Chang Baohua

Chang Baohua
Born	Tianjin
Nationality	China
Genres	Xiangsheng (crosstalk)
Spouse	Fu Tianzhen

Chang Baohua (simplified Chinese: 常宝华; traditional Chinese: 常寶華; pinyin: Cháng BǎoHuá) (born 1930, Tianjin) is a retired crosstalk (Xiangsheng) comedian of Manchu ethnicity. He is one of the sixth generation of well-known Chinese crosstalk actors. He authored one hundred and seventy works. Chang was a member of the Communist Party of China and a first-level national actor.

Chang was born to an impoverished family in Tianjin. His brother's and father's crosstalk performances supported the family. Initially, Chang could not attend school but the education of a wealthy neighbour's child engendered in him a desire to learn. When the family's fortunes changed for the better, Chang attended a private elementary school in Tianjin where he was a good student.

Chang married and had five children. His granddaughter, Chang Si, was a member of the China synchronized swimming team. She won two gold medals at the Guangzhou Asian Games.

Chang was taught by his father, Chang Lianan, and his brother, Chang Baofang. Chang debuted at nine years of age and later appeared at a crosstalk convention at the Qi Ming Tea House, in the Xi Dan shopping mall, Beijing.

In 1942, Chang performed in Beautiful Song City (锦绣歌城) and Huatian Bacuo (花田八错). In 1951, when he was twenty-one, Chang acknowledged Ma Sanli as his artistic master. Chang joined the Tianjin Folk Artist Mission and received a "Third-class Labor Model" award from the Tianjin Literature and Art Union.

In 1951, during the Korean War, Chang entertained Chinese soldiers. His brother had been killed in the war. In 1953, Chang enlisted in the working group of the Chinese People's Liberation Army department of the navy. He received the second military award twice and the third military award once.

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