My most vivid memory of Yu Menglong (于朦胧) remains the image of him as the young man holding an umbrella in A Umbrella of Misty Rain (一伞烟雨). During a shoot, he wore a light green round-collar robe, a Futou (幞头), and black boots—like a "zanhua shaonian" (簪花少年) stepping out of a classical painting.
Zanhua and Youth
In the behind-the-scenes footage, he pointed to the Zanhua on his Futou, saying they represented unyielding spirit and hope for the future. "Flowers and youth" are the purest romance, and this set of photos became my ultimate template for the "zanhua shaonian" image.
Zanhua is more than an ornament; it's a symbol of hope. As early as the Tang Dynasty (618–907) and popular in the Song Dynasty (960–1279), Zanhua was worn by young talents and successful individuals. At the "Qujiang Banquet" celebrating new Jinshi (进士), youths used Zanhua to express their ambitions and confidence. The tanhuashi (探花使) was a young graduate. He would ride through the capital collecting flowers, and this activity culminated in composing poems at Qionglin Garden to welcome the top scholar. This is what the poet described: "Riding on a galloping horse with spring breeze, seeing all Chang'an flowers in a day."
Career Ups and Downs
Who doesn't love a graceful talent? But Yu Menglong seems to have never received the glory he deserved. In 2015, he rose to fame with the cross-dressing historical comedy Go Princess Go (太子妃升职记). This show broke multiple records: peak daily views exceeded 200 million, and total views reached 2.6 billion by the end. It should have made him a household name.
In 2017, he starred alongside Yang Mi in the fantasy drama Eternal Love (三生三世十里桃花) as Bai Zhen (白真), the "most handsome man in all realms." His upright and bright portrayal made Bai Zhen a "white moonlight" (beloved, untouchable memory) for many. Yet soon after, he "faded" from the public eye. Compared to his peers, his works and public appearances became scarce, leading netizens to speculate he was "snowed under" (hidden by the company).
The next time he led a project was in the low-budget web drama A Umbrella of Misty Rain in recent years. Though not a big production, it was no less impressive. It's a pity—he works hard, as seen in his increasingly layered crying scenes. But blaming his lack of popularity solely on "bad luck" is unfair.
Gentle Resilience
Despite the hardships, he said, "I never feel the world owes me anything." "The power of self-rescue is great; the biggest motivation to get out of trouble is having something to persist in." In a magazine interview, he admitted feeling "depressed, unhappy, and self-doubting" but would quickly cheer up: "Seeing the sun the next day makes me feel happy again." When rumors of his fall from a building surfaced, my first thought was: How could someone with the courage to live despite adversity end his life so hastily?
He shouldn't be doubted in public opinion. He tried and persisted. Though his works are limited, his acting has improved. The industry's objective evaluation of him should be positive, not the vague negative narrative of "a good man who was always unlucky and had a bad ending"—that's not objective.
Tang Dynasty poet Cui Daorong (崔道融) wrote: "Meeting a fair-faced young man on the road, drunk with flowers in his hair." That's exactly Yu Menglong, clean and gentle. Sadly, we'll never see such a scene again. May the eternal youthful gentleman rest in peace.
