Chi Zhongrui

In this Chinese name, the family name is Chi.

Chi Chongrui
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 Chongrui (simplified Chinese: 迟重瑞; traditional Chinese: 遲重瑞; pinyin: Chí Chòngruì; born 23 December 1952) is a Chinese actor famous 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

• In 1981, he had his first experience in front of the camera, 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 West.
• 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	English 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
2010	Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West	吴承恩与西游记
2012	Blind Date	喜事连连剩男相亲记	Lao Guan

Film

Year	English title	Chinese title	Role	Notes
1981	Bean Flower
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