Weng Ouhong

Also known as Weng Linsheng · Pen name Ouhong (lotus red) · Studio name Liuxi Zhai

Weng Ouhong, born Weng Linsheng, was a native of Beijing. He first wrote under the name Ouhong meaning lotus red, later changed to the homophone meaning chance rainbow, and named his studio after six pursuits: watching, learning, writing, staging, discussing and painting opera. From 1930 he taught part-time at the China Opera Academy, and from 1934 he worked as a playwright and director. The Unicorn Purse, which he wrote for Cheng Yanqiu, premiered at the Golden Theatre in Shanghai in 1940. His other well-known plays include Zhou Ren Presents His Sister-in-Law, General and Minister Reconciled, The Story of the Highwayman, Havoc in Heaven, Li Kui Visits His Mother and The Red Lantern. After 1949 he was a playwright at a Peking opera company in Beijing until he retired in 1974. Starting as an amateur who painted his own face makeup, he collected, copied and designed painted faces for roles, set the makeup of Tan Daoji for Ma Lianliang's staging of The Spring and Autumn Brush, and compiled albums of painted faces. His books include a memoir of his playwriting career, collected essays on opera and selected plays.