Renowned veteran Chinese actor Zhu Longguang, who portrayed the role of the Buddha in the 1986 version of “Journey to the West”, passed away in Beijing on August 2 at the age of 86. The news of his death was confirmed by his family on August 3, and his co-stars from “Journey to the West”, including actor Liuxiaolingtong who played Sun Wukong and actress Yan Ni who collaborated with him in “Chinese Odyssey”, expressed their condolences on social media.
Zhu Longguang’s family released a statement on August 3, announcing that the 86-year-old actor passed away due to illness in Beijing. Liuxiaolingtong referred to Zhu Longguang as a “master of film, television, and drama arts”, while actress Yan Ni posted on Weibo, “The master of arts Zhu Longguang, always strict and humorous on set, endless thoughts and deep condolences!”
The opportunity for Zhu Longguang to portray the character of the Buddha in “Journey to the West” arose three years before filming began. Initially, director Yang Jie was skeptical of his appearance, stating that he looked too stern and not like a Buddha. Zhu Longguang, known for his tough demeanor in the pro-Communist film “Tunnel Warfare” where he played the role of Gao Chuanbao, still carried an air of hostility.
The turning point came during the audition. When Zhu Longguang put on the monk’s robes and delivered the line “Sun Wukong, you can’t escape my palm”, his aura of authority instantly filled the set. After auditioning 16 other actors without satisfaction, Yang Jie decided on the spot to cast Zhu Longguang as the Buddha.
During the filming of “Journey to the West”, anecdotes circulated about Zhu Longguang spending two extra hours each day getting into makeup: wearing a headpiece with 48 latex pieces and having gold powder applied meticulously with a brush. Despite the scorching summer temperatures on set exceeding 40°C, he joked, “Sweating is good, the Buddha radiates golden light naturally!” Thus, a classic image was born. Some viewers even recalled that after the series aired, people actually lit incense and knelt in front of their TV screens to pay respects.
Subsequently, Zhu Longguang continued to portray the Buddha in series like “An Alluring Trip” and “The Sequel to Journey to the West”, delivering each performance in a truly classic manner.
In the sitcom “Chinese Odyssey”, Zhu Longguang also gave a remarkable performance. He made a guest appearance as Tong Zhanggui’s (played by Yan Ni) father, Tong Boda. Despite limited screen time, his exquisite acting skillfully brought to life the character of a simple, honest and full of Shanxi style old man, leaving an indelible mark in the collective memory of the audience.