tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-240622512024-03-17T02:52:10.485+08:00just mePhotos, Music, Anime, Films, TV Dramas, Kajiura Yuki, Kalafina, Sun Li, 孙俪, Tong Yao, 童瑶, etcjust mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.comBlogger1455125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-69417309607772155232023-05-10T00:15:00.010+08:002023-05-10T07:43:33.225+08:00Chinese Drama: Xiao Ri Zi 小日子 - official announce, begins production - write up<div>#XiaoRiZi #小日子 #TongYao #童瑶 #ChenXiao #陈晓</div><div>
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There were rumours floating around Weibo that Tong Yao and Chen Xiao will be
starring in a series called <i>Xiao Ri Zi</i> for some time. Now it's
official. The
<a href="https://weibo.com/7834356366">official Weibo account</a> for this
series announced that the series has gone into production a few days ago. The series is
based on a novel of the same title by Yi Bei who also wrote the novel <i>Xiao Min
Jia</i> 小敏家 which the relatively well-received series <i>A Little Mood for Love</i>
(2021) was based on. There is no official English title for
<i>Xiao Ri Zi</i> yet so I'll continue to use the pinyin of the Chinese title
when I refer to it in English for now.<span><a name='more'></a></span> <br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyb2umO8IzciF5SEMlhrc3xgZM0vao2eGH4LRAHNQXGwTiiyp7AtPMlSbblOIcH_0lxSVNHZCecXTZw2QvkQDvqgjYpSns3nQ4FdAwqC2bbqz8Q6kQ-Kj5yl_ihJuR46XQxnlgVrgP0l0ZsbKap50lndLxlAtucjNKD2UB6qbeDGEPM7WJkg/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_character_visual_001.jpg" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSZ_F4tX1Ibl1iOQC1UJdGrGtykD5acZEYhRQ_GnWfHkS6gAC6ogBK-IxHL4jbt-8tEVtLyUtJdMcfSZA_eEGizZ0rrX24qsFHDu4A2bWTmWbW_RaXrfsY8YkjPWvQPMsaumLm198r6Ob2dTmMxpYGkjumgHW0q6A2njo3iwfdLOPX28X2g/s9000/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_character_visual_001.jpg" style="display: inline; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="9000" data-original-width="6000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSZ_F4tX1Ibl1iOQC1UJdGrGtykD5acZEYhRQ_GnWfHkS6gAC6ogBK-IxHL4jbt-8tEVtLyUtJdMcfSZA_eEGizZ0rrX24qsFHDu4A2bWTmWbW_RaXrfsY8YkjPWvQPMsaumLm198r6Ob2dTmMxpYGkjumgHW0q6A2njo3iwfdLOPX28X2g/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_character_visual_001.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Aside from Tong
Yao and Chen Xiao, the rest of the cast look like they are quite
experienced. It goes without saying that I like Tong Yao but I also
quite like Chen Xiao. I've had a good impression of him since <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/sun-li-film-tv-guide-for-sun-li-fans.html#nothinggoldcanstay"><i>Nothing Gold can Stay</i></a> and I'm actually currently watching <i>Thirteen Years of Dust</i> which
I am also enjoying at the moment. I'm pleased that the leading cast is
strong. I also quite like two of the supporting cast. Sa Ri Na was in
<a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/sun-li-film-tv-guide-for-sun-li-fans.html#auntieduohe"><i>Auntie Duohe</i></a>
which was a series that I really enjoyed and I really loved her performance in
that series. I also really like Yu Haoming who I watched in
<a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/sun-li-film-tv-guide-for-sun-li-fans.html#nothinggoldcanstay"><i>Nothing Gold can Stay</i></a>. I thought that he was exceptionally good there.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFUEIYs2wlt_CN-s5a3VPGy4WN_YwcphHLpgLy5ezvQ1esjdXlOnqTG0fLCvO23DsLi-Xx9KVd6PnD-ZGjNVrXY-Z72DPE1VUA-fic8Txne4WywLR3eOlqQmXuGNh-fZchD6Ft18cT4IA38fZ9Y5Sk7EG8fBrgnmB_8qLe_6Xfocd2Az5Ag/s9000/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_SaRiNa_%E8%90%A8%E6%97%A5%E5%A8%9C_character_visual_001.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFUEIYs2wlt_CN-s5a3VPGy4WN_YwcphHLpgLy5ezvQ1esjdXlOnqTG0fLCvO23DsLi-Xx9KVd6PnD-ZGjNVrXY-Z72DPE1VUA-fic8Txne4WywLR3eOlqQmXuGNh-fZchD6Ft18cT4IA38fZ9Y5Sk7EG8fBrgnmB_8qLe_6Xfocd2Az5Ag/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_SaRiNa_%E8%90%A8%E6%97%A5%E5%A8%9C_character_visual_001.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHY4cQEdmXaVYY49pXZJu2ZpqeqH5jf6pBz7mA96BBhjBThNkJU6pArWoe0zlnu0A9P-sEdiKMKwUsFP39IkyN4qev8py5UsBwqk08Za2VKDTutXDRrKHZYF5eFu6sXC_KAeq691P1No7C6kFsaIvfjTl0boL6tgYMeDWNfLqcRMG7RdpNg/s9000/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_YuHaoming_%E4%BF%9E%E7%81%8F%E6%98%8E_character_visual_001.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHY4cQEdmXaVYY49pXZJu2ZpqeqH5jf6pBz7mA96BBhjBThNkJU6pArWoe0zlnu0A9P-sEdiKMKwUsFP39IkyN4qev8py5UsBwqk08Za2VKDTutXDRrKHZYF5eFu6sXC_KAeq691P1No7C6kFsaIvfjTl0boL6tgYMeDWNfLqcRMG7RdpNg/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_YuHaoming_%E4%BF%9E%E7%81%8F%E6%98%8E_character_visual_001.jpg" /></a><div><div><br /></div><div><i>Xiao Ri Zi </i>is a contemporary family drama set
in the city of Shanghai. I have not read the novel and I usually will not
attempt to read it before I watch a live-action adaptation because I don't
like to have my reaction to any film or TV series coloured by my opinions of
the novel. The title can literally be translated as "little days" which
makes it seem like it might be a slice-of-life type of story about the
little events that make up our everyday life. However, I did look for
information on the novel online and I read the
<a href="https://read.douban.com/reader/bulletin/399999831/">overview</a> of
the novel. It seems like this story is not your ordinary contemporary family
drama. It's more like a mixed-genre story with elements of suspense thrown
in. The suspense comes from a series of anonymously sent short text
messages which will create suspicions and test relationships. The
novel is told from a female perspective but I don't expect that the
adaptation will lean too far toward either side since both leads are
relatively well-known names. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QSXGNjacGu6vc6RQ7iR_Ltpvlmcuvs_Mm0mZtIof9A3hfEadoX0APDuYTizIv_1IMIFmG6uICykQduVrBXWRTbcI4Hd5ercgFcjHzJT_4asf0uRM9ygTDtKCBa_Hds3KgmDpiK1OM25sydJdV8PVIRExK_Js8TUeFrPm4sU5df6DzipchQ/s7952/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7952" data-original-width="5304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QSXGNjacGu6vc6RQ7iR_Ltpvlmcuvs_Mm0mZtIof9A3hfEadoX0APDuYTizIv_1IMIFmG6uICykQduVrBXWRTbcI4Hd5ercgFcjHzJT_4asf0uRM9ygTDtKCBa_Hds3KgmDpiK1OM25sydJdV8PVIRExK_Js8TUeFrPm4sU5df6DzipchQ/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div>Tong Yao plays Gu Moli who is the only daughter of a couple from Jiangsu,
Zhejiang.
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(aside: yes, Tong Yao seems to play a lot of characters named Gu.
🤣)</span> Against her family's wishes, Moli moves to Shanghai and marries Zhu Jingcao (played by Chen Xiao) whose family's circumstances aren't as good
as hers. She initially thought that her home can be a haven from the
bustling and noisy world outside. She used to live a carefree life
until one day, after the birth of her daughter, Jingcao receives a text
message accusing Moli of infidelity. This disrupts their peaceful
life. The in-laws also come visiting one after the other making
Moli's "little days" increasingly unbearable. The unknown person who sent
the message continues to create conflict and it seems like there may
actually be more than one person behind the increasing chaos in her
life. Moli has to make many of her life's choices without being able
to see the whole picture. Will Moli's and Jingcao's relationship be
able to withstand this onslaught?</div><div>
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlvGLpBUjbPTmWx6DpJEl11RnFCZo3w-vez0tX0mf7hHyvci3WQIE1V4z7DrWi8EskJ3NwhWQ_AY3ipeZsUIVzWIiapH8yK8X0hpVaIDz73USRQbLuQg0qScCjwWrevZeU8djZHd5lf2eGEtXp8rjetS1jua12lQPE7Dp1kSf5aA9DtMi2Q/s7952/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7952" data-original-width="5304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlvGLpBUjbPTmWx6DpJEl11RnFCZo3w-vez0tX0mf7hHyvci3WQIE1V4z7DrWi8EskJ3NwhWQ_AY3ipeZsUIVzWIiapH8yK8X0hpVaIDz73USRQbLuQg0qScCjwWrevZeU8djZHd5lf2eGEtXp8rjetS1jua12lQPE7Dp1kSf5aA9DtMi2Q/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div>According to a review of the novel, the novel cleverly mixes suspense with
the trivialities of daily life. On the surface, the novel may seem
to be about the complex relationship between men and women but underneath
the story is about the selfishness and greed of human nature. In
an <a href="https://book.douban.com/review/14481148/">article</a> with the author of the novel, Yi Bei said that he wanted to tell a
story about the changes in rural and urban China, the relationships
between children and their parents as they move into the cities and the
immense pressure that children from the era of the "single child policy"
faced. </div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
This raises my hopes somewhat. The official Weibo gave very little
information on the drama so I initially thought that this was going to be
one of those typical slice-of-life contemporary family dramas which don't
sound too appealing to me. The addition of the elements of suspense
makes me a little hopeful that this would be a good watch.
</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKM0_B6ho1xzgdzZVlBC6ibbTwUPzL_CuyGdQaPHYfYYhvtiE4S6hicgJ7TcCeLhBNtO88LSbnFKRikcmwmq_Bbv4o7FD4hL0fWlxnQlXlMLlM2iXt0YjTUdhT-e3MGOti2DPZlxRolDKmYZcE5NNG3Tzq-Xiq0ulvLucX5qyGZbFz1OexQ/s7952/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7952" data-original-width="5304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKM0_B6ho1xzgdzZVlBC6ibbTwUPzL_CuyGdQaPHYfYYhvtiE4S6hicgJ7TcCeLhBNtO88LSbnFKRikcmwmq_Bbv4o7FD4hL0fWlxnQlXlMLlM2iXt0YjTUdhT-e3MGOti2DPZlxRolDKmYZcE5NNG3Tzq-Xiq0ulvLucX5qyGZbFz1OexQ/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div>However, I have one more reservation regarding this series and
unfortunately, it's a pretty important one. The director for this
series is An Jian (安建) and I've actually watched two series that he's
directed. I thought both series suffered from pacing problems and
had issues with the narrative, characterization, and plot. The more
recent of these two series is
<i><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/sun-li-film-tv-guide-for-sun-li-fans.html#iwillfindyouabetterhome">I Will Buy You a Better Home</a></i>. I actually didn't like that series very much at all and thought
that after a relatively interesting start, the lack of conflict, too many
similar supporting characters, and somewhat repetitious situations made
this a dull watch. Although it starred one of my favourite Mainland
actresses, I couldn't finish the series at all. I managed to finish
the other series,
<i><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html#simpledish">Simple Dish</a></i>, though mostly because Tong Yao put in such a compelling performance
that I just had to finish to see what happens to her
character. </div>
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItg4Lwqx2AdACsaMrktAS0IqM2IhvWjZzC9_fDIt0IwjDZaB0CVkKnuKbt28OJvJWELwV7HIG0T51DKYdaKb-650s8688JEnDWyhO6FP6ZtzkHN70Wh2ZyfVcKv7f4vAU0c6aEbt8fMl9qTVliNjbjv8FWQMMSVOVysPUBchMTpCoLXHZdA/s4160/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_Cast_ProductionTeam_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="4160" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItg4Lwqx2AdACsaMrktAS0IqM2IhvWjZzC9_fDIt0IwjDZaB0CVkKnuKbt28OJvJWELwV7HIG0T51DKYdaKb-650s8688JEnDWyhO6FP6ZtzkHN70Wh2ZyfVcKv7f4vAU0c6aEbt8fMl9qTVliNjbjv8FWQMMSVOVysPUBchMTpCoLXHZdA/s320/%E5%B0%8F%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90_XiaoRiZi_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_ChenXiao_%E9%99%88%E6%99%93_Cast_ProductionTeam_%E5%BC%80%E6%9C%BA_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>One positive takeaway from An Jian's work in <i>Simple Dish</i> though is
that he has shown that he is capable of allowing his female characters to
be strong, complex, and not always likeable. But unfortunately, one of my
biggest problems with the series was also how it tended to portray the male protagonist as some kind of long-suffering saint that it seemed
quite idiotically unrealistic to me. Both series were also way too
long for their good and <i>Simple Dish</i> had a really muddled ending
where characters seem to change personalities at will. It pretty
much messed up my Tong Yao's He Wenyuan's character progression too which
I found quite unforgivable because she was the series most fascinating
character.</div>
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw_LbRGZQMd0lsdWXenaMTq5hzqMg4fQ3a6qjCIDFLCt7qHxDIQGMGrMgLsWViPuaeYbOzSKRXDF7M' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>Well, let's hope that this time, with this cast and more experience under
his belt that An Jian doesn't make the same mistakes again. Also,
this is a much shorter series than both
<i>I Will Buy You a Better Home</i> and <i>Simple Dish</i> so that might
help with pacing issues. Whatever the case, since Tong Yao stars in
this, I will definitely give this a try. 😊</div><div><br /></div><div>If you wish to check out my Tong Yao guide, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">click me</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">amend 10th May 2023 (a few hours later) - fixed some grammar, punctuation and translation issues.</span></i></div>
</div>
</div>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-77430239904836714132023-05-08T10:23:00.003+08:002023-05-28T10:17:32.963+08:00Update 3: Chinese Drama 微暗之火 Gone with the Wind - First Trailer#TongYao #童瑶 #微暗之火 #GoneWithTheWind #ZhangXincheng #张新成 #cdrama<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyJfAIzJrlscoPmqJstabI77JXwv3kCFRouK46xTOfOBRJIGR5-FsbN4ez_aWh89MutOuxyxUy-YRAdH-FY1JmA0bh8MtgsoEKxlPI0FxGXmBNluxXv2o57nkOIH19jJ7vzdqi_fGY6xVVI78mV7lh3P2ztKl-yZZnwuN9H7f1yHYw3rQoA/s3840/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyJfAIzJrlscoPmqJstabI77JXwv3kCFRouK46xTOfOBRJIGR5-FsbN4ez_aWh89MutOuxyxUy-YRAdH-FY1JmA0bh8MtgsoEKxlPI0FxGXmBNluxXv2o57nkOIH19jJ7vzdqi_fGY6xVVI78mV7lh3P2ztKl-yZZnwuN9H7f1yHYw3rQoA/s320/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>The <a href="https://weibo.com/n/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%E5%AE%98%E5%BE%AE">official Weibo account </a>for <i>Gone with the Wind</i> released a number of key visuals and the first trailer for the series on 6th May and it looks interesting. This seems to be a departure from many recent Mainland series that I've watched, in the sense that the level of physicality seems to be higher than most and they seem to be pushing the envelope on what most audiences of Mainland series are used to.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSg476UFBiBcUBLZKaCHz9Oj417X8A_bHF9Yi-a9uBJ151qqZpmyEIdJmyU9PlBzFT_wHHbop97I1k9EIDnaFzIj_nIFwBm62cj0js4g0SjlGyt9OkZ4E6xaHr1npA6AaaWvCFFCUVHyALLMQVB1IgcFFG4vo6ZgOvpHtUrsR2ACsJoQeb8A/s3840/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSg476UFBiBcUBLZKaCHz9Oj417X8A_bHF9Yi-a9uBJ151qqZpmyEIdJmyU9PlBzFT_wHHbop97I1k9EIDnaFzIj_nIFwBm62cj0js4g0SjlGyt9OkZ4E6xaHr1npA6AaaWvCFFCUVHyALLMQVB1IgcFFG4vo6ZgOvpHtUrsR2ACsJoQeb8A/s320/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>The edit and use of music are also nice and it feels really evocative in the beginning before it builds to a nice climax. The setting is an old town in China. I forgot where but I've seen photos of it online and it's lovely. If I remember or find out, I'll amend this paragraph.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Normally, I prefer to push people to the official Weibo and websites but I realised that a Weibo account is needed to watch the videos on Weibo and I know getting a Weibo account may not be something everyone wants or can get. So I'll post the video here and also place links to the Weibo post.</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw3TLV20FpCpCinyP0tJq2DPvHatlLSgKFmv2_W0vvIjBru86WF_SuSsBbhy1o7pEQiJfyoZv9STfA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>Also, for a series that has "darkness" in the title, I was expecting it to be visually much darker and I'm thankful that it isn't. Some of the recent Mainland suspense series that have "darker" themes have been graded quite dark which makes it hard to make things out sometimes. It may work well for people with better TVs but even then, it's a little tiring to watch for long periods of time.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha98qoRi7JMOOAp3c_oFHmW2jyuIdbC93bsJvVreboLPhhK_Ze1J0SNi-I1tP_CDFpUvgwxjsIuvPGKZR-4q3Zb6BpPbCQtjV-bJD01fSsPme4zodKFO6O0GX955qJGrc6IRtsrbXd_mm2sIojCojxFVZgcL-mmdiTGYTbBn_rB9o5yMrUAg/s7952/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_005.jpg"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha98qoRi7JMOOAp3c_oFHmW2jyuIdbC93bsJvVreboLPhhK_Ze1J0SNi-I1tP_CDFpUvgwxjsIuvPGKZR-4q3Zb6BpPbCQtjV-bJD01fSsPme4zodKFO6O0GX955qJGrc6IRtsrbXd_mm2sIojCojxFVZgcL-mmdiTGYTbBn_rB9o5yMrUAg/w133-h200/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_005.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iQuzr-RILM0N6hFX7CtJK66NO5opkl8XfdC2kjQF4SsV8dlHrlcbOjy_KvDaikX0vb3xilHqOqQ1Tw7sKprO3Iv8ouJTfpa3htZvOCdJq9veoyKas2NpR9hkrCMXgs17VwRKBMJcB8rDsz9dYXuAeVVAX37RJk3VdpPEM0CrUmI3LXrA0w/s7952/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_006.jpg"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iQuzr-RILM0N6hFX7CtJK66NO5opkl8XfdC2kjQF4SsV8dlHrlcbOjy_KvDaikX0vb3xilHqOqQ1Tw7sKprO3Iv8ouJTfpa3htZvOCdJq9veoyKas2NpR9hkrCMXgs17VwRKBMJcB8rDsz9dYXuAeVVAX37RJk3VdpPEM0CrUmI3LXrA0w/w133-h200/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_006.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOXDq-oc5lZdgrzkaYNTTvVNkXsRH05e_X8fX8pWwfZgAnwDDfp54L6HBZbv5TMre-D8haHzbozL_r_Q4lzyQp4vXIgtXhkOLCISeU3k1LIWxEFuhgIiNHL7rUfsl8omPr3AhzbmNyYyKpguKFU_F4un2TMg2ikls8xebTOB7YJBHOYFwvQ/s7952/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_007.jpg"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOXDq-oc5lZdgrzkaYNTTvVNkXsRH05e_X8fX8pWwfZgAnwDDfp54L6HBZbv5TMre-D8haHzbozL_r_Q4lzyQp4vXIgtXhkOLCISeU3k1LIWxEFuhgIiNHL7rUfsl8omPr3AhzbmNyYyKpguKFU_F4un2TMg2ikls8xebTOB7YJBHOYFwvQ/w133-h200/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_007.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88Is1sEvuUXpSswl792zRoB6r8Tl1JdsP59uBfy0tQrgzU_MiHNpl-ne3fSU6hDoPXztRtVVQ5bEp1Bfso5LrdQL0F_b5WmThqXJxvvXyhL5NjUnrv53A_3T1E-_NNXR3-UCN-LjW8AztWxQo9BHz7PpiIawA0H16emLHWDrYkLH1y1jNmQ/s7952/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_008.jpg"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88Is1sEvuUXpSswl792zRoB6r8Tl1JdsP59uBfy0tQrgzU_MiHNpl-ne3fSU6hDoPXztRtVVQ5bEp1Bfso5LrdQL0F_b5WmThqXJxvvXyhL5NjUnrv53A_3T1E-_NNXR3-UCN-LjW8AztWxQo9BHz7PpiIawA0H16emLHWDrYkLH1y1jNmQ/w133-h200/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_008.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The sexual tension between the two leads, Tong Yao and Zhang Xincheng, is dripping with so much intensity that it's almost palpable. This shouldn't be a surprise because it was already evident from the two previous short films that the two actors worked on together that they make an electrifying onscreen couple. The <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/2022/03/TongYao-ZhangXincheng-WeWillGrowOldTogether-VogueFilm-review.html">Vogue short film</a> and the Glass Magazine collaboration <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(I forgot that I was going to write about that. </i>😅<i> May work on it later this week.)</i></span> were the two short films the two leads worked on before the release of this trailer.</div><div><br /></div><div>This should be an interesting watch for Tong Yao fans because this looks different from most of her previous roles. It's evident from the trailer that her character has spirit in spite of her unfortunate circumstances. Characters with internal strength and grit are something Tong Yao portrays well and I look forward to seeing more of that in the series.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6rroJ7BP-kt-XcCKBp-zzQRG9tmZb2AlVk5lraqcDb38HNIfyPi4p6OEFTfYbr-4WvGUNxM-2PA5zO7vI-TkTXShp-zXn6vmAi-oa-5XtpMC7ZqL_MlHmnJwOhuTwL-qva4Roj0bKMXieTWfqsHVK-XkBmgdVAApxhTndhCttDxSdxZjqQ/s3840/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6rroJ7BP-kt-XcCKBp-zzQRG9tmZb2AlVk5lraqcDb38HNIfyPi4p6OEFTfYbr-4WvGUNxM-2PA5zO7vI-TkTXShp-zXn6vmAi-oa-5XtpMC7ZqL_MlHmnJwOhuTwL-qva4Roj0bKMXieTWfqsHVK-XkBmgdVAApxhTndhCttDxSdxZjqQ/s320/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, as of this point in time, we do not have an official release date yet but I expect that it should be imminent.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQavcdYm7G2NdInMVeH-yY_eZtMI6YdzK-us_NkNWSeFW0ogOdcvDiSUOtjM7VNDVWcYuCTFx7Rj5DflYfwLWTUE_9MKIbUnngqH25OrIY7sh0lzqH94FM8dvz-zWWpJfgmHvEpvTX6tVcuxRKpxJjitPH1uKAJpXhsfMUyNh8Kt1vga2iQ/s4160/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="4160" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQavcdYm7G2NdInMVeH-yY_eZtMI6YdzK-us_NkNWSeFW0ogOdcvDiSUOtjM7VNDVWcYuCTFx7Rj5DflYfwLWTUE_9MKIbUnngqH25OrIY7sh0lzqH94FM8dvz-zWWpJfgmHvEpvTX6tVcuxRKpxJjitPH1uKAJpXhsfMUyNh8Kt1vga2iQ/s320/%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20_GoneWithTheWind_TongYao_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20_ZhangXincheng_%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90_Visuals_004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>If you wish to check out my Tong Yao guide, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">click me</a>.</div></div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-44032481831849690822023-02-11T14:01:00.008+08:002023-05-08T09:21:13.077+08:00Update 2: Chinese Drama 微暗之火 Gone with the Wind<p>#TongYao #童瑶 #微暗之火 #GoneWithTheWind #ZhangXincheng #张新成 #cdrama #PaleFire</p><p><i>amend 8th May 2023 (I realized that you need to have a Weibo acct to watch so for the convenience of those who don't have an account & don't want to or can't sign up for one, I'll upload it below.)</i></p><p>Just when I thought I was done with the updates on this series for now, I saw this on Weibo. 😁</p><p>This is a short behind the scenes video for the <i>Glass</i> x <i>Gone with the Wind</i> photo-shoot featuring Tong Yao and Zhang Xincheng. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfD2O0Olkwae5n_mcm8JG0D_b6NIl6Mv9LLZ0i0nOAC0csKZc1TsMr5sYCme2WuXmTEZNrBw5u-IwO0gMwwWd95Zw0sLRk9UWj7PjmJ08VjL1tXJ5hjBFVWoOVVAp22JR_-2wvK9M-IlY8w3FuzWVvIuC0odp_WJDgimlwKYkRMahzu6w4g/s1471/Screenshot_TongYao%20ZhangXincheng%20GoneWithTheWind%20Glass%20bts%20Youku.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="829" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfD2O0Olkwae5n_mcm8JG0D_b6NIl6Mv9LLZ0i0nOAC0csKZc1TsMr5sYCme2WuXmTEZNrBw5u-IwO0gMwwWd95Zw0sLRk9UWj7PjmJ08VjL1tXJ5hjBFVWoOVVAp22JR_-2wvK9M-IlY8w3FuzWVvIuC0odp_WJDgimlwKYkRMahzu6w4g/s320/Screenshot_TongYao%20ZhangXincheng%20GoneWithTheWind%20Glass%20bts%20Youku.png" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p>They look good together. 😁</p><span></span><span></span><p>If you wish to watch this video, <a href="https://weibo.com/1642904381/Msup43sI8">click me</a> to go to the Youku post or use the QR code provided in the image below or just watch the video that I upload as part of the 8th May amendment. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD5kkdMYPrx4TFh3rN-Di7VK_awUO270Bt3zxvruuy8PVQRNggV8NXIiwEtUxzH1R5vfZtABVIQspu-uMeRCsyZ6bRtUn22PkYRAA2rzb6z3akgjhZ9GQGVYW-boeduXu5HCXipOWtgebaFBEGQmd2fnR-0XA3KQQrwunoFbpsA3HTvPOqQ/s2962/TongYao%20ZhangXincheng%20GoneWithTheWind%20Glass%20bts%20Youku%20video.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2962" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbD5kkdMYPrx4TFh3rN-Di7VK_awUO270Bt3zxvruuy8PVQRNggV8NXIiwEtUxzH1R5vfZtABVIQspu-uMeRCsyZ6bRtUn22PkYRAA2rzb6z3akgjhZ9GQGVYW-boeduXu5HCXipOWtgebaFBEGQmd2fnR-0XA3KQQrwunoFbpsA3HTvPOqQ/w146-h400/TongYao%20ZhangXincheng%20GoneWithTheWind%20Glass%20bts%20Youku%20video.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzIyqvjthJd7kVBjqSvxdzEKNyRDqmM9vaPYY9jPaL51IwkkD-LCbADsUeTaeM9-ZUDpcegQdH47Ng' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>If you wish to check out my Tong Yao guide, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">click me</a>.</p><p>Meanwhile, I'll try and get back to work. 😅</p>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-54619059606955948982023-02-11T12:20:00.007+08:002023-02-11T14:15:10.037+08:00Update: Chinese Drama 微暗之火 Gone with the Wind <p>#TongYao #童瑶 #微暗之火 #GoneWithTheWind #ZhangXincheng #张新成 #cdrama #PaleFire</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRa30GgRVF_UG_RYD3nqQ2SQ3KPKJ_4vVPxe7s-xHdk6lYXh_krg3f5HTDHQeh9R1Z-LJ8oK1Q1ROTomQsKeA71d17ybjMzBJUX05399MqCh60vPUO908qRuSNtDqywkze2j09M6-u7sDxgObkkh-sMYj4fSQdzOqqrvb3_DrdoMk5eGvTA/s2571/TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20ZhangXincheng%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20GoneWithTheWind%20%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20Glass%20magazine%20image%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2571" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRa30GgRVF_UG_RYD3nqQ2SQ3KPKJ_4vVPxe7s-xHdk6lYXh_krg3f5HTDHQeh9R1Z-LJ8oK1Q1ROTomQsKeA71d17ybjMzBJUX05399MqCh60vPUO908qRuSNtDqywkze2j09M6-u7sDxgObkkh-sMYj4fSQdzOqqrvb3_DrdoMk5eGvTA/s320/TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20ZhangXincheng%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20GoneWithTheWind%20%E5%BE%AE%E6%9A%97%E4%B9%8B%E7%81%AB%20Glass%20magazine%20image%20001.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><br /><p>Good news for fans of Tong Yao and Zhang Xincheng. Today, we finally got more news about the series that they worked on together. This bodes well because it also means that the series is likely to be released sometime this year and quite possibly in the first half of the year.