Stephen Chow and Ng Man-tat in the 1995 film A Chinese Odyssey as Bull Demon King.[1]

In 1997, he co-starred with Li Jingfei and Sun Yanjun [zh] in the historical television series Sun Wu [zh] as general Wu Zixu.

In 2005, he acted in the historical television series The Emperor in Han Dynasty, playing the role of general Li Guang.[5] That same year, he starred with Du Yulu in The Rice is Ripe.[5]

In 2019, he appeared in Battle Between Song and Liao Dynastles, a historical war film starring Siqin Gaowa.[6]

Lu played a supporting role in the comedy film Stop! Thieves, starring Bruce Leung, Lawrence Ng and Rain Lee and directed by Jacky Zheng.

In 2021, he played the male lead role of Guan Yu in the historical war film Green Dragon Crescent Blade, alongside Kenny Kwan and Jin Song [zh].

Personal life and death

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Lu married opera singer Gao Lan (高岚), with whom he had a son and a daughter.[7][8]

On 1 November 2022, Lu died due to sudden illness in Xi'an, Shaanxi, at the age of 66.[9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
1986 Exterminate the Banditi in Western Hunan 湘西剿匪记 Liu Dazhu
1990 A Terra-Cotta Warrior 秦俑 Qin Shi Huang
1995 A Chinese Odyssey 大话西游之月光宝盒 Bull Demon King
2019 Battle Between Song and Liao Dynastles 大破天门阵 Mu Yu
2020 Stop! Thieves 站住!小偷 Hu Jiuwan
2021 Green Dragon Crescent Blade 青龙偃月刀 Guan Yu
Seven Doors 七扇门 Chang Lezu

Television

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Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
1983 Man in the Desert 大漠中的男人 Li Hu
未粉刷完的墙壁 Bicycle coach
1986 Sing a Romantic Song for You 为君唱首风流歌 Road builder
1994 Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三国演义 Guan Yu
1997 Sun Wu [zh] 孙武 Wu Zixu
2005 The Emperor in Han Dynasty 汉武大帝 Li Guang
The Rice is Ripe 谷穗黄了 Fan Tianbao
Fight Against Evil 阻击罪恶 An Ke
2006 Grassland Sentiment 草原情
2011 Strange Destiny of Fragrant Hills 香山奇缘 King Miaozhuang
2015 The Legendary Broadsword 大刀记 Wang Shenghe

Stages

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Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
1988 Bleak Youth 苍凉青春 Erwanzi
1989 Vortex in Spring Tide 大潮中的漩涡 Li Banzheng
1999 In This Family 在这个家庭里 Master Huang
Xuanyuan Huangdi 轩辕黄帝 Emperor Huangdi
2009 Zhong Kui 钟馗 Zhong Kui

Song

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  • A Pot of Old Wine (一壶老酒) (2015)

Book

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  • 我遇关公 [I met Guan Gong] (in Chinese). Shanghai: Oriental Publishing House. 2016. ISBN 9787506083652.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Zhong Yi (钟一) (2016). 陆树铭“关公附体”之后 [After Lu Shuming's "Guan Gong Attachment"]. Times Figure (in Chinese). 6. Xi'an, Shaanxi: Times Figure Publishing House: 28–35. ISSN 1674-0645.
  2. ^ a b c Lu, Shuming (2018). 我演关公 关公塑我 [I Portray Guan Gong, and Guan Gong Shapes Me]. Beiguang People (in Chinese). Chengdu, Sichuan: Beiguang People Publishing House: 9–12.
  3. ^ a b Qian Yi (千一) (23 December 2015). “关公”陆树铭发布新书 首次披露当年入狱细节. Sohu (in Chinese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  4. ^ Liu Chenjun (刘臣君) (1 August 2007). 访老《三国演义》演员 陆树铭:演关羽此生足矣. sina (in Chinese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b Cai Yifang (蔡怡枋) (1 July 2004). “关二爷”陆树铭点评众星(图). sina (in Chinese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  6. ^ Zhang Nan (张楠) (4 May 2017). 《大破天门阵》开机斯琴高娃陆树铭携众主创到场. 163.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  7. ^ 老版《三国》“关羽”儿子曝近照帅气随爹. sina (in Chinese). 18 December 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  8. ^ Yi Yi (一一) (2022). “关羽”陆树铭:浪子回头真爱“定情鱼” ["Guan Yu" Lu Shuming, a prodigal becomes good]. Bosom Friend (in Chinese). 448. Wuhan, Hubei: Hubei Zhiyin Media Group Co., Ltd.: 19–21. ISSN 1007-502X.
  9. ^ 《三国演义》关羽扮演者陆树铭去世 享年66岁. sina (in Chinese). 1 November 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.