Yang Xiaozhong (1899 — 1969)

    One of China's earliest writer-directors was Yang Xiaozhong 杨小仲 , born Yang Baotai 杨保泰in December, 1899, in Changzhou, Jiangsu.  
    His father's early death prevented the future filmmaker from getting a formal education.  However, his mother had a love of reading which she instilled in her son, and for some years he pursued an informal education through extensive reading.  In 1916 he tested successfully into a work-study program operated by the Commercial Press, training for a publishing career.  After two years, he became a full time employee.  His mother, an avid fan of American movies as well as literature, again exerted her influence to get him interested in the new media.  When the Commercial Press established its Motion Picture Division he was eager to join the new unit.
    His chance came in 1920, when Yang was assigned to adapt Chen Chunsheng's script of the successful stage play "Yan Ruisheng"  for the China Film Research Society.  The movie version, filmed for the Society by the Commercial Press and released the following year, was China's first full-length motion picture, and a huge success.   At this point, Yang Baotai changed his name to Yang Xiaozhong and made a full transfer to the Motion Picture Division as a screenwriter.    
    In 1922, he prepared two more scripts for the Press, "The Predestined," released in 1923, and "The Good Brother," in 1924.    
    His first solo effort came in 1925, when he directed "Regrets for Drunkeness."  He took a bold step in casting the movie by selecting a group of teachers and students for the film roles instead of the experienced stage actors studios had been relying on to that point.  At the same time, he created models for background in some scenes and natural, outdoor scenery in others.  He also employed special effects to create such things as explosions, rainstorms, etc.  In China's earliest period of filmmaking, these were innovative measures.
     When the Commercial Press reorganized its Motion Picture Division in 1926, renaming it the Guoguang Film Company, Yang Xiaozhong was appointed Chief Writer, which carried responsibility for both writing and directing.  In that same year he made three films, "Mother's Heart," "Better Go Home" and "The Loafer."
    After the Commercial Press shut down its filmmaking activities in 1927, Yang Xiaozhong worked for a half dozen studios, writing and/or directing more than 30 narrative films as well as opera films in a filmmaking career that lasted into the 1960s.  After 1949, he also served as a trustee of the Chinese Film Workers Association and vice president of the organization's Shanghai branch.  He died in January, 1969 during the Cultural Revolution.  Although Chinese sources do not furnish the details of his death, so many of China's classic filmmakers perished during that decade it is very possible his passing was related to that.