Xie Jin

Lore & Background

Xie Jin was born in Shangyu, Zhejiang Province. He spent his childhood there and attended primary school for one year. In the 1930s, he moved to Shanghai with his parents, and in 1938 followed his father to Hong Kong for a year. Returning to Shanghai in 1939, he enrolled in Daxia Affiliated High School and Jishan High School, while taking courses at Huaguang Drama School and Jinxing Film Training School. His teachers included Huang Zuolin and Wu Renzhi. He participated in student drama activities led by Yu Ling and acted as Yue Yun in the multi-stage play Yue Yun. In 1941, he enrolled in the play department of Jiang'an National Drama School in Sichuan, educated by Cao Yu, Hong Shen, Jiao Juyin, Ma Yanxiang, and Chen Liting. He voluntarily ceased study in 1943 to work at China Youth Play Agency in Chongqing as stage manager, scenario writer, and actor. In 1946, he resumed study at National Drama School in Nanjing, majoring in directing. In 1948, he entered Datong Film Corporation as assistant director and associate director. After the establishment of the PRC, he enrolled in the research institute of politics of North China Revolutionary University, then became an associate director and director at Changjiang Film Studio and Shanghai Film Studio.

Reader's Guide

Xie Jin directed more than 20 films in his career. His debut, Woman Basketball Player No. 5, was the first color sports film in the PRC and won the silver prize at the 6th International Youth Film Festival in 1957 and the Silver Hat Prize at the Mexico International Film Week in 1958. He staged the original production of the Chinese revolutionary opera On the Docks in the early 1960s and filmed it in 1972. The Red Detachment of Women won Best Picture and Best Directing at the 1st Hundred Flowers Awards, and the Wanlong Prize at the 3rd Asia-Africa Film Festival in 1964. Two Stage Sisters (1965) won the Sutherland Trophy at the 24th BFI London Film Festival in 1980 and prizes in Portugal and Manila, but was attacked in China for allegedly advocating reconciliation of social classes. Xie recalled in a 2002 interview that his parents committed suicide amid political pressure—his mother jumping off a building and his father overdosing on sleeping pills—and he had to collect their bodies himself. Jia Zhangke remarked it was still risky for Xie to make films about this traumatic period in the 1980s. Xie was a popular director among older generations, with six of his films voted Best Picture in the Hundred Flowers Awards. He was the only Chinese director to date to be a member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America. On 23 August 2008, his son died of cancer. Two months later, on 18 October 2008, Xie Jin's body was discovered in his hotel room in Shangyu. Hundreds of celebrities and thousands attended his funeral. After his death, Song Zude made derogatory statements about Xie Jin, and millions stood against Song Zude in respect of Xie Jin.

Did You Know?

• Xie Jin was the only Chinese director to date to be a member of both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America.
• His debut film, Woman Basketball Player No. 5, was the first color sports film in the PRC.
• Six of his films were voted Best Picture in the Hundred Flowers Awards.
• His parents committed suicide amid political pressure, as he recalled in a 2002 interview.