Career
He was one of his generation"s most popular and influential xiangsheng performers and was mentor to many later xiangsheng performers. His apprentices include Ma Ji and Shi Shengjie. He was the father of Hou Yaohua and Hou Yaowen.
Hou Baolin was born in Tianjin, China on November 29, 1917.
He joined the Peking Opera Troupe at the age of 12, before switching his profession to being a xiangsheng performer, in which he studied under Zhu Kuoquan. After the founding of new China, the social status of folk performers rose considerably.
Hou joined the Quyi Art Troupe of the Chinese Broadcasting Recitation and Ballad Troupe and made major contributions to China"s xiangsheng art Hou died on February 4, 1993, at the age of 76 of stomach cancer.
He was buried at Babaoshan cemetery.