Gai Jiaotian

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Gai Jiaotian (Chinese: 盖叫天), also known as Zhang Yingjie and Yannan, was born in 1888 in Gaoyang County, Hebei Province.

Gai specialized in the role of Wusheng (male characters who appear in battle scenes). He created a unique Gai style by combining traits from Peking opera, Kunqu and other local operas as well as martial arts.

Gai, who spent most of his career in Shanghai and Hangzhou, was most famous for the role of Wu Song (a fictional hero in the Water Margin, one of the four most famous classical works of Chinese literature).

Gai was granted honorary awards by the Ministry of Culture in 1952 and 1956.

Gai died on January 15, 1971 in Beijing.