Zhang Shichuan

After the destruction of Mingxing's studio by Japanese bombing during the 1937 Battle of Shanghai, Zhang Shichuan made films for the China United Film Production Company (Zhonglian) in Japanese-occupied Shanghai, which led to accusations of treason after the surrender of Japan in 1945. He never recovered from the humiliation, and died in 1953 or 1954.

Zhang Shichuan was born Zhang Weitong (张伟通) in Beilun, Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Shichuan was his courtesy name, originally written with the different characters 蚀川. His father Zhang Heju (张和巨) was a small merchant dealing with silkworms. His father died when Zhang was 16 years old, and he had to quit school and move to Shanghai to live with his maternal uncle Jing Runsan (经润三), a successful comprador. In Shanghai, he worked at the American-owned Huayang Company by day and studied English at night.

In 1913, Yashell and Suffert, two Americans in Shanghai who had acquired the Asia Film Company, asked Zhang to be their consultant. Despite his lack of experience in filmmaking, Zhang took over the company's work responsibilities. He sought help from Zheng Zhengqiu, a well-known playwright, and the two cofounded the Xinmin (新民) Film Company to make film for the Asia Company. Soon they made China's first feature film, The Difficult Couple, in 1913. However, Xinmin and Asia went out of business when their supply of German film stock was cut off after the outbreak of World War I. When his uncle died, Zhang was asked by his aunt to manage the family's New World amusement park. In 1916, Zhang formed Huanxian (Fantasy) Film Company, when American film stock became available in Shanghai, and made the film Victims of Opium, adapted from a stage play. But the company soon folded, and he returned to manage the amusement park, which was sold in 1920.

With the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, the Japanese took over the Shanghai International Settlement, which had been under British and American control, and combined Shanghai's remaining film studios into the Zhonglian (China United) Film Production Company. Zhang worked for the Japanese-controlled company as a branch manager and director. After the surrender of Japan at the end of World War II, Zhang was accused of treason for having worked for the Japanese, but was not officially indicted. He briefly worked in Hong Kong for the Great China Film Company, and in Shanghai for the Datong Film Company, but never recovered from the humiliating label of traitor. He died in Shanghai in 1953 or 1954, aged 64.

• As director • Thieves on Trial (1913) • A Funny Love Affair (1913) • The Difficult Couple (1913) • Bride Meets Ghost (1913) • Victims of Opium (1916) • Laborer's Love (1922) • Zhang Xinsheng (1922) • The King of Comedy Visits Shanghai (1922) • An Orphan Rescues His Grandfather (1923) • The Poor Children (1924) • Love and Vanity (1924) • The Death of Yuli (1924) • A Sincerely Pitiful Girl (1925) • A Lesser Friend (1925) • The Last Conscience (1925) • The Unknown Hero (1926) • A Shanghai Woman (1926) • Lonely Orchid (1926) (2 parts) • He Wants to Have a Baby (1926) • A Good Guy (1926) • Ma Yongzhen From Shandong (1927) • The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple (1928–31) (16 parts) • The Young Mistress' Fan (1928) • White Cloud Pagoda (1928) • The Revengeful Man (1928) (2 parts) • The Luoyang Bridge (1928) • Love Story on Classmates (1928) • Divorce (1928) • Dad Loves Mom (1929) • Sing-Song Girl Red Peony (1931) • Cosmetics of Market (1933) • Bible for Girls (1934) • Red Begonia (1936) • Dr. Li and Miss Tang (1939) • The West Chamber (1940)

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