photo of Zhou in the 1930s.|292x292px In 1932, Zhou began acting as a member of
Li Jinhui's
Bright Moon Song and Dance Troupe. When she was 12, she won second prize in a singing contest in
Shanghai and was given the nickname "Golden Voice" () for her effortless high-pitched melodies. Zhou began her film career in 1935, and she achieved stardom in 1937 when director
Yuan Muzhi cast her as one of the leads as a singing girl in
Street Angel. Zhou rapidly became the most famous and marketable popular singer in the
gramophone era up to her death, singing many famous tunes from her own movies. Between 1946 and 1950, she often went to Hong Kong to make films such as "All-Consuming Love" (), "Hua wai liu ying" (),
Sorrows of the Forbidden City, and "Rainbow Song" (). After introducing "Shanghai Nights" () in 1949, Zhou returned to Shanghai. She spent the next few years in and out of mental institutions owing to frequent breakdowns. Through the years, Zhou led a complicated and unhappy life marked by her failed marriages, illegitimate children, and suicide attempts. Zhou's first husband was the composer Yan Hua (, 1912–1992), who wrote and sometimes also performed songs with her. Despite having made a total of 43 movies, her most well-known performance remained the 1937 film,
Street Angel. This contained two theme songs: "Four Seasons Song" () and "
The Wandering Songstress", which enjoyed long-lasting popularity. Other well-known songs by Zhou Xuan include "
When Will You Return?", "Shanghai Nights" (title song from the film of the same name), "Yellow Leaves Dancing in the Autumn Wind" (), "Eternal Smile" (), "Hundred Flower Song" (), "Advice" (), "Where Can the Soul Mate be Found" (), and "Picking Betel Nuts" (). == Personal life ==