Veteran Chinese actor You Benchang, best known for his portrayal of the eccentric Buddhist monk Ji Gong, died in Beijing on Sept. 24 at the age of 93.
China’s National Theatre said You died at 1:40 a.m. in Beijing. He was a retired first-class actor with the theatre and had worked in the performing arts for more than 70 years. His death was also reported by The Epoch Times.
Born on Sept. 16, 1933, in Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, You graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1956 and joined the Central Experimental Theatre, now the National Theatre of China. After decades primarily playing smaller theatrical roles, he gained national recognition in 1985 when, at age 52, he starred as Ji Gong in the television series of the same name. The role made him a household name in mainland China and remained the performance most closely associated with his career.
You continued acting late in life and received renewed attention for playing Ye Shu, or “Uncle,” in the television drama Blossoms Shanghai. He was named a Lifetime Honor Artist by the National Theatre of China in 2021 and received a lifetime achievement award at the China TV Golden Eagle Awards in 2024.
In 2024, You submitted an application to join the Chinese Communist Party. He was approved as a probationary CCP member in May 2025 and took the Party oath the following month at the age of 92, according to CCTV. Chinese leader Xi Jinping subsequently sent him greetings through the CCP’s Organization Department.
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