Career
She has been called "arguably the most important actress in the recent history of Yueju opera". The only other artist to be ranked with her is Fu Quanxiang. Yuan is most known for playing the title role in the 1946 production of Sister Xianglin, an adaptation of a work by Lu Xun.
According to Zhou, his mother quickly granted the request.
Yuan is credited with leading the reform of Yue opera staging during the 1940s. Changes included the extensive use of lighting and scenery, and a new, soft style of costuming.
In 1964, the film Stage Sisters, based on Yuan"s life, was released. During the Cultural Revolution, Yuan was severely criticized as a way of attacking Premier Zhou Enlai, who supported the film.