Chi Zhongrui

Chi Zhongrui
迟重瑞
Born	(1952-12-23) December 23, 1952 Beijing, China
Alma mater	Shanghai Theater Academy
Occupation(s)	Actor, businessman
Years active	1981 - present
Notable work	Journey to the West
Spouse	Chen Lihua ​ (m. 1990)​

Chi Zhongrui or Chi Chongrui (simplified Chinese: 迟重瑞; traditional Chinese: 遲重瑞; pinyin: Chí Zhòngruì; born 23 December 1952) is a Chinese actor best known for his role as Tang Sanzang in the 1986 television series Journey to the West.

Biography

Early life

Chi was born in a family of Peking opera actors, on December 23, 1952. During the Down to the Countryside Movement, he became a sent-down youth and worked in Heilongjiang Production and Construction Corps, then he became a soldier and serving in Yunan. He entered China Broadcasting Art Troupe while he leaving the Army, two years later, he was accepted to Shanghai Theater Academy. After graduation, he was assigned to China Television Production Center (CTPC) as an actor.

Acting career

He had his first experience in front of the camera in 1981, and he was chosen to act as a support actor in Doulao Kouhua Kai.

In 1982, he made his film debut in Bizhongqing, playing Huanshu.

In 1983, he appeared in Golden Late Autumn and This Is Not A Mistake.

In 1984, he rose to fame after portraying Tang Sanzang in the shenmo television series Journey to the West, adapted from Wu Cheng'en's classical novel of the same title. That same year, he also participated in the spy thriller television series Harbin Enveloped in Darkness.

In 2005, he starred as Jianzhen in the historical television series Journey to the East.

In 2010, he starred opposite Liu Xiao Ling Tong, Ma Dehua, Liu Dagang in Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West.

In 2015, he was cast in the lead role of Tang Sanzang in the Paramount Pictures's production Journey to the West 3D, a 3D Chinese-American action fantasy film adaptation based on the novel of the same name by Wu Cheng'en.

Personal life

In 1990 Chi married Chen Lihua, one of China's richest women.

Works

Television

Year	Title	Chinese Title	Role	Notes
1981	Doulao Kouhua Kai	《豆劳蔻花开》
1984	Journey to the West	《西游记》	Tang Sanzang
	Harbin Enveloped in Darkness	《夜幕下的哈尔滨》	Sai Shangxiao
2007	Journey to the East	《鉴真东渡》	Jianzhen
2012	Blind Date	《喜事连连剩男相亲记》	Lao Guan

Film

Year	Title	Chinese Title	Role	Notes
1982	This Is Not A Mistake.	《这不是误会》
	Bizhongqing	《笔中情》	Huan Shu
1983	Golden Late Autumn	《金色的晚秋》	Du Mingguang
1986	War in North China	《直奉大战》	Li Yanqing
2015	Journey to the West 3D	《敢问路在何方》	Tang Sanzang