At the age of 77, when he should be enjoying his old age with his grandchildren, Wang Gang is instead working hard to perform to cover his son's annual tuition fee of 2 million yuan, with the family's monthly expenses easily exceeding 1 million yuan. The former actor famous for playing He Shen has now become the hardest-working "salaried worker" in the family.

77岁的王刚，本该是含饴弄孙、安享清福的年纪。可现实是，他正为儿子每年200万的学费拼命演出，每月家庭开销轻松过百万。这位昔日的“和珅”专业户，如今成了全家最拼的“打工人”。



Wang Gang welcomed his son Wang Yiding in 2008 when he was 60 years old. Shortly after the joy of having a child in his later years, huge bills arrived quietly. His son studies at a top international school in Beijing, with an annual tuition fee of 2 million yuan alone, not to mention the considerable expenses for elite interest classes such as equestrianism, cello and ice hockey, as well as overseas summer school plans.

2008年，60岁的王刚迎来了儿子王一丁。老来得子的喜悦还没持续多久，巨额账单就悄然而至。儿子王一丁在北京一所顶尖的国际学校读书，仅仅一年的学费就要200万元。这还不算完，马术、大提琴、冰球这些精英兴趣班，加上海外夏校等计划，都是不小的开支。

To raise enough education funds for his son, Wang Gang, a well-known collector, made a difficult decision. He reluctantly auctioned off the official kiln porcelain he had collected for many years, cashing out 30 million yuan at one time. His friends around him knew he loved these treasures, and he himself once said "no matter how poor you are, you can't sell memories", but for the sake of his child, he still let these beloved treasures "go where they should go".

为了凑够儿子的教育基金，王刚这位知名的收藏家做了个艰难的决定。他咬牙拍卖了自己珍藏多年的官窑瓷器，一次性套现了3000万元。身边的朋友都知道他爱这些宝贝，他自己也曾说“再穷不能卖回忆”，但为了孩子，他还是让这些心头好“去了该去的地方”。



The economic pressure is real, and Wang Gang's health has also given a warning sign. At 77 this year, he has high blood sugar and blood pressure, often needs to walk with a crutch, and sometimes even relies on a wheelchair. However, work cannot stop. In 2025, the drama "Iron Triangle" formed by him and his old partners Zhang Guoli and Zhang Tielin continued to tour the drama "Duan Jin" across the country.

经济压力是实实在在的，王刚的身体也亮起了红灯。今年77岁的他，血糖和血压都偏高，走路时常需要拄着拐杖，有时甚至要依赖轮椅。但工作不能停。2025年，他和老搭档张国立、张铁林组成的话剧“铁三角”，继续在全国巡演话剧《断金》。

The tour covered many cities from Ningbo and Nanjing in May to Guangzhou, Xi'an and Ordos in December. The scene backstage at the performance is even more worrying. Some staff once saw that Wang Gang's knee pads were covered with painkillers. To maintain his state on stage, he needs to carry a variety of medicines with him.

巡演从5月的宁波、南京，到12月的广州、西安、鄂尔多斯，覆盖多个城市。演出后台的场景更让人揪心。有工作人员曾看到，王刚的护膝里密密麻麻贴满了止痛贴。为了维持状态上台，他需要随身携带多种药物。



A drama performance lasts 165 minutes, which is a test even for young actors, let alone an octogenarian. His remuneration has dropped from 1 million yuan per performance at his peak to about 300,000 yuan, but he still accepts all invitations. Wang Gang's wife, Zheng Yandong, who is 20 years younger than him, used to be a piano teacher and later taught at a university.

一场话剧演出长达165分钟，对年轻演员都是考验，更别说一位古稀老人了。他的片酬也从巅峰时期的百万一场，降到了30万左右，但依然是来者不拒。王刚的妻子郑艳东，比他小20岁，是一位钢琴教师，后来在大学任教。

When Wang Gang is away performing, the burden of the family falls on her shoulders. She needs to take care of three elderly people at the same time and is also mainly responsible for her son's daily life and the family's housework. In addition to drama tours, Wang Gang also participates in treasure appraisal programs and historical documentary dubbing that fit his interests and professional accumulation.

在王刚外出奔波演出的时候，家庭的重担落在了她的肩上。她需要同时照顾三位老人，还主要负责儿子的日常起居和一家人的家务。除了话剧巡演，王刚也会参与一些符合他个人兴趣和专业积累的鉴宝类节目、历史纪录片配音工作。

本文来自公众微信号：爱语吧英语