# He Saifei

He Saifei (born 11 April 1963) is a Chinese actress of film and television, as well as a celebrated Yue opera performer of dan (female) roles. Internationally, she is best known for playing supporting roles in period films like Raise the Red Lantern (1991) and Temptress Moon (1996).
He Saifei is the most famous disciple of Yue opera star Zhang Yunxia.

## Early life

He Saifei was born in 1963 in an island in Daishan County, Zhoushan off the coast of mainland Zhejiang province. She has two sisters. When she was 3, the Cultural Revolution began. In 1967, her father was attacked and sent to the countryside. Her parents divorced, and Saifei lived with one parent while her two sisters lived with another, with no contact between them. After the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976, Yue opera (also known as Yue opera) gradually regained its popularity following a decade of ruinous destruction. When He Saifei was about 16, she successfully auditioned for a Yue opera troupe in Daishan. There she met a slightly younger girl who was also very interested in joining. Neither knew at first, but it turned out that the girl Xia Saili (夏赛丽) was none other than her long-lost sister. After some initial discomfort, they became very close and encouraged each other. In 1983–84, both made the newly established Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe, which, consisting entirely of young girls would immediately take the Yue opera world by storm. He Saifei studied under the master Zhang Yunxia and specialized in Dan (female) roles. Xia Saili specialized in Sheng (mainly male scholar) roles, and as a result often portrayed her sister's lover on stage. Another of He Saifei's frequent on-stage partner was Mao Weitao.

## Early career

In 1984, the Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe girls starred in the opera film Five Daughters Offering Felicitations (五女拜壽), which became a big national hit and won Best Opera Film (a new award category) at the 5th Golden Rooster Awards. In 1985, He Saifei and Mao Weitao reenacted a scene live at the CCTV New Year's Gala, China's most watched annual television event. This would be the first of He Saifei's four Yue opera appearances on CCTV New Year's Gala (excluding more performances on CCTV New Year's Opera Gala). Soon enough, He Saifei and four other girls from Xiaobaihua — Mao Weitao, He Ying (何英), Fang Xuewen (方雪雯), and Dong Kedi (董柯娣) — emerged as young celebrities, and they were together dubbed the "Five Golden Flowers" (五朵金花) of Yue opera.

## Personal life

She has one son, born in 1998.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | English title | Original title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Five Daughters Offering Felicitations | 五女拜壽 | Cuiyun | Yue opera film |
| 1987 | Two Dowagers | 兩宮皇太后 | Zijuan | |
| 1988 | Tang Bohu | 唐伯虎 | Shen Jiuniang | Yue opera film |
| 1990 | Iron & Silk | Iron & Silk | Yue opera actress | English-language film |
| 1991 | Raise the Red Lantern | 大紅燈籠高高掛 | Mei Shan | |
| 1995 | Blush | 紅粉 | Xiao'e | |
| 1995 | Armed Working Team Behind Enemy Lines | 敵後武工隊 | Xiaohongyun | |
| 1995 | The Wandering Songstress | 天涯歌女 | Xiaohong | |
| 1996 | Temptress Moon | 風月 | Lin Xiuyi | |
| 1999 | Something About Secret | 说出你的秘密 | Employee | |
| 2000 | Woman Soccer Player #9 | 女足9号 | Zhu Yin | |
| 2007 | Lust, Caution | 色·戒 | Madame Xiao | |
| 2011 | Deng Enming's Childhood | 少年鄧恩銘 | | |
| 2014 | The Struggle of 80's | 80后的独立宣言 | | |
| 2016 | Super Express | 超级快递 | Nana's mother | |
| 2016 | Lord of Shanghai | 上海王 | | |
| 2016 | Goddesses in the Flames of War | 那些女人 | | |

### Television

| Year | English title | Original title | Role |
| 2000 | The Grand Mansion Gate | 大宅门 | Yang Jiuhong |
| 2003 | Xiaozhuang Mishi | 孝庄秘史 | Harjol |
| 2012 | Tears of Woman | 女人泪 | Wu Lifang |
| 2012 | The New Son-in-Law Era | 新女婿时代 | Li Guilan |
| 2012 | Our Youth in 1977 | 我们的青春1977 | Shen Yumei |
| 2013 | Na Jinhua and Her Son-in-law | 那金花和她的女婿 | Na Jinhua |
| 2013 | Women of the Tang Dynasty | 唐宮燕 | Empress Wei |
| 2013 | A Splendid Family | 金玉满堂 | Zhao Ningli |
| 2013 | Safeguarding the Grandson | 保卫孙子 | Li Wanmei |
| 2013 | Woman in a Family of Swordsmen | 刀客家族的女人 | Yu Huang Shi |
| 2014 | If Happiness Arrives | 假如幸福来临 | Jiang Xinhui |
| 2014 | Heping's Golden Age | 和平的全盛时代 | Ding Yulan |
| 2015 | Our Family's Happy Life | 我们家的微幸福生活 | Yu Meiren |
| 2015 | Living | 活法 | Wang Liru |
| 2016 | See You! My Wife | 再见，老婆大人 | Zhen Meiren's mother |
| 2016 | Seeking Nirvana at Shaolin | 少林問道 | Meigu |
| 2016 | Mother's Romance | 老妈的桃花运 | Ding Xiangxiang |
| 2017 | Xuanwu | 玄武 | Xiao Meigui |
| 2017 | Green Love | 青恋 | Chunxia |

## Awards and nominations
### Film & TV

| Year | # | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 1996 | 19th | Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Armed Working Team Behind Enemy Lines | Won |
| 2014 | | China TV Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Woman in a Family of Swordsmen | Nominated |
| 2015 | 21st | Shanghai Television Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Woman in a Family of Swordsmen | Nominated |
| 2016 | 3rd | China Australia International Film Festival | Best Actress | Goddesses in the Flames of War | Won |
| 2018 | 16th | Pyongyang International Film Festival | Best Actress | Goddesses in the Flames of War | Won |
| 2023 | 36th | Golden Rooster Awards | Best Actress | Off the Stage | Won |