What was a "celebrity" like, and what was a "celebrity" like in old Shanghai?

Nowadays, Shanghai celebrities have become a derogatory term. These Shanghai "celebrities" gathered many people in the WeChat group to share an afternoon tea for two in Shanghai luxury hotel and a hotel room, and took turns to take photos and build their own "celebrity" life on social media. Therefore, the network discussion around the incident is very similar to the large-scale group ridicule scene of pseudo-exquisite "celebrities".

But in Shanghai, these celebrities are different.

At that time, the old Shanghai had a charm that people could not extricate themselves from. No matter how the external situation was disputed and turbulent, every time the lights were on, everyone threw themselves into this illusion, as if these were the real world ...

At that time, two celebrities were active in the social circles:

One was Lu Xiaoman, who was controversial;

one is Tang Ying.

Let's talk about Lu Xiaoman first. Everyone knows her story with Xu Zhimo. In those days, remarriage after divorce would be discussed anyway. Lu Xiaoman and Xu Zhimo were "prominent" people at that time. In addition, the death of Xu Zhimo later made future generations look at Lu Xiaoman with more dislike.

In fact, Lu Xiaoman was born in a very good family and received a good education since childhood. Later, Lu Xiaoman was hired as a diplomatic translator by Gu Weijun, the foreign chief of Beiyang government, and was known to the society.

Actually, Lu Xiaoman's talent lies not in this, but in drama and painting.

As for why Lu Xiaoman is famous in the social world, there are only two points:

First, female talents like Lu Xiaoman are scarce resources;

Second, in the traditional culture of China, women are not encouraged to show their faces.

Therefore, such a talented and attractive young woman will naturally attract attention when she appears in public. That, later, someone will use "social butterfly" to characterize Lu Xiaoman, which really belittles her. Lu Xiaoman's fun should be due to her lively nature. Later, Lu Xiaoman and Xu Zhimo came together, and they also upgraded their feelings in getting along.

It is the personality that dares to "rebel" that makes Lu Xiaoman dare to pursue the life he wants when he opposes the tradition at that time. Because, Lu Xiaoman's first marriage was ordered by his parents. But unfortunately, Wang Geng doesn't seem to care about her feelings, which makes them go further and further. Finally, Lu Xiaoman divorced Wang Geng in 1925 and married Xu Zhimo in 1926.

After Xu Zhimo's death, Lu Xiaoman stopped going out to socialize. She silently endured criticism and accusations from the outside world. As she said in the elegiac couplet to Zhimo: "How many years ago, the dust became a nightmare, and after five years of mourning, I hurried forever, and the theory of heaven was repeated. I wanted to die because of my mother's old age; Don't hate to talk to anyone, you are worried about illness, and you are far away from the soul. The world should not be long, and the legacy will be answered. "

next, let's talk about Tang Ying.

From the point of view of marriage, Tang Ying and Lu Xiaoman seem to have sex, and both are the fate of their parents.

Tang Ying married Li Zufa, the son of Li Yunshu, a wealthy businessman in Shanghai, for the first time. Before that, Tang Ying had a love affair with Song Ziwen, and there was a long history of friendship between the two families in Tang and Song Dynasties. Even so, the relationship between Tang Ying and Song Ziwen was doomed to be fruitless. It's just that it's impossible to know whether this relationship has caused emotional harm to Tang Ying. However, the more than 2 love letters that Song Ziwen wrote to her have been locked in a small drawer in Tang Ying, which shows her true feelings for Song Ziwen.

Shortly after breaking up with Song Ziwen, Tang Ying married the "Li family in Xiaogang". At that time, the Li family was also a celebrity, and Li Zufa's father, Li Yunshu, was a giant businessman in Shanghai. Married into such a wealthy family, Tang Ying's life was pleasant at first. She still maintained the ostentation and extravagance of social butterfly and continued to live a life of infinite scenery. However, Tang Ying's husband was a quiet man and didn't like his wife's "going out to show off". Soon, they broke up in 1937. Tang Ying didn't feel dejected after her divorce. Instead, she became more comfortable in social life.

in addition, Tang Ying and Lu Xiaoman also have a * * * character, which is opera.

She once performed "Wang Baochuan" in English, which became a temporary topic. Moreover, Tang Ying and Lu Xiaoman, both excellent in both Chinese and English, were socially active women at that time, so they were compared and made friends.

after Lu Xiaoman came to Shanghai, they quickly became good friends, and in 1927, they jointly performed the Kunqu Opera Picking up Paintings and Calling Paintings at the Central Grand Theater. At that time, people can't tell whether people have entered the painting or the people in the painting have reappeared.

people with such bright eyes certainly have pursuers.

So, there is a story that Yang Xingfo, Sun Yat-sen's secretary, once enthusiastically pursued Tang Ying. Yang Xingfo should be a stranger to ordinary people. In fact, his achievements are remarkable. He is a modern economic management scientist, a pioneer of human rights movement in China and a social activist.

In addition, there is an interesting story. It is said that Liu Haisu, a famous painter, specially hosted a dinner party for the wedding of Tang Ying and Lu Xiaoman. Bringing ex and suitors together, the topic of discussion is nothing more than love is the foundation of marriage and so on.

After that, it was after this meal that Lu Xiaoman dissolved his first marriage and held hands with Xu Zhimo, while Tang Ying refused Yang Xingfo. There seems to be nothing wrong with logic, but Lu Xiaoman came to Shanghai after marriage and got to know Tang Ying.

So, if this story is true, then maybe she got married again? Storytellers always feel that such women have nothing to do with lace, as if they are not worthy of their "identity". In fact, this situation is similar to modern times.

Most people's qualitative understanding of them probably comes from a book-Old News of Spring Application, which reads: "Shanghai ladies are famous for their communication, starting from Tang Ying and Lu Xiaoman ..."

In fact, the author's writing is quite objective, just saying that these two were "celebrities" in Shanghai social circle at that time. So many versatile people, of course, everywhere is a landscape. However, in the eyes of future generations, with the "communication", it seems to have other meanings.

however, it is good to look at the ordinary life of these two people without looking at other aspects. Although Lu Xiaoman leads an extravagant life, there is no more right and wrong about her choice of friends. But after his second marriage, Tang Ying put more emphasis on family.

It can be seen that they only took that step forward than women at that time in their hobbies. Instead of being immersed in the luxurious life under the light, as future generations understand.

Even, some people say that Tang Ying is fastidious about her own clothes, and she also leads the fashion in Shanghai. In fact, it is not surprising that women with ideas will naturally form their own characteristics in dressing.

Ben is two excellent women who dare to pursue their own lives. Although one looks cold in her later years and the other is carefree, they are both going their own way. In some people's interpretation, they have to emphasize the content of their "appearance" and spare no effort to label it. You know, at that time, women could go out of their homes, except for the permission of their families, which was more of their inner yearning. It takes more courage to show your talents in front of the world. After all, this used to be a living method for "actors".

However, according to the traditional power, this kind of talent display is no different from "busking", and naturally their status is similar to those of "social butterfly".