Funeral held for late actor Yan Huaili

The funeral for the late senior Chinese actor Yan Huaili, renowned star from hit TV series 'Journey to the West', was held on Thursday morning at Babaoshan Cemetery in Beijing.

Friends came to bid farewell in grief while fans also gathered from across the country to pay their last respects to Yan, a very low-key actor and well remembered by people for the same-toned role of him in the classical epic series.

Hundreds attend the memorial service of late Chinese actor Yan Huaili at Beijing's Babaoshan funeral home on Thursday, April 16. 73-year-old Yan Huaili, an acclaimed actor best known for the 1982's classic TV series 'Journey to the West', died April 12 from lung complications. [Photo: sina.com]

Yan Huaili played the honest and devoted 'Sha Wujing', or Monk Sha, the third disciple of Xuanzang (602-664), the most reverend Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk who went to India to obtain Buddhist texts called sutras.

Other famous actors of 'Journey to the West' including Liu Xiao Ling Tong (Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King), Chi Chongrui (the Tang dynasty monk Xuanzang) and Ma Dehua (Zhu Bajia, or the Pigsy), all arrived together for Yan's funeral ceremony with the condolence wreath.

Actor Yan Huali and the other three actors had forged very strong friendship off screen since their collaboration in 1982. Audiences loved to see the 'master' and three disciples reunite on talk show programs. The three all stayed by his side when the actor passed away Sunday morning.

Yan Huaili (L1) played the honest and devoted "Sha Wujing", or Monk Sha, for the 1982's classic TV series "Journey to the West"

73-year-old Yan died from a lung infection at Beijing Shijitan hospital.

Media reports said Yan Huaili's family did not want to hold a funeral ceremony, according to Yan's wishes. However, his three actor friends persisted, saying, Yan does not only belong to his family but also to art and the people.

Yan Huaili played a wide variety of roles following his successful part in the adaptation of the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West'.