</p><p>The production team for the series set up an official Weibo account this morning; here is the <a href="https://weibo.com/u/7820197846">link</a>. We also finally have an official English title. Previously, the title was translated directly by cdrama viewers and it was known unofficially as <i>Pale Fire</i>. The new official title is <i>Gone with the Wind</i>. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>While official news of the series is still scarce, the first post on the official Weibo account is a link to a post on <i>Glass</i> magazine's Weibo account which features a tease to an article and photo-shoot featuring both Tong Yao and Zhang Xincheng (<a href="https://weibo.com/7569273904/Msul0evAO">click me</a>). This means that more information will be released very soon</p><p>I'm still pretty busy with other stuff but was super excited to see this news so I had to write about it. I'll update my <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">Tong Yao fan page</a> in a bit too. (updated)</p><p>Amend - there is also a short behind-the-scenes video for the photo-shoot posted on Youku's Weibo account. <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/2023/02/update-2-chinese-drama-gone-with-wind.html">Click me</a> to read the post about it.</p>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-74608813646263362122022-11-20T08:57:00.001+08:002022-11-20T09:58:31.586+08:00Onyx Boox Poke 4 Lite eBook reader - review<p> #onyxboox #onyx #boox #poke4lite #eBookreader #shopee #review #iluho</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvAlgX8S8da6ek8clw86-FOfQ7x1-BMpdUmAykhwL-ILYp358JFQGNaXAgaeEZ72FrwnNB9pmLemfDoYAtRawdEUENFd9tSYlkvaulGuUmYQn0-SyVATTM8rx3tZRIm6YV6xr9tQWVoxcEmrNwW-CNy4b2U76DmXqIPwzkzWeJkDz8p5e2Q/s3648/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvAlgX8S8da6ek8clw86-FOfQ7x1-BMpdUmAykhwL-ILYp358JFQGNaXAgaeEZ72FrwnNB9pmLemfDoYAtRawdEUENFd9tSYlkvaulGuUmYQn0-SyVATTM8rx3tZRIm6YV6xr9tQWVoxcEmrNwW-CNy4b2U76DmXqIPwzkzWeJkDz8p5e2Q/s320/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_001.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>I've not been blogging much lately because I've been busy working, learning Blender and getting back to reading again. After much deliberation and research, I finally got an eBook reader instead of reading off my trusty 7-inch tablet. So instead of spending the money I had been saving to get a new tablet to replace my ageing tablet, I decided to get a device from Onyx Boox. Since I have never owned an eBook reader before this I decided to get one of the more budget models to try out first and the model I decided on was the Poke 4 Lite.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oswl0NQx05BJPRdCDKh8sdVK-Ko7q7aBSMQmnfg72_6fer6vToMXlDHCdfimdbysp1aAqUlo1AvroLTJUzZ_JcPBa88dxE6_k0GnO247b7J8ecnHUWTFwbZY22adiE-f3j7wlvyqpscXB92iQouYchcTNam0R0QG1-D1miUlL4ZzYztHhg/s3648/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oswl0NQx05BJPRdCDKh8sdVK-Ko7q7aBSMQmnfg72_6fer6vToMXlDHCdfimdbysp1aAqUlo1AvroLTJUzZ_JcPBa88dxE6_k0GnO247b7J8ecnHUWTFwbZY22adiE-f3j7wlvyqpscXB92iQouYchcTNam0R0QG1-D1miUlL4ZzYztHhg/s320/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_009.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Although it took a little getting used to how slow eBook readers can be and how there was some ghosting of pages, I was pretty much happy with how I was able to read eBooks in different light situations with some ease. There was a small niggling sense of guilt and buyer's remorse that I may have been better off buying a new tablet because my 6-7 year old tablet was having trouble keeping up with my demands, still, I was happy enough with the eBook reader, hence my initial positive review on Shopee approximately 40 days ago.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIP20edMUNQvF8jrYXkYX2ZqUl_CRBY9spIVtMSvyWteLi9TGximFJV0ritzqnMV3MRoWQZoYe6yuILor0Bj2kCOZ7IY7EVAC5Ig4Rk-djpyhP5Aatylts4Area49_da1y0mAaYHgLGgwriT-XCg06YoKRKWNvj94vp-BQti6YixmO63y07A/s3648/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIP20edMUNQvF8jrYXkYX2ZqUl_CRBY9spIVtMSvyWteLi9TGximFJV0ritzqnMV3MRoWQZoYe6yuILor0Bj2kCOZ7IY7EVAC5Ig4Rk-djpyhP5Aatylts4Area49_da1y0mAaYHgLGgwriT-XCg06YoKRKWNvj94vp-BQti6YixmO63y07A/s320/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_002.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Last night, something happened to the eBook reader that felt akin to a mysterious supernatural phenomenon to me; spontaneous combustion almost. I've never dropped the device and have never placed undue pressure on it. Yet, it went once into the backpack next to a jacket and once out of the backpack and into my hand and there it was a peculiar mark on the eBook reader's screen that I could not get rid of even after refreshing and restarting it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8IADRJgwJDHiKH42pNbz5LnpYtfGOXJAS2rqpARtJ2kufeR3X9aVefiarTnVgYbVw-_JYbQdE5-h1vOUQR6ckhzUiwT0k6JwfEhipJaZEbAOiixqmzA3M8tCFD06DpKQfDDsIytsGMCSUttGDc6JaJLHigrtkppggIjx6xjFgM-97uvfUA/s5120/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5120" data-original-width="3840" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8IADRJgwJDHiKH42pNbz5LnpYtfGOXJAS2rqpARtJ2kufeR3X9aVefiarTnVgYbVw-_JYbQdE5-h1vOUQR6ckhzUiwT0k6JwfEhipJaZEbAOiixqmzA3M8tCFD06DpKQfDDsIytsGMCSUttGDc6JaJLHigrtkppggIjx6xjFgM-97uvfUA/s320/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_003.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Sadly, this was not a happy magical moment of wonder that one might experience at a David Copperfield show. I had a sinking feeling that this was a hardware failure and after contacting the local agent for the Onyx Boox devices in Singapore via Shopee, my worst fears were realized. The agent said that this was most likely a broken screen which isn't covered by a warranty which means that I will most likely have to pay for it. I'm waiting to find out how much this would cost me and if it's even worth fixing it or if I'll just keep it as a costly paperweight.</p><p>While I read that eBook reader screens can be a little fragile, I didn't expect them to be <b>THIS</b> fragile. I had been quite careful with the device because I knew that the screens cannot take too much pressure, hence I made sure that I always used a cover and also placed the device in a cloth bag. My poor tablet who has never had a screen protector or a cover in its life was probably feeling jealous at my unequal treatment of my devices. Even my Surface Pro 7 which I shove in my bag quite thoughtlessly probably felt a tinge of enviousness.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmymD7r3w8RqjmC9Ebme8JDcEO9smNxwXqoe87i9cxtCmqbEbbtTK76l_En4T10qnliu5LqxEemf8C0UqoFiES9qfTA1eK0O9MX0y0bV65oeIbiJDz2Ts2YDDTHt39pNF8jSjGXbQ6kLnvpjEuZqUOiaMYwdpXG89LxTpb_7iaSbjzcYhYzg/s3648/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmymD7r3w8RqjmC9Ebme8JDcEO9smNxwXqoe87i9cxtCmqbEbbtTK76l_En4T10qnliu5LqxEemf8C0UqoFiES9qfTA1eK0O9MX0y0bV65oeIbiJDz2Ts2YDDTHt39pNF8jSjGXbQ6kLnvpjEuZqUOiaMYwdpXG89LxTpb_7iaSbjzcYhYzg/s320/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The front cover isn't dented or bent.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoh0PK30RvjIg4rGqOt_8PPA0nqGpoOJb7vGqQYBBD4NTwRhKmgdYWpIHDx-lq5aCNySbfPezXgFMfY_4IuiwVLLmzDet5Eq_nsaq56ctS-jNdsjPYrVbnT_NS4513N0V-6y7hQbydzj37DS-q21PAh-wuFAntxQ87aKtmB77CkcaNygOag/s3648/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoh0PK30RvjIg4rGqOt_8PPA0nqGpoOJb7vGqQYBBD4NTwRhKmgdYWpIHDx-lq5aCNySbfPezXgFMfY_4IuiwVLLmzDet5Eq_nsaq56ctS-jNdsjPYrVbnT_NS4513N0V-6y7hQbydzj37DS-q21PAh-wuFAntxQ87aKtmB77CkcaNygOag/s320/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The back cover isn't dented or bent.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I checked and the covers are not dented or bent so how was this screen damaged? I can only conclude that the screens are ridiculously fragile.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZfbfwnL8d0bVJvvXOYer5n-nVmBtOcoxSpWzHrn4YT3YmZqcARaL47jIRU4cHB0LnSRSKUG2BlrJuiTVTLsLGsYOQC6X-BtgkeVrjs4pW-pLu3m7tClr_Q1y9mt50Y6wZKyxU0JcSKURE6F2Z2VtyE95y-irMxr3yT41jx5dzrA9gMSiVA/s3648/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_007.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZfbfwnL8d0bVJvvXOYer5n-nVmBtOcoxSpWzHrn4YT3YmZqcARaL47jIRU4cHB0LnSRSKUG2BlrJuiTVTLsLGsYOQC6X-BtgkeVrjs4pW-pLu3m7tClr_Q1y9mt50Y6wZKyxU0JcSKURE6F2Z2VtyE95y-irMxr3yT41jx5dzrA9gMSiVA/s320/OnyxBoox_Poke4Lite_007.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is the thickness of the cover which I now know is insufficient. You'll probably need at least a plastic case to ensure that the screen receives as little pressure as possible.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrcRDkH8xBq7UY29YYDoCJPeuJUuUvn_jh_GXwkG2Oc-f8trHZ4TFj59nUsyHkYmgXpplc24dCl72MNZHft4DT8vUm-iCVr3EwFaBTUF-95Q4fo1A-eeyP76EX8nt94qkjsLWqbcNRPkqwFqUbezikv2rYcGuzTmvgLDlLr39jRPmyFmAdQ/s1674/OnyxBoox%20shopee%20review.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1674" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrcRDkH8xBq7UY29YYDoCJPeuJUuUvn_jh_GXwkG2Oc-f8trHZ4TFj59nUsyHkYmgXpplc24dCl72MNZHft4DT8vUm-iCVr3EwFaBTUF-95Q4fo1A-eeyP76EX8nt94qkjsLWqbcNRPkqwFqUbezikv2rYcGuzTmvgLDlLr39jRPmyFmAdQ/s320/OnyxBoox%20shopee%20review.jpg" width="204" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My initial review of the device almost immediately after I received it. I wish I could edit it to warn other would-be buyers that these readers need to be treated with EXTREME care. </i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div>Since I cannot update my initial positive assessment of the device on Shopee because it's past 30 days, I can only lament about it on my blog to get some of my frustrations out of my system. As of this moment, after less than 2 months of experience with an eBook reader and with Onyx Boox, my recommendation is to stay away from these devices because they are so fragile that even normal usage can break them. If you still feel like getting one, then get a case for it because that cover isn't going to do much for you at all.</div></div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-14042536362451701182022-09-13T17:32:00.002+08:002022-09-13T17:35:57.408+08:00Busy with learning Blender3D<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH6vXu7TiLthJq1JJQ07FECcXg-q6jeHnymnGXuanu2qZoM_e7NKeSSxsJDQfxUONFDA5xkJ6vk3V4MdOFgDIAomB08se80YnVLWzcMKWDswAg1GCFiWEx8qlTPFBtMrqamBUlr5q9KmnyxCGX3obR5R9dEN8CA2HQqGmBC9bOiwSmmjkuw/s1920/dungeon%20render%20v001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH6vXu7TiLthJq1JJQ07FECcXg-q6jeHnymnGXuanu2qZoM_e7NKeSSxsJDQfxUONFDA5xkJ6vk3V4MdOFgDIAomB08se80YnVLWzcMKWDswAg1GCFiWEx8qlTPFBtMrqamBUlr5q9KmnyxCGX3obR5R9dEN8CA2HQqGmBC9bOiwSmmjkuw/s320/dungeon%20render%20v001.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I'm a huge believer in 活到老学到老 and I often spend a substantial portion of my time trying to learn something. Ages ago, as part of an Advance Diploma Course, I learnt basic 3D modelling in Maya in one of the modules. I ended up picking a different career path that didn't require me to model anything but I have always retained an interest in 3D Modelling.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZI7sNuokX4EeM8Uqwqj_7oU-FjOCmQyEAuK6RfKnF2_wUexZyepv8kUdkXyLYDygI4PSyzQKpP0hSqsfEZ_sWaEXQGRo7OOp9FwOfBXHfDBqaA-iQTL-Ipp9t-SqE4QXQ1-0cYa_b4fvWBl6Xl78yvm-ASDmzPm-dO63dqmqO5x5BAaFK7Q/s1920/cube%20w%20hdri%20new%20denoise%20method%20v001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZI7sNuokX4EeM8Uqwqj_7oU-FjOCmQyEAuK6RfKnF2_wUexZyepv8kUdkXyLYDygI4PSyzQKpP0hSqsfEZ_sWaEXQGRo7OOp9FwOfBXHfDBqaA-iQTL-Ipp9t-SqE4QXQ1-0cYa_b4fvWBl6Xl78yvm-ASDmzPm-dO63dqmqO5x5BAaFK7Q/s320/cube%20w%20hdri%20new%20denoise%20method%20v001.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>I came across Blender 3D quite some time back but never had the time to learn it. Now that my new work schedule allows me time to tinker, I am finally making a serious stab at learning it. It's enjoyable and I've learnt a lot from various tutorials. My learning path is a little bit of everything though and I probably should get down to learning some things in-depth first or maybe start a personal project and pick up skills from there.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzxO1SRATEAktYx9xa2-bcNORS3CWpUxoOuzbrAmoz8lY_vvUdkNxN4Eu8UguF6kcxaS7CDxh_EfKE' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p>Unfortunately, my new interest means that I've had very little time to blog and my planned reviews of a few of Tong Yao's works will probably have to wait. Some of them might also never transpire. But I'm determined to really learn Blender properly this time so the reviews will have to wait. There are also a few other things that I would like to learn. For example, I've always wanted to try and composite in DaVinci's Fusion but every time I couldn't get it to do what I liked to do in Nuke, I give up. I should really get around to learning it soon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rJT5SSIEYRTH0kCtuWqbX4X-82rduAopRrXqDDY-UHIAJHdvLq9i-q3YNjKxdMTbgF9SCocXUedYZbRtvXGnTG-siZMTgyVF4dnKMU2ptSNTCbd9oDJXHXXgHMTM1xAnHqSN-CFIihVQ6NlVE4I-Rx6kLIa9zEzvS1YU1StgGf7BGxdufw/s984/gummy%20geo%20nodes%20v001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="984" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rJT5SSIEYRTH0kCtuWqbX4X-82rduAopRrXqDDY-UHIAJHdvLq9i-q3YNjKxdMTbgF9SCocXUedYZbRtvXGnTG-siZMTgyVF4dnKMU2ptSNTCbd9oDJXHXXgHMTM1xAnHqSN-CFIihVQ6NlVE4I-Rx6kLIa9zEzvS1YU1StgGf7BGxdufw/s320/gummy%20geo%20nodes%20v001.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>Yeah, so the blog is still active and I still intend to continue maintaining my Tong Yao and Sun Li pages because I like dissecting films and drama series and it's good practice. Just that for now, it'll have to wait a bit.</p>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-86473210671998241092022-07-01T21:33:00.010+08:002022-07-02T20:00:22.724+08:00The Night Belongs to Us 属于我们的黑夜 - 对立面 Face's a Verb short film anthology - update<p>#TongYao #童瑶 #SongYang #宋洋 #ZhouYiwei #周一围 #MarkChao #趙又廷 #TheNightBelongsToUs #属于我们的黑夜 #FIRST训练营影片 </p><p>I was wrong, #对立面 (<i>Face's a Verb - </i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-night-belongs-to-us-released-as.html">click me</a> to read why I have decided to go with this English title for now</span>) is not region locked, at least Singapore isn't locked out. This makes things easier because it means that you don't need a VPN to watch this short film anthology. I took some time out two nights ago to figure out if I can buy a ticket to watch this anthology and I managed to do it. It did take me some time to figure it out but it also means that it's not impossible. I encourage those of us who are interested in Tong Yao, Song Yang and short films to buy this ticket if this is within your means and if you can figure it out. It's just 12 RMB unless you have a VIP membership for iQiyi's China site which would make this cheaper by 6 RMB. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTP7CZ0NLMJnxXbfBC8yate4Mxl44n3ZTiPMZUjwJ84aVpRqFvUxTn1N9wAVG94ZDVkA7SlxvycbsP0ZFcnSdJBOsNfhCUBF9qG8IID_urpBb4jtiVBFLks94L4MMwWRDy6BFG5QRBH-zkIP7X1eRs3kOjbexphKTxCj5MS8GTlYHoQuPwg/s1525/DuiLiMian%20%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20SongYang%20%E5%AE%8B%E6%B4%8B%20TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1525" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTP7CZ0NLMJnxXbfBC8yate4Mxl44n3ZTiPMZUjwJ84aVpRqFvUxTn1N9wAVG94ZDVkA7SlxvycbsP0ZFcnSdJBOsNfhCUBF9qG8IID_urpBb4jtiVBFLks94L4MMwWRDy6BFG5QRBH-zkIP7X1eRs3kOjbexphKTxCj5MS8GTlYHoQuPwg/s320/DuiLiMian%20%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20SongYang%20%E5%AE%8B%E6%B4%8B%20TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20poster.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div>By the way, in case some of you are wondering if you will be able to understand the film. Not to worry, there are both English and Chinese subtitles burnt in.</div><div><br /></div>I won't pretend. My major interest in this anthology is because Tong Yao stars in one of the short films. She's in the first of the short films and stars opposite Song Yang. The title of this short film is <div><i>The Night Belongs to Us</i> 属于我们的黑夜. I've not had the opportunity to watch the whole short just yet but because it's the first of the short films, currently the iQiyi website gives you a <a href="https://www.iqiyi.com/v_17nwnes1f28.html">6 min preview</a> which means those of us who are Tong Yao and Song Yang fans can get to watch a section of the short film for free.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to say that the first 6 mins is pretty good and the acting, direction and pacing is very good. Sound is very well used in this film too. Tong Yao's expression in her eyes is really layered and complex and fans should enjoy this performance in this preview. It really whetted my appetite for more. Hopefully, I will have time to watch at least her section in this anthology tonight and hopefully I'll be able to write a short review of the film soon after that.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PTVPPldDLD9XWLIIrmEjaVyaU9MVIe-xmXGisFBkJDSnNMJcnoRmNsJqkyGkwG_CYW32Tiz7P8bJicjGtWidV40i40c4FrcVwRRjoUOIKAOr01ZO8DFhf5NbMjEOuBkfQc0W213djBl-6TXI3xfkjj64fGZKLWaoh39lQPh7CpGJQaIOsA/s1600/DuiLiMian%20%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20SongYang%20%E5%AE%8B%E6%B4%8B%20POSTER%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PTVPPldDLD9XWLIIrmEjaVyaU9MVIe-xmXGisFBkJDSnNMJcnoRmNsJqkyGkwG_CYW32Tiz7P8bJicjGtWidV40i40c4FrcVwRRjoUOIKAOr01ZO8DFhf5NbMjEOuBkfQc0W213djBl-6TXI3xfkjj64fGZKLWaoh39lQPh7CpGJQaIOsA/s320/DuiLiMian%20%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20SongYang%20%E5%AE%8B%E6%B4%8B%20POSTER%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Zhou Yiwei and Mark Chao fans might be interested to know that the two actors served as acting mentors in the training camp and they appear on the image advertising the film's debut on iQiyi's streaming platform.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitm5iPHBt7yYcnITNf5EXhNSp_tlv-PincoqbyjqZ4Q62jEfHm4zzRltAhIaSvlEVgPF-X6WdT_T8Pp5rFyAqisra47s6oS7xTVbFcavzbZhXfLdCJAaYcic1PbXTwc6nYPtbl3UK9EmSzcBJYQxW7GY8JYAvamuUdHX1mI76VAbEo7XAozQ/s1004/cast%20list%20iQiyi.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitm5iPHBt7yYcnITNf5EXhNSp_tlv-PincoqbyjqZ4Q62jEfHm4zzRltAhIaSvlEVgPF-X6WdT_T8Pp5rFyAqisra47s6oS7xTVbFcavzbZhXfLdCJAaYcic1PbXTwc6nYPtbl3UK9EmSzcBJYQxW7GY8JYAvamuUdHX1mI76VAbEo7XAozQ/s320/cast%20list%20iQiyi.png" width="231" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The other thing that might interest Zhou Yiwei fans is that he's also listed as one of the actors in the film. <strike>I haven't had a chance to confirm that yet but when I do watch it, which should be some time this weekend, I'll confirm it then.</strike> (amend: 2nd July - I can confirm that he has a cameo in the second short film.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Now here's what you need to do in order to be able to watch this. You will need to sign up for an account with iQiyi (China site). I'm not sure if the method to obtain an account is the same. I forgot that I had obtained one a couple of years ago and haven't used it for a while. I used my WeChat account to sign up for an iQiyi account back then. There are several other ways to sign up for an account but if you don't have an account yet and if you already have WeChat then I do recommend using WeChat to get the iQiyi account for ease of payment.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's notoriously hard to make online payments directly to quite a few of the exclusively China platforms and services because a lot of them don't accept foreign credit cards. For some time it was quite difficult for foreigners not residing in China to use Alipay and WeChat pay. Previously, we needed a bank account in China. That later changed to when they allowed you to use a foreign credit card. BUT they will need real name authentication. I tried to use Alipay first but failed because they wanted me to authenticate using my passport but my passport expired in May this year and I didn't bother to renew because I won't be travelling any time soon. I spent some time trying to see if I could try and get around it by reading the FAQs and trying to see if I could reach their customer service but I finally gave up.</div><div><br /></div><div>I then tried WeChat pay but wasn't feeling hopeful because I thought that they would need my passport details too. BUT joy joy joy!! They only needed my credit card details and my billing address. They will send you an SMS on your phone to authenticate which is pretty standard stuff. So my advice is, if you're going to try and do this, just use WeChat pay. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8h1bxZARD2Qm8rQbA3G43mwY_BgEwIPWijZhepdupBCltoiLYu81QBKO4XiEOND_7zKoS_mKQ5LnmWD2aoDuJ2WNOiRDkVSoQbLdFGE_Hzn1nfCNrA40PhFW2kwEDKgNYVZSylPrffs1gJr65gwaVUvmdlhF6QWN5aF3xpguTdp_0f0bVFw/s750/bought%20tix%20already.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="750" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8h1bxZARD2Qm8rQbA3G43mwY_BgEwIPWijZhepdupBCltoiLYu81QBKO4XiEOND_7zKoS_mKQ5LnmWD2aoDuJ2WNOiRDkVSoQbLdFGE_Hzn1nfCNrA40PhFW2kwEDKgNYVZSylPrffs1gJr65gwaVUvmdlhF6QWN5aF3xpguTdp_0f0bVFw/s320/bought%20tix%20already.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Note that after you purchase the ticket to watch the film, you'll be given about a week to activate it. Then you will be given seven days unlimited access to the film. So make sure that you activate the ticket and watch it within those time frames. Unfortunately, you'll still be limited to a maximum resolution of 720p. 1080p is still reserved only for VIP members.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpZfo3fFnbL3NT28ecb3qPiVTIrhM45tvOxOwO-kka1RE0ReeVcGQMHy9_1vPMoJuHt7bSe0RMk9Bf0xE9neXxEdofDxZeX0mT0Z3V-P7Dy6MooOpSum7SeyoYOwC6GduZJxNtlaWcJ-jd75wRPk30tjwx1C-ZwDPFadGa2bZmLZfohnC5Q/s2160/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20full%20FILM%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2160" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpZfo3fFnbL3NT28ecb3qPiVTIrhM45tvOxOwO-kka1RE0ReeVcGQMHy9_1vPMoJuHt7bSe0RMk9Bf0xE9neXxEdofDxZeX0mT0Z3V-P7Dy6MooOpSum7SeyoYOwC6GduZJxNtlaWcJ-jd75wRPk30tjwx1C-ZwDPFadGa2bZmLZfohnC5Q/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20full%20FILM%20001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Okay!! I leave you with a screen grab of Tong Yao. I have some stuff I need to get done. Will write up something about the film after I watch it. 😁</div><div><br /></div><div>(For links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">CLICK ME</a>)</div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-20219010101417917772022-06-24T17:42:00.007+08:002022-07-01T20:15:22.881+08:00The Night Belongs to Us - released as part of 对立面 short film anthology#FIRSTFilmFestival #FIRST训练营影片 #TongYao #童瑶 #SongYang #宋洋 #ZhouYiwei #周一围 #对立面 #ShortFilm #TheNightBelongsToUs #属于我们的黑夜<div><br /><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(amend: I was unwilling to call this anthology by the English title "Face's a Verb" since I wasn't sure if I was reading it properly but it seems like some websites are calling it that so I will too for now. I might change this in the future if this turns out to be the wrong title.)<br /></span><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyBSphbhMr6M_zKrYqHrZkhL8XWx_v55EBx6PMTHTsCx2Qgtc_bfBitLXHYKmi7WxKNGpw71DqoyGtfrPt2y4cO1KyejjD7XaFBj3pqr_adTT6owRnlAuvqjCWzJSUeSPGJQuoSVXFtm-W7fd7Q9mYN7qBPb0W6Ucw96svN4CM2_iWl2m6Q/s1921/%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20SongYang%20ZhouYiwei%20BIG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1921" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyBSphbhMr6M_zKrYqHrZkhL8XWx_v55EBx6PMTHTsCx2Qgtc_bfBitLXHYKmi7WxKNGpw71DqoyGtfrPt2y4cO1KyejjD7XaFBj3pqr_adTT6owRnlAuvqjCWzJSUeSPGJQuoSVXFtm-W7fd7Q9mYN7qBPb0W6Ucw96svN4CM2_iWl2m6Q/s320/%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20SongYang%20ZhouYiwei%20BIG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The FIRST International Film Festival released a <a href="https://share.api.weibo.cn/share/315190272,4782767118225985.html?weibo_id=4782767118225985">trailer</a> promoting the debut
screening of an anthology of short films a few days ago (21st June). This
anthology of short films, titled 对立面 (literal translation: Opposites),
consist of a collection of films from the 15th FIRST Training Camp. The films were
first screened at the festival last year but will not be released for public
screening till 29th June this month.<span><a name='more'></a></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFdqwkWYHogz-rHJ02IYJHgCdgq7rtcnxT5SUzYde89Szn4BMI67aE9WfHgMm1OtkQxC6kourgBkFHnBp_2o3UqkcNDv8mn7tiKGPQMKezvzf6-Ogo0uEoBybiXZ-QMInxlWJafs0Z-r9RhOEoHC7mN7p8h6B8xPyHAt1ZofLzlx_p59tOA/s1921/%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20poster%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1921" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFdqwkWYHogz-rHJ02IYJHgCdgq7rtcnxT5SUzYde89Szn4BMI67aE9WfHgMm1OtkQxC6kourgBkFHnBp_2o3UqkcNDv8mn7tiKGPQMKezvzf6-Ogo0uEoBybiXZ-QMInxlWJafs0Z-r9RhOEoHC7mN7p8h6B8xPyHAt1ZofLzlx_p59tOA/s320/%E5%AF%B9%E7%AB%8B%E9%9D%A2%20poster%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6.jpg" width="180" /></a>
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<p>
There is an official English (?) title on the poster for the festival but I
must confess that I cannot make it out. It looks like "Face's a Verb"
which means nothing meaningful in English so I'm not sure if this is even in
English or if I'm reading it correctly. Hence, I will refrain from
using the non-Chinese title since I don't know what it is.
