Time flies, and time flies, and in a blink of an eye it comes to April 1st, April Fool’s Day in the West, but in the hearts of many people, it is a sad day, because older people should I remember that on April 1, 18 years ago, superstar Leslie Cheung jumped from the Mandarin Hotel in Hong Kong and ended his life at the age of 46. The death of a superstar kept Hong Kong awake all night, and the water in Hong Kong seemed to be sobbing.

People are puzzled as to why Leslie Cheung, who was in his prime and his career was at its peak, chose such an extreme way to commit suicide. My brother wrote in his suicide note: I have never done anything bad in my life. Why is this happening? I've been so sad this year. Thank you Mr. Tang, thank you family and friends.

At the moment when he jumped, his good friend and agent Chen Shufen came downstairs of the hotel as scheduled and witnessed a scene that she would never forget. At the same time, she also understood the reason why Leslie Cheung called her over. Her brother did not want his most terrifying appearance to be exposed by the media and the world, but suggested that Chen Shufen deal with the aftermath immediately.

At the last moment of his life, he did not forget to leave the world with the most beautiful appearance of his life, which makes people sigh and sigh. Looking back on his life, perhaps we can be relieved that he ended his short life prematurely.

Leslie Cheung has two mothers, his biological mother and stepmother. When two women share the same man, they will naturally have many conflicts. They will often be jealous of each other and quarrel with each other. According to his recollection, his stepmother once poured urine on him when he was a child.

When he was just 13 years old, he was sent to study in England. Leslie Cheung's childhood can be said to be gloomy and lonely. Lacking the care of his parents and family, he was forced to learn to face life alone in a foreign country at a young age. It was also this period of unhappy years that created Leslie Cheung who was independent and strong in his heart but also very sensitive at the same time.

In 1977, Leslie Cheung returned to China to participate in a TV singing competition and won the runner-up in one fell swoop. This future star's acting career also began.

After signing the contract with the TV station, Leslie Cheung quickly moved out of his home and rented a house by himself because he could not get along with his family.

And when he tried to get out of the shackles of his original family, what greeted him was an even crueler reality.

Leslie Cheung’s journey to stardom was extremely unsatisfactory when he first entered the entertainment industry. He returned from studying in the UK with an avant-garde and fashionable style. His first album was written entirely in English. Because he did not conform to the mainstream line of the Hong Kong music scene, in his singing career, Leslie Cheung frequently encountered boos from the audience and was frequently knocked down by the audience on the stage. Cheers, this is undoubtedly a terrible blow to a newcomer who has just debuted.

This is not the cruelest thing. Because it did not fit the market, his first album was sold for as low as one yuan a piece in the video store. The efforts of the entire team seemed to be in vain. This is the cruelty of the entertainment industry.

We all know that in this industry, nothing is smooth sailing, and we have to work hard step by step. However, who can imagine that Leslie Cheung, who will be loved by thousands of people in the future, will be in such a bleak situation at the beginning of his career. The record company refused to renew his contract due to the lack of response from the album.

At that time, due to the tepid performance of his works, he could only wander among the second and third tier singers. Even though his career and economy were in a trough, Leslie Cheung did not give up. He just thought about working harder and persisting. This mentality made him wait for 5 years and finally met his Bole mentor Li Xiaotian and agent Chen Shufen. .

In 1983, Li Xiaotian and Chen Shufen created an album "The Wind Continues to Blow" tailor-made for Leslie Cheung. Once this album was released, it was a huge success in Hong Kong. It not only received support from fans and unanimous recognition from people in the music industry, but also made Leslie Cheung successfully become a first-line singer in the Hong Kong music industry.

However, he was not satisfied. On May 14, 1984, Leslie Cheung's album of the same name "Monica" was released. This album was like a blockbuster that directly detonated the Hong Kong music scene. The title song "Monica" in the album became even more popular in the streets of Hong Kong. The success of this album established Leslie Cheung's superstar status in the Hong Kong music scene, and Leslie Cheung became a singer on par with Alan Tam. At that time, there were no four kings in the music scene, and the world was dominated by Leslie Cheung and Alan Tam. The competition between the two was very fierce, and the fans of both sides were even more fierce.

Finally in 1987, Leslie Cheung's "Wantless Sleep" defeated Alan Tam's "Don't Say Goodbye" and won the top ten golden songs of the year.

Alan Tam immediately announced that he would no longer accept any music awards. A large number of fans pointed the finger at Leslie Cheung, who was at the height of his power. Some fans yelled at the scene, blaming Leslie Cheung!

Without his musical rivals, Leslie Cheung could have dominated the music scene at the height of his power, but no one expected that the following year, in 1989, Leslie Cheung would unveil the big screen photo at his 33rd birthday party. On the curtain, seven words appeared, which surprised everyone present - "Leslie Cheung quits the music scene." These seven words were his birthday gift to himself.

He decided to quit the music scene at his peak. On the stage of the farewell concert, Leslie Cheung said that he wanted to say goodbye on the stage that received the most applause and wanted to have a try outside. When he once again sang his famous song "The Wind Keeps Blowing", he burst into tears.

In interviews in subsequent years, he said that when I left the music scene at the height of my popularity, many people thought I was on the decline. In fact, I am afraid of death. Such an answer is truly chilling. A big star in the music industry has the most shining halo, but there is huge psychological pressure hidden behind it.

