Hu with Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang (left). [Photo provided to China Daily]

She also portrayed a patriotic concubine from the 17th century in Chen Yuanyuan the Beauty, a 1940 film rallying people to resist the Japanese aggression.

One of her lines from the film, "The offspring of Huang Di (ancient Chinese mythological emperor) will never be defeated," was used as a slogan to encourage the public to resist.

Still images from the two films are on display at the exhibition.

Li says that Hu was a professional actress who was always on time for work. And she did not complain whether she was dangled from ropes or dropped into the mud during filming.

When Hu signed with the Mingxing Film Company in 1928, she received a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan besides remuneration for the film, while the average wage for a worker was 20 yuan.

Li says Hu was popular with fans because she demonstrated a temperament different from women of the past. And she questioned feudal norms. "In many photos of women of her time, I see fear, weakness and confusion. But Hu's eyes convey a positive attitude."