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JfXsZxyYG0sdjAOgf1KagWZI6lz3IKGtLbkmQMDBqA8E7z3XWG15tpGF2s4Zaxsx_0GKLmfi_L7bcT-CT9fS-qKirkwC2ACJC2oR3tUVOAC1lCllqv9VZ61TNeEWLhHOHUdVzOz6hYf2TpPcMp502ln8-dTNpNwfeOFw0uRreQ_EFpcUSA/s1440/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1JfXsZxyYG0sdjAOgf1KagWZI6lz3IKGtLbkmQMDBqA8E7z3XWG15tpGF2s4Zaxsx_0GKLmfi_L7bcT-CT9fS-qKirkwC2ACJC2oR3tUVOAC1lCllqv9VZ61TNeEWLhHOHUdVzOz6hYf2TpPcMp502ln8-dTNpNwfeOFw0uRreQ_EFpcUSA/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>This anthology of films will be of interest to Tong Yao, Song Yang and Zhou
Yiwei's etc fans. Tong Yao and Song Yang co-starred in one of the films
directed by Bo Hanxiong (薄汉雄). The film's original English title
was <i>Night Night</i> but has now been changed to
<i>The Night Belongs to Us</i> which is closer in meaning to the Chinese title 属于我们的黑夜. Zhou Yiwei fans might be interested in this because he serves as a mentor
at this Training Camp. I think he also appears in at least one of the
films but I'm not 100% certain right now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGw6dOvnSLzqrq9V_R6_2F2F702-6fAp7IyKIavW4Eh-5wGe9nPY7e6YCCcY7kqW1-jRAQhSercTxfxxPR6ddmFIpnj39NPavDTf0pHv7r7Wsq2M6FVBS_niUCMUa03CUrm617xmFQc-p3XFX6HPPXq02ChMP8lr93QHI4h6s72GC1jhbmNQ/s1440/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20SongYang%20%E5%AE%8B%E6%B4%8B%20%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGw6dOvnSLzqrq9V_R6_2F2F702-6fAp7IyKIavW4Eh-5wGe9nPY7e6YCCcY7kqW1-jRAQhSercTxfxxPR6ddmFIpnj39NPavDTf0pHv7r7Wsq2M6FVBS_niUCMUa03CUrm617xmFQc-p3XFX6HPPXq02ChMP8lr93QHI4h6s72GC1jhbmNQ/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20SongYang%20%E5%AE%8B%E6%B4%8B%20%20001.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>According to this
<a href="https://www.sohu.com/a/559548673_99900743">article</a>, <i>The Night
Belongs to Us</i> is about how "negative" characters find love. It looks
interesting, with both Tong Yao and Song Yao made up to look look
unglamorous and rugged in the film. I've also watched two trailers of two of Bo Hanxiong's short films and also his short film about zombies. He's
not bad at all. I'm interested in watching this anthology not just for
this film though, the trailer makes the rest of the short films look
interesting. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YYNeyjFxyH9RpCbq4ZQa8ExPR8lnSc7f9AMQ2gqaDd7buEGUFngbxwvgy0uRLHod6STP_m_cETcFWmuM5VdrIN64EzovPLSG5LnzDpyMder1Ylc96674bW1reRzVxFo57SZuN6UXBzv5mNvn4UkqF4Dkz_gpamB1TlmPboraGRVk1p1H7A/s1440/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YYNeyjFxyH9RpCbq4ZQa8ExPR8lnSc7f9AMQ2gqaDd7buEGUFngbxwvgy0uRLHod6STP_m_cETcFWmuM5VdrIN64EzovPLSG5LnzDpyMder1Ylc96674bW1reRzVxFo57SZuN6UXBzv5mNvn4UkqF4Dkz_gpamB1TlmPboraGRVk1p1H7A/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Sadly, I think International fans will
probably find it hard or near impossible to view this anthology of
films on the 29th June and possibly in the near future and maybe even beyond that. At least it won't be available for us to view on the 29th June
unless you have VPN and a way to pay for the online screening on iQiyi's
云影院 which I think is iQiyi's online movie screening platform.
According to the
<a href="https://www.sohu.com/a/559548673_99900743">article</a>, it's 12 RMB
and iQiyi VIP members get a 50% discount.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTqwXEMpuXuE-p2DJxnVEnHDJ4UGY5Q194a_3IQiPDCP5ekgo5OPRbOcbiAMh_qIacdxZ9tYsfgTXwMMoeRuTWcxwyG2bcmOT4uA2xCqt7K6MbCTlXr8dEm2jc-3ih1rELkkk1JmRs8daQMe24GgFkWgFf61V1hExppst_oDbAIRoirYWCQ/s1920/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTqwXEMpuXuE-p2DJxnVEnHDJ4UGY5Q194a_3IQiPDCP5ekgo5OPRbOcbiAMh_qIacdxZ9tYsfgTXwMMoeRuTWcxwyG2bcmOT4uA2xCqt7K6MbCTlXr8dEm2jc-3ih1rELkkk1JmRs8daQMe24GgFkWgFf61V1hExppst_oDbAIRoirYWCQ/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20001.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>Anyway, here's the link to the iQiyi page with the trailer if the FIRST Film Festival link didn't work for you,
<a href="https://www.iqiyi.com/v_1ptw0f3724g.html">CLICK ME</a>. I
won't upload it unless people have trouble viewing it or if it goes offline
one day. If you're into any of the actors or if you like short
films, especially those from emerging / young directors, you might be
interested in it too. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06Orc_yVh3ZC2UqqwmaH_lVueG8ni2A7y8IdVBa6pr4lrlmv3Sl61KNXWKnSGulFw_Xdh4vqG_EUUEoLrOPzFpaRMa4I6_Pqg22ufv2T-Rr_SX5Etl_ALaQapH3u1YJzWzFqpkg6K3pRfQjB0Rwq6jWDgQi3yjJ8fmTkFiHHLGfER0l5qPQ/s1920/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20002.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06Orc_yVh3ZC2UqqwmaH_lVueG8ni2A7y8IdVBa6pr4lrlmv3Sl61KNXWKnSGulFw_Xdh4vqG_EUUEoLrOPzFpaRMa4I6_Pqg22ufv2T-Rr_SX5Etl_ALaQapH3u1YJzWzFqpkg6K3pRfQjB0Rwq6jWDgQi3yjJ8fmTkFiHHLGfER0l5qPQ/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20002.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>Also, if anyone is interested, I translated a "documentary" about the shooting of this short film last year, here is the link for that, <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/2021/09/documentary-behind-scenes-of-night-night.html">CLICK ME</a>. I did a little write-up about the director Bo Hanxiang at the end of this post. If anyone is interested to check out the trailers for his short films and also to watch his short film about a zombie attack, they are linked in that post too. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU07EgY1rfD5Kx5wUJW_OYQLzoJ-sgkGEhVFlbL9RdboeA8FkFe-B98ah7hdhGPm7U1ZL7At3vu0xB_E1GaXbPyhxyYh6OBWz2i6lOkZmDvf-KL-nv22rKEcOMzBulKqmuTR8E9d_rc4MT4NllP3bSGZzE1KpwyMHoV2UB8g1qhcM_ES-FTQ/s1920/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20003.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU07EgY1rfD5Kx5wUJW_OYQLzoJ-sgkGEhVFlbL9RdboeA8FkFe-B98ah7hdhGPm7U1ZL7At3vu0xB_E1GaXbPyhxyYh6OBWz2i6lOkZmDvf-KL-nv22rKEcOMzBulKqmuTR8E9d_rc4MT4NllP3bSGZzE1KpwyMHoV2UB8g1qhcM_ES-FTQ/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20003.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>(For links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">CLICK ME</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OD7gobjS89gKq6DaeXJ261qCR5u7xoeb8PtM1IHxaVMXPumZ4oVhR7gLqIAIZEVH9gzSswYchoyvt8v6UEzn7TqgfmInyIowEdqe5VHb2jVfTCdUnlwD7aa2XgI9Vq___QVswAp9-6aybaXrOro_fVE-YtDnaZosurIB0K95iObae2qYuw/s1920/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20004.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OD7gobjS89gKq6DaeXJ261qCR5u7xoeb8PtM1IHxaVMXPumZ4oVhR7gLqIAIZEVH9gzSswYchoyvt8v6UEzn7TqgfmInyIowEdqe5VHb2jVfTCdUnlwD7aa2XgI9Vq___QVswAp9-6aybaXrOro_fVE-YtDnaZosurIB0K95iObae2qYuw/s320/TheNightBelongsToUs%20%E5%B1%9E%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E4%BB%AC%E7%9A%84%E9%BB%91%E5%A4%9C%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20004.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><p><br /></p>
</div>
</div></div></div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-3781524828560506762022-06-11T01:08:00.003+08:002023-05-10T22:48:42.680+08:00Madame Figaro April 2022 - #TongYao #童瑶 - Interview Translation<p> #<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">心居 #LifeIsALongQuietRiver #</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">微暗之火 #PaleFire</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I still don't intend to prioritise interview translations over reviews but this article contains some interesting information on two drama series, with information on 微暗之火 (<i>Pale Fire</i>) being particularly interesting. The production of this drama has been shrouded in mystery and, to my knowledge, up till this point, Tong Yao had not yet officially talked about it except for a few cryptic references on Weibo. This is the main reason why I decided to translate this interview. There is at least one more interview of interest with regards to <i>Pale Fire</i>. I may translate that in the future, if I do, I'll link it on the Page (<a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">Click Me</a>).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, some disclaimers, my Chinese isn't the best and some of what was written in this article have no direct equivalent in English or have nuances that were hard to translate easily so I just did the best I could. I will place a link to a copy of the article in Chinese on this page so that those who can read Chinese can also read the article in the language it was originally written in. (<a href="https://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_17811176">CLICK ME</a></span></span>) </p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also, please note that for ease of reference, I will refer to </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">微暗之火</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as <i>Pale Fire</i> in the article even though I don't think it's the official English title.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM9KZZP1yA4s6AMN1wsQddQ6D8O1JmvTZXFR-F-RfMRLhvXETxB8mx3GS8EHkMaPldGTJRdeB2Hs249d1oaLdAbYuWqkC72BM0wT8h5CVeUf65VP3WFbA-AY0bWZURhIc8iHu-GqmDTBCAnyp0zAg3vliDXXRAedBmjzTglKFG6bRd_qO1g/s1385/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioM9KZZP1yA4s6AMN1wsQddQ6D8O1JmvTZXFR-F-RfMRLhvXETxB8mx3GS8EHkMaPldGTJRdeB2Hs249d1oaLdAbYuWqkC72BM0wT8h5CVeUf65VP3WFbA-AY0bWZURhIc8iHu-GqmDTBCAnyp0zAg3vliDXXRAedBmjzTglKFG6bRd_qO1g/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20001.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">封面时装A </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">经典款连衣裙 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE</span></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">童瑶:恣意人生<br />Cover Story | The Best of Life<br />Tong Yao: An Uncompromising Life</span></b><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Translator’s note: Although “恣意” translates directly as wilful but in the context of this article, the better word to use may be persistent or uncompromising.)</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDA2vV9vyE9AcW61DdBdxXCrTLrvjmvrRWHZ0CIVCBOURwZpfOzGW3P5uQcXGpjVohAe-Vk9Og7BIwIt0NBe6mz2bKH-mUxfH1S2PGhYnk1fgyZKvC_fllt-uQs8ZI6PzxpDtBO3rlIY-rPSQWHiW7AHZpZEzdiyMpcVT9ztfg9F4SqZjnA/s1385/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihDA2vV9vyE9AcW61DdBdxXCrTLrvjmvrRWHZ0CIVCBOURwZpfOzGW3P5uQcXGpjVohAe-Vk9Og7BIwIt0NBe6mz2bKH-mUxfH1S2PGhYnk1fgyZKvC_fllt-uQs8ZI6PzxpDtBO3rlIY-rPSQWHiW7AHZpZEzdiyMpcVT9ztfg9F4SqZjnA/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20002.jpg" width="250" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">封面时装B </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">褶裥袖装饰衬衫、撞色腰带开衩半裙 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">沙滩白LUNA手袋 均为宝姿PORTS</span></div><div><br /></div>Tong Yao has a small habit. Each time she plays a role, she likes to use a specific perfume to make a charac<span style="font-family: inherit;">te</span>r concrete and to give it a sense of reality. The dense aroma helps give consistency and coherence and helps to reassure her and give her a sense of the familiar.<br /><br />Tong Yao chose a floral fragrance for <i>Life is a Quiet Long River</i>'s Gu Qingyu. At first, one will be hit with a scent of sweet orange, followed by the fragrance of tea before the slight bitterness of cinnamon sinks in. This feeling of coolness is very suitable for Gu Qingyu. When she was shooting <i>Pale Fire</i>, Tong Yao used Armani’s Suzhou Peony (I believe this is probably Pivoine Suzhou). It first hits you with the sweet smell of raspberries and oranges, lustrous and playful, and then the gentle and elegant aroma of peony emerges. Finally, it ends with a warm musk scent and the scent of amber; quiet and quiet. "It's soft and layered, just like the characters in the play seem gentle, but they feel mysterious internally." Tong Yao said. <br /><br />Tong Yao has a romantic side to her, she will fall in love with a certain perfume for some time.<div><br /></div><div>Recently, she has fallen in love with a woody fragrance. The fragrance has a spicy top note before it quickly softens and becomes gentle, similar to a gentle billowing scent of flowers over the steady woody fragrance, softness and calmness in coexistence. “It's neutral, not just the sweetness of femininity.” Like Tong Yao, who may have a delicate face but has a more neutral and stronger personality. <br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">01 Going Deeper</span></b><br /><br />Tony Yao has just returned to Beijing after principal photography of <i>Pale Fire</i> has wrapped. </div><div>This is no ordinary TV series. According to what is publicly known, the plot is about an elegant and beautiful married woman who is trapped in a small town. This character will have some emotional entanglements with a younger man.<br /><br />This series seems to feel a little bit dangerous and feels cinematic. Tong Yao excitedly expresses, “It’s a poetic suspense drama.” She’s always wanted to act in a suspense drama series. The tension and the characters’ emotions in this drama are extensive and very epic. It’s challenging but also very enjoyable.<br /><br />This is a very tragic character and when she first entered the production team she was anxious in the beginning. Once she started production and got into character, even though the atmosphere was depressing, she felt great. “It’s because this show doesn’t feel like a contemporary show. The tension in modern dramas is small but the characters in this drama have a strong sense of destiny and the space for expression is relatively large.” In addition, the cinematographer likes to be creative. The crew shot in Wuyuan which is famous for its rapeseed flowers, and hilly scenery and there are stone streets everywhere. When the weather is inclement, the atmosphere will become very misty which makes it look layered and artistic when filming. This gave the show a cinematic quality which surprised Tong Yao.<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Translator’s Aside: Wuyuan County looks amazing. <a href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-07-03/Ancient-Charm-of-China-Wuyuan-County-I1jdY8ZTq0/index.html">CLICK ME</a>)</span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dJIgYtz8ZkW7KWmB2vMrxibAGnGuyCKGlesAqJsLOIUxryHfYKxXvJE-B_I4NkF195Bmnpfmc2m49ONw4baEaIwa2vEc-_o36dX28k3a6gPNFw-_WRtmosxi6f19ytyzcDywfJmX--MZs56YCCffmAgsBF2qwPJIjtOMUxszDTHW1hc0bA/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dJIgYtz8ZkW7KWmB2vMrxibAGnGuyCKGlesAqJsLOIUxryHfYKxXvJE-B_I4NkF195Bmnpfmc2m49ONw4baEaIwa2vEc-_o36dX28k3a6gPNFw-_WRtmosxi6f19ytyzcDywfJmX--MZs56YCCffmAgsBF2qwPJIjtOMUxszDTHW1hc0bA/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20003.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">经典款连衣裙 132 5. ISSEY MIYAKE</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Principal photography began in Nov and wrapped in March. Tong Yao experienced Autumn, Winter and Spring with her character. She felt that this echoed her character’s destiny and felt that she was fated to be in this show. The show was originally scheduled to begin shooting in April, however because of various reasons, she went into production on another show. After that shoot wrapped, the director came looking for her and said that (<i>Pale Fire</i>) had not yet started shooting. “It felt like I must shoot this show, it felt like a sense of destiny.”<br /><br />Now that production has been completed, Tong Yao’s first feelings after she returned to Beijing is that compared to her character, her life is too simple and too happy. She can also come out of her character, saying, “If you change the environment, you will come out naturally. I don’t think it’s that exaggerated.” <br /><br />Still, having a career as an actress will leave some marks on her. “You usually have to create a lot of characters and will touch on different lives, it will slowly widen your boundaries of cognition.” For example, the recently aired <i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i>. With regards to Gu Qingyu, Tong Yao doesn’t understand how such a successful woman would be so blinded by romantic love. Gu Qingyu has already attained a high standard of living when she meets Shi Yuan, someone whom she loved as a youth, again. She felt that Gu Qingyu should be attracted to the radiance in a person and would not have chosen to be with someone because of a dream in her heart. However, that’s how she is scripted, Gu Qingyu is unrealistic, and wants to live in an unfulfilled dream with her first love. Of course, in the end, that dream was shattered.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkjD9d4Fh_h07b9Dt0a9epjtRisD2-tJrxdwS2d23XVMzFxrj-g2RwJnH37nPP9sNaG9IFuTt3lt0EK9bI5NdVNwaCsS6FToC81pf5DevCUrmwy3p6viFnz15_LCbDy0AR-itHlpH0Gu8fyvTQibbqqtJ11TdidhhQ07XdmYFkBbmluGIZg/s576/MadamFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20g001.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="576" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkjD9d4Fh_h07b9Dt0a9epjtRisD2-tJrxdwS2d23XVMzFxrj-g2RwJnH37nPP9sNaG9IFuTt3lt0EK9bI5NdVNwaCsS6FToC81pf5DevCUrmwy3p6viFnz15_LCbDy0AR-itHlpH0Gu8fyvTQibbqqtJ11TdidhhQ07XdmYFkBbmluGIZg/s320/MadamFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20g001.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUbLBdCu8M3LOR6TT85E2X3kzZ0lvHNgtwsggQocPt9ljX_8tjYb8RHiwjWpKTKUvE1uD9VZIEY1n7b-0822-s2tBK-tNds3rJyGJn1xjrsi3xLlG7eB2V1W6qfcebHYhAHHvFgRJxqVNkWTu4CvIVhC9_8W56GabgbrafpQLnPA_dDT2uQ/s384/MadamFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20g002.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="384" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUbLBdCu8M3LOR6TT85E2X3kzZ0lvHNgtwsggQocPt9ljX_8tjYb8RHiwjWpKTKUvE1uD9VZIEY1n7b-0822-s2tBK-tNds3rJyGJn1xjrsi3xLlG7eB2V1W6qfcebHYhAHHvFgRJxqVNkWTu4CvIVhC9_8W56GabgbrafpQLnPA_dDT2uQ/s320/MadamFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20g002.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ywor78-NP5YsdF72DhMXrUOBowtW8RSkrDrx3f0nrBcrFKFDnDFtl4BjKeQXMMeuJLHhIaw2waKMSuckRc0yCmFGFTP2ReWpftykGORdwkohF_tdbQZWjvrBuvCE_gWExo5z80JMR2sMd6-_Xb-nXcdDMj-SQScO90PS5OrOgJpNkbbLcg/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ywor78-NP5YsdF72DhMXrUOBowtW8RSkrDrx3f0nrBcrFKFDnDFtl4BjKeQXMMeuJLHhIaw2waKMSuckRc0yCmFGFTP2ReWpftykGORdwkohF_tdbQZWjvrBuvCE_gWExo5z80JMR2sMd6-_Xb-nXcdDMj-SQScO90PS5OrOgJpNkbbLcg/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20004.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">褶裥袖装饰衬衫、撞色腰带开衩半裙 </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">沙滩白LUNA手袋 均为宝姿PORTS</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i> is a contemporary urban series that Tong Yao is familiar with. She also watched the series and likes to read the bullet comments the most. Tong Yao takes the criticism that Shi Yuan and her (Gu Qingyu) don’t seem like a husband and wife calmly. “Actually it’s like this, the two are very careful around each other, it's a reflection of the fact that they both cannot go back to the past and that feeling again but she still wants to try. As a result, they are awkward and cautious, unlike what a husband and wife should be.” In the context of the show, the acting and the emotions generated feel very natural. <br /><br />Some people also say that <i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i> is simpler than the original novel and feels like a relaxed drama about life. Tong Yao agrees with this point. The TV series hoped that everyone will have a relaxed viewing experience, and edited out some of the more cruel storylines about the different classes.<br /><br />But in terms of performance, Tong Yao wants to go deeper. For example, in addition to playing urban women, she also played Zhu Yizhen in the Republican drama <i>The Rebel</i> and starred in an independent director's creative short film <i><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html#nightnight">Night Night</a></i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiterAudxUS5QI58ww0Lu-ATbdN654WIGZL5anRq7q7ZgaWWqGRp9rNcI0-t6G7Vy_UskbkN2HsfzT6t005MddT3PQakNqpX20tzaGZoisX2c-vyWMHfOI8_xDA4PfR2A360kBlu1cpF0fLS-LP3I7uWxQj5qY70IAnagbxPi8N-eFiF0toeg/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiterAudxUS5QI58ww0Lu-ATbdN654WIGZL5anRq7q7ZgaWWqGRp9rNcI0-t6G7Vy_UskbkN2HsfzT6t005MddT3PQakNqpX20tzaGZoisX2c-vyWMHfOI8_xDA4PfR2A360kBlu1cpF0fLS-LP3I7uWxQj5qY70IAnagbxPi8N-eFiF0toeg/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20005.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">暗夜繁花印花上衣、奶白色直筒裤 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">均为 宝姿PORTS</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">At certain stages, she always has idols that she likes to emulate when it comes to performance.</div><br />Recently, she watched the American TV series <i>Inventing Anna</i> and <i>Mare of Easttown</i>. In the former series, the heroine's performance is very modern. She’s a liar who takes steps to get closer to her dream but the amazing thing is that she still believes that she is very close to her dream even after being caught. What's even more amazing is that after being released from prison, some people still believe and invest in her. This surprised Tong Yao because she feels that an actor must have so much faith to perform and express such a powerful obsession.<br /><br /> In <i>Mare of Easttown</i>, Tong Yao was amazed by Kate Winslet's acting skills. Winslet became a living person living in a small town, there was no dissonance. In every show she’s been in, Winslet seems to be able to become the character very naturally. This is what Tong Yao yearns for, "For every actor and every project, this is very difficult. We can only create this kind of show if everyone can achieve a consensus and ability in all things, it would be impossible if even one link is missing.”<br /><br />In the new show <i>Pale Fire</i>, will Tong Yao also become a character who is integrated into the town? "My character is like an outsider in the town, she’s independent and solitary and not like the people in the town at all. She has always wanted to go out, but fate prevents her from leaving."</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeWKh-CsqHPkWXulgwAp4od7c6Viu9QDzUZeta1MU71aj6wEoI3WHgiXYyBxiqmRxXQsGc0WdAIm9sU5RoCvp7D0NKJCm7lGDVQ1eumz8oqZmy66XoGvuvJFZmUJGfTJYQXaKAD7d4fjNMlIVVO_PQCam1fA8lSlkGE2Fwds6dqPqu7ZSZg/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeWKh-CsqHPkWXulgwAp4od7c6Viu9QDzUZeta1MU71aj6wEoI3WHgiXYyBxiqmRxXQsGc0WdAIm9sU5RoCvp7D0NKJCm7lGDVQ1eumz8oqZmy66XoGvuvJFZmUJGfTJYQXaKAD7d4fjNMlIVVO_PQCam1fA8lSlkGE2Fwds6dqPqu7ZSZg/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20006.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">暗夜繁花印花上衣 宝姿PORTS</span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">02 Cheerfully Blooming</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tong Yao is known for appearing in a trio of shows that are part of the “She Era” genre (“她时代”), <i>Imperfect Love</i>, <i>Get Married or Not</i>, <i>Nothing But Thirty</i>, and then now <i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i>, Tong Yao's roles are mostly urban elite women.</div><div><br />In <i>Pale Fire</i>, the female protagonist is trapped in a small town and she is of course different from strong urban elite women. Tong Yao also thinks that these urban women are also completely different, "Although Gu Jia and Gu Qingyu both share the surname Gu, the former is a mature and strong woman while the latter has more girlish traits beneath her mature persona."<br /><br />But the characters also have some similarities, "They all have their own ideas." Even the women in <i>Pale Fire</i> never listen to the voices outside, and live their own lives." What's interesting is that upon returning to her own life, Tong Yao once posted on Weibo, "I am also envious of Gu Qingyu’s life."</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0GYnzkzcFnR-Lg_SZh9Gy5deGTBPe-8nEuzGGvpRNQ_B7DzRbvPEv0IQajJ8FQV9YQW4FCpzcvL-uVtXhwIkaO8BJigM5ujJdwR9mscGMVoYzVkSg4uD78fo-ainqHwIn3LSgqPq3KkitkCKNA1sSEgiP-Vf0s3O4fXbLiSmGXzeT-1peA/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0GYnzkzcFnR-Lg_SZh9Gy5deGTBPe-8nEuzGGvpRNQ_B7DzRbvPEv0IQajJ8FQV9YQW4FCpzcvL-uVtXhwIkaO8BJigM5ujJdwR9mscGMVoYzVkSg4uD78fo-ainqHwIn3LSgqPq3KkitkCKNA1sSEgiP-Vf0s3O4fXbLiSmGXzeT-1peA/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20007.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXobcDxFXrQlCTVYZj2FCexlvZCm34on8BDi--qNODUJhYibovi1VmwUdiqVsTLjSEsUYYvReXavQperXD-GaH2I4DdVyh0guzTjL_W0faFhhgkFsuqZasX0kWQZflvEj18flN2LOh8zwpe-4wswlRHoLxzwznmZw9ZfNJL_-tE2Szc3Fig/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXobcDxFXrQlCTVYZj2FCexlvZCm34on8BDi--qNODUJhYibovi1VmwUdiqVsTLjSEsUYYvReXavQperXD-GaH2I4DdVyh0guzTjL_W0faFhhgkFsuqZasX0kWQZflvEj18flN2LOh8zwpe-4wswlRHoLxzwznmZw9ZfNJL_-tE2Szc3Fig/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20008.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">黑色斜肩蝴蝶长裙 CAROLINA HERRERA </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">黑色不对称蝴蝶结高跟鞋 JIMMY CHOO </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">耳环 SUNS</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Compared with the role, of an urban female, Tong Yao’s life consists of walks in the park, making coffee, checking out cafes, buying flowers, writing (<span style="font-size: x-small;">Translator’s note: I think this means calligraphy</span>); always a little romance and a little self-love which makes it a more comfortable personal world.</div><div><br />She likes to go to the park. After the shoot wrapped and she returned to Beijing, in her spare time, she’ll go for a walk by herself at a park near her home. She loves tree-lined paths with no one else, the changing of the seasons from Spring to Summer, the lush trees, and the bright light and air that is neither cold nor hot. Although there are floating catkins, it’s especially comfortable.<br /><br />She also loves making coffee. Even though she’s not yet roasted beans herself, she’s already started evaluating different types of coffee beans. She also bought a semi-automatic coffee machine and made coffee for the crew. Usually, she’ll have an Americano in the morning to reduce swelling and to energise herself. She’ll have a latte or oat milk latte in the afternoon.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBhoAd7d3Rj28_qbe9dhpGOQEXINrA-7u5SRhSide5u2pCmRxAfaVFDJeuPOc9ZKqLE7EWkRiXHhFV0xx_gCdFb07rJCiN6NIGjEkICWEWdfrrCwd8o5UldcJlB0zgMy5yo1RGiuEwyUTvoB3MljrR34kyuu8Crg5bdb3rYQ8m-dH26U6EA/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBhoAd7d3Rj28_qbe9dhpGOQEXINrA-7u5SRhSide5u2pCmRxAfaVFDJeuPOc9ZKqLE7EWkRiXHhFV0xx_gCdFb07rJCiN6NIGjEkICWEWdfrrCwd8o5UldcJlB0zgMy5yo1RGiuEwyUTvoB3MljrR34kyuu8Crg5bdb3rYQ8m-dH26U6EA/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20009.