Mei was born in Taizhou, Jiangsu(1894), into a family of Beijing Opera and Kunqu performers. He made his stage debut at the Guanghe Theatre in 1904 when he was 10 years old. In his 50-year stage career, he maintained strong continuity while always working on new techniques. His most famous roles were those of female characters; skillful portrayal of women won him international acclaim. He also played an important part in continuing the performance tradition of Kunqu. In July 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident occurred. The Imperial Japanese Army soon occupied Beijing. The commander of the Japanese Army ordered Mei to perform for them and appointed Mei to a high ranking official position. But Mei refused to sing throughout the duration of the war and endured an impoverished lifestyle until the war ended in 1945. Mei was the first artist to spread Beijing Opera to foreign countries, participating in cultural exchanges with Japan, the United States, and other regions. After 1949 he served as the director of the China Beijing Opera Theater, director of the Chinese Opera Research Institute, and vice-chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. Between 1926 and 1931 he was married to Beijing Opera star Meng Xiaodong. They had one child.