Today in history - The Goddess of the Republic of China
"I can't tell my wrongedness if I don't die. I'm dead now, I can always do what he wants. Although you don't kill Boren, Boren will die by you, Zhang Damin I see how you can escape this public opinion. You can never falsely slander Tang Jishan , because you have killed me! When I die now, people must think that I am afraid of sin. Actually, why should I be afraid of? Because I have no place to treat Zhang Damin, I will not be able to live with him. Let me give him 100 yuan a month when I left him. This is not an empty word, but it has evidence and receipt . However, he repays his kindness and repays his kindness with grievances. Even the outside world is unclear, and he thinks that I cannot live with him. Alas! What's the way to think about it? After thinking about it, I can only die. Alas! Why should I cherish it when I die? But I'm still afraid that people's words can be feared, and people's words can be feared."
87 years ago today, Ruan Lingyu committed suicide by taking sleeping pills at home in Shanghai, leaving behind this suicide note. Her death was a sensation, and even five girls chose to follow her and leave the world together because they could not accept the fact that she died.
The goddess Ruan Yuling
Anyone who has known Ruan Lingyu knows that he was the most outstanding actress in the Republic of China period. In her short 25 years of life, she left a glimpse of Chinese film art. In 2005, the 14th Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival named her one of the 100 most outstanding film actors in the history of Chinese films in the century. Why would a superstar like
choose to commit suicide at his best age? There is no reason, just as she said in her suicide note, "People's words are fearful."
The goddess Ruan Yuling
Ruan Lingyu's father died prematurely, and her mother brought her by her side to a wealthy businessman named Zhang in Shanghai to survive. This kind of growth environment made her form a sensitive and strong personality. By 1925, 15-year-old Ruan Lingyu was already a graceful girl. In addition to being beautiful, Ruan Lingyu also has a gentle and feminine taste and is a standard Jiangnan beauty.
At this time, Ruan Lingyu fell in love with Zhang Damin, the fourth young master of a wealthy businessman. Because of the inappropriate family, she was strongly opposed by the Zhang family's parents. The two ran away from home and started living a life of cohabitation.
If the story ends here, what a beautiful love story that breaks through the shackles of class. But if it really ended like this, there wouldn’t be any achievements in Ruan Yuling’s film and television later, and there wouldn’t be that suicide note. The story is destined to be a tragedy.
Ruan Lingyu, Zhang Damin and adopted daughter Xiaoyu
After they lived together independently, Zhang Damin was spoiled since childhood, exaggerated his children, and had no survival skills. The burden of life fell on Ruan Yuling alone. By chance, 16-year-old Ruan Ruyu began to embark on the road of shadow and gradually emerged. In two years, she became famous all over the country and became the most outstanding female star in Shanghai.
Zhang Damin's idle and lingering temperament gradually revealed. Although Ruan Yuling cherishes this relationship very much, Zhang Damin completely regards her as her money tree. He lost all his money at the gambling table and constantly forces Ruan Lingyu to use her pay to help her pay her gambling debts. All Ruan Yuling's fantasies about love and life were torn to pieces by Zhang Damin.
Ruan Lingyu's "Goddess" Stills
1932, January 28th Shanghai Anti-Japanese War broke out. Ruan Lingyu came to Hong Kong to avoid the war and met Tang Jishan, a wealthy businessman who made tea at a dinner party.
Ruan Lingyu, who has been depressed for a long time, meets Tang Jishan, like a long drought and rain. Tang Jishan's romance and concern for him made him determined to leave Zhang Damin and move to a three-story western-style building that Tang Jishan bought on Xinzha Road, , and began to live with him.
The good times didn't last long. Not long after, Ruan Lingyu discovered that she was just one of the preys in Tang Jishan's love field. Tang Jishan not only divorced, but also made a new girlfriend Liang Saizhen. Tang Jishan, who had a new love, gradually neglected Ruan Lingyu, and even humiliated and beat her in public.
Tang Jishan and Ruan Lingyu
Seeing life falling again, Ruan Lingyu felt more and more uneasy. She longed for love and a stable family, and she was extremely eager to change her life.
And at this moment, Cai Chusheng, the third man in Ruan Lingyu's life, appeared.
1935 New Year, Ruan Lingyu starred in the movie "New Women" and got closer and closer to director Cai Chusheng.
Director Cai Chusheng
On the other side, seeing Ruan Lingyu's reputation gradually gained, Zhang Damin's blood-sucking of Ruan Lingyu became more and more inflamed, and Ruan Lingyu's departure made him even more angry.
He found the residence of Ruan Lingyu and Tang Jishan on Xinzha Road and made a big fuss with him.
After some traction, Ruan Lingyu officially terminated her cohabitation relationship with Zhang Damin at the cost of paying Zhang Damin 100 yuan per month. The storm was temporarily calmed down, but the monthly living expenses of 100 yuan were obviously unable to satisfy the prodigal son. Not long after, Zhang Damin sued Ruan Lingyu and Tang Jishan for adultery on the grounds of not admitting the separation agreement of .
Ruan Yuling's stills
The goddess of the Republic of China Ruan Yuling
In order to achieve shameful goals, Zhang Damin used despicable means to threaten Ruan Yuling in the newspaper:
"The story of you sleeping with me at the age of sixteen can definitely compete with her. Do you want me to tell those stories to the reporters of the pornographic tabloids? I am sure that your love history will be sold at a high price."
Under the promotion of reporters and Zhang Damin, Shanghai was in full swing, and news headlines such as 16-year-old living together, adultery, theft, and love history with Tang Jishan.
This is Ruan Yuling's darkest moment. She is lonely and helpless, while Tang Jishan is determined to clear her relationship. He asked Ruan Lingyu to appear in court in an orderly tone and clarify her relationship with Zhang Damin in the newspaper. Tang Jishan's irresponsible attitude made Ruan Lingyu completely desperate.
Ruan Yuling's stills
At this time, she thought of Cai Chusheng, the director Cai who was close to him. He was full of hope for . Cai Chusheng fled Shanghai with her, but seeing Cai Chusheng's pale face and hesitant defense, Ruan Lingyu seemed to see her own bad luck. Cai Chusheng rejected her because of concern for her family (Cai already has an original wife and lives in the countryside for a long time) and reputation.
Starting from the age of sixteen, there are three relationships in total, one forcing, one forcing, one forcing, and one for escaping. Each of them gives her the blooming hope that all turns into heart-wrenching despair in the end.
Late at night on March 7, 1935, Ruan Lingyu chatted and laughed at the party, with a calm expression. At the end, she hugged everyone present.
The banquet ended, and Ruan Lingyu followed Tang Jishan home. On the way home, Tang Jishan kept asking Ruan Lingyu about the court the day after tomorrow. Ruan Lingyu casually returned and said, "I'm tired." When Tang Jishan heard this, she became more angry and slapped her in the face.
In the early morning of March 8, Ruan Lingyu poured all three bottles of sleeping pills prepared in advance into a bowl of porridge.
She looked at the porridge in the bowl, then looked out the dark window, sighed, picked up the bowl, and drank it all in one go.
The movie star Ruan Lingyu died in this way.
Two suicide notes left by Ruan Yuling