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">黑色斜肩蝴蝶长裙 CAROLINA HERRERA </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">耳环 SUNS</span></div><div><br />At one period in time, she loved going to various cafes in Shanghai. She likes small corner cafes where everyone is lining up to enter and the fragrance of the coffee greets you as people crowd in to drink coffee. She also likes it when friends in Shanghai bring her to a shop with a secret menu. Even if they are very small, they have a lively ambience. Each store roasts its own beans which makes the taste unique. <br /><br />One of her favourite cafes has a slogan that reads "Nothing is more important than coffee." This store has an "attitude", they only have dine-in and no take-out. Each cup of coffee that is served will come with a card suggesting that it be drunk within a few minutes. It feels very ceremonious. <br /><br />Tong Yao is not particular about rituals. She likes flowers. There was a time when she was in a flower shop in Shanghai and saw that the shop had bouquets for each season or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_term">solar term</a>; bouquets would have more orange-brown for Autumn and more pink and yellow for Summer. She likes these pre-arranged bouquets but doesn’t have the habit of arranging flowers herself.<br /><br />What is romantic about her is that she will queue for a long time at a shop that’s gone viral on the internet to buy delicious food to share with her family and colleagues.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwceslnuECnmKwI7UneTcEAtpFwZ3wrbeFV0vwNAKXMTEBNNfafeo4KtMyO9f7WGk-Qqwok7o0fP0Y' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9uUXRvGwHKSM6_aC7f_H9kj6K_LRHtH8G6fNYYLDkquJ_Q_3UgyYFMhIW7gg6Vrdqk-cQzelOj4lsC55N4SiKXGjHWiZQH9elyjIhhLC46JAtW7_2KNziuzEwjMYKBURMOwzZfcFs3m3Ka0wFUNp5OBePz_v_A-hXeH-dv_62PNC6V-6oA/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9uUXRvGwHKSM6_aC7f_H9kj6K_LRHtH8G6fNYYLDkquJ_Q_3UgyYFMhIW7gg6Vrdqk-cQzelOj4lsC55N4SiKXGjHWiZQH9elyjIhhLC46JAtW7_2KNziuzEwjMYKBURMOwzZfcFs3m3Ka0wFUNp5OBePz_v_A-hXeH-dv_62PNC6V-6oA/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20010.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7JWBo0KnzpoPUczCbjiMhvM63fPq9jocpo8Pb6k0Mu0KsYnhzeHtxyIXe2_wYFct8PbKY45N-mPuVRtGe_fNR_JuVMaj6drjrwhxhEQKHS5F23VJ6Tw9Oi1UShyn1u9o5KriqLaIsTUhLHuKxlb1zmsvsACNrqb_-1-akHG0eWq3IpluVQ/s1080/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="1080" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7JWBo0KnzpoPUczCbjiMhvM63fPq9jocpo8Pb6k0Mu0KsYnhzeHtxyIXe2_wYFct8PbKY45N-mPuVRtGe_fNR_JuVMaj6drjrwhxhEQKHS5F23VJ6Tw9Oi1UShyn1u9o5KriqLaIsTUhLHuKxlb1zmsvsACNrqb_-1-akHG0eWq3IpluVQ/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">黑白撞色蝴蝶结装饰连衣裙 宝姿PORTS</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Her interests are artistic and one of them is writing. While filming <i>Pale Fire</i>, there was a teacher on the crew who was very good at writing. When she was free in the new solar term, or when it was raining or snowing, she would go over to write. As the snow falls silently outside the window, she would write passionately in the house.</div><div><br />These are the things that she enjoys, and it is rooted in loving herself. Aside from that, she is also very concerned about her health. For example, when she’s filming, when the weather is particularly cold, she will soak your feet when she returns to the room. She will also drink a glass of water every morning, noon and night before meals and her three meals are at a regular time and well balanced nutritionally. If they are still shooting till one or two o'clock in the afternoon, she will definitely ask the director when they can eat. She’s also always exercising. She’ll usually exercise about four to five times a week, if she’s in production then maybe once or twice if she’s on set. She says, "A good condition and a good figure can make people look younger."<br /><br />The most important thing is that she accepts everything. "I don't have anxiety about my age. Instead, I like myself more after the age of 30. Because I know my inner persistence, I have a clearer idea about the path that I want to take, which makes me calmer and more confident."</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4guFP5BCRaPiJmHN_eMOxK1rxQlUvUOHh8vcqNnOABIi_RXK1hZM28d79mbSwk3KIy5JbYaBBO9icIynRhdBHtN1A-JL0DDhK32L0mpekIMcXEz-Pb2VrY_bFPB3gAWVo48OKbeR6rI8RhtpN_NkoS3wBOdpczYHg8psdDRvCouQP3_YbA/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20012.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4guFP5BCRaPiJmHN_eMOxK1rxQlUvUOHh8vcqNnOABIi_RXK1hZM28d79mbSwk3KIy5JbYaBBO9icIynRhdBHtN1A-JL0DDhK32L0mpekIMcXEz-Pb2VrY_bFPB3gAWVo48OKbeR6rI8RhtpN_NkoS3wBOdpczYHg8psdDRvCouQP3_YbA/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20012.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">黑色镂空长裙 ALAIA </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">琉璃水晶流苏耳坠 MIDNIGHT OPERA HOUSE</span></div><br /><div>Some people say that Tong Yao is a person who has turned the tide against the wind. She is reluctant to use this term to summarise her experience, she does not even think that she has turned any tide against the wind because it is normal for everyone to stumble on the way to growth. "The most important thing is that you firmly know what you want to do, and head in that direction as much as possible, and then leave the rest to time." Knowing what one wants and where one is going represents the self-realisation that Tong Yao hopes to achieve.<br /><br />Her tenacity, energy, joy, anger and sorrow are kept to herself. As a public figure, Tong Yao has almost no desire to share and has rarely been on variety shows. She is accustomed to using her characters to express herself. This is reminiscent of the words of British writer Somerset Maugham, "I have been held back also by the irksomeness of setting down my thoughts in my own person." (<a href="https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/maughamws-summingup/maughamws-summingup-00-h.html"><i>The Summing Up</i>, Chp 3</a>)<br /><br />In addition to this layer of calmness, a woman's natural femininity and sensitivity are also reflected in her person. For example, sunny or cloudy days will affect her mood. Or when the seasons change, when the flowers bloom in spring, when leaves fall in autumn, and now that it’s summer, she feels that everything is flourishing.<br /><br />"I don't like withered things, I like the feeling of blossoming." Which is just like her current state.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AACJC2oz2uq9ZdIeOE9BCo9lhFUNZvVXx0QLe-pbVnl3x53EwEC_cp4B1rs8slZup6hLfhRDg9r3pSxR35UuerEplZDmhBiQ7GN47qKk2MpNZA9VSTBIid3q8uxsyUdjdkaGiA29sRNTxx7FE2cAmbYf3Xt14XysCw_g8ayftRg7oLPY-g/s1373/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AACJC2oz2uq9ZdIeOE9BCo9lhFUNZvVXx0QLe-pbVnl3x53EwEC_cp4B1rs8slZup6hLfhRDg9r3pSxR35UuerEplZDmhBiQ7GN47qKk2MpNZA9VSTBIid3q8uxsyUdjdkaGiA29sRNTxx7FE2cAmbYf3Xt14XysCw_g8ayftRg7oLPY-g/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20013.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">黑色镂空长裙 ALAIA </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">琉璃水晶流苏耳坠 MIDNIGHT OPERA HOUSE</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNRRCksr5FSa8STvxDTiATqtKWa3MfSZUsdLyayxmFlCeWkx-AJ7V-u73R8P37KX40e4sM2EDHp2VUvu8Qe5A-8uK_8cQikbiqjzgQWh1H0e_te6pKFBZhyjeQSNl6XHd7z6sRomZkkc0Va_3sJKq4MiYS73Wa4gCoZoQOa7tgClMvyZ0hA/s384/MadamFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20g003.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="384" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNRRCksr5FSa8STvxDTiATqtKWa3MfSZUsdLyayxmFlCeWkx-AJ7V-u73R8P37KX40e4sM2EDHp2VUvu8Qe5A-8uK_8cQikbiqjzgQWh1H0e_te6pKFBZhyjeQSNl6XHd7z6sRomZkkc0Va_3sJKq4MiYS73Wa4gCoZoQOa7tgClMvyZ0hA/s320/MadamFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20g003.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMhdnw_fAbx3DE-YQWVbzPSQ3snMtO2UFLoweH7HNHT1RjIVl0Bz0lMJp4moTgaxAFE5Ko8F_otcFHjd_AgKGJQY4eVGMjoVjBH2OKVOAiVzRdwpYtVIm-NxJXAl4RAuKAJF4WV64naJNqx7Au6ACIZVgpqrzTlEXOo5qJyopl22CGOthrw/s1080/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20article%20credits.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="1080" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMhdnw_fAbx3DE-YQWVbzPSQ3snMtO2UFLoweH7HNHT1RjIVl0Bz0lMJp4moTgaxAFE5Ko8F_otcFHjd_AgKGJQY4eVGMjoVjBH2OKVOAiVzRdwpYtVIm-NxJXAl4RAuKAJF4WV64naJNqx7Au6ACIZVgpqrzTlEXOo5qJyopl22CGOthrw/s320/MadameFigaro%20Apr%202022%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20article%20credits.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">(For links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please </span><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html" style="text-align: left;">CLICK ME</a><span style="text-align: left;">)</span></div><br />just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-24090506123957549722022-06-04T21:48:00.002+08:002022-06-05T11:18:16.826+08:00Stepmother Xu Duoduo - Short Review#StepmotherXuDuoduo #后妈许多多 #TheBlendedFamily #重组家庭 #TongYao #童瑶
#WangZhifei #王志飞
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<i>Stepmother Xu Duoduo</i>
aka <i>The Blended Family</i> is a contemporary series that was shot and set
in Xiamen, China. The story centres around Xu Duoduo (Tong Yao), a young television drama
screenplay writer who meets plastic surgeon Wen Shuping (Wang Zhifei) in a series of amusing
encounters before eventually falling in love and marrying the much older man.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br />Unfortunately, Wen Shuping comes with a lot of baggage. He is a
divorcee who has twin daughters (Liu Zhenjun), one of whom lives with him and the other
lives with his ex-wife Song Xiaomin (Cao Yanyan). Wen Shuping also has a stepmother of his
own, Wang Qiurong (Liang Danni), who also lives with him. His ex-wife has also remarried
and is also a stepmother to a difficult young son Xia Tian (Hu Jianxing), who is her current
husband’s (Zhang Yeshi) son by his previous wife. Although Song Xiaomin is no longer married
to Wen Shuping, she uses her twin daughters as her reason for regularly
interfering into Wen Shuping’s affairs. <br /><br />
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<br />Xu Duoduo is an optimistic and good natured TV drama scriptwriter. She
lost both her parents two years before we meet her in the drama series and has
formed a surrogate family with her producer and close friend Qian Jinyu (Zhao Yue). Qian
Jinyu treats Xu Duoduo like a younger sister and can be overprotective of her.
The two are very different in personalities with Xu Duoduo placing more emphasis
on love and familial ties and Qian Jinyu placing more emphasis on money. Perhaps
because of this, they work very well together.<br /><br />
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<br />While there are three different stepmothers who come from different
age groups and circumstances in this series, this isn’t a series that is trying
to make any grand statements about stepmothers. It doesn’t compare or judge the
different styles of parenting stepchildren. Instead, it prefers to focus
on the idea that time, sincerity and love will eventually bring sensible people
together. This series doesn't want to be a serious or heavy watch and the
tone is light even when they touch on more serious issues. It is closer in
nature to a classic romantic comedy except that they have more characters and
some elements that we see more often in family dramas. <br />
<br />Lighting is
very bright and flat in the series but that's normal for series of this nature
and budget in China. Production values are decent for a series that
doesn't have big names. This was several years before Tong Yao did <i>Like a
River Flows</i> and <i>Nothing But Thirty</i> where she won major TV awards for. Pacing is pretty good for the most part. Characters and their progression are also consistent to the setup and the world the drama is set in which is good because they often mess that up in Chinese language drama series.<div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnote4CKfxGRhP7mxFru9hGOB7_RSmdY52VA6FlOx-QZW4Yr6nhUFaUL9tmYc9MdUlMbpyojzIxZI9W2JgtvQXW1xzzI1FbJkMgsFP5FoTizNe15yUT42Xmwga7O-xwRK0bIeYN95k71vSzIoA-QJt-cPvacantRAWapFWMGPWu3pKcWHbKA/s1920/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20012.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnote4CKfxGRhP7mxFru9hGOB7_RSmdY52VA6FlOx-QZW4Yr6nhUFaUL9tmYc9MdUlMbpyojzIxZI9W2JgtvQXW1xzzI1FbJkMgsFP5FoTizNe15yUT42Xmwga7O-xwRK0bIeYN95k71vSzIoA-QJt-cPvacantRAWapFWMGPWu3pKcWHbKA/s320/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20012.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />The
cast in this series is in general good to competent. I quite enjoyed watching Cao Yanyan even though she wasn't a very likeable character. Liu Zhenjun who played both twins also did a pretty good job differentiating between the two.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tong Yao and Wang Zhifei
are fantastic together and although they have a large age gap, they make for a very
convincing couple. They are the biggest reasons why this series is so watchable
because pretty much all their scenes together are very fun or comfortable to watch.
They also have a number of memorable scenes together too. I particularly love scenes
like when they do a dine and dash [EP 11 ] or when she read out a
“self-criticism” to Wen Shuping [EP 18/19] etc.<br /><div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDh4LqV2WWTh60FTOCgJXG91GTVDgNDfUYQVZt8_vEbX5inH1FxXl-DjsL0-LmFUz6-ZVsuQei_UWP_Ny4c1v8cdVno2nM4nv7bNRJ5JAZFUesJEkIVBOg3tsr5tBm1MsCLdbWoFcb7vN92maVIYo0O4aCNiqHV8IOk33AbpinK_wwOgNnEA/s1920/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20002.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDh4LqV2WWTh60FTOCgJXG91GTVDgNDfUYQVZt8_vEbX5inH1FxXl-DjsL0-LmFUz6-ZVsuQei_UWP_Ny4c1v8cdVno2nM4nv7bNRJ5JAZFUesJEkIVBOg3tsr5tBm1MsCLdbWoFcb7vN92maVIYo0O4aCNiqHV8IOk33AbpinK_wwOgNnEA/s320/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20002.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tong Yao is very natural
in this series. She was almost certainly directed to go bigger in this series because
she’s more animated than she usually is but she still made it work. She was so
natural that at moments I found myself wondering if this is her true nature in
real life because it didn't feel like she was acting at all. It's a refreshing change for those who've only watched her in the last few years. If anyone who has only
watched her in the last few series wondered if she can do comedy, well,
wonder no more. She can and she’s very likeable too. For example, in the scene
when she first meets her brother-in-law in the mall [EP 6], her comic
timing is on point.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis98cZ3tD_ao_PF9KjnNZkAnr5Ww8lGV5TdXrlckeh7-l21mnFIucWj9gbmG6zPtyOy4UNdruSpMh3kSSAZ0v83lmy9KVuYd7Fo0UEblMElZmVIEiElQ1Y3FsopxMx8uy2SjXYmLx7pTVMe500SD37oK2TUxqBMk4jCsaTwU7Lzstzwd325w/s1920/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20008.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis98cZ3tD_ao_PF9KjnNZkAnr5Ww8lGV5TdXrlckeh7-l21mnFIucWj9gbmG6zPtyOy4UNdruSpMh3kSSAZ0v83lmy9KVuYd7Fo0UEblMElZmVIEiElQ1Y3FsopxMx8uy2SjXYmLx7pTVMe500SD37oK2TUxqBMk4jCsaTwU7Lzstzwd325w/s320/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20008.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Wang Zhifei was also very good. Wen Shuping was
supposed to be much older than Xu Duoduo and had been through more in life.
However, Xu Duoduo brings out the boyish and playful side of this character.
Wang Zhifei’s Wen Shuping felt dependable and worldly but also had an easy charm
and a twinkle in his eye especially when he and Xu Duoduo are together. He also has some nice lines where he articulates some nice insights about life which is a nice touch because it emphasises that he's a dependable man who can give Xu Duoduo the sense of security that she is looking for.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZS1qmoPpGVSFbNJ1YDjPvH1omII-D6RQQSuE1P1T7CIk0v5lLsYyB3gyUTH7I77NWezEoh8LtNoBZmwkWWxYIZ5J__sz71XuKuejh9jQbwe9b947eAX2e8ANJ4kGBFKGn8bEtUqv21D__AkvXo-J7qn_Atzyko__JJ2W557Xvum695Dl4A/s1920/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20009.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZS1qmoPpGVSFbNJ1YDjPvH1omII-D6RQQSuE1P1T7CIk0v5lLsYyB3gyUTH7I77NWezEoh8LtNoBZmwkWWxYIZ5J__sz71XuKuejh9jQbwe9b947eAX2e8ANJ4kGBFKGn8bEtUqv21D__AkvXo-J7qn_Atzyko__JJ2W557Xvum695Dl4A/s320/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20009.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>This series is by no means a must watch but I am of the opinion
that if you’re a Tong Yao fan, you don’t have a reason not to at the very
least try this series. She’s marvellous in this series. My only quibble is that
I don’t like some of the clothes they chose for this character later in the
series but it’s a minor quibble. If you’re not a Tong Yao fan, you might still
enjoy this series. It’s a light and easy watch which will fit in quite well
between heavy series.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qms6qAefvQL3jr5hzkGEq8jo2cGzWTwp0dIjhnBS9NaaY4s7oc9jsTZTa0490roK6MTpuvu8JF06jjpxG59t63GnTRCbrQM9Zl6pu3VhvgIQr18tetuUYLV5kokGhhMFbHWJfRs-7yBx2djAwvsME8qW4eDukbvrxPBx1QnDS_AfR-wgcg/s1920/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20014.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qms6qAefvQL3jr5hzkGEq8jo2cGzWTwp0dIjhnBS9NaaY4s7oc9jsTZTa0490roK6MTpuvu8JF06jjpxG59t63GnTRCbrQM9Zl6pu3VhvgIQr18tetuUYLV5kokGhhMFbHWJfRs-7yBx2djAwvsME8qW4eDukbvrxPBx1QnDS_AfR-wgcg/s320/Stepmother%20XuDuoduo%20TongYao%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20014.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">P.S.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those who like trivia. This isn’t the
first time that Tong Yao and Wan Zhifei have worked together. They were also in
<i>Life of Tiger and Dragon</i> (龙虎人生) which I’ve yet to watch so I don’t
know if they have any scenes together. Also, the director for this drama is Lin
Ke (林柯) with whom she also worked with on
<i>A Unique Militiaman</i> (民兵葛二蛋).</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(For links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">CLICK ME</a>)</div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-86828415867304201842022-05-18T20:44:00.001+08:002022-05-21T09:46:52.717+08:00Life Is A Long Quiet River #心居 - long commentary<div>#LifeIsALongQuietRiver #TongYao #童瑶 #HaiQing #海清 #ZhangSongwen #张颂文 #FengShaofeng #冯绍峰 #JieBing #节冰 #SunAnke #孙安可 #DongQing #董晴 #LuSiyu #陆思宇 #TengHuatao #滕华涛</div><div><br /></div><div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqMQJfk9n2lfIVZkihUx7nnCR0s-Lqb0ravxCZEzVsWOI-meC7JChkcV5oOh8LX_vfStboUTJJ920OgWZzPT8PSAp7DJGwvZZFxM3NJVrUzBD57woKTTcb0heGAxqd1guNzM82T4FPxpp9i43DsjBohKQxQfYRv1fERpx4P8orefz3hpQ2A/s2520/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%20poster02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2520" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqMQJfk9n2lfIVZkihUx7nnCR0s-Lqb0ravxCZEzVsWOI-meC7JChkcV5oOh8LX_vfStboUTJJ920OgWZzPT8PSAp7DJGwvZZFxM3NJVrUzBD57woKTTcb0heGAxqd1guNzM82T4FPxpp9i43DsjBohKQxQfYRv1fERpx4P8orefz3hpQ2A/w400-h171/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%20poster02.jpg" width="400" /></a>
</div>
<p>
<b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">A COMMENTARY WITH MAJOR SPOILERS (read at your own risk)<br /></b></p>
<div>
<i>(Note: Some of the paragraphs in the first section have portions that are similar to the <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/2022/05/lifeisalongquietriver-short-review.html">Spoiler-Free Short Review</a> of the series because they both serve as a synopsis for the series.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Life is a Long Quiet River (henceforth abbrev as <i>LLQR</i>) is a
contemporary series set in Shanghai in the Autumn of 2017. The series is
centred around two protagonists played superbly by Tong Yao and Hai Qing, They
play a pair of sisters-in-law who are superficially cordial but who actually
dislike and mistrust each other privately. At the beginning of the series, the
pair will clash over money and the buying of property. This will result in a
tragic event which will drive the two of them further apart.<span><a name='more'></a></span>
</div>
<div>
<br /><span><span><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>
</p>
<div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoFvDCM-_WMcLmyJnGCy6Zqdi3os3NWZTLhhMYdbS_V2WpAdWwIT3nrlYUjTN9Lk_Q3SOFI7ciLzPXzzItOLHMT8L_lK7ILwULCorBEnmYj2F2aTmhq7clmqV4D-Zh1j0j3UpDOYJ9aBqJVciDNbS8wJCXH-v2EMpTOraQtoQJiKi-yc-SA/s1333/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20clothes%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNoFvDCM-_WMcLmyJnGCy6Zqdi3os3NWZTLhhMYdbS_V2WpAdWwIT3nrlYUjTN9Lk_Q3SOFI7ciLzPXzzItOLHMT8L_lK7ILwULCorBEnmYj2F2aTmhq7clmqV4D-Zh1j0j3UpDOYJ9aBqJVciDNbS8wJCXH-v2EMpTOraQtoQJiKi-yc-SA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20clothes%2001.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wwpScKcMYBxyYH_PvI_g8MWYKNQi1BZrwcYhi76JaFpIh_Whnu4o7FLWjEHQZvffWEAGLv75eibrjpsvePAXSDHhOb0UpiLJsnl-SSuGSeaoqaXBwBNesSA0Cp1iyToOKLaMAbs6rGeiCdtDXc-06iQ6K1HluRiT4gn-i7V4sGkPYdxVMQ/s1365/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20clothes%2002.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_wwpScKcMYBxyYH_PvI_g8MWYKNQi1BZrwcYhi76JaFpIh_Whnu4o7FLWjEHQZvffWEAGLv75eibrjpsvePAXSDHhOb0UpiLJsnl-SSuGSeaoqaXBwBNesSA0Cp1iyToOKLaMAbs6rGeiCdtDXc-06iQ6K1HluRiT4gn-i7V4sGkPYdxVMQ/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20clothes%2002.jpg" width="240" /></a>
</div>
(<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">just a very small selection of the clothes and accessories that
Gu Qingyu wears in the series, credits belong to a few people on
Weibo</span></i>)
</div>
</div></span></span></span><br />The two sisters-in-law are both different in circumstances, backgrounds
and personalities. Gu Qingyu is a very successful executive in a multinational
investment bank. She owns her apartment and is wealthy. Pretty much everything
that she wears is from brands like Giorgio Armani, Dior, Chanel etc just to
name a few. Even the clothes she lounges in are from luxury brands and she
looks effortlessly elegant in them. She's independent, forthright, practical
and rational. (<i>Aside: Tong Yao looks stunning in this series.</i>) She can
sometimes come across as dispassionate in the way she handles issues even with
family members. She can also be acerbic and sarcastic if something displeases
her. However, even in her most emotional moments, she handles everything with
decorum. While the family relies on Feng Xiaoqin for the running of the day to
day affairs, Gu Qingyu is the Gu family’s main column. Her father Gu Shihong,
Grandma Gu and her younger twin brother Gu Lei rely on her for all the big family decisions and when
they don’t know how to handle Feng Xiaoqin, they call Gu Qingyu for help.<br /><br />Feng
Xiaoqin, on the other hand, doesn't have money of her own. She's a full-time
housewife so she and her son Little Tiger depend on Gu Lei for their expenses.
She is emotional, short-tempered, abrasive, aggressive and very blunt.
However, she is also caring and attentive to the needs of others. Her little
nuclear family lives in the Gu family home with Gu Shihong and Grandma Gu. Her
younger sister Feng Qianqian also lives with them. It's clear from the
beginning that the entire family relies on her to keep things running
smoothly. She's like the mother hen to everyone in the family. It's also clear
in the opening sequence that after eight years, everyone has already taken her
for granted and she's become frustrated by it.<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpcKKTBjAr_zPgIUU-2b9NSkOI-PQuY0oFiAE4KLor8OEtkd_kL-rX5bXgsAadsMtU5VQ59o2ae7sYz66y5jvBEJO9C-fJokPEVAMJmgH77tjaTije8v3tWmTgJHLU8qeyuG44UQXU8wv1FCw0IgxreT6GfnymMUmYZjENBslg4rDm5pI2A/s1620/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpcKKTBjAr_zPgIUU-2b9NSkOI-PQuY0oFiAE4KLor8OEtkd_kL-rX5bXgsAadsMtU5VQ59o2ae7sYz66y5jvBEJO9C-fJokPEVAMJmgH77tjaTije8v3tWmTgJHLU8qeyuG44UQXU8wv1FCw0IgxreT6GfnymMUmYZjENBslg4rDm5pI2A/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20006.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />Feng Xiaoqin has lived in Shanghai for over eight years but she feels
like she doesn't truly belong. She feels that to gain dignity, respect and
acceptance, she will need to get an apartment of her own. So she hatches a
series of plans to get an apartment that she has an eye on but that both Gu
Lei and she can ill afford. When we first meet her, she is busy trying to get
Gu Lei to borrow money from his much wealthier sister. However, Gu Qingyu
turns her down, saying that coincidentally, she too wants to buy another
apartment. Gu Qingyu can afford to lend them this money, however, she doesn't
trust Feng Xiaoqin enough to lend it to her. After she asks Gu Lei privately
about it and Gu Lei's reply is that he doesn't really want to buy an
apartment, Gu Qingyu decides that she has no reason to lend the couple the
money. Feng Xiaoqin is undeterred and will hatch more plans to try and get the
money to pay for the deposit on the apartment. This will create conflict in
the family, in particular between Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin.
</div>
<div>
<span><span><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE SETUP</span>
</p></span></span></span>
<div>
<span><span><span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom35WHayqz_M0aIfOrONZlDeAYc5Qe7v3NIPwZxi7k7ac_YtjtHDTNwlVgSmZsyEN1nCMiZyen-ost7wfOC1oLVu-nTe-kTrNsveBAQ5qYrjRxk6GgPUoLY9mQY7QFTcPsaQPE4gGz8_VTuG0qv6rJ6V6Y-8Gvky-ojHfqyZMpWOS-DESKA/s1920/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom35WHayqz_M0aIfOrONZlDeAYc5Qe7v3NIPwZxi7k7ac_YtjtHDTNwlVgSmZsyEN1nCMiZyen-ost7wfOC1oLVu-nTe-kTrNsveBAQ5qYrjRxk6GgPUoLY9mQY7QFTcPsaQPE4gGz8_VTuG0qv6rJ6V6Y-8Gvky-ojHfqyZMpWOS-DESKA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20002.jpg" width="180" /></a>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></span></span></span>The initial setup seemed to suggest that this would be a typical family
drama with duelling sisters-in-law with Feng Xiaoqin being the protagonist
and Gu Qingyu the antagonist. Feng Xiaoqin wants dignity and acceptance, not
just from within the Gu family but also from society in general. In Feng
Xiaoqin’s eyes, owning an apartment of her own would help her attain this
dream and the series seemed to suggest that Gu Qingyu is the one standing in
Feng Xiaoqin’s way. It’s Gu Qingyu who refused to lend Gu Lei the money,
it’s Gu Qingyu who keeps conducting small family meetings with Gu Shihong
and Gu Lei, and it’s also Gu Qingyu who advises them to be wary of Feng
Xiaoqin’s intentions. <br /><br />The beginning of the series juxtaposes the
two women’s lives by comparing their respective mornings. This not only
quite efficiently introduced these women, their personalities and
circumstances to us, but it also served to create a fair bit of sympathy for
Feng Xiaoqin which was important for her in the beginning. She’s not a
native of Shanghai, hence the question of whether she married Gu Lei because
she has genuine affection for him or whether she married him to attain a
Shanghai “hukou” (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hukou">household registration</a>) will come up. It’s also one of the reasons for Gu Qingyu’s distrust of
Feng Xiaoqin.
