"I had to sing. There was no choice. There was an opera we sang very often named Red Leave River. Once I was singing, I felt the key was a little bit low. So after finishing a sentence as before, I suddenly raised my voice to a higher pitch. I heard the band burst into laughter. The audience could not bear it, too. What a joke I've made!"

After that Li Ding entered a film director training program of China's Central Academy of Drama, and graduated as a straight A student in 1956. Later he recalled that the time he spent in the campus were the happiest years in his life. There he learned passion is the most precious thing for an actor. What's more, he had to find a natural way to express it.
Li Ding recalled the class.

"Both for a director and an actor, passion is the most important thing. I confess to you here: when I was learning at the Central Academy of Drama, I spent 4 hours to pack a handcart with sand before a class, and then let it flow out slowly to express the hurt of a father losing his child and wife because of war, because lines and words were not allowed."

Just because of this passion, Li Ding became one of the most popular actors in China. Even though his characters are more often than not supporting ones and villain roles, he always acts them with 100 percent zeal. As a result audiences often turn out to be watching the show just because of him.

His passion for acting lasted till his last days. His last role, in Watching for Happiness, was filmed in 2007, when he was 80 years old. After that, if some play needed him, because no one else could fit the role, he would take it, because he felt that was his responsibility.

Li Ding was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year. He had lived with his wife Jia Jiuxiao, who is a Chinese actress, for more than 55 years. They have two sons, and a grandson who is also an actor. The extended family visited grandpa every week, which made Li Ding very happy. He said his biggest wish is the happiness of the whole family.

"When I was young, my biggest wish is the world commonwealth, the worldwide peace and everybody wishes so. But now I'm turning old. I only wish all family members to be healthy, happy and stay together. That's my biggest wish."

For China Now, this is Yingying.

Back anchor: Last week, the beloved veteran actor bid his final farewell to his lifelong stage and audience in Beijing at the age of 82. His funeral service was held this morning. People from all walks of life came to mourn for him.