Ruan Lingyu (born Ruan Fenggen; April 26, 1910 – March 8, 1935), also known by her English name Lily Yuen, was a Chinese silent film actress. One of the most prominent Chinese film stars of the 1930s, her exceptional acting ability and suicide at the age of 24 led her to become an icon of Chinese cinema .

Jan 21, 2025 · On March 8, 1935, Ruan Lingyu took her own life, downing an overdose of barbiturates when she was alone and no one could possibly come to save her. The emotional, electrifying actress wasn’t just in the prime of her talent when she chose to end her life, she was also only a bare 24 years old.

Ruan Lingyu acted in twenty-nine movies, twenty of which have been swept away by poor preservation and catastrophic damage inflicted by World War II (which, alas, has wiped out so much of early cinema throughout Asia).

Oct 30, 2017 · There remains intense interest in Ruan Lingyu and the mystery surrounding her death. Who was the enigmatic film star? Vivienne Chow finds out.

Ruan Lingyu 阮玲玉 (1910-1935), often credited in English as Lily Yuen, was an actor of the silent cinema age. During her brief career, mostly on contract to United Photoplay Services (Lianhua Studio), she gave charismatic performances as the lead in films such as Playthings (1933), Goddess (1934) and New Women (1935).

Lingyu Ruan. Actress: The Goddess. Ruan Lingyu was born Ruan Fenggen on April 26, 1910 in Shanghai, China. Her father died when she was a child and her mother worked as a maid to support them. When she was sixteen Ruan started acting as a way to earn money. She made her film debut in the 1927 Chinese language film A Married Couple In Name Only.

May 18, 2024 · Even though her life ended far too early in tragic circumstances almost a century ago, Ruan Lingyu continues to be celebrated as one of the most iconic figures in the history of Chinese cinema, with her death only heightening the mythology that had already built up around the superstar actor.

Nov 4, 2013 · Adding to the tabloids’ enormous public pressure on her was Ruan’s unraveling life with Tang Jishan. Unable to see a way out of a painful life, Ruan Lingyu took an overdose of barbiturates on March 8, 1935 at the age of 24.

Oct 6, 2014 · One of the reigning queens of this golden age of Chinese cinema was the “Greta Garbo of Shanghai”, bewitching young actress Ruan Lingyu. Her chameleon ability to step into myriad roles – prostitutes, workers, teachers and mothers – held a mirror up to the struggles of her country’s people.

Sep 17, 2021 · In the 1920s and 1930s, Shanghai was a cosmopolitan metropolis with an international population and a glamorous movie industry to match. One of the industry’s biggest stars was Ruan Lingyu, who plays the lead role in The Goddess. Raised by a single mother who worked as a housemaid, Ruan began acting as a teenager, and some have speculated ...