</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<span><br /></span></div></span>Gu Qingyu’s morning is calm and quiet. When we first meet her, she’s in the
middle of a morning yoga session in her bright, spotlessly clean and
well-organised apartment. She has a domestic helper that helps her with her
chores and she gives her instructions in a business-like fashion. She’s decisive
and maybe even a little clinical as she casually concludes a recently failed
relationship over the phone as though she’s concluding a business contract.
She’s celebrated for her success in the company, just earned a huge commission,
and is about to buy a luxurious apartment. She’s wealthy and she wears it so
beautifully, easily and casually. <br /><br />Feng Xiaoqin’s morning, in
contrast, is harried and busy. She haggles with the people at the wet market,
makes sure breakfast is ready, Grandma has her meds and rushes around making
sure her flock is ready for school, work and the day. However, although she’s
constantly busy and successfully gets everyone ready, no one celebrates that
success for her. Feng Xiaoqin is like your typical housewife who’s been picking
up after everyone for so long that she no longer remembers her reasons for doing
them in the beginning and no one notices her hard work anymore.
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Over the years, Feng Xiaoqin has become bitter and feels that the Gu family
owes her. Her resentment even spills over in her attitude towards Gu Qingyu.
Feng Xiaoqin feels that she’s spoiled and over-protected by the Gu family
because she doesn’t help out with the chores when she returns to the family
home, even though technically speaking since Gu Qingyu no longer lives there,
she’s actually a guest. Gu Qingyu, on the other hand, doesn’t trust her,
hence, all the close door meetings exclude Feng Xiaoqin from the family
discussions which are often about defending the family against her. These
meetings are another source of rancour for Feng Xiaoqin who feels that even
after eight years and Little Tiger, the Gu family still treats her as an
outsider. These opposing sentiments eventually culminate in a clash that leads
to the accident that kills Gu Lei. The immediate events after his death
isolate Feng Xiaoqin and in her anger, she lashes out and the first arc
climaxes into a really memorable scene between Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin.
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<div><br /></div></span>Both Tong Yao and Hai Qing were amazing in the scene where Feng Xiaoqin
basically accused Gu Qingyu of being the one who was responsible for Gu
Lei’s death. Feng Xiaoqin is the more demonstrative and intense character so
she came in with no holds barred and Hai Qing ended the scene shaking with
raw anger, eyes blazing with undisguised antagonism, barely able to hold her
emotions in.<span><div><br /></div>
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<span><br /></span></div></span>Gu Qingyu, on the other hand, is poised as usual and in control. However,
she went from a position of strength to just barely being able to hold on to
her emotions too but in a different way. As Feng Xiaoqin yelled at her, Gu
Qingyu tried unsuccessfully to defend herself and Tong Yao captured these
shifts in Gu Gingyu's thought process and emotions so masterfully. The
changes in her face and eyes were subtle and nuanced, transitioning smoothly
and realistically from one emotion to another in a matter of seconds. She
goes from being commanding to disbelief, to indignation, to self-doubt as
she finally clenches her jaw and holds a steady defiant gaze, just barely
able to hold on to her self composure. <br /><br />This powerful scene that
was the climax for the first arc, not only perfectly illustrated the
differences in their personalities but also the direction this series
intended to take. At the end of this emotional exchange, they stop short of
getting into an even bigger argument. Instead, Gu Qingyu's father puts a
stop to it and they both comply. This pattern will continue for the rest of
the series, in the sense that conflicts rarely escalate to a point of no
return in<i> LLQR</i>.
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<span><span id="docs-internal-guid-052d94d9-7fff-e1fd-13af-fc61103329b8"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PARALLEL STORYLINES</span></span></span>
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<i>LLQR</i> uses a less commonly
utilised narrative structure in Asian drama series to tell its story. It's
not as common to have dual protagonists who are on parallel paths and
where neither one is the antagonist. It's not as common to see this in
dramas because it is not as easy to pull off, especially in Mainland
dramas because they tend to be longer which makes maintaining balance and
interest harder. While it’s not uncommon to see multiple protagonists in
Mainland dramas, their storylines tend to converge much more because they
tend to use an ensemble setup where the overall theme that unites these
characters is usually the same and clearly stated.
In <i>LLQR,</i> Gu Qingyu’s and Feng Xiaoqin’s journeys are
mostly quite separate after the first act. Their storylines only
intertwine occasionally with the occasional family visit, the big external
family gatherings and when Gu Shihong calls her for advice regarding Feng
Xiaoqin. Parts of their storyline will also intersect because they
have a close mutual friend in Zhan Xiang.
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The first arc of the series led many viewers into believing that Feng
Xiaoqin is the protagonist and that the aloof and high-handed Gu Qingyu is
the antagonist. Even though we do see the softer and more irrational side of
Gu Qingyu with regard to her emotional attachment to an unfulfilled romance
in her teenage years, it is still her conflict with Feng Xiaoqin which is
the climax of the first arc. However, the series shifts gears soon after the
climactic scene at the end of the first arc. All the separate members of the
family deal with their pain and grief in different ways but they learn to
move on eventually. Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin’s narratives become even more
parallel and they both drive the overall narrative together. <br /><br />In
the subsequent episodes after the First Act, Gu Qingyu will become even more
defined as a character and viewers will get more insights into her makeup
and personality which will in turn not only overturn some of the
preconceived ideas created in the first arc but will also create greater
empathy for her. It becomes clear that Gu Qingyu isn’t the antagonist and
it’s clear too that they aren’t each other's antagonists either because
neither of them is trying to prevent the other from attaining their
goals. When their stories do intersect, conflict is either
minimal or dealt with without too much drama. It's because the series
doesn't want to pit the two protagonists against each other. This series
isn’t about class struggle or the battle between the haves and the
have-nots, nor is it about good versus evil. Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin
aren’t enemies, they just don’t view the world the same way. This is
part of the reason why their storylines are mostly parallel, it's not just
to compare the duo in order to make meaning but it's also to ensure that the
potential for conflict is minimised.
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As the series progresses, viewers will come to see that although they are
very different, they also have many similarities. They both have very
similar value systems. They are both very hard working and they both value
love and the bonds that tie which is why even though their families can
cause them heartache, hurt and anger, ultimately both women will choose to
minimise conflict to protect those whom they feel are closest to them. It's
just that their perspectives, their methods and their attitudes differ
because they don’t have similar backgrounds or past experiences which is why
they are unable to understand each other. <br /><span><br /></span>
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<span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLAYING WITH EXPECTATIONS</span>
</p></span><br />The series first set itself up to seemingly be a family melodrama
about fraught family dynamics and undercurrents of discontent waiting to
erupt like a geyser. However, after the first act, few moments, if any at
all, escalate to the level of melodrama. Most viewers probably expected Gu
Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin to cross swords more spectacularly after the
dramatic confrontation they had after Gu Lei’s death but they didn't.
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Early into the Second Act, the series reveals why Gu Qingyu doesn’t trust
Feng Xiaoqin and it’s not simply a matter of prejudice. Gu Qingyu actually
has a good reason not to trust Feng Xiaoqin. While Gu Qingyu loves her
brother dearly, she’s also well aware of his shortcomings and she knows that
most women won’t consider him a price catch. So Gu Qingyu being Gu Qingyu
had hired a private investigator to look into Feng Xiaoqin’s background when
she was dating Gu Lei. She discovered that Feng Xiaoqin has a son Feng
Danian from a previous relationship that she kept hidden from Gu Lei. Just
as she was about to tell Gu Lei this piece of information, Gu Lei tells her
that Feng Xiaoqin was pregnant with his child and that he intended to marry
her. As a result of that, Gu Qingyu decided not to tell Gu Lei. This piece
of information is like a timebomb and viewers kept wondering when Gu Qingyu
would use this piece of information to “defeat” Feng Xiaoqin, especially
after Feng Danian arrived in Shanghai and turned out to be a disrespectful
young punk. However, Gu Qingyu doesn’t do what most audiences expected her
to do with this piece of information at all.
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<br />By setting up and then subverting what viewers expected, the series
guides viewers into experiencing what many of the main characters in
<i>LLQR</i> experience. In life, there are many moments when we don’t get
what we expect or what we think we should get. It’s not just the opening arc
or the information on Feng Danian that does that. At various points in the
series, viewers will be led into thinking that certain events will happen.
For example, there is another memorable scene 2/3s in when Zhan Xiang brings
Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin together to work on the business proposal for the
old folks centre. Gu Qingyu’s attitude towards Feng Xiaoqin will visibly
soften and as the evening progresses, they begin to join forces to tease
Zhan Xiang. From this moment on, both characters' attitudes toward each
other become more positive and viewers are led into believing that these two
protagonists will begin to work closely together soon. However, except for
this business proposal, they don’t work together again.<span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk09x739uIPGr7EYIB948p3db-9JAnUixyf4bzxi2bk4O52eU3_--UT-5fv3gkuZoe-JU-G4M4r0MUEwXzPbOg8GClehywH23F29pJaQWXZK8J5LmTHY7TIo-gvEfOeLjbfO1JsE8xVNXOn6VkeRUrxYqbf20DUeTRjD5_ceJmUpjtlqZS6g/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk09x739uIPGr7EYIB948p3db-9JAnUixyf4bzxi2bk4O52eU3_--UT-5fv3gkuZoe-JU-G4M4r0MUEwXzPbOg8GClehywH23F29pJaQWXZK8J5LmTHY7TIo-gvEfOeLjbfO1JsE8xVNXOn6VkeRUrxYqbf20DUeTRjD5_ceJmUpjtlqZS6g/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%2001.jpg" width="320" /></a>
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<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; white-space: normal;" /></span></p></span><i>LLQR</i> constantly builds up this kind of anticipation, just like it
did with its opening act and scenes like the one described above, and then
it doesn't give the viewer the expected or desired payload. Just like the
characters in the series, we are constantly led into imposing our
expectations on the series and just like the characters in the series, we
don’t get what we expect or desire. Almost everyone in this series had
expectations they were trying to impose on others and, perhaps, even on the
city they live in. A large number of these demands, both conscious and
unconscious ones, were not met. Even when people work very hard, they don’t
always get their desired or deserved outcomes. And sometimes the “bad guys”
don’t get retribution and the innocent don’t get the happy endings they deserve
either. This is reflected in real life. Life doesn’t always go the way
we think it should.
<span><div><br /></div>
<div>
<span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p>
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</div>
<br /></span></div></span>Family dynamics are also depicted realistically unlike how it often is
in typical melodramatic family dramas. I think Chinese viewers, at least,
should be familiar with the big family dinners and all the uncomfortable
questions and undercurrents that come with them. Everyone meets and is just
merely superficially cordial. It's exactly like how Gu Qingyu and Feng
Xiaoqin interact in the first episode of <i>LLQR</i>, the subtle glances and
changes in expression from both actresses illustrate what they really feel
about each other at the birthday dinner. The scene just after Gu Qingyu leaves to go home also
shows Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin exchanging pleasantries but once both of
them turn to leave, their true feelings are immediately expressed on their
faces. Gu family dinners with the extended family reflect that kind of
superficial pleasantries. While there are occasional flashpoints, huge
arguments between family members are rare in this series. Instead, a lot of
the discontent and unhappiness are left simmering underneath and for the
sake of maintaining family ties, a lot of these feelings are not articulated
or are said in private. Even if they are articulated at the family dinners, a lot of
it is made up of jibes and sarcasm which doesn’t lead to any kind of
dramatic blow-up at all.<br /><br />
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</div>
<br />
<div>
There is another memorable scene in the last arc of the story in Ep33.
This involves a misunderstanding between Feng Danian, Feng Qianqian and
some other older members of the Gu family. Like the confrontation between
Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin near the end of Act 1 in the series, after the
scene climaxes and Gu Shihong attempts to soothe everyone's feelings, the
scene ends quietly with no melodrama which is very much in keeping with
the tone of the series. Once again no one wants to escalate things to the
point of no return. There are disagreements, misunderstandings,
smouldering discontent, whispered complaints, unspoken dissatisfaction,
openly angry accusations, veiled understated allegations, quiet threats,
betrayals, disappoints, barbed comments and sarcasm but there is no
“vengeance is mine” moment and no elaborate plot to destroy anyone’s life.
</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
This sense of realism runs throughout the series. Except for minor
characters, all of the main characters and the more important support
characters are complex and flawed and aren't always nice, but they are not
bad people. The characters in <i>LLQR</i> are very human. A few of them will
even do despicable things but the series doesn't want to make any grand
statements of morality. The series takes some pains not to make moral
judgements of its characters even if viewers themselves will inevitably take
sides. Instead, they concentrate on them as fallible human beings and although
viewers may never like these characters, we can understand how their
weakness and circumstances make them susceptible to making mistakes in their
lives. A lot of these characters mirror people we see in real life. A lot of
the events also mirror events we see in real life.<br />
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</div>
<br />Conflicts in <i>LLQR</i> are less about the conflicts themselves and
more about the human experience. Conflict doesn't take centre stage and is
merely a byproduct of the messiness of human relationships and families.
What we have in <i>LLQR</i> are relationships that heal over time and in a
quiet understated fashion. Misunderstandings and presumptions take almost
the entire series to be resolved or are never clearly resolved. It’s quite a
realistic way to portray conflict, especially the conflict between family
members or people who care about each other. Oftentimes, people just bite
their tongues and don’t express their displeasure because they don’t want to
argue with their family or friends. And many times in real life, especially
after huge arguments, people don’t apologise outrightly. Instead, after some
time has passed, they may do something or give something and if this
kindness is accepted, it means that both parties have decided to take a step
forward to reconciliation.
</div>
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<span><br /></span>
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<span><br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE STRENGTH OF THE CAST</span>
</p>
<br /></span>By taking this approach, <i>LLQR</i> needed their cast to be very strong.
Even though they are helped by a narrative which did keep the viewers
guessing when or if certain things might transpire; with few big dramatic
scenes, dual protagonists whose paths only intertwine occasionally and a
host of deeply flawed characters, the cast needed to make sure that they not
only held the viewer's attention but also create an emotional connection
with their characters. And this cast really delivered; the main characters
were excellent and many of the supporting cast were also very good.<span><div><br /></div>
<div>
<span><div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>
<br /></div></span></div></span>Hai Qing had one of the more outwardly demonstrative characters but she
also successfully mixed in subtle inner turmoil under her abrasive external
front. She has a few memorable scenes with Tong Yao where their changing
attitudes towards each other feel so natural. They still feel like
essentially the same people just that their attitudes toward each other have
softened. She also has a very memorable scene with Zhan Xiang where she
expresses her feelings for him and he feigns ignorance. Both of them were really good there. Feng
Qiaoqin and Zhan Xiang are the most unrestrained of the main characters in
the series so they both can go bigger and they do when they need to but in
this scene, they both held it back just enough.<br /><span><div><br /></div>
<div>
<span><div>
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</div>
<div><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div></span></div></span>Zhang Songwen was also extremely likeable as Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin’s
mutual friend. Zhan Xiang's cheery exterior is a front for a much softer
core. Zhang Songwen has some very memorable scenes with both Hai Qing and
Tong Yao. The trio managed to create a different kind of chemistry between
the two different relationships. Zhang Songwen managed to play the jester
part of Zhan Xiang without making him annoying. He never lets his Zhang
Xiang go so over the top that the softer, more sensitive side of his
character feels ill at ease with his external boisterousness and flashiness.
This is why it’s not hard to believe that his bragging and swaggering are
partly bravado, a way for him to protect the gentle core of his
personality.<span><div><br /></div>
<div>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Although Feng Shaofeng is a special guest star, he has a significant amount
of screen time and is one of the main characters in the story. Life
and fate have not been kind to Shi Yuan. Until he met Gu Qingyu again, his
life seemed devoid of light. Feng Shaofeng’s Shi Yuan does feel downtrodden
and just quietly trying to get by in life. He will gain in stature by the
time the series ends and his transformation feels very natural because Feng
Shaofeng doesn't overplay it, Shi Yuan's basic nature is still evident even
at the end. He also played Shi Yuan very sympathetically. Although excessive pride and a lack of self-esteem would create many problems for himself, his
family and also come between him and Gu Qingyu, it was difficult not to feel
for him to some extent.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<span><div>
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</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div></span>Tong Yao’s Gu Qingyu was particularly fascinating because she was a mixture
of so many contradictions, yet somehow she managed to make them gel into a
very convincing whole. Gu Qingyu can be imperious yet yielding, bold yet
demure, serious yet impish, mature yet child-like, perceptive yet
self-deluded, rational yet impulsive, pragmatic yet romantic, blunt yet
diplomatic, suspicious yet trusting, mean yet kind, and strong yet
vulnerable. Yet, somehow these contractions do not feel compartmentalised
and they can blend to give us a very believable, fully realised human being.
This credit has to go to Tong Yao for making it work. Once again, like in
<i>The Rebel</i> and <i>Nothing But Thirty</i>, Tong Yao is tasked with a character who is
not too outwardly demonstrative. She’s become quite adept at nuanced acting
and takes care never to overplay any one characteristic of this character by too
much; it's always just enough so that you get the sense that all these
contradictory emotions and characteristics can exist in Gu Qingyu.<span><div><br /></div>
<div>
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</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div></span>All four main actors had a lot of chemistry together which made watching
them quite delightful. The chemistry between all of them was so good that
viewers are left rooting for certain resolutions even though realistically
speaking, they were probably all bad ideas. For example Gu Qingyu and Shi
Yuan’s relationship. They were both no longer the wide-eyed young innocents
when they first met as teenagers, yet viewers can’t help but want them to
work out because they just had so much chemistry. Zhan Xiang’s chemistry
with both Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin was also really good even though it was
different. His friendship with both women had different dynamics but worked
so well that viewers were relatively split about whether he should end up with
one or the other or no one at all.<span><div>
<span><br /></span></div></span>
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<div><br /></div>
The supporting cast was also exceptional and had various moments and scenes
in the series where they shined. Veteran actors like Jie Bing, Yao Anlian
and Wu Mian etc were all reliably good. Even though his screen time wasn’t
that much, Yao Yiqi was very likeable as Gu Lei. He had this teddy bear
affability that made it difficult to dislike him even though given his
lack of ambition, it's not hard to understand why Feng Xiaoqin would feel
frustrated with him.<br /><br />Lu Siyu's Gu Xin was aimless, weak and selfish. Although it’s not explicitly
stated, he probably married Dong Qing’s Ge Yue because she came from a
rich and influential family. He spent a great deal of the latter half of
the series thinking about other women and one of them is Feng Qianqian
(Sun Anke). Although both of them would make a series of unwise decisions,
they were able to play up the humanness of their characters so that while
few viewers will like or agree with them, some may be able to understand
and empathise with them. Both actors have some scenes where that were
particularly memorable. Sun Anke was particularly good in Ep33, in the
scene where in order to protect Feng Danian, she confessed that the ring
belonged to her. As for Lu Siyu, in Ep35 after Ge Yue leaves after visiting Gu Xin in prison and his regret is palpable as he weeps after it
finally struck him just how much he has lost.
</div>
<span><div>
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<div><br /></div>
Ge Yue was probably the most innocent and easiest character to sympathise
with in the series. Dong Qing handled Ge Yue’s transformation from a
cheerful and protected young woman to a mature young woman who has
strength enough to make some important decisions in her life very well.
She had one very memorable scene in the series; the moment when she gets
visual confirmation that Gu Xin and Feng Qianqian were having an affair
was so heartbreaking.
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MISSTEPS</span>
</p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5YdYg_TBQn0NsSpF2uB2IFvAPrw67XKQtbxiLQccXvrQOsnkOBNV7ST3i3qfHHN2RMliTQgeneUfaIw3zIFhP_eAxlgWm_k59LGN3p3KfbvldXOLlsmE6aDVFoJfCvNy0JfCo9Ingb4h2Ml0aPfef2pUQO28pxpDxIFNb7g4VFexBhjinQ/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5YdYg_TBQn0NsSpF2uB2IFvAPrw67XKQtbxiLQccXvrQOsnkOBNV7ST3i3qfHHN2RMliTQgeneUfaIw3zIFhP_eAxlgWm_k59LGN3p3KfbvldXOLlsmE6aDVFoJfCvNy0JfCo9Ingb4h2Ml0aPfef2pUQO28pxpDxIFNb7g4VFexBhjinQ/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20004.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div></span>Unfortunately, this series isn’t without a few issues. Sometimes it felt
like the script was so worried that viewers would not be able to empathise
with the seemingly materialistic and covetous Feng Xiaoqin from Act 1 and
the beginning of Act 2, that from the first 1/3 of the 2nd Act forward it tried
too hard to emphasise her good points. After Gu Lei's death, we will see her working hard and
struggling as she transition from becoming a full-time housewife into a
working mother. It was interesting in the beginning because it touched on
the downside of the the “hukou” system and difficulties food delivery workers and women in the
food delivery service face. However, after too many episodes of Feng Xiaoqin
struggling as a food delivery rider, it started to feel repetitive.
Similarly, we see scene after scene after scene emphasising her kindness toward and her ability to connect with the elderly that it began to feel like they were trying to make her
a saint. Seeing scene after scene of her struggling and her selflessness
began to feel like her storyline was bordering on melodrama at times which
felt a little jarring since the overall tone of<i> LLQR</i> isn’t melodramatic.
Regrettably, it made Feng Xiaoqin a less interesting character and her
storyline began to feel like a typical story of a misunderstood person from
the lower rungs of society who rises above her circumstances.<br /><br />The
Feng family have their own bias and preconceived ideas of members of the Gu
family too. It’s not just Gu Qingyu and the Gu family that were prejudiced,
the Feng family was too, especially with regard to both Gu Qingyu and Gu
Shihong. Feng and her family tended to always see themselves as victims which affected their self-esteem and the ways they interacted with
others. While they do play up these issues with her sister Feng Qianqian,
they tend to underplay these flaws in Feng Xiaoqin. It’s likely that Feng
Xiaoqin’s obsession with getting validation and dignity also influenced Feng
Qianqian who took things too far. However, even though she does have some
misgivings about her preoccupation with Shanghai and the apartment, the
script barely touches on it and only strongly implied it once, in a scene in
Ep35 when Gu Qingyu offers Feng Xiaoqin a house. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60K8FpW-19wxONsqA-jM6d1s7gQLvWY9Fyt7Nv2wB4D0xLR9fqqjXRckwUXu4n0lHCdrDOYNyheGzWE3Qlde5MslWdKJFFsjmBtoq3eCYcmhWvB_N33ERPfW5DryeO1BL-PdFJ7v_-5iyhbWqDXZ-47i_miQDZNvkR6Gm2I9nTwnyMuwt6g/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60K8FpW-19wxONsqA-jM6d1s7gQLvWY9Fyt7Nv2wB4D0xLR9fqqjXRckwUXu4n0lHCdrDOYNyheGzWE3Qlde5MslWdKJFFsjmBtoq3eCYcmhWvB_N33ERPfW5DryeO1BL-PdFJ7v_-5iyhbWqDXZ-47i_miQDZNvkR6Gm2I9nTwnyMuwt6g/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Downplaying
Feng Xiaoqin’s flaws diluted the potential for complexity in this character
which was a pity. Her character was more interesting in the beginning when
we weren’t sure if she was a money-grubbing daughter-in-law or a bullied
housewife. In the beginning, she could be unreasonable, stubborn and
reactionary, and she became more passive-aggressive after Act 1 which made
some of her actions harder to read in the beginning, hence more interesting.
In the beginning, there are moments when she'll clash with members of the Gu
family and then reveal another side to her friends and her sister. However,
by the middle to the final arc of the series, much of the complexity of this
character is reduced by what appeared to be the series' determination to
play her up like some kind of heroine.<br /><br />Also because Feng Xiaoqin
is a more unrestrained and open character, her motivations, her decision
making and her emotions are often quite easy to understand. She either has scenes
where her expressions are quite easy to read or she will openly talk about
them with her sister, her friend and Zhan Xiang. Even the motivation for
hiding the secret about Feng Danian isn’t hard to understand. It’s a pity
that the script chose to try and overplay the positive side of her nature
too much. It even got to a point where it seemed like several characters
felt it was necessary to voice out her good points that it felt forced.</div><div><br /></div><div><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QwMP1tTKOQucHt7wYMV0uqVN4kZEv_MEeccadZchtlYwuot8pd_2O8UJyBLI-9hRVmh1FwlimI2lrVV4dY4ZTOayNe2xUCzkMWvGz3l2LhAmBOnHkkGhvGbEx1vrSH7e0j1ZxIEy_Nvp998qduawfNyL_eSzmy7G6RFfVM8v0ZyySkxFuw/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QwMP1tTKOQucHt7wYMV0uqVN4kZEv_MEeccadZchtlYwuot8pd_2O8UJyBLI-9hRVmh1FwlimI2lrVV4dY4ZTOayNe2xUCzkMWvGz3l2LhAmBOnHkkGhvGbEx1vrSH7e0j1ZxIEy_Nvp998qduawfNyL_eSzmy7G6RFfVM8v0ZyySkxFuw/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20005.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>Ironically, this also made Gu Qingyu the more interesting and enigmatic
character by far. She's not just a character that's full of paradox as
detailed above but also a character that needs a little more work from the
viewers to understand better.</div></span><br />In the first arc of the series,
the script purposely hid a piece of information from the audience. Gu Qingyu
is holding on to a secret that will change the audience's perception of her.
This was quite a nice twist because it added a dimension to her that viewers
did not previously know. Viewers were further kept interested in how this
secret will surface and what would happen should it surface. Interestingly,
with Gu Qingyu, many of the details we get about her personality and her
journey aren’t laid out in an easy way for viewers to understand. With Gu
Qingyu, we get scenes of the way she handles situations in her life, especially at work, or we are told in passing about things that she had done or
experienced and from there viewers will then need to extrapolte what it means for Gu Qingyu as a character. Right till the
very end of the series, viewers are not told clearly what Gu Qingyu’s
motivations for several actions are. The information is implied and it’s up
to the audience to make meaning of it.<span><div><br /></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-3d39cce2-7fff-a090-bbeb-89e0c4ee1348"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1olRREzTeic8hd3E2jJ04rsDD05xaipgnWes3yJSjL4o4iZ3Hu_c0dFIgckwgOcP3jPl7heKQ4NtYSsxw-SQywfew0L7fADp-_4PbeWklzW9jB6l6YGSG0D331rQ3G2f-qsCqPdgHQANNIWJivAZE1hgqRw4VyVfoAK07D3L8ou6KzQMSoA/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1olRREzTeic8hd3E2jJ04rsDD05xaipgnWes3yJSjL4o4iZ3Hu_c0dFIgckwgOcP3jPl7heKQ4NtYSsxw-SQywfew0L7fADp-_4PbeWklzW9jB6l6YGSG0D331rQ3G2f-qsCqPdgHQANNIWJivAZE1hgqRw4VyVfoAK07D3L8ou6KzQMSoA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%2002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Also because Gu Qingyu and Shi Yuan were more reticent characters, their
relationship was more interesting because they were particularly careful
around each other and many things were left unsaid and up to viewers to
deduce.
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<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmko1WpYFvqB45s-WQn7HaxnJ0FypBd05XSdhfDkmXUUJD7FZBo7AlWOfsKDd9_0vooW8GM1XrLfd0IE61xTCKfrCBXbAMAW8BZwh1QanGYYLyBX02MyIDAwhUoZwAZEQsWNUXZR6ABGNKCrMwTBEyST_IAfoIG-ijk3rorWB_mkaU-bjPg/s1920/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20008.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmko1WpYFvqB45s-WQn7HaxnJ0FypBd05XSdhfDkmXUUJD7FZBo7AlWOfsKDd9_0vooW8GM1XrLfd0IE61xTCKfrCBXbAMAW8BZwh1QanGYYLyBX02MyIDAwhUoZwAZEQsWNUXZR6ABGNKCrMwTBEyST_IAfoIG-ijk3rorWB_mkaU-bjPg/w200-h83/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20008.png" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEmcZF0Uk7AOu67nmVQDSfzmPbNUsXgMJf00JM0gUpt9cvZ9XgU5WDihuIkR3tURXAS6H2ri2rMHqJDjVl2Ux3NfGnT62wcECZbNBgCBHPALGxkHrgINaRZ_Sw1ju6p9Sx3Y49GnCfjpR71vggid8BST8Rj6BUcdu65HApuehIWIsZGnApA/s1920/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng001.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEmcZF0Uk7AOu67nmVQDSfzmPbNUsXgMJf00JM0gUpt9cvZ9XgU5WDihuIkR3tURXAS6H2ri2rMHqJDjVl2Ux3NfGnT62wcECZbNBgCBHPALGxkHrgINaRZ_Sw1ju6p9Sx3Y49GnCfjpR71vggid8BST8Rj6BUcdu65HApuehIWIsZGnApA/w200-h83/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng001.png" width="200" /></a>
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<div>
For example, the beautiful reunion scene between Gu Qingyu and Shi Yuan in
Ep3. The music, editing and direction were really nice too. The
silent moment just after they were introduced to each other and right
before their “hellos” allowed both Tong Yao and Feng Shaofeng to use their
expressions alone to show the complexity and the differences in their
emotions in this momentous moment. The two have not seen each other
in years and no longer recognise each other. After the housing agent
introduces them, as the music plays and they slowly realise who each other
is, Feng Shaofeng surprise and the faint beginnings of a smile give way to
regret and sadness as he realises the awkwardness of the situation. Tong
Yao's surprise turns into a gentle gaze that holds steady as she quickly
pulls back a smile so that she doesn't show too much obvious
delight. Feng Shaofeng looks away and struggles before he manages to
say "hello". Tong Yao who hasn't stopped looking directly at him,
blinks back her emotions, and feels like she wants to say more before settling
for a breathy "hello". What a lovely scene, just like that, with
just two "hellos" viewers knowing so much about them. Gu Qingyu's overwhelming confidence and Shi Yuan's hesitancy in the progress of the relationship are
foreshadowed at this moment. The rest of this scene is also really lovely and is
well written, well-paced and well performed. There is so much left
unsaid in this scene but so much meaning is implied. </div><div><br /></div><div>This scene set the tone of their relationship till the very end.
