Born in Shanghai on 29 August 1937, Betty Le Di, whose real name was Xi Zhongyi,
was a native of Pudong county of Jiangsu province (which is now part of the municipality of
Shanghai). She was the youngest child in the family, with three brothers and two sisters. This
was why she had the nickname "liu di", meaning "the sixth buddy". Kelly Lei Zhen, a famous
actor of the post-war Hong Kong Mandarin cinema, was one of her brothers, and was the third
eldest of the six. Their father died in a Japanese bombing just days before Le Di was born.
The Xi family was one of the most renowned clans in Pudong. The Xi Fu Ji Construction
Company had been a family business for generations.
In 1948, Le Di's mother died of heart disease. The six children were then adopted by
their grandfather Gu Zhuxuan, who was better known as "The Tycoon of Northern Jiangsu".
He ran one of the largest opera houses in Shanghai and this was where Le Di had developed a
deep passion for the performing arts, particularly Beijing opera.
In May 1949, the Xi children moved to Hong Kong with their grandmother. They first
lived in Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui.
