Бэньшань Жао

Zhao Benshan (simplified Chinese: 赵本山; traditional Chinese: 趙本山; pinyin: Zhào Běnshān) is a Chinese comedian and businessman. Starting as an errenzhuan performer in his native Liaoning, he rose to household fame in China for his comedy sketches on the CCTV New Year’s Gala, the world’s most-watched television program, which he performed on annually from 1990 to 2011. He starred in films such as Happy Times (2000), Getting Home (2007), The Grandmaster (2013), and directed and produced three television series depicting rural life in Liaoning, including Liu Laogen, Ma Dashuai, and Xiangcun Aiqing. As a businessman, initially drawing on the connections he had built through his performances, Zhao founded a company in 1993 engaged in coal and transportation. In 2003, he established Benshan Media, which has managed his troupe of errenzhuan performers and operated in television and film production. In 2004, he co-founded the Benshan School of Art in collaboration with Liaoning University. From 2012 to 2016, Zhao faced political difficulties due to his alleged associations with Wang Lijun and Bo Xilai, during which time Liaoning University renamed the school in 2015, dropping his name. Although he weathered these difficulties, Zhao largely retired thereafter.