Much of what they feel is implied and left unsaid. It doesn't matter if its moments of anger, sadness or happiness; much of how they
communicated between themselves and the audience is left unspoken and
has to be inferred. It made their relationship at times beautifully understated and at times that lack of communication regrettable but it also made their relationship absorbing at all times.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV6uWQD0ROi30ef58hgERatYm60KTYlVZZimsPHdC5gsUkEpcXZRON4rKyrhIiVQXPFfnGSfSTqVIIdaaJwaUhWjED6Nf6twWMJKXWOSFelIp-D1rgt5Kp6zeBpz16OYiI8KxDCctZZ07VDrqwBE_ylCnypb5Sk43T_UBXWfdZs1cn9-Chg/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%20%E5%90%B4%E5%86%95%20%20Wu%20Mian01%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV6uWQD0ROi30ef58hgERatYm60KTYlVZZimsPHdC5gsUkEpcXZRON4rKyrhIiVQXPFfnGSfSTqVIIdaaJwaUhWjED6Nf6twWMJKXWOSFelIp-D1rgt5Kp6zeBpz16OYiI8KxDCctZZ07VDrqwBE_ylCnypb5Sk43T_UBXWfdZs1cn9-Chg/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%20%E5%90%B4%E5%86%95%20%20Wu%20Mian01%20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>There was also a lot of potential for conflict in this relationship,
especially since Shi Yuan's mother (played wonderfully well by Wu Mian) was
quite difficult to get along with and it was clear the couple had several
issues that they had yet to iron out. Their relationship was a complicated
one and it was compounded by the couple's inability to let go of the past. Both of
them were married to a past image of each other and were consumed by the
unfulfilled promise of a future that could have been if life had allowed
their teenage selves to remain together. It really helped that Tong Yao and
Feng Shaofeng had a lot of chemistry together which made watching their
slowly disintegrating marriage so achingly sad. All this added to making Gu
Qingyu's storyline the more interesting one in the second half of the series
because by this time Feng Xiaoqin's story kept revolving around the same
issues.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the series in trying to continue juxtaposing our two protagonists was trying to show Feng Xiaoqin working hard at becoming financially independent while showing Gu Qingyu working hard at building a relationship. I'm just not sure it worked that well because Feng Xiaoqin's story, and perhaps even Feng Xiaoqin herself, wasn't compelling enough in the middle of the series.</div><div><br />Parts of the final few episodes for <i>LLQR</i> also felt a little
rushed. Some scenes like Feng Xiaoqin and Grandma Gu’s scene in the hospital
felt weird because we never get the sense that their relationship had become
so close that Feng Xiaoqin would feel comfortable enough to ask a pretty
sensitive question about the greviences in extended family. It also felt strange that
Grandma Gu would feel comfortable enough to tell her the reasons for some of
the underlying tensions in the Gu extended family.<span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKgOmZbzbaTQeTNbvaRSqvUqrLQpcyQJPfpoCJD_TR1XwXtrjH5xSVR4Ki01Rn7Yic2aLJcgAX4nbga2XRjgx2B5Ixf3pvMDsXDzt-usIzqy_RS5HBx2pXWx_ZiCosMpFuODOME1A0g9jzJFdsYeMnzGWcKgNUqS9Bo_1eytOf_eKYZnbnw/s3603/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3603" data-original-width="2244" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKgOmZbzbaTQeTNbvaRSqvUqrLQpcyQJPfpoCJD_TR1XwXtrjH5xSVR4Ki01Rn7Yic2aLJcgAX4nbga2XRjgx2B5Ixf3pvMDsXDzt-usIzqy_RS5HBx2pXWx_ZiCosMpFuODOME1A0g9jzJFdsYeMnzGWcKgNUqS9Bo_1eytOf_eKYZnbnw/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20003.jpg" width="199" /></a>
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<div><br /></div></span>Similarly, the scene near the end in Ep35vwhere Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin finally
have a proper heart to heart talk lacks a proper lead-up. It’s a really nice
scene and again perfectly played by both actresses. It's an important scene because the two sisters-in-law finally do open up to each other and reveal their inner thoughts to each other. The way Gu Qingyu answered Feng Xiaoqin when she asked her what she
thought of her was nicely done. Gu Qingyu answered in the most Gu Qingyu of ways. Instead of
telling Feng Xiaoqin what she thinks, with a smile, she asked Feng Xiaoqin
“What do you think?” </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WLpGBKP4qhFdrimKlJNfpMQyxz4os0sPJn45uDM_ND98mqXPzI2GuKmt2T--BHuRTAeNAPCCK8G4LVP66MYIL3ywuU0naR5pdC6KDNn31hfya1swhGNmY8N8vwPUqZ2bBkNILF6zm5DKTQjTxpLSJB5DZpC8xxnzG6hdpMGkT0fM50MXgA/s3476/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3476" data-original-width="2160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WLpGBKP4qhFdrimKlJNfpMQyxz4os0sPJn45uDM_ND98mqXPzI2GuKmt2T--BHuRTAeNAPCCK8G4LVP66MYIL3ywuU0naR5pdC6KDNn31hfya1swhGNmY8N8vwPUqZ2bBkNILF6zm5DKTQjTxpLSJB5DZpC8xxnzG6hdpMGkT0fM50MXgA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20007.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br /><div>What Gu Qingyu does with the secret
regarding Feng Danian is one of the reasons why I liked this character so
much. While her motivation for hiding the secret from Gu Lei isn’t hard to
understand, what made Gu Qingyu interesting and kept viewers guessing to the
end was what she was going to do with this secret. What was unexpected was
that Gu Qingyu never used this secret as a weapon but instead used it as an
olive branch. By telling Feng Xiaoqin in Ep35 that she had known about Feng
Danian for a very long time and by also telling her that she intends to keep
this a secret between the two of them, she was effectively binding both of
them together as true “sisters”, the kind who would look out for each other. This scene was such a great scene and Tong Yao and Hai Qing were both
stellar in this scene. Both of them were so nuanced. It’s such a pity that
there wasn't much of a follow-up to this scene which lessened its impact because getting to this point feels a abrupt.</div>
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<span><br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.76728; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CONCLUSION</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JkgvnDmNeqTIBMYgNOPRyjP-uNIngA1st3efjIDtCq_pT2PjSUPQdviFhcU6LRLEWcT-WFcOPf7Fp-X1C6YQs9ykqiX21dQWs2jsru7LjtPXPDhJwjv__g925-j8EKO9XGtrRqrEeDyUUZyCLSqQLDN8dT5s3T_q5k8O22RiGHBpW1NUZg/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JkgvnDmNeqTIBMYgNOPRyjP-uNIngA1st3efjIDtCq_pT2PjSUPQdviFhcU6LRLEWcT-WFcOPf7Fp-X1C6YQs9ykqiX21dQWs2jsru7LjtPXPDhJwjv__g925-j8EKO9XGtrRqrEeDyUUZyCLSqQLDN8dT5s3T_q5k8O22RiGHBpW1NUZg/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20006.jpg" width="320" /></a>
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</span><br />This series isn't for everyone because it doesn't follow the conventions of most family dramas or maybe even most Asian dramas which might frustrate some viewers, especially those who like dramas with less ambiguity and a more cautionary tone. <i>LLQR</i> is a slice of life drama disguised as a family melodrama. Its method of guiding the viewer into constructing their own narratives in their minds only for the series’ narrative to go in an unexpected way is a bold but risky move but it’s also what sets this series apart from the rest. This method coupled with an excellent cast helped this series that has very few major conflicts create anticipation and emotion in viewers, keeping us engaged and emotionally involved till the end.</div><div><br /><i>LLQR</i> takes both its English titles and Chinese titles seriously. They didn’t pick this English title on a whim. They mean to accentuate the idea that life is a “long quiet river”. As its English title suggests <i>LLQR</i> series has a quiet unhurried pace with little melodrama. Gu Qingyu’s monologue at the end of the series also aptly summarises the theme of the series. The series is a reflection of life and suggests that in life, there is suffering, grief, pain and sadness but also love, happiness, joy, success and growth and, while there is the occasional stone in the water, humans still move on quietly and bravely, continually experiencing the ebb and flow of life as we seek to find a place for ourselves in the world that we live in. Each of us will need to discover for ourselves what kind of person we are, what our sense of identity is and our place in the world. When asked about the Chinese title "心居“, Tong Yao mentioned in more than one interview that the "心" in "心居" refers to "心灵" which suggests that <i>LLQR</i> is a series about each person's soul finding their place in the world. And all our main characters have to discover for themselves the makeup of their soul and where their soul exists is where they are at peace with themselves. While all our characters have changed and grown by the end of the series, the resolution isn't 100% conclusive for them because even as viewers bid them farewell, life for them, as it is for us in the real world, is a river that flows continuously.</div><div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmusVYmnsUxQpyeiEJGf_H6OW8TbLJb3GS4hLwCBYx2PaH55EAog8YR-nu-T6IwAPhu6gA6iYVCaF2CBTN7KWk7k4rU-6givxzqP4f5wnIYqGfUhytzR1ri3yBXXjCIEcM82HZ6FMLem0hTnoCiJI4ZLwA3MdJyJYQtCrhKm7oYlUcu2boA/s2153/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="2153" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmusVYmnsUxQpyeiEJGf_H6OW8TbLJb3GS4hLwCBYx2PaH55EAog8YR-nu-T6IwAPhu6gA6iYVCaF2CBTN7KWk7k4rU-6givxzqP4f5wnIYqGfUhytzR1ri3yBXXjCIEcM82HZ6FMLem0hTnoCiJI4ZLwA3MdJyJYQtCrhKm7oYlUcu2boA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><i>LLQR</i> is a story about people, in particular people who were born in Shanghai or who adopt Shanghai as their home or who desire to make Shanghai their home. All the characters who are linked to both of the two protagonists, whether it's family or friends, are from different strata of society in Shanghai and are at different points of growth in their lives and all of them are part of this tapestry that makes up this city of Shanghai. However, although the series is about Shanghai and the people who live in the city, the essence of the series is universal. People with similar doubts, similar perceptions of life, similar methods, similar desires, similar weaknesses etc exist all over the world. This makes <i>LLQR</i> more than a series about people in Shanghai, its story about the individual's journey of self-discovery, the complexity of humans, human relationships, familial ties and the human experience can resonate with all of us. This universal theme, the realistic thread throughout the series and the stellar performances from the cast help make <i>LLQR</i> a good series and well worth watching.<br /><br />If you made it so far, I thank you for reading all of it. As usual, I welcome any discussions as long as we keep it civil. I might still write another post on <i>LLQR</i>. If I manage to write it, it will centre on Gu Qingyu, a character that I liked very much, and Tong Yao's interpretation of this character because I think she had a very strong understanding of this character. However given my track record, don't expect it anytime soon. 😅<br /><br />(For links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">CLICK ME</a>)</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div>
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</div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-12460048537375897482022-05-14T01:38:00.010+08:002022-05-15T10:01:51.702+08:00Life Is A Long Quiet River #心居 - short review<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">#TongYao #童瑶 #HaiQing #海清 #ZhangSongwen #张颂文 #FengShaofeng #冯绍峰 #JieBing #节冰 #SunAnke #孙安可 #DongQing #董晴 #LuSiyu #陆思宇 #TengHuatao #滕华涛</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ8a68KKP-ysSp7GW7py-P3hhgDs5ppIuh7Twgd-U5_I_4HK5LBL7Wa0a28KJOmL9fhlyr_16RfVSgiM_R0xf65-U8PyQKFkxwQOhjjfZO5AYGhe1V8AK99v3BChuVxraj5-G-prB689Vo5HTMWmpdALIeWzFi9b5rxV9KQdX8ynW9ichcA/s2048/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%20poster03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="945" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ8a68KKP-ysSp7GW7py-P3hhgDs5ppIuh7Twgd-U5_I_4HK5LBL7Wa0a28KJOmL9fhlyr_16RfVSgiM_R0xf65-U8PyQKFkxwQOhjjfZO5AYGhe1V8AK99v3BChuVxraj5-G-prB689Vo5HTMWmpdALIeWzFi9b5rxV9KQdX8ynW9ichcA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%20poster03.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><br /><p><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">A SHORT SPOILER FREE REVIEW</b></p><i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i> is a contemporary series set in Shanghai in the Autumn of 2017. The series is centred around two protagonists played superbly by Tong Yao and Hai Qing, They play a pair of sisters-in-law who are superficially cordial but who actually dislike and mistrust each other privately.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnizpfn7q54KqvW0vd26S2HAMDBxZGCf0u2wDA3B6LJlUD7w-rMwXuusARC2NEbX219OgVdvzondNQMm1q6flNv1ZphqO0WjZgA_Tp-fKw3BjEmp1it_R-9fBGpHQ7lnOA6Tkcl9yMMwNU5SLyXWLxA5bPEs2l0zxFIkaL5IdWmEbIYPLAhA/s1365/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20clothes%2003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnizpfn7q54KqvW0vd26S2HAMDBxZGCf0u2wDA3B6LJlUD7w-rMwXuusARC2NEbX219OgVdvzondNQMm1q6flNv1ZphqO0WjZgA_Tp-fKw3BjEmp1it_R-9fBGpHQ7lnOA6Tkcl9yMMwNU5SLyXWLxA5bPEs2l0zxFIkaL5IdWmEbIYPLAhA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20clothes%2003.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Tong Yao plays Gu Qingyu, a very successful executive in a multinational investment bank. She owns her own apartment and pretty much everything she wears is from luxury brands like Giorgio Armani, Dior, Chanel etc just to name a few and she looks effortlessly elegant in them. (<i>Aside: Tong Yao looks stunning in this series.</i>) She's independent, forthright, practical and rational but can also be dispassionate, acerbic and sarcastic.<span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-IH_cUVViqotYaPvA8LXH7pbcEU6D4bRAAamsqaUPUpbCR7MgT-XyaGh6vkeqDDG37om7HivP_T-aOpd6DoafNpQkLiqV3RWA0ADfYAw36BuY3TTwaWxVgRCNDcLcRmxpbAhOHwux9wK2IjmqMeDEwdokSE4KHWFav0aHghGijMZKTqhdw/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-IH_cUVViqotYaPvA8LXH7pbcEU6D4bRAAamsqaUPUpbCR7MgT-XyaGh6vkeqDDG37om7HivP_T-aOpd6DoafNpQkLiqV3RWA0ADfYAw36BuY3TTwaWxVgRCNDcLcRmxpbAhOHwux9wK2IjmqMeDEwdokSE4KHWFav0aHghGijMZKTqhdw/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20005.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hai Qing plays Feng Xiaoqin who is a full-time housewife and relies on Gu Lei, her husband, for the household expenses. She is emotional, short-tempered, abrasive, aggressive and very blunt. However, she is also caring and attentive to the needs of others. Her little nuclear family lives in the Gu family home with Gu Shihong and Grandma Gu. Her younger sister Feng Qianqian also lives with them. It's also clear from the opening sequence that after eight years, everyone has already taken her for granted and she's become really frustrated by it.</div><br />Feng Xiaoqin has lived in Shanghai for over 8 years but she feels like she doesn't truly belong. She feels that in order to gain dignity, respect and acceptance, she will need to get an apartment of her own. So she hatches a series of plans in order to get an apartment that she has an eye on but that both Gu Lei and her can ill afford. When we first meet her, she is busy trying to get Gu Lei to borrow money from his much wealthier sister. However, Gu Qingyu turns him down, saying that coincidentally, she too wants to buy another apartment. Gu Qingyu can afford to lend them this money, however, she doesn't trust Feng Xiaoqin enough to lend it to her. Undeterred, Feng Xiaoqin will hatch more plans to try and get the money to pay for the deposit of the apartment. This will create conflict in the family, in particular between Gu Qingyu and Feng Xiaoqin which in turn will result in a tragic event which will drive the two of them further apart.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eitOEn4yGimzH5n9b7FxZ-jTD03fPgNyKp_ZPEP4IISueLucMCpKUx2kcWCUZ7QFYcjss5JaFU-0Xg5Z7LYc6szy8SWTgKpL_dbe8K9z5qnQjROMLzLTFKxAekZSeKaV5LPZP31fD3fT2LE73k9VKFg2BpLM8UXyrhGVIVpl1Bs5cgw9yA/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9eitOEn4yGimzH5n9b7FxZ-jTD03fPgNyKp_ZPEP4IISueLucMCpKUx2kcWCUZ7QFYcjss5JaFU-0Xg5Z7LYc6szy8SWTgKpL_dbe8K9z5qnQjROMLzLTFKxAekZSeKaV5LPZP31fD3fT2LE73k9VKFg2BpLM8UXyrhGVIVpl1Bs5cgw9yA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20n%20%E6%B5%B7%E6%B8%85%20HaiQing%20004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>This series sets itself up to be a family melodrama by pitting the two very different sister-in-laws against each other. However, as the series progresses, viewers will quickly realize that it’s really not a melodrama at all. The series has an unhurried pace and no sensationalistic moments or events. While there is conflict in the series, conflict is more a byproduct of the messiness of human relationships and familial bonds. In order to achieve minimal melodramatic conflict, the dual protagonists have timelines that are mostly parallel and only intertwined via family dinners, events or visits, and via their mutual friend Zhan Xiang (played by Zhang Songwen).</div><br />In order to keep the viewers engaged, one of the interesting things that this drama did was to constantly create situations and events that lead viewers to expect certain outcomes based on their past experiences with other dramas but then eventually subvert those expectations. It constantly keeps the viewers wondering if the series will give viewers their expected payload.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs63qIOVwrIW6MKvHqCBa64_LfpcCBOvzihTT7Kq2upvEGpe9UNgQa7K7QxDOy_VwEXgSAcd-N9Q_5eGIA2aRm4t3rH8fMg-o7_z4h971KtqHVlNClekdEzNnzcTpWAmurYggzjgI5XoJfsJir6j66mGo0lz5rHWHA_-8e33pHqGK7eZFW_w/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%2003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs63qIOVwrIW6MKvHqCBa64_LfpcCBOvzihTT7Kq2upvEGpe9UNgQa7K7QxDOy_VwEXgSAcd-N9Q_5eGIA2aRm4t3rH8fMg-o7_z4h971KtqHVlNClekdEzNnzcTpWAmurYggzjgI5XoJfsJir6j66mGo0lz5rHWHA_-8e33pHqGK7eZFW_w/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%E5%86%AF%E7%BB%8D%E5%B3%B0%20Feng%20Shaofeng%2003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div>In so doing, the series needed their cast to be very good. <i>LLQR</i> doesn't have big dramatic moments or a big villain to hate. Instead, it has very flawed characters, a pretty realistic way of telling its story and two protagonists whose paths don’t cross as often as viewers expected. So in order for viewers to remain engaged, the cast had to ensure that they helped to create characters that the viewers would care about, root for or at the very least have an emotional reaction to. This cast was more than up to the task and all the main cast members and the more important support cast members like Sun Anke, Dong Qing, Lu Siyu to name a few, were excellent. The four main cast members, Hai Qing, Tong Yao, Zhang Songwen and Feng Shaofeng also had a lot of chemistry too which made all their scenes together quite delightful to watch.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-Q6H2emWvZ_zGVGYmGQGdauiqRix59ulPt9YUkOfWfW6WKvhvEbXHNITw9R-wiCQjAKQuDJRVQrNumRMcpN5nCamexr1fbzhgsLAhXue4CvhALA6qCcOuIZ8c_L6vpBZnTzwrlu8aE5FTpVyu4vEWHsLNsLc_QfH2gglp1TY5bFxJ2_mEA/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-Q6H2emWvZ_zGVGYmGQGdauiqRix59ulPt9YUkOfWfW6WKvhvEbXHNITw9R-wiCQjAKQuDJRVQrNumRMcpN5nCamexr1fbzhgsLAhXue4CvhALA6qCcOuIZ8c_L6vpBZnTzwrlu8aE5FTpVyu4vEWHsLNsLc_QfH2gglp1TY5bFxJ2_mEA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This series isn’t for everyone though. Its uncommon narrative structure, pace, intended ambiguity in the script and an insistence on not judging its characters is bound to frustrate some viewers. However, for viewers who are more open to different ways of storytelling, you might enjoy this beautifully performed slice of life story about each individual's journey of self-discovery, and the complexity of humans, human relationships, familial ties and the human experience.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv0hqP2U_y49P1XMZBmauv0HQqOV7kniMS4eeCXWVgvec_QGCY81aeobjQ7K3GmbG5Zmte_RIFpwc8DKHODJ7Vhz45wFSwcztWNdklwfM-bTkr0QrZUBXkmgmQM8g5Ve2t-XUhwYJrGaTRisgzey5dg1OB4Pfpu-T25f48uZya0Lz2AMdSQ/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv0hqP2U_y49P1XMZBmauv0HQqOV7kniMS4eeCXWVgvec_QGCY81aeobjQ7K3GmbG5Zmte_RIFpwc8DKHODJ7Vhz45wFSwcztWNdklwfM-bTkr0QrZUBXkmgmQM8g5Ve2t-XUhwYJrGaTRisgzey5dg1OB4Pfpu-T25f48uZya0Lz2AMdSQ/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><i>Appendix:</i><br /><br />Since I write these reviews as part of my plan to watch as many things as Tong Yao has ever worked on in her life, I’ll just touch slightly on Tong Yao and her Gu Qingyu. I really like Gu Qingyu. She was my favourite character in the series because she was the most complex of all the characters and the hardest to read. Many things about her have to be gleaned from the script which made her the most enigmatic of all the characters.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiFzbhJw5sVh68MFDrx_pQ_lIkk2FBMhArZ9KLnIX6pHlt1FTVq-WkSrO5EkRR0B0s8Vo_lop5IlsPnzXYAk6k82zFgF_uli6qcG-802IKM90y-yZuVZiut5EAc6HN_zpnZ_drvOSpC7_hmfve0jGzkibHopCFWEq706Edkl5jgUq8gP0bA/s2576/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiFzbhJw5sVh68MFDrx_pQ_lIkk2FBMhArZ9KLnIX6pHlt1FTVq-WkSrO5EkRR0B0s8Vo_lop5IlsPnzXYAk6k82zFgF_uli6qcG-802IKM90y-yZuVZiut5EAc6HN_zpnZ_drvOSpC7_hmfve0jGzkibHopCFWEq706Edkl5jgUq8gP0bA/s320/LifeIsALongQuietRiver%20%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E9%A2%82%E6%96%87%20Zhang%20Songwen%20002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />Also, Gu Qingyu was a mixture of many contradictions. She could be imperious yet yielding, bold yet demure, serious yet impish, mature yet child-like, perceptive yet self-deluded, rational yet impulsive, pragmatic yet romantic, blunt yet diplomatic, suspicious yet trusting, mean yet kind and strong yet vulnerable. Not everyone in the series got to see all the facets to her personality, yet somehow these contradictions do not feel compartmentalize. All these contradictions were able to blend together to give us a very believable, fully realised human being. This credit has to go to Tong Yao for making it work. She balanced all of these contradictions very well and never overplayed any of it. It was always just enough.<br /><br />I have also almost finished writing a longer commentary on this series that expands on several points in this short review. When that is ready, I will amend this section and post the link here. I might still write one more post about this series. If I do, that post will centre mostly on Gu Qingyu. However, given my track record on getting some of these posts finished, don’t count on it to be anytime soon. 😅</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">(For links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please </span><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html" style="font-size: small;">CLICK ME</a><span style="font-size: small;">)</span></div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-50050876454371507082022-03-30T11:27:00.007+08:002022-03-30T11:43:54.234+08:00#TongYao #童瑶 #ZhangXincheng #张新成 #WeWillGrowOldTogether #爱情回想 - review<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbl3sQB-ovkZtBaDn3T0RkIlaVNDZjBtnVo4apwhCn2lYtTxXrlcIEdbpNlPZDZfJtLIectRQGVpkPPmooFlOZWYmHRoJiCurpDBW9_3raEvvi313YYKwaWymjAUsyHZDUSmw0dTYJudvSz8xevAa0d1CsoiRqW3mdLF-O10F6rfb-lYfBzA/s1440/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbl3sQB-ovkZtBaDn3T0RkIlaVNDZjBtnVo4apwhCn2lYtTxXrlcIEdbpNlPZDZfJtLIectRQGVpkPPmooFlOZWYmHRoJiCurpDBW9_3raEvvi313YYKwaWymjAUsyHZDUSmw0dTYJudvSz8xevAa0d1CsoiRqW3mdLF-O10F6rfb-lYfBzA/s320/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20001.jpg" width="320" /></a>
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<div>I finally got around to doing this one too. This approximately 10 minute
short film was released as
<a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html#wewillgrowoldtogether">part of a series of short films</a> by #VogueFilm China near the end of 2021. Titled
<i>We Will Grow Old Together</i>, it's scripted and directed by Wen Ye.
</div><div><br /></div><div><div>It's a nice short film. It won't be winning any awards but then it wasn't made for that. If you're a fan of either star or if you like films and/or short films, you won't be wasting ten minutes of your time to watch this. Happily Vogue China has made this available on their YouTube channel and they have provided English subtitles too. So now you have no excuse not to watch it. :)<span><a name='more'></a></span><br /></div><div><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VJHXzRthrJM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div><br /></div></div>
<div>There was a little confusion then among fans at that point in time because
they were also "secretly" shooting
<a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/2022/03/confirmed-tongyao-stevenzhang.html"><i>Pale Fire</i> (微暗之火)</a> at the same time and some people weren't sure if we were all hoodwinked
and that this was the project that they were working on and not
<i>Pale Fire</i>.</div>
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It turned out to be two separate projects in the end. I must say though,
this bodes well for <i>Pale Fire</i>. Tong Yao and Zhang Xinchen were
smoldering hot on screen in this short film. This is not one of those
bizarre experimental short films which you can sometimes get with short
films. I know; I've watched my fair share of them. This is a
relatively simple story with a singular message that is nicely lensed and told.
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The non-linear narrative structure works very well here and gives this story some complexity, making it more interesting then if it was
simply related to us linearly. It's helped very much by some very good
direction, cinematography, music, editing, post work and performance from cast and crew.
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The is a story about a relationship that has past the exhilarating
rush of the early months / years after the couple meet and commit to each
other. It begins with a pretty mundane scene of the two lovers, Cheng
Cheng (Steven Zhang) and Tong Tong (Tong Yao) talking cheerily to his parents
on the phone before they wind down for the night. They then reveal that
perhaps this relationship has dulled and the humdrum of daily living is taking
its toil. He needs to work the next day and he doesn't want a
conversation and sleeps with his back towards her. She can't sleep and
eventually cuts a lonely figure by the window as she falls deep into thought.
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The film than takes us through her recollection of their relationship by
counting down from one year ago to the day they met. This is significant
because they had a massive quarrel a year ago when he impetuously quit yet another job. This sheds some light on her sense of disquiet when he exhaled a
deep sigh and positioned his back to her on the bed earlier on. He had
taken on a job but we don't know if it's really one that he likes.
