On the morning of December 14th, an obituary appeared online, stating that 61-year-old He Qing had passed away peacefully in Beijing. Netizens identified her as He Qing, a famous actress who had starred in the 1986 version of "Journey to the West" and the 1994 version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".
Subsequently, a reporter from The Paper contacted Yu Yong, a specially appointed researcher at the Oral History Center of Nanjing University of the Arts and a film researcher, who confirmed the news: actress He Qing passed away in Beijing on December 13, 2025, at the age of 61. On the afternoon of the 13th, a friend who was an agent in Beijing suddenly told him the news of He Qing's passing, saying that he had seen a post on WeChat Moments from a singer from the Naval Political Department Song and Dance Troupe, which read, "A heavy snow in Beijing took away the pure and innocent Sister Qing."
Yu Yong initially didn't believe it, so he contacted filmmaker Jiang Ping for confirmation, who confirmed the tragic news. "But we can't announce it publicly yet; we have to wait for He Qing's family to release a unified obituary," Yu Yong said, adding that He Qing's family only wanted to notify a small group of friends.
He Qing's passing not only marks the end of an era, but also plunges countless colleagues and viewers into deep sorrow.
Celebrities mourn: She left us too soon, it's such a pity.
After the news broke, colleagues in the entertainment industry who had worked with He Qing spoke out, reminiscing about the gentleness, resilience, and artistic brilliance of this "first beauty of classical times".
Ma Dehua, who played Zhu Bajie in "Journey to the West," couldn't hide his shock during an interview with Da Wan News: "It's so sudden, so regrettable... Her health wasn't always very good." He recalled: "He Qing was an excellent actress, very dedicated. She left us too soon. May she rest in peace."
Liu Xiao Ling Tong fondly recalled He Qing: He Qing was his classmate in the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe's training program. "She was well-versed in Kunqu Opera and knew many plays. She achieved great success, especially in her later film and television career, where audiences affectionately called her 'Sister Lianlian'." He wrote, "May He Qing rest in peace!"
"Lianlian"—a character from the episode "The Four Sages Test the Mind of Zen" in Journey to the West, is charming, lively, and has captivating eyes, becoming the first memory of He Qing in the hearts of a generation.
Zhang Shan, who played Zhao Yun in the 1994 TV series "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," posted a heartbreaking message on social media: "The first snow in Beijing took away He Qing (the only actress to have played roles in all four classic Chinese novels). She left us forever at 10:05 yesterday and went to heaven." In an interview with the Yangtze Evening Post, Zhang Shan emotionally recounted their nearly forty-year-long friendship: from being classmates at the Central Academy of Drama to becoming neighbors, and then jointly promoting "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," He Qing was always a model of "gentle on the outside but strong on the inside."
"She was an 'ageless girl,' a typical beauty in period dramas. Later, she fell ill and even suffered a stroke, confining her to a wheelchair. But every time she saw me, she would smile and say, 'Let's get together again when I'm better,' and even give me eggs..." Her words were filled with reluctance and regret.
Jin Chen and He Qing played mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the 2016 TV series "The Imperial Doctress". Jin Chen posted a message of condolence: "You are not only a legend on the screen, but also a mother who gave me warmth in the drama."
From a Kunqu Opera prodigy to the first person to achieve a "Grand Slam" of the Four Great Classical Novels
He Qing was born in Jiangshan City, Quzhou, Zhejiang Province in 1964. At the age of 13, when she was still less than 1.5 meters tall, she went to Hangzhou alone with 20 yuan scraped together by her parents to participate in the audition for the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe. Her performances of "Butterfly Lovers" and "Sending Military Shoes" moved the examiners, and she was exceptionally admitted as a reserve student. From then on, the girl who rode her bicycle between Huanglong Cave, the Botanical Garden, and Su Causeway embarked on her artistic journey.
While in the Kunqu Opera troupe, she not only practiced Kunqu Opera diligently, but also developed a dream of working in film and television. In 1982, the director of the film "Shaolin Lay Disciple" spotted her practicing while she was doing her training, thus beginning her film career.
Subsequently, she achieved a unique record in Chinese film and television history with her astonishing artistic range: in 1986, she played "Lianlian" in "Journey to the West"; in 1989, she played "Qin Keqing" in the film version of "Dream of the Red Chamber"; in 1993, she played "Xiao Qiao" in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"; and in 1996, she played "Li Shishi" in "Water Margin". She is the only actress to have played roles in all four classic Chinese novels, and each role has become a classic. With her elegant temperament and profound charm, she is hailed as "a woman who stepped out of an ancient painting".
But she didn't stop at being labeled a classical beauty. In 1992, she became one of the first "Qiong Yao girls" in mainland China, starring in "Green Green Grass by the River" and portraying the independent and intellectual Hua Youlin. In 1998, she broke through her previous roles in "The Story of Macau" and played the feisty and forthright Sino-Portuguese mixed-race woman, Odise. In 2011, she took over the role of Yang Jiuhong in "The Grand Mansion 1912" and acted alongside Chen Baoguo in a love story amidst chaos. In 2016, she challenged herself for the first time by playing the villainous Empress Dowager Sun in "The Imperial Doctress," showcasing her depth of acting skills.
Even though she had faded from the screen for many years, He Qing once again became a hot topic on social media in 2024 due to the movie "The Dream of Red Mansions: Perfect Couple," with the topic of "the only actress who has played roles in all four classic Chinese novels"—audiences have never forgotten her.
Unparalleled beauty, forever residing in the world.
He Qing's two relationships are well-known to the public. She was in a relationship with actor Liu Wei, which ended after five years. In 1995, she met actor Xu Yajun while filming a movie, and they had a son, Xu He, in 2001. They divorced in 2003.
In a 2008 interview with the *Metropolis Daily*, 44-year-old He Qing frankly admitted that she was preparing for a transition to a more mature role, while also focusing on her son. She and actor Xu Yajun met while filming *Feng He Yuan* in 1995 and had a son, Xu He (whose name is a combination of his parents' surnames). The couple peacefully divorced in 2003 but continued to co-parent their child as friends, a story that became a well-known tale in the entertainment industry.
When discussing marriage, He Qing once frankly admitted: "As actors, we study love in our works, but we neglect love in our lives." Busy work schedules and infrequent meetings ultimately led to the end of this relationship.
He Qing and Xu Yajun's son, Xu He, graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in 2023. Just half a month ago, Xu Yajun posted a magazine photoshoot with his son on Weibo—Xu He's first public appearance.
He Qing's life, like every character she portrayed, was elegant, resilient, and understated yet profound. She never chased trends, but with her solid acting skills and unique classical charm, she left an indelible mark on the history of Chinese television drama.
Today, as Beijing experiences its first snowfall, the woman who once illuminated the screen with her charming smile has quietly passed away. But her characters—Qin Keqing, Xiao Qiao, Li Shishi, Oudis, Yang Jiuhong—will live on in the light and shadow, and in the deep memories of generations of viewers.
