The China Theatre Plum Blossom Award (), more commonly the Plum Blossom Award, is the highest theatrical award in China. It is awarded by the China Theatre Association.
Several Taiwanese have also won the award, such as Wei Hai-min.
History
The Plum Blossom Award was founded in 1983 by Liu Housheng, Vice President of the China Theatre Association, and his colleagues.
In 1994, the China Theatre Association began awarding Second Plum Blossom Prizes to distinguished performers who had already won the prize once. In 2002, the Association began the policy of awarding the Plum Blossom Grand Prize to performers who had won the prize twice previously and continued to be active and innovative in the field. There have been four winners of that award to date: Shang Changrong in 2002, Song Guofeng and Mao Weitao in 2007, and Pei Yanling in 2009. The Plum Blossom Prize has been awarded every two years since 2005, as opposed to every year as it was previously. Due to the promulgation of the "Administration of Art, Journalism, and Publishing Awards" circular by the Ministry of Culture in 2005, the number of such awards was reduced, and the Plum Blossom Prize was combined with another prize. Beginning in 2009, the selection process for the Plum Blossom Prize was changed into a televised competition among fifty hopefuls.
Controversy
In 1992, actress Song Dandan refused to accept the Plum Blossom Prize that she had been awarded because of what she called "the scandal of corruption and lies behind the selection process".
Recipients
Western genres
1984 (1st) Spoken theatre: Li Xuejian, Shang Lijuan, Liu Wenzhi, Feng Xianzhen, Jiang Baoying 1985 (2nd) Spoken theatre: Zhou Ling, Su Jinbang, Li Bangyu, Liang Yan, Luo Lige Opera: Ji Xiaoqin, Pang Xinhua 1986 (3rd) Spoken theatre: Wang Ling, Ding Jiali, Zhang Jiazhao, Shan Zenghong Opera: Peng Liyuan, Li Xiaohu 1987 (4th) Spoken theatre: Lü Xiaohe, Wang Yu, Liang Guanhua, Zhang Guoli, Wen Yujuan Opera: Yang Hongji 1988 (5th) Spoken theatre: Xi Meijuan, Song Guofeng, Ye Mang, Han Tongsheng, Zhang Qiuge Opera: Liu Weiwei 1989 (6th) Spoken theatre: Liu Yuan, Wei Zi, Song Jie, Li Fang, Lu Zhiqi Opera: Wan Shanhong, Guo Weimin 1990 (7th) Spoken theatre: Jia Zhanhong, Zhang Zhizhong, Yang Qing, Wei Ji'an, Tan Zongyao Opera: Zhang Jimin, Chen Su'e 1991 (8th) Spoken theatre: Liu Xiaoming 1992 (9th) Spoken theatre: Ning Cai, Li Qi, Yang Shutian, Wu Shanshan, Song Dandan, Zhong Hao, Xia Jun, Zhai Wanchen, Pu Cunxin Opera: Jin Man, Gu Xin, Tang Dejun 1993 (10th) Spoken theatre: Wang Liyun, Wang Xueqi, Wang Xiaomei, Liu Yan, Jia Lingzhen Opera: Mi Dongfeng, Qin Lufeng 1994 (11th) Spoken theatre: Zhu Yin, Zhou Hong, Ma Lu, Lu Liang Opera: An Jinyu 1995 (12th) Spoken theatre: Zhang Jiumei, Zhao Liang, Wang Lihua, Cai Jinping Opera: Lei Yan 1996 (13th) Spoken theatre: Yang Shuquan, Xu Fan, Xia Zhiqing, Yang Niansheng, Wang Yanbo Opera: Han Yanwen 1997 (14th) Spoken theatre: Yin Zhusheng, Tashi Dondrup, Liu Meihua, Wu Jing'an, Qi Lihua Opera: Che Ying, Sun Liying, Yao Hong Dance: Zhang Dandan 1998 (15th) Spoken theatre: Zhang Teng, Ning Xiaozhi, Zhang Lijun, Zhang Yechuan, Zhang Jinyuan Opera: Cheng Guilan, Li Caiqin Dance: Liu Jing, Yang Xia, Jin Baolong, Shan Chong, Zhao Qing 1999 (16th) Spoken theatre: Li Shanshan, Yang Chunrong, Li Jinghui, He Bing Opera: Wang Jing 2000 (17th) Spoken theatre: Song Guofeng (2nd win), Ding Jiali (2nd win), Ni Dahong, Wu Jun, Sun Honglei, Sun Haiying, Kang Aishi, Wang Yao, Zhang Zhizhong, Li Lan, Ma Xiaomao, Xiao Hong Opera: Sun Yi, Li Haizhen, Chen Shumin 2001 (18th) Spoken theatre: Liang Guanhua (2nd win), Wang Hong, Wu Yanlin, Yin Yanping, Wen Liqin, Wang Weiguo, Zhang Kaili, Leng Jiahua 2002 (19th) Spoken theatre: Pu Cunxin (2nd win), Zhang Teng (2nd win), Chen Xiguang, Qiang Yin, Tian Shui, Xiao Xiong, Ding Xiaohan, Wang Yang, Gao Xia, Jia Yulan, Zhang Lu Opera: Wang Hui Musical: Zheng Qiang 2003 (20th) Spoken theatre: Yang Lixin, Zhang Fengyi, Zhu Heng, Zeng Yongjun, Yao Jude Opera: Liu Yanyan 2004 (21st) Spoken theatre: He Bing (2nd win), Wang Xiaoying Opera: Dai Yuqiang 2005 (22nd) Spoken theatre: Feng Yuanzheng, Hao Ping, Wang Xiaoling, Hou Bingyu Opera: Sun Jian, Liu Danli Musical: Song Zuying 2007 (23rd) Spoken theatre: Feng Xianzhen (2nd win), Sun Tao Opera: Lü Jihong 2009 (24th) Spoken theatre: Ai Ping, Liu Xiaocui Opera: Zhang Lihui 2011 (25th) Spoken theatre: Feng Ruili 2013 (26th) Spoken theatre: Zhang Qiuge (2nd win), Yuan Quan, Zhang Yanqiu, Wang Ban Opera: Chen Xiaoduo 2015 (27th) Spoken theatre: Zhu Heng (2nd win), Hou Yansong, Guo Guangping, Tang Yan Opera: Du Huan 2017 (28th) Spoken theatre: Zhao Xu 2019 (29th) Spoken theatre: Xin Baiqing Opera: Lei Jia