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The count starts with the first year ago, then three years ago when they
decided to move in together and four years ago when they first meet. I
really like many of the scenes here. That choice of the red light in the
darkroom with water dripping and both of them moving around in tandem in the
dim light speak volumes. No words, just suggestive glances, soft laughter, the colour red and then the
climax.</div>
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The scene after that where she's hesitant about them moving in together and
he's reassuring, contrasts so much with the massive fight before that. When they fought, he
was a little petulant and she was furious. That contrast is nice and gives us enough clues that when they reveal that she's older than him, it comes as no surprise. He has the brashness of youth
and she has the practical side of a more matured woman.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAObklR2EA5DSoWAc7l6xFKed-Gd1IjiUX_iLzgjGiKtuNaoRRaSusodLENgTXf9E4QMF1BfpKA4RPDY3rd4sAmsX58lfHrRVCzxCROW3jMd6wYZr3oDhajyZZBuMPsKCxzRitSp-MYD6XhOQyjrEVfVPISagYIbQsjSioK5xhHUGFBeZ_hQ/s1920/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20SC%20002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAObklR2EA5DSoWAc7l6xFKed-Gd1IjiUX_iLzgjGiKtuNaoRRaSusodLENgTXf9E4QMF1BfpKA4RPDY3rd4sAmsX58lfHrRVCzxCROW3jMd6wYZr3oDhajyZZBuMPsKCxzRitSp-MYD6XhOQyjrEVfVPISagYIbQsjSioK5xhHUGFBeZ_hQ/s320/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20SC%20002.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
This short film packs in a lot of information in the short amount of time that
the director was given. That scene when they first meet was full of
meaningful glances from Tong Tong. You can tell she found him attractive
although he felt out of place until his eyes fell upon a stack of video games
and suddenly, just like that, no more walls.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QA6YxPM0lGlJP9Rl4VvLOehw1f7YmGBjGvwRHRLw6wYxOBxX0lY5J-DadDQM-uK1_OBHWXjjNM_whB5w4UWJQtB6BySD5vofV-r20dhqJCMTPojOmKIM-xrwPhb-3Rg4gQTLLJUcl__nb9BIr7yEsCnEHhoESyS2LN9WTo8kGJGbjZFwrA/s1920/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20SC%20003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QA6YxPM0lGlJP9Rl4VvLOehw1f7YmGBjGvwRHRLw6wYxOBxX0lY5J-DadDQM-uK1_OBHWXjjNM_whB5w4UWJQtB6BySD5vofV-r20dhqJCMTPojOmKIM-xrwPhb-3Rg4gQTLLJUcl__nb9BIr7yEsCnEHhoESyS2LN9WTo8kGJGbjZFwrA/s320/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20SC%20003.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
I have to say that on a personal level, it made me happy that the two bond
over video games and that the one that broke the awkwardness was
<i>The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</i>. That was one of
the first games that I bought when I got my beloved Nintendo Switch. It was because of
Zelda that I bought the Switch soon after launch. It's a bit of a
silly detail but it made me happy.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The book that they talked about and both read is of particular importance. The novel
is <i>Stoner </i>by John Williams<i>.</i> Love and passion is one of the more
important themes in this novel. The extract that both Steven Zhang and
Tong Yao read in the VO is of great significance because this expresses the main message of
the film. This is what the director wants to say. Its fitting too
that Steven Zhang, the younger actor, reads the section about Stoner when he
was young and Tong Yao, the older actor, reads the section when a more matured
Stoner realizes some things about love.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURyY5jA29CFoA_ARhOxbBpG38IZNF9laU6EF7PC2Hc8Zc6odcvgWAIpJp6F_iXLF-d0ftJzvQgQmV8S9rU3RXB0pnv4qPU7RT6XyuCf7PSaEzoVAWKIp4cKQJJjYGyHUNp9FGwSmEgoLo2iDtAXpO0-Ku4O1eK9k9fwcIDySOkz72YXVI0A/s1440/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURyY5jA29CFoA_ARhOxbBpG38IZNF9laU6EF7PC2Hc8Zc6odcvgWAIpJp6F_iXLF-d0ftJzvQgQmV8S9rU3RXB0pnv4qPU7RT6XyuCf7PSaEzoVAWKIp4cKQJJjYGyHUNp9FGwSmEgoLo2iDtAXpO0-Ku4O1eK9k9fwcIDySOkz72YXVI0A/s320/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20006.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div><b>Steven Zhang VO:</b></div>
<div>
<div>
“In his extreme youth Stoner had thought of love as an absolute state of
being to which, if one were lucky, one might find access; in his maturity he
had decided it was the heaven of a false religion, toward which one ought to
gaze with an amused disbelief, a gently familiar contempt, and an
embarrassed nostalgia. "
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><b>Tong Yao VO:</b></div>
<div>
"Now in his middle age he began to know that it was neither a state of grace
nor an illusion; he saw it as a human act of becoming, a condition that was
invented and modified moment by moment and day by day, by the will and the
intelligence and the heart.”
</div>
<div>― John Williams, <i>Stoner</i></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubCD17RK0t9v4ZGPauGDBM5uRz4mEo6cuwJitGot_k8ZiqdQD3k22nVYB7rod7FErCuQdBxpSkVtVyLd4PRkCieEGvZwZPSwgqs_nAFDBxlhZsqk5ODHb3biDoaF6KmIJQF3euGuTPnVZjqgTJhPcu6LvUK5s0zchJxcjRUjFiflr3MoS3A/s1440/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubCD17RK0t9v4ZGPauGDBM5uRz4mEo6cuwJitGot_k8ZiqdQD3k22nVYB7rod7FErCuQdBxpSkVtVyLd4PRkCieEGvZwZPSwgqs_nAFDBxlhZsqk5ODHb3biDoaF6KmIJQF3euGuTPnVZjqgTJhPcu6LvUK5s0zchJxcjRUjFiflr3MoS3A/s320/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20007.jpg" width="240" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
As the VO is being read, we see a montage of their lives, of the little
details, of the days and moments that have gone into building up their
relationship. Then Cheng Cheng wakes up, walks over and embraces her
from the back. He whispers in relieve that she's still here and
significantly, she says, "I'm right here." In that one simple line, Tong Tong has expressed her will; this human act of becoming one with each
other.
</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMB934tSu9XA-AVPgXrNvj1OytjucTzui93vP721hCdjfUzX8CrEn1ODYPqcRPQxNzup17RbGc3ksw2heIMvuIAZDf3pExhBIu8woqttJfR1-0EFyxiH_zmLpzbnIApBFHdaZTGtErHwTg7kPwAXgfK9B4_yZTVeIjpkSy-o9YHF17DfInJA/s1440/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMB934tSu9XA-AVPgXrNvj1OytjucTzui93vP721hCdjfUzX8CrEn1ODYPqcRPQxNzup17RbGc3ksw2heIMvuIAZDf3pExhBIu8woqttJfR1-0EFyxiH_zmLpzbnIApBFHdaZTGtErHwTg7kPwAXgfK9B4_yZTVeIjpkSy-o9YHF17DfInJA/s320/VogueFilm%20China%20%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6%20TongYao%20%E5%BC%A0%E6%96%B0%E6%88%90%20ZhangXincheng%20008.jpg" width="240" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div><div>That's a nice ending with a very nicely scripted and performed last line. Don't underestimate that last line, films have been ruined by a terrible last line (looking at you <i>Four Weddings and a Funeral</i>). In <i>We Will Grow Old Together</i>, although it's just one simple line, there is poetry in that simplicity. </div>
<div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: small;">(For capsule reviews and links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please </span><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html" style="font-size: small;">CLICK ME</a><span style="font-size: small;">)</span></div>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-55758666983186203622022-03-27T12:08:00.011+08:002022-03-27T22:51:50.308+08:00#TongYao #童瑶 #TheNewYearEveofOldLee #过年好 - Film - short review<p>
<b
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><i>The New Year's Eve of Old Lee</i> - 过年好</span
></b
>
</p>
<div
class="separator"
style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"
>
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJv2dLhDaPSIq28AZ1jJc7DKfNxGbIbwTZKdGpLdIilyWB3PBdxeIQ0RTgwY7jr_7HffTNP0wEfApYrcQI0xZh8E3wi6nTu94ohgoV2gq_sqxFJBDKwGAFezf0aMD60EWpGqASYJsEiJPeTja1S41FLwfGZz4wVH8b1_CrMObQLa12mclyQ/s1920/%E8%BF%87%E5%B9%B4%E5%A5%BD_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_TongYao_screencap.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1080"
data-original-width="1920"
height="180"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJv2dLhDaPSIq28AZ1jJc7DKfNxGbIbwTZKdGpLdIilyWB3PBdxeIQ0RTgwY7jr_7HffTNP0wEfApYrcQI0xZh8E3wi6nTu94ohgoV2gq_sqxFJBDKwGAFezf0aMD60EWpGqASYJsEiJPeTja1S41FLwfGZz4wVH8b1_CrMObQLa12mclyQ/s320/%E8%BF%87%E5%B9%B4%E5%A5%BD_%E7%AB%A5%E7%91%B6_TongYao_screencap.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>I finally got around to watching this in part to see if it's any good and
in part to check out Tong Yao's cameo in this film. It's not bad but
it's also not great. It's merely a relatively generic story about an
elderly man, Mr. Lee, who's suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
His daughter Yang Duo just found out about it and returns immediately with
her daughter Julie in tow to celebrate the Spring Festival. Several
simmering grievances surface during this short visit leading to several
tense moment but given that this is a Lunar New Year film, you can expect a
happy ending. Which means, in a film like this, the journey is more
important than the conclusion.</span
>
</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<a name='more'></a>
<p></p>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>The most interesting part about this film is the relationship between Mr.
Lee and his daughter as meetings with old classmates, students and relatives
bring old</span
><span style="font-family: arial;"> resentments </span
><span style="font-family: arial;"
>to the fore. Both Zhao Benshan and Yan Ni were quite good as the
father and daughter. It's mostly because they were so convincing in
their roles that it made this pretty clique film watchable to the end.
They were the film's emotional core and even though the narrative wasn't
particularly noteworthy, they made you actually care for these two
characters and wish them well.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>The strange random insert scenes really don't work too well for me. I
think they were supposed to be amusing and maybe they were meant to breakup
some of the seriousness of the main dramatic storyline between Mr. Lee and
Yang Duo. But many of those random scenes don't add much or anything
at all to the story and its themes. They mostly serve as moments where
they can show off all the guest stars they got to come on as
cameos. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;">My other issue was that Julie </span
><span style="font-family: arial;">was extremely</span
><span style="font-family: arial;"
> annoying, shrill and grating which made this hard to watch since she
was one of the more "important" support characters. </span
><span style="font-family: arial;"
>Rayza who plays Julie was serviceable. But this character is pretty
much just a stock character to the end. She's just really there to
move the plot along.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Also, the ending was horribly draggy. They had this mass dance that
felt indulgent and never seemed to end. I was so glad that I was not
watching this in the cinema. I usually don't walk out of movies and
would probably have endured this to the end and then cursed at the movie for
putting me through it.</span
>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<br />Tong Yao's cameo is really just a cameo and it's a pretty pointless
one. She's credited as Pretty Girl A. It's like a random snippet
at about approximately TC 00:19:23 and lasts about 19 seconds. All it is
is just three pretty and ditzy girls prancing through the street and getting
scared by firecrackers. She has one line where she says, "怎么回事啊!"
and that's it. I'm pretty sure she doesn't appear anywhere else. I
even tried to keep my eyes peeled though that excruciatingly long dance
sequence at the end to see if she's in it but I didn't catch any shots of her.
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<br />There are several notable actors and cameos in this film so if you're a
fan of any of them you can try and watch the film. Also, the credit roll
at the end contains greetings from cast/crew members and a number of
well-known celebrities like Huang Xiaoming, Li Yifeng, Yang Mi etc. So
if you are fans of any of them, you might be interested in the credit
roll. The film itself is watchable if you can get pass the annoying
Julie and the random pointless scenes. I won't really recommend it
though because in spite of the good performances from Zhao Benshan and Yan Ni;
the story and characterization is paper thin.
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
For Tong Yao fans who just simply want to watch her, I have saved you the
trouble of watching this 1hr 45min film by editing the clip and uploading it
here.
</div>
<div style="padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/692790938?h=130e2d12e2&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="guonianhao TY"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"
><i
><a
href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html#returntofilmography"
>return to filmography</a
></i
></span
>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"
><span style='font-family: "Times New Roman";'
>(For capsule reviews and links to interviews and other reviews of Tong
Yao's work, please </span
><a
href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html"
style='font-family: "Times New Roman";'
>CLICK ME</a
><span style='font-family: "Times New Roman";'>)</span></span
>
</div>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-864540101644702652022-03-21T00:13:00.005+08:002022-06-11T01:10:56.270+08:00#GiorgioArmani #Crossroads Podcast - #TongYao #童瑶 - translation<p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF6iapIaWBo1tnjRKWd4ZSb98qsepnJcGgZT8KtmHpAXPjNg_x1AIZkMcw4GM7c46mXRrG8wjNwQRnhhXhSyMK4gKzmYp-4rcZpth4xZaMw5KWQLjfSXEoYx-VrNOWLnwyrJl/s1400/GiorgioArmani+Crossroads+Podcast+Tong_Yao+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF6iapIaWBo1tnjRKWd4ZSb98qsepnJcGgZT8KtmHpAXPjNg_x1AIZkMcw4GM7c46mXRrG8wjNwQRnhhXhSyMK4gKzmYp-4rcZpth4xZaMw5KWQLjfSXEoYx-VrNOWLnwyrJl/s320/GiorgioArmani+Crossroads+Podcast+Tong_Yao+3.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://pod.link/thecrossroadspodcast/episode/b3ae3466464f02476487f7f6218cb3e2" target="_blank">source</a>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I started work on this translation last year but didn't have time to finish it. I think this would be a good time to finish this since #心居 #LifeIsALongQuietRiver has just started release. 🙂</p><p>
In April of 2021, Giorgio Armani announced that Tong Yao would be one of the ambassadors for the Giorgio Armani campaign called
<i>Crossroads</i>. They had interviewed 14 "amazing women" and
asked them to "reflect on the journey that led them to where they are today."
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(quoted from the
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GiorgioArmani/posts/449525426593329?__cft__[0]=AZWJrkwPoqM8uIg9C1A9A2Ak-ZSit-AWTqBXozzfulUnyDSPXQ923dERHmWStOb4IDHTNdES6GorusbCMyLTG-3Rqk2bRpDFWjGU_y2eK2qrFa2xfxnniIM1znocqKav1WijbzmKW6619CNcTZNnyBNu&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" target="_blank">Giorgio Amani FB post</a>)</span>. <span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;">(For capsule reviews and links to interviews & other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">CLICK ME</a>)</span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie9nziSLCXhRDApIKQJwjmz-XLmOKg4a8S9hodBE1hFvKjF5Gyve46sIbYw8NLkrvCjyihHCQfKaM5xhT3mgviF8b4JqiH_PJ3XHjkePTcGfTRv16p5Xfc_7jzkJ6TbzVs3f375Xb9jwmeaD0lXUBl1wAVqau7_nSz21Z4lMO91MbP-WvGpQ=s750" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEie9nziSLCXhRDApIKQJwjmz-XLmOKg4a8S9hodBE1hFvKjF5Gyve46sIbYw8NLkrvCjyihHCQfKaM5xhT3mgviF8b4JqiH_PJ3XHjkePTcGfTRv16p5Xfc_7jzkJ6TbzVs3f375Xb9jwmeaD0lXUBl1wAVqau7_nSz21Z4lMO91MbP-WvGpQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p>The first series of videos' first episode featured Tong Yao. If you're a Tong Yao fan and you've yet to watch this, then I do recommend it. It's not very long, nicely shot and has English subtitles for non-Mandarin speaking fans. She talks about switching from being a dancer to an actress, talks a bit about her outlook on life, her love for her job etc. You can watch the embedded video below or you can click this link <a href="https://www.armani.com/en-sg/experience/giorgio-armani/crossroads-yao-tong" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a> to bring you to the Giorgio Armani Crossroads Tong Yao page. </p>
<p>
<iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="314" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGiorgioArmani%2Fvideos%2F931804534234256%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>
<br /></p><p>The second part of this campaign consists of a series of podcasts. These
are longer audio-only interviews with 13 different women. They
released Tong Yao's episode on the 20th September 2021. </p>
<p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="232" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7sSifVrobYOFtvGVHvOeIE" width="100%"></iframe><br /></p>
<p>You can use the Spotify link above</p><p>OR<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQFgY3lwn79ouOTmZIq2WqozDfSDLI7l59mB7mJFP-R7pPf6Cw08-Q9KpBo0xjCDVoH8stb_Kf160S5uAneh5hPNGB97z87eHt3N6p6PhBJ8c4qqig9RJknh3DoCpJp13_0im/s2064/GiorgioArmani+Crossroads+Podcast+Tong_Yao+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="2064" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQFgY3lwn79ouOTmZIq2WqozDfSDLI7l59mB7mJFP-R7pPf6Cw08-Q9KpBo0xjCDVoH8stb_Kf160S5uAneh5hPNGB97z87eHt3N6p6PhBJ8c4qqig9RJknh3DoCpJp13_0im/w640-h301/GiorgioArmani+Crossroads+Podcast+Tong_Yao+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />If you prefer, you can use this link to play it from the Crossroads podcast website. <a href="https://pod.link/thecrossroadspodcast/episode/b3ae3466464f02476487f7f6218cb3e2">CLICK ME</a>. <br /><br /><div>Unfortunately, for non-Mandarin speakers, there are no subtitles or transcriptions/translations in English. For those of you who can understand Mandarin, it's worth a listen. It's about 20 to 21 minutes long. While some of what she says would have been covered in other interviews and the video that I linked above, there is still enough new material to make the interview interesting.</div><div><br /></div><div><strike>I won't translate everything in the interview because transcribing and translating is quite time consuming and I'm not that dedicated or that free. I'll maybe summarize chunks for those who don't understand Mandarin. For those who do, then it's best to listen to the podcast. </strike></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(edit 26th March 2022 - I forgot to delete this paragraph. I ended up translating the whole thing. 😅 Although, I would still recommend listening to the podcast for the emotions because I can't translate those.)<br /></span><br /> The podcast begins by highlighting three quotes from three different questions in the interview and they used it in their Opening Tease and Introduction. The interviewer is Amy Yao from <i>Instyle</i>.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk03awy3D6wZPL7Ona_k4uCuT5FAs_qoQVj4vveSdIBHdEaR-6FQnjR91FQiNNcFS3izh2jBaHEZ7hgj_O_LoAD-kqaaDYB39mMEK4PQMUX9KrVE1ebLjD1mCDOYn1i_0MaAwbfoStHolJKh4y0lL2tTZPA6GVANg4kVqoEazwXIovDi2oaw=s750" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjk03awy3D6wZPL7Ona_k4uCuT5FAs_qoQVj4vveSdIBHdEaR-6FQnjR91FQiNNcFS3izh2jBaHEZ7hgj_O_LoAD-kqaaDYB39mMEK4PQMUX9KrVE1ebLjD1mCDOYn1i_0MaAwbfoStHolJKh4y0lL2tTZPA6GVANg4kVqoEazwXIovDi2oaw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><u><b>TEASE</b></u></div><div><br /><b> Tong Yao:</b> I don't particularly like the words "failure" or "success". What does failure mean? Does it mean that if an actor isn't popular, does it mean that they have failed? Or if an actor decides to leave the industry and career, does that mean that they have failed? I don't think so. I feel that even if he is no longer an actor, he could possibly be living a more wonderful life now. So I believe, that no matter when, as long as in your heart you have not given up on life, then you have not failed.<br /><br /><b> Tong Yao: </b> I will work hard and do my best but I won't set myself against the whole world.<br /><br />(Aside: <i>When I ran these translations by a friend, she said that Tong Yao's outlook on life was very zen. Hahaha... I had to agree</i>.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>INTRODUCTION</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY: </b> Welcome to the Crossroads Broadcast, a new campaign by Giorgio Armani. Today, we fly to Shanghai to meet Tong Yao. She's a well-known actress in Mainland China. She began acting in 2002 in debut TV series, <i>Tracks in the Snowy River</i>. She also appeared in <i>Life is like a Flowing River</i> in 2018 and won the Best Actress Award at the 30th Golden Eagle Award for this performance. She also starred in <i>Nothing But Thirty</i> in 2020 and won the Magnolia Award for the Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 27th Shanghai Television Festival this year.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> I should know a little about the answer to this question. What interests you the most in life?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao: </b>Me? In my life... I prefer travelling. </div><div> </div><div><b>AY:</b> Ah yes, diving?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> Yes, go travelling. Also, for example, in Shanghai, I can go to exhibitions, stroll on the street, eat some good food, meet up with friends. I feel that these things are the more interesting things in my life.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> How long has it been since you've gone diving?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> Oh a long time, since the beginning of the pandemic.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> I hope the pandemic will get better soon.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao: </b>Yes, it'll return to normalcy.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpdZAjp1zwGHSzQoiwx6z9KyMcaXUp7fr-9KWWAC6NR5UbhEoM3SqIclGG5mn9v6_IrOzYv8v5a1l4HsFfzaojVqi9R7Yjwlu26J_T7zf1of96Nltfr21_e-3nMJSxREtUpeTccSGytHlMpsy4lnSLAOC_Zrh2LQeCgBmG3I3Wc3Ff4fDV5Q=s750" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpdZAjp1zwGHSzQoiwx6z9KyMcaXUp7fr-9KWWAC6NR5UbhEoM3SqIclGG5mn9v6_IrOzYv8v5a1l4HsFfzaojVqi9R7Yjwlu26J_T7zf1of96Nltfr21_e-3nMJSxREtUpeTccSGytHlMpsy4lnSLAOC_Zrh2LQeCgBmG3I3Wc3Ff4fDV5Q=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>INTERVIEW PROPER</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> In today's interview, we will start by asking Tong Yao about her choice at the beginning of her career and ask her to share some of the more important moments in her life. We'll chat about what kind of turning points led to her switch from dancing to become an actor. After she became known, how does she balance work and life and, how has the pandemic affected her life, her thoughts and, her plans for the future. I didn't think I would interviewing Tong Yao in this unexpected way. All right, here's the first question. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY: </b>Music, dance and drama, what role do you think these played in your childhood?<br /> <br /><b>Tong Yao:</b> I think they made my childhood more colorful and memorable. Of course I think there are good things and bad things about this. The best part is that it made my life very fulfilling, so that I have been nurtured and trained in rhythm and manners since I was a child. The bad part is that it made me cry a lot. My parents' friends always asked me to perform. I don't know if talented children from other countries were also asked to do the same.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> They will! [laughter]</div><div><b>AY:</b> You used to be a dancer. When compared to dancing, which parts of a career in acting gives you more expectations.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> In fact, I think that compared with dance, performance gives me more space and possibility to shape characters, and it also gives me the opportunity to try and challenge completely different characters and lives. Life seems to be broadened and elongated because of that. I think that's what particularly appeals to me about this profession. In addition, there are many abstract things in dance, while performance needs to be closer to life. I've never been an especially </div><div>affected/pretentious/pampered (?) girl [<i>translator note: I really don't know what she said here, 特??</i>], I'm more down-to-earth.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> You 特?? (both laugh)</div><div><b>AY:</b> You talked about the influence of dance on your childhood or on your acting, how do you think dance has helped you in your acting career? Or is learning dance a better place to start?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> I think there are roles in dance too. And dance also requires you to assimilate into the role, this including using your eyes, body, and so on. Therefore, to figure out the role and enter the role, to find the most suitable way to expression this role; I think this is the foundation for both dance and performance.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> What considerations do you have when choosing a character? Which role in your acting career do you think has had the greatest impact on yourself or is the most important to you.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b><b> </b>I think it depends on whether the character can move me first. This is more important. Can I identify with this character or believe in this character, that's the basic requirement. After that, I'll look to see if it's an important character, is it a reasonable or interesting character and so on.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the course of my career, I think that there are a few roles that are more important to me. One is Gao Xiyue from <i>The Legend of Ruyi</i>. I think it's from that role onwards that I truly started to deliberate about how to play a character. Because when the script was given to me, the character was very uncomplicated. There wasn't a lot of emphasis or focus in the writing for this character in may parts of the script. I had to give her some traits to fill out this character and had to use scene after scene to give her a clearer personality and characteristics.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is also Song Yunping from <i>Like a Flowing River</i>. I could easily picture this character and I had a lot of empathy with this character because she reminded me very much of a person from my mother's generation and I will think of my mother. I watched a lot of documentaries when I was creating this character and I watched how they worked. I also talked to people, including people from my parent's generation, about their lives and the environment during those times. I was very convinced by this character and I had a lot of affinity with her</div><div><br /></div><div>Then there is Gu Jia. In fact, I think she is very far removed from my life because Gu Jia is a mother; a full-time mother or rather a full-time housewife as they call it now. I think these two points make her a bit far from my real life. When I first read the script, I actually thought that she was a little bit unbelievable, because this woman was so perfect. You will think that she has high emotional intelligence and high IQ, and she can handle everything well. She also has her own particularly positive values system; she's simply perfect. In fact, when you play this kind of role, you will find it hard to find her faults, and you will think she is unreal. So I kept discussing about this issue with the director. We slowly built up emotions, and as the story progressed, we also gave her flaws in her character to made her a three-dimensional person so that people can believe that she is a human.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> The determination to learn dance should be a very important moment in Tong Yao's life. In my opinion, the decision to take on the TV series <i>Nothing But Thirty</i> was a very important moment in Tong Yao's acting career. With careful analysis and interpretation, this role was shaped very successfully by her. During the period when the TV series was broadcast, this character appeared on the hot topic search list almost every day. Many women were able to empathize with the character.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> You mentioned that your characters in <i>The Legend of Ruyi</i>, <i>Like a Flowing River</i> and <i>Nothing But Thirty</i> have a certain distance from yourself in real life. Especially the first two characters because they are not from our era. Can you describe how do you get into these roles; what is your process? You touched on a few things just now, can you tell us more specifically now?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> You mean, how do I prepare for a role, right? I think that if we think of a complete character as a 100%, if we use a percentage to compare, then maybe you can only see or rather, only 30 to 50% of this character is presented in the script. What I will do is to use my mind to complete the rest of that 50 to 70%. For example, I will reconstruct in my mind how this character grew up, his character traits, the things that he may have experienced that have an impact on him. Then I sometimes ask a lot of questions that have nothing to do with me, and just try to figure out how to deal with this task in a way that opens my mind; some situational questions. For example, I would ask, how would this character react if someone threw a glass of water at him. Or if someone came out and slapped him, what would his reaction be? It is through these questions, that is, some of the things he encounters, that you can judge what kind of person he is from his reactions.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> Interesting. My next question is, you have previously said that you wanted to expand the types of characters you play. How important do you think it is for an actor to break out of their comfort zone.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>TY:</b> I think it's a question of degree. I feel that stepping out of one's comfort zone to challenge a new role doesn't mean playing a role that isn't suitable for one's self. I feel that there is no one actor in the world who can play everything. I feel that it's important to recognize one's boundaries. Before you try and breakthrough a role or perhaps even breakthrough what has stereotyped you, that you breakthrough your comfort zone first. but I don't think one should casually breakthrough one's boundaries.