Retreading the boards to support a new family

Wang Kuan and his wife watch their adopted children play instruments. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In 1999, after the children's grandparents had all died, Wang Kuan welcomed them into his home in Zhengzhou, despite the objections of his own son and daughter.

"When I went to pick them up, they hugged me tightly and called me grandpa. I am their only family now. We all cried," he said.

His three-bedroom apartment instantly became full. Two rooms were set aside for the new family members - one for the girls and another for the boys.

His wife Wang Shurong, also a Henan Opera actor, said that she learned how to bake steamed sweet buns and make clothes for the children, in order to save money.

But their income was still not enough to support such a big family. "I was fully aware I needed to earn more money," Wang Kuan said.

"Our combined income of more than 3,000 yuan ($436) a month from our pensions could not cover our living expenses."

He decided to earn extra money by performing in tea houses, which his wife balked at as he has coronary heart disease and arthritis.

The first year didn't go so well.

"I often sat for hours backstage with nothing to do, while having to listen to others' remarks. Customers prefer younger performers - sometimes when they earned up to 1,000 yuan per night, I was asked to perform only once and earned 60 yuan," he said.

To get more customers, Wang learned calligraphy and the famous secret face-changing routine of Sichuan Opera. But things didn't improve much until local media reported his story. After that, many more people came to see his performances in order to support the children under his care.

Wang kept performing until 2008, when he had to have heart bypass surgery.

All five of his children are grown now and have families of their own, and it is Wang and his wife's turn to reap the rewards of their philanthropy.

During this Spring Festival, "there were more than 30 people at our home (including Wang's own children and grandchildren)", he said, with a smile.