Leslie Cheung wrote in his autobiography, "I think I may be suffering from depression. The source of the disease may be dissatisfaction with myself, dissatisfaction with others, and even more dissatisfaction with the world." It turns out that as early as this time, the seeds of depression had quietly settled in Leslie Cheung's heart.

Leslie Cheung, who retired from the music scene, devoted all his energy to movies. In 1990, Leslie Cheung collaborated with director Wong Kar-wai to shoot the movie "Days of Being Wild". In the film, Leslie Cheung vividly demonstrated the psychological gap between Ah Fei's aloofness and rebelliousness, but his desire for a sense of belonging. The gray environment and depressive atmosphere in the movie coincide with his melancholy temperament, as if this movie was tailor-made for him and tells the story of his life. Leslie Cheung won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this film. He made such a wonderful transition from an idol star to a capable actor.

Immediately afterwards, in 1993, "Farewell My Concubine" directed by Chen Kaige and starring Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, and Gong Li shocked the Chinese film industry. There are too many stories and similarities between "Farewell My Concubine" and Leslie Cheung.

When asked whether Chen Dieyi has his own shadow, Leslie Cheung said with certainty: Yes! Leslie Cheung is Chen Dieyi, and no one can replace him. He perfectly integrated his mood with Cheng Dieyi's figure, turning his soul into Chen Dieyi. He can't live without going crazy, which is the best interpretation of Cheng Dieyi and Leslie Cheung.

"Farewell My Concubine" won the 1993 Cannes Film Festival's highest award, the Palme d'Or, and the U.S. Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film for its high-level performance. Leslie Cheung also won the 4th China Film and Performing Arts Society Special Contribution Award for Cheng Dieyi.

While his career was failing all the way, emotionally God also favored this lonely person who had lacked warmth since childhood. Leslie Cheung was once asked during an interview who his favorite person was?

His answer was Tang Tang. Friends who are familiar with Leslie Cheung should know that Tang Tang is Tang Hede - the man who has been with his brother for 20 years.

In 1982, Leslie Cheung and Tang Hede met at a party in a hotel in Hong Kong. The two hit it off and chatted happily. At that time, Leslie Cheung was 26 years old and Mr. Tang was 24 years old.

However, the situations of the two people were completely different. At this time, Leslie Cheung had been in the entertainment industry for some time, but he was at the lowest point of his career and economy. Mr. Tang had just entered the financial industry and was full of ambitions in the bank to show his talents. Innate abilities.

The two people have the same topic and the same three views, which makes them cherish each other and get closer and closer. In the early days of their acquaintance, Leslie Cheung was at a low point in his career. In order to help him, Tangtang spent several months of his salary to support his brother, allowing him to go through the most difficult period of depression. Later, Mr. Tang quit his job at the bank for Leslie Cheung and took care of his schedule and financial affairs full-time, silently being by his side as the strongest supporter behind him.

When Leslie Cheung tours around the world, Mr. Tang will always be seen in the audience. No matter where Leslie Cheung goes, Mr. Tang will always be with him.

Once, the two of them were walking on the street. Mr. Tang turned around and saw the paparazzi taking pictures. His brother also noticed it and he took Mr. Tang’s hand without hesitation. The two of them smiled at the camera. Keep walking forward.

When asked why he likes Mr. Tang, Leslie Cheung gave a simple and substantial reason - because he is good to me, so I like him and I will be good to him.

In the conservative society of Hong Kong in the 1990s, same-sex relationships were destined to be criticized. While fans and fans were blessing them, rumors and rumors were also pouring in. Leslie Cheung still disclosed his relationship in full view of the public, without any hesitation. Hide his love.

Leslie Cheung returned to the music scene in 1996, and then held the Leslie Cheung 97 Concert. At the concert, he confessed his love to Mr. Tang. Leslie Cheung said, "The most important person in my life, besides my mother, is Mr. Tang."

Time flies by, and it’s April Fool’s Day in 2003. My brother, who has been suffering from depression for a long time, finally chooses to leave. On that day, he jumps out of the hotel window and ends his short life. life. At his brother's funeral, Tangtang cried so hard that he couldn't stand. With the support of his friends, he sent his beloved brother away.

After Leslie Cheung left, Mr. Tang would attend various banquets on behalf of his brother and send his blessings. Every April, Mr. Tang would post unpublished old photos on the Internet to miss their days together. To this day, Mr. Tang still does so.

Looking back on Leslie Cheung’s life, he emerged from a gloomy childhood, worked diligently and hard in his career, to the glory and splendor of the music and film circles, and then to his dedication to doing things for others. He had no regrets all the way. He has helped 80% of the people in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, including Weijian Zhang, Cecilia Cheung, Louis Koo, Leo Ku, Andy Lau, etc. His character of both virtue and art has been recognized by everyone.

But such an ending is so sad. Maybe it was the family environment he grew up in that caused his long-term mental depression. Maybe he wanted to freeze the eternal beauty when he was at his peak, but In any case, he went to another world and lived an equally wonderful and beautiful life. In "Days of Being Wild", Leslie Cheung has a classic line -

"I heard people say that there is a bird in the world that has no feet. It can only fly and fly until it gets tired. Then he slept in the wind. This kind of bird can only go to the ground once in his life, and that time is when he dies."

Some people say that Leslie Cheung's death naturally reminds people of this line, but My brother was not the bird that landed on the ground, so the wind continued to blow, and he was still flying, always flying, and flying higher and higher.

I would like to write this article to commemorate the 18th anniversary of Leslie Cheung’s death.