Ying Ruo-cheng was born in Beijing, of Manchu parentage, in June 1929.  He graduated from the Foreign Language Department of Beijing’s Qinghua University in 1950.  He was appointed Vice-Minister of Culture of the People’s Republic of China and 1986.  He is the president of the Arts Foundation of China and also serves on the Education and Culture Committee of the People’s Congress.

Mr Ying joined the Beijing People’s Art Theatre in 1950 and has performed a wide variety of roles.  He first attained international recognition in 1981 when he appeared as Kublai Khan in the Sino-Italian co-production of the television series Marco Polo.  His performance earned him the award of best television actor of the year in Italy’s national Telegatto Awards.  In 1987 he appeared in Bertolucci’s film, The Last Emperor, which won nine Academy Awards.

As an educationist, Mr Ying has made good use of his rich stage experience and vast knowledge of the theories and practices of performing which, coupled with his high level of proficiency in the English language, enabled him to lecture successfully in the great universities of the world.  He was appointed Professor for life by the University of Missouri in 1985.

As a translator, Ying Ruo-cheng has translated into Chinese several works by Stanislavski and a number of great classics of western theatre.  He has also translated into English Lao She’s Teahouse, Cao Yu’s Wang Zhaojung and Cao Yu’s adaptation of Ba Jin’s novel Family.  He was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by the Bowdoin College of the United States in 1993.

Due to health reasons, Mr Ying is unable to come and receive his honour in person.  The Fellowship of the Academy will be conferred on him in absentia.