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> In fact, I think every character you play now is able to leave an impression on me. Really, especially Gu Jia. I am still very moved by the part where you talked about Gu Jia early. So in what areas do you think you have yet to achieve success in your work, perhaps the word "success" is too much, perhaps this; which areas do you hope to set goals for yourself?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> I still have many types of roles that I haven't tried, including in movies. I just hope to get more opportunities to try them. It may be that I don't force myself to set a goals, but for example, I would like to play a person with autism, a person with depression, or someone who is far away from my life; and I want to try these roles and breakthrough.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> Why?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> I feel that these groups need to be seen, need attention and need to be understood.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> I found out that you don't post much on Weibo nor use social media very much. I feel like you have a distance between you and social media. As an actor, how do you think social media affects your life?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>TY:</b> I think in our industry, it is actually difficult to completely neglect social media or just ignore social media completely. I think that it is the fastest and most direct way to get feedback after all. I actually will go through some social media at work. For example, I would watch live broadcasts and watch something fun. I think it's a relaxing for me. <i>[some banter between the host and TY]</i> I also feel very relieved and relaxed. But I think I may be a lazy person myself, so I rarely want to actively update unless it's forced upon me.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> Every time you post something, your fans will cheer. "She's finally posted something". [laughter]. During the shoot for Crossroads, you talked about the relationship between hard work (<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">后天努力) </span>and destiny. Which of these two do you think is more important?</div><div><br /><b>Tong Yao:</b><b> </b>I think it's hard for one to say if acquired effort (<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">后天努力)</span> or destiny is more important. I would like to believe they are equally important. I think that acquired hard work (<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">后天努力)</span> is when a person continuous works and accumulates expertise. While fate is more like chance or luck at a certain moment. I think that when you encounter a lucky moment or opportunity, you may be able to use this accumulated energy to burst out.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> I think you know that many people consider you a late bloomer; that you became an excellent actress late in your career. In your memory, have you felt that fate has held you back? Or perhaps, felt that this kind of restrain made you feel like you needed to work harder?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> I would still like to use Gu Jia from <i>Nothing But Thirty</i> as an example. Why would I say this? Because I wasn't the person they originally casted for this role. Right, and then I think it was because of some... [overlap with interviewer] ...right, right, right, and then it fell on my head. During production, because we didn't have a lot of time to prepare, I remember that slight over a week after I got the script, we started shooting. Like I mentioned earlier, I felt that there were several things about this character that I felt were difficult to act because there was a large gap between her and me. What I think is that it also needed a lot of effort in the later stages to complete this role. Of course, it's not just me, the whole team had to work hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>[<i>Translator note: She didn't exactly answer the question, I think she lost her trend of thought. I suspect what she was trying to say is that no matter what, even if you were fortunate enough to get a break, you still have to work hard to turn this break into something successful.</i>]<br /><br /><b>AY:</b> Gu Jia is someone who can balance work and life very well. How do you balance your work and life. Have you set standards, or rules, for yourself?<br /><br /><b>Tong Yao:</b> Actually for me, in the past few years, my working time is almost seven or eight months, at most, eight or nine months per year. I don't fill it up till it's full. I won't let it get to a point when it feels like my life is just about work. I think that I still need a time to recharge and rest, so that I can spend time with my family, go to the movies, watch TV, exercise, and travel. I think being an actor, yes, you need to have these... [<b>AY:</b> leave some blank space] ...yes, yes, or you'll be drained by the character.<br /><br /><b>AY:</b> You also love to go to exhibitions.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao: </b>Right! Yes!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> This question is also quite interesting. Can you describe something in your life that you are desperate to achieve. I'm not asking gossipy questions.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> I don't think I have. I'm not so competitive. I will work hard and do my best but I won't set myself against the whole world.</div><div>[<i>Translator note: part of this answer was used in the tease.</i>]</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> That's good. Always leave some space for yourself. Everyone experiences some failure in their lives, I'm sure you have too. What have you learnt from failure?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> I don't particularly like the words "failure" or "success". What does failure mean? Does it mean that if an actor isn't popular, does it mean that they have failed? Or if an actor decides to leave the industry and career, does that mean that they have failed? I don't think so. I feel that even if he is no longer an actor, he could possibly be living a more wonderful life now. So I believe, that no matter when, as long as in your heart you have not given up on life, then you have not failed.</div><div>[<i>Translator's note: This answer was also used in the teaser.</i>]</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> How do you present your personal style in your life? How do you express your own style?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> I think the best style is definitely the style that suits you best. It's the kind of thing that feels the most comfortable and pleasing from within yourself. I think style is lived out and is not based on performance.</div><div><br /></div><div>[<i>Translator's note: the section starting from here till the indicated end was used in the Introduction after the tease. There are a few more questions after this pull-out section ends.</i>]</div><div><div><b>AY:</b> I should know a little about the answer to this question. What interests you the most in life?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao: </b>Me? In my life... I prefer travelling. </div><div> </div><div><b>AY:</b> Ah yes, diving?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> Yes, go travelling. Also, for example, in Shanghai, I can go to exhibitions, stroll on the street, eat some good food, meet up with friends. I feel that these things are the more interesting things in my life.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> How long has it been since you've gone diving?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao:</b> Oh a long time, since the beginning of the pandemic.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> I hope the pandemic will get better soon.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tong Yao: </b>Yes, it'll return to normalcy.</div></div><div>[<i>the section of the interview used in the Introduction, ends here.</i>]<br /><br /><b>AY:</b> Through daily observation of life and through work, Tong Yao feels that the profession of an actor is not only based on skills and experience, but more importantly, it comes from the accumulation of experiences in life. She is a chill person who pursues her own style.. In the past two years of the epidemic, she will not schedule her work till it fills up her life, and deliberately sets aside some time for herself to accompany her family and self reflect. For the future, she hopes that the world that has been interrupted by the epidemic can be reconnected, and measures for healthier, greener, and more sustainable development can be implemented.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> There are still many uncertainties in the current global epidemic. The world seems to be at a crossroads, in fact, many of us have been thinking a lot since the beginning. So, in the coming year, or rather, in the near future, what kind of changes do you hope to see in the world.<br /><br /><b>Tong Yao:</b> I hope that we can restart global travel again. [laughs] And then...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>AY:</b> You've returned to you... diving again...<br /><br /><b>Tong Yao:</b> Right... back to a normal sense of freedom. I think it is necessary to reconnect the world that has been interrupted by the epidemic. I also hope to see measures that are more environmentally friendly, healthy and sustainable. Otherwise, I think the burden on the earth will be particularly heavy.<br /><br /><b>AY: </b>Yes, indeed I think that everyone should protect the environment because this is related to the earth on which we live. So for you personally, has this epidemic brought any turning points or changes in your life?<br /><br /><b>Tong Yao:</b> The epidemic made me feel that all the things that we thought were so important previously became less important now. Instead, we care more about the important people around us, such as our family and friends, even our neighbors, how well they are doing.<br /><br /><b>AY:</b> Thank you Tong Yao. It was a very pleasant conversation</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Tong Yao: </b> Thank you, Amy.<br /><br />AY: You're listening to Giorgio Armani's brand new project, <i>The Crossroads Podcast</i>. The interviewer and host for this issue is <i>INSTYLE</i> magazine editor, Amy Yao. Produced by Jonathan Zenti (sp?) from Milan.<br /><br /><i><u>END OF INTERVIEW</u></i><br /><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3nZWTMnldJuu_c8pwbBrJIVJO5fvb66S31Vmz6sIM1dCQReVRPiQcFwB1ELl_kC2GtHkmVYsLaQMU_UX4WYiEo70lh-arPWU2hJgiCyDr0aS-zjrYlhRF2TuZ70CWFmIvuslw5Y98blkOtswn9pZQPqfd4KA4HutzfjoRBNyl8hw2qXejmQ=s320" style="color: #0000ee; text-align: center;" width="320" /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>My thoughts:</i></div> Tong Yao does strike me as a pretty grounded and cheerful person. She does generally come across as quite earnest, sincere and down-to-earth in most of the interviews I've watched. Some of her views on life seem pretty zen too. She seems to be fiercely private too because except for the commonly known fact that she loves diving and travelling, she practically never talks about anything too personal. I don't know why, but I seem to like several actresses that like diving. 😂 Tong Yao is an avid diver. Toda Erika dives too and so does Kimura Fumino. 😅 </div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-1886508590894563392022-03-18T22:50:00.008+08:002022-03-18T23:13:10.283+08:00Confirmed #微暗之火 #TongYao #童瑶 #StevenZhang #张新成<p>We can pretty much confirm that both Tong Yao and Steven Zhang did indeed work on 微暗之火 (weianzhihuo). Some websites translate the title as #PaleFire but I'm not sure if that's official yet.</p><p>Until today, I wasn't certain that I could confirm this even though I did see flowers and a poster congratulating Steven Zhang on wrapping work on the series several days ago. I was inclined to believe that it was confirmed. However, because it was an illustration and I didn't know if I could trust the source 100% and because Steven Zhang himself didn't clearly indicate what series he wrapped work on on his Weibo, I didn't want to jump the gun.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj31hskTZrSZVod8FouEjMA7zsDBDZ6-Tvphw7suINLG3nLC1XeDhUUlcf_gU0RAOacmVO_RS2KyPPZDQmUE448CzHXJVRdko5CIlApxuKMZm8oUNhl5xyqofYixTC8_3QZrr4nGQBEHuxcjbel2FX-UvRljJgkD5YqGvnM_OaZohI0uNoOQQ=s1189" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj31hskTZrSZVod8FouEjMA7zsDBDZ6-Tvphw7suINLG3nLC1XeDhUUlcf_gU0RAOacmVO_RS2KyPPZDQmUE448CzHXJVRdko5CIlApxuKMZm8oUNhl5xyqofYixTC8_3QZrr4nGQBEHuxcjbel2FX-UvRljJgkD5YqGvnM_OaZohI0uNoOQQ=s320" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://weibo.com/7560296680/LjPLo87I1" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The only thing I knew for sure was that he definitely worked with Tong Yao on something and that he acknowledged on his Weibo that he had wrapped work on it.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYklEQjsPGCQFX2kD8_Ex39QS3jWcUTs4wqA7iWfR5UBroJR02fopft-KcKKdL_8awnNMVSKsPpYPqdUFbK0X6BebXvcBilFADK5LrEhFj52IQiggdNwbcu_SLJeuND-TSd_aJl_9Uur-uI1Q0iBCWWv48P5O39tdl1oVbybxB91pXsPCnCg=s1040" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="1040" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYklEQjsPGCQFX2kD8_Ex39QS3jWcUTs4wqA7iWfR5UBroJR02fopft-KcKKdL_8awnNMVSKsPpYPqdUFbK0X6BebXvcBilFADK5LrEhFj52IQiggdNwbcu_SLJeuND-TSd_aJl_9Uur-uI1Q0iBCWWv48P5O39tdl1oVbybxB91pXsPCnCg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://weibo.com/1955957617/LjZZEd0Lv" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>But now, I'm pretty sure that the stars and the production team are comfortable enough to give out more concrete hints. And that's because of an exchange that occurred between Steven Zhang and Tong Yao on Weibo.</p><p>Tong Yao's new series <i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i> was released yesterday and Steven Zhang decided to support Tong Yao by helping her promote the series and he posted this: </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpxff9DIDEPwjdZrrnaKGMOjMSwFdwFwqRfCEj2T4CMkM7gZBFT-mNL7xYixYN9ZkGEKVxYfJHjWfFkacE33ugme4igsyVbhEujs3mbKorNQUy8Wgym8XasieTYw1YBIOQj3SHj4MtNx2Uh1otzKSMP2A-qaapOMscGXdeeRnqmcUW0VLZcg=s1260" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1260" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpxff9DIDEPwjdZrrnaKGMOjMSwFdwFwqRfCEj2T4CMkM7gZBFT-mNL7xYixYN9ZkGEKVxYfJHjWfFkacE33ugme4igsyVbhEujs3mbKorNQUy8Wgym8XasieTYw1YBIOQj3SHj4MtNx2Uh1otzKSMP2A-qaapOMscGXdeeRnqmcUW0VLZcg=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://weibo.com/1955957617/LkbVR1ZZy" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>This prompted Tong Yao to thank him in the comments thread where she wrote:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp7z9PPc3C19KlNrydNgyZodsIxvmDB7H57HQtfbcY1eBXINnyFCrGLnUBYSfG_bckx_9vcU7RMsnM3JEPPQZEadBUGolvmHw9I28IjbWZL6P1k70V8EEMrSMb3TplZrF8LbryXF1uP3joW5rhNlMYOiRdxTc6wQCRhma7PNuP8BVlNVXpyQ=s532" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="532" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp7z9PPc3C19KlNrydNgyZodsIxvmDB7H57HQtfbcY1eBXINnyFCrGLnUBYSfG_bckx_9vcU7RMsnM3JEPPQZEadBUGolvmHw9I28IjbWZL6P1k70V8EEMrSMb3TplZrF8LbryXF1uP3joW5rhNlMYOiRdxTc6wQCRhma7PNuP8BVlNVXpyQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://weibo.com/1955957617/LjZZEd0Lv" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And today she posted this on her Weibo:</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi47jUsoIYJVGfTbKz4DbwwJrkLHF4EKZWzbHGVJNezKKZzle4_8rpYbD9Q2JNidXL0FqAZCmZAL9wXJwGf7we7RAL610hhFQTng94cD1LwefWfWb5yviWlKqV3TBwzu-k_-0S2H9JtxWHZ0qav40HE3MBawCBZhsNiKUblNeQlgJfEKM4vlA=s1262" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1262" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi47jUsoIYJVGfTbKz4DbwwJrkLHF4EKZWzbHGVJNezKKZzle4_8rpYbD9Q2JNidXL0FqAZCmZAL9wXJwGf7we7RAL610hhFQTng94cD1LwefWfWb5yviWlKqV3TBwzu-k_-0S2H9JtxWHZ0qav40HE3MBawCBZhsNiKUblNeQlgJfEKM4vlA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://weibo.com/1192504607/LkjLzxY5h" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Why is this significant, you might ask? Both of them never mentioned 微暗之火 (for ease of reference, I will also refer to it as <i>Pale Fire</i> for now). Although both of them did not mention <i>Pale Fire</i>, the significance is in what they wrote because what they wrote references the novel that <i>Pale Fire</i> is based on. <i>Pale Fire</i> is based on the novel <i>Xiao Nan Feng</i> written by Jiu Yuexi (玖月晞).</div><div><br /></div><div>Steven Zhang wrote, "小师姐的戏播了,大家约着一起看呀." In his post he called Tong Yao, Xiao Shijie (小师姐) which is a nickname his character in the novel Zhou Luo (周洛) calls her. When she thanked him in the comments, she wrote, "谢谢洛", Luo is Zhou Luo's name is <i>Xiao Nan Feng</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, I think Tong Yao also wrapped up her part in <i>Pale Fire</i> and she commemorated that moment with a short video of the location and this line, "清水镇的周洛,谢谢你。(Zhou Luo of Qingshui Town, thank you.) This is the most direct piece of evidence that they both worked on <i>Pale Fire</i>. Because this is the line that pops up in the official summary for this book. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm quite looking forward to this. I like Steven Zhang as an actor and the story sounds interesting. I'm just worried about the Chinese censors now. Please, don't chop this up unnecessarily!!! </div><div><br /></div><div>(For capsule reviews and links to other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please <a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">CLICK ME</a>)</div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-29023533477340342012022-03-10T01:27:00.005+08:002022-05-15T10:02:47.950+08:00Life Is A Long Quiet River #心居 - trailer, synopsis, preview#LifeIsALongQuietRiver #心居 #TongYao #童瑶 #HaiQing #海清 #ZhangSongwen #张颂文
#FengShaofeng #冯绍峰
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-xXyaM4JCduFhQ-HzoRTz238dVOE0WbNZAOJxCV1bFGcbFL6AJJS_2nAKnIwrDvw1xmCJ7ozgXd3-wgyRri7ruITj30E8QoYquQc26HknHeR56E-SiSWmAY1xfTiJuGklcHAAux7BENERkupd4bts2IZSKkwjYWZAEcPccNrVA-JwoFpYpg=s1851" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1851" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-xXyaM4JCduFhQ-HzoRTz238dVOE0WbNZAOJxCV1bFGcbFL6AJJS_2nAKnIwrDvw1xmCJ7ozgXd3-wgyRri7ruITj30E8QoYquQc26HknHeR56E-SiSWmAY1xfTiJuGklcHAAux7BENERkupd4bts2IZSKkwjYWZAEcPccNrVA-JwoFpYpg=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-size: small;">(For capsule reviews and links to other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please </span><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html" style="font-size: small;">CLICK ME</a><span style="font-size: small;">)</span></div><div><br /></div><div>I thought that I would write up a little something on this series since it's
going to be released very soon. Most international audiences should be
able to view this on iQiyi.</div><div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
This series boasts a strong cast with award winning and/or well regarded
actors like Tong Yao, Hai Qing, Zhang Songwen and Feng Shaofeng. The
director Teng Huatao is also an experienced award winning director who also
helmed two older series that I found quite interesting. I'm hopeful that this will be a quality series about women, life and family in our current world.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheFm_6E0G3oe4D6kB_1VrVHtOD-Y7LbRMg3PuSMmQf4sNz0L3ZQZYsvPdIjh4ZnqmcIc1wKVrMXS0y2DgNzW25vMqgBXdiOrp7Q6tZd96cWBX4dj2dpt7aTxmow-X2RjtH2MF2cEbDZWzOhzDZeCzv1X-X0gm6x1z7MryvutqnE10961L25g=s6720" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheFm_6E0G3oe4D6kB_1VrVHtOD-Y7LbRMg3PuSMmQf4sNz0L3ZQZYsvPdIjh4ZnqmcIc1wKVrMXS0y2DgNzW25vMqgBXdiOrp7Q6tZd96cWBX4dj2dpt7aTxmow-X2RjtH2MF2cEbDZWzOhzDZeCzv1X-X0gm6x1z7MryvutqnE10961L25g=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
<div>
I suspect that most international audiences and perhaps a sizeable
proportion of younger Mainland Chinese audiences have not watched either of
these earlier Teng Huatao series that I liked.. 蝸居 <i>Dwelling Narrowness</i> and 双面胶
<i>Double Sided Adhesive Tape</i> are quite interesting with
thought-provoking central conflicts. While not flawless, they were
absorbing watches. While not easily likeable and, maybe not even
likeable for some people, those of us who enjoy characters that are complex
and well explained will enjoy these two series. Teng Huatao seems to
be more than capable of telling engrossing stories where women are the
central characters because at the center of these two series were several
strong and well written women characters. This bodes well for
<i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i> (henceforth abbreviated as
<i>LLQR</i>) because this tale's two protagonists are two women.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Interestingly, Hai Qing was one of the leading actors in both these series
and has actually worked quite successfully with Teng Huatao a number of
times. This makes <i>Dwelling Narrowness</i> feel like it might be a
companion piece of <i>LLQR</i> because not only is the director and one of
the main actors in both series, both series also deal with buying houses and
the conflict that arise from that.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The story is set in Shanghai and the family at the center of the conflict
about the buying and selling of houses in <i>LLQR</i> is the Gu
family. According to the summary of the novel (<a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85/56816983" target="_blank">click me</a>), the matriarch of the Gu family had given birth to three children and
each of them have their own little families and issues. The story's
two protagonists are a pair of sister-in-laws who are part of the Matriarch
Gu's second son's family.
</div>
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdiDlHcsqhyZ-HErWrL81H--qK4R8lmyo929bccP21WPvLBfyueDs_GwpHFvKsaAsZCkdSI4sazqflD-Y3pzmZV90MJJ6SDFgHhau4OHR_yA7O0fKE20gLrlOKF3zEapkjDa6PlVL6K05vu4IVEWlvRDb2Xd5RPK_ZR3Hd57YB9u9lz1IJTw=s1620" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdiDlHcsqhyZ-HErWrL81H--qK4R8lmyo929bccP21WPvLBfyueDs_GwpHFvKsaAsZCkdSI4sazqflD-Y3pzmZV90MJJ6SDFgHhau4OHR_yA7O0fKE20gLrlOKF3zEapkjDa6PlVL6K05vu4IVEWlvRDb2Xd5RPK_ZR3Hd57YB9u9lz1IJTw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
<div>
Tong Yao plays Gu Qingyu, who is one of the protagonists. She is one
half of a pair of twins born to Matriarch Gu's second son. Gu Qingyu
is a very capable person and works as an executive in a multinational
company. She's beautiful and financially stable. It's also
precisely because she's financially stable that whenever the family faces
financial difficulties, she's the one who has to bail them out. She's
not only financially independent, she also has an independent mind.
</div>
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLPOnBuVW17pvcFN7lFFx3v70_2LTQqFmeaxoympYx0ZPBAGQuYBOojkKy_gWa-eG9Y184We2VZcXBcPmdLJS1veTfh5EYF0KDAQ_j5Uzl3AnNMOBWq7eZtbQ8Jni98bBzfkf0ykky1Du5At9DN19zytrE0QvQWPTCIO29SmkppBfdTQA9aQ=s6000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLPOnBuVW17pvcFN7lFFx3v70_2LTQqFmeaxoympYx0ZPBAGQuYBOojkKy_gWa-eG9Y184We2VZcXBcPmdLJS1veTfh5EYF0KDAQ_j5Uzl3AnNMOBWq7eZtbQ8Jni98bBzfkf0ykky1Du5At9DN19zytrE0QvQWPTCIO29SmkppBfdTQA9aQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
<div>
Hai Qing plays Feng Xiaoqin who is the other protagonist. She is
married to Gu Qingyu's younger twin brother, Gu Lei. The couple have a
son together. Gu Lei isn't as capable as his older sister Gu Qingyu
and isn't as financially strong. But his wife wants a house to call
their own and applies pressure on him because of that. Feng Xiaoqin
and Gu Qingyu will also fight about this house.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Although Feng Xiaoqin has been married to Gu Lei for 10 years, Gu Qingyu
still treats her with some suspicion and views her as a foreign usurper. After Gu Lei's accidental death,
the relationship between the sister-in-laws will deteriorate. The story of the this pair of very different sister-in-laws and their growth will form the central core of this
series. </div>
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyQLu_0lArRbPn4sEojj2tqqDSYuh_3QX_a9hXvF-fQD-luHcDqhYUv75oXgD713NWr3hUENWE96Aau25-fFIXC4IlpykKpgtpNddpPZXRaQapd0vKGmJNuGlkXplpF1HuKCvvQFH7PJKIbkV3S-R9fNnyn52sGz2bCOmOyEsFZVbcduLlQA=s1754" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1754" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyQLu_0lArRbPn4sEojj2tqqDSYuh_3QX_a9hXvF-fQD-luHcDqhYUv75oXgD713NWr3hUENWE96Aau25-fFIXC4IlpykKpgtpNddpPZXRaQapd0vKGmJNuGlkXplpF1HuKCvvQFH7PJKIbkV3S-R9fNnyn52sGz2bCOmOyEsFZVbcduLlQA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<i>Life is a Long Quiet River</i> is based on a novel 心居 by award
winning novelist Teng Xiaolan (滕肖澜). The novel was first published
in October 2020 so it's a pretty recent novel. In an interview with the
author (<a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%BF%83%E5%B1%85/56816983" target="_blank">click me</a>), she said that the main the novel is not about physical houses but about
the heart. Her novel is about the people who work hard and struggle for what they want before managing to find their "spiritual home".
She hopes that after people have finished reading the novel, that they can
appreciate that life isn't easy and that they should cherish the present.
She hopes that people will come to understand that even in the face of
adversity, we always have hope.
</div>
<div><br /></div><div>The <a href="https://weibo.com/7579700311?refer_flag=1001030103_">production team</a> for <i>LLQR</i> have released two nicely edited trailers to date. One was released in Oct of 2021 and the second was released in Mar of this year. I've linked both below; hopefully they won't get removed. I quite like both trailers. The first one just teased us with what appears to be a portrait of a happy family but the music isn't quite happy and jolly. Instead it's urgent and seems to be building towards something and suggests an undercurrent. The second trailer reveals what that undercurrent is and the fissures in what initially appeared to be a perfect family portrait.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a quality cast and just from these short trailers alone, in particular the second one, I can already feel the sparks fly between Tong Yao and Hai Qing. Hai Qing seems like she has the more easily likeable or sympathetic role. Although, she does have shades of her character from <i>Dwelling Narrowness.</i> If Feng Xiaoqin has some resemblance to that character, it might mean that she may have a side that is more intransigent. I'm more interested in Tong Yao's Gu Qingyu, especially from the trailer though. She seems like a multifaceted character who can be too force, and a little unreasonable but she can also be a romantic who's also loyal, protective and occasionally girlish.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fingers crossed that this will be a good drama. Looking forward to its release later this month.</div>
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<div><u>Amend 3rd March 2022 - added support cast photos</u></div><div><u><br /></u></div>Other cast members include Yao Yiqi (Gu Lei, Gu Qingyu's twin brother)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqagDP199dBAvFcgEsz0Nj7POik_hjEHmU6CUPPMrt5o779C3_wxZHdGYb8TiRXLL3jn1ZxhKyc5m24UkjIVV7SSrMeSuvX2SdVri0P_d9MZtjSpajNsGn_YFVnkgh4j39m-W2Bg5ScaTQrx38ihFGNGcNsUtSf5UDlMe-7XrgU1ebpMWCOg=s2576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqagDP199dBAvFcgEsz0Nj7POik_hjEHmU6CUPPMrt5o779C3_wxZHdGYb8TiRXLL3jn1ZxhKyc5m24UkjIVV7SSrMeSuvX2SdVri0P_d9MZtjSpajNsGn_YFVnkgh4j39m-W2Bg5ScaTQrx38ihFGNGcNsUtSf5UDlMe-7XrgU1ebpMWCOg=w200-h133" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div>Sun Anke (Feng Qianqian aka Feng Xiaoqin's sister) I have fond memories of Sun Anke from her role as Yang Buhui in Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre 2019.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbTijoz5HH2JMNh8a3VoNbjnYmlt2R0_GdKuk62n3EaRdwf-TsSMx--12xf_IOldJZo_lM0YKkMBfHty2F2eQ9quZTgCE46ICFpyErwjimBQ7d-626_gehqpiFvEn-I4WDcpkZnAz7jFcsmZ5CEbWdN3b_dWUeXGtA3mAfYbpZ_AQ9M4GnuA=s2576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbTijoz5HH2JMNh8a3VoNbjnYmlt2R0_GdKuk62n3EaRdwf-TsSMx--12xf_IOldJZo_lM0YKkMBfHty2F2eQ9quZTgCE46ICFpyErwjimBQ7d-626_gehqpiFvEn-I4WDcpkZnAz7jFcsmZ5CEbWdN3b_dWUeXGtA3mAfYbpZ_AQ9M4GnuA=w200-h133" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div>Dong Qing (Ge Yue)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3UTsxug6Ks2OXkc2_zd8Ep8l6mJXKqAMj2vVgF-zU9KruIK_IOc9Mker6DLXbvMwILWqhvZf7SCTaXz5IB2Vk_yDwre7G00SXK6tNr5buMkg4AIAPJPHL0oPF2pDTsSwG6jhe9lSRKIjBIrHq4_7fDUDQ4aNviNDbEWMLcbG5oZYdhzDLvQ=s2576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3UTsxug6Ks2OXkc2_zd8Ep8l6mJXKqAMj2vVgF-zU9KruIK_IOc9Mker6DLXbvMwILWqhvZf7SCTaXz5IB2Vk_yDwre7G00SXK6tNr5buMkg4AIAPJPHL0oPF2pDTsSwG6jhe9lSRKIjBIrHq4_7fDUDQ4aNviNDbEWMLcbG5oZYdhzDLvQ=w200-h133" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Jie Bing</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyyUEvKnaqYtEGuV_ANa67LRlsoujDA_EzvE570VWmwADsdhAq8UmB33aUGF45prQgf4EBVFrInolw_HyFBBD1Aq6gxgS6Bju-CSahfL2VSQ7N4eOxylvnK5kFNoEQIAzUygisxJFjOpfsCKjxRnP1_YhDXPUuiBlGY1ZI7a9pbLAf03gZgg=s2576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyyUEvKnaqYtEGuV_ANa67LRlsoujDA_EzvE570VWmwADsdhAq8UmB33aUGF45prQgf4EBVFrInolw_HyFBBD1Aq6gxgS6Bju-CSahfL2VSQ7N4eOxylvnK5kFNoEQIAzUygisxJFjOpfsCKjxRnP1_YhDXPUuiBlGY1ZI7a9pbLAf03gZgg=w200-h133" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Lu Siyu</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPBQQBg89pzD18YSqSKRuc0fSvoT5yMRCd_E8YH349Rvuh8Dkg35qAZ--vla-q5YUlvAClUi4Wr8mUiU7gVq2ibY4x2SA5-R__1VbbTOzxxV6SEMMGxJxt1VaXVVWXxA8hOLU4B7FoJWWv6hqy4W7uWxhxJqU3LrjTXepoE4qRmoHG8CW0pA=s2576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPBQQBg89pzD18YSqSKRuc0fSvoT5yMRCd_E8YH349Rvuh8Dkg35qAZ--vla-q5YUlvAClUi4Wr8mUiU7gVq2ibY4x2SA5-R__1VbbTOzxxV6SEMMGxJxt1VaXVVWXxA8hOLU4B7FoJWWv6hqy4W7uWxhxJqU3LrjTXepoE4qRmoHG8CW0pA=w200-h133" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div>Zhang Zhihu</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNBDczCp-c0NTjVVqDXQd_9Xr3rHPu4-MSlmbYp9ZgcBpi4zdnaCyZA2a8Y-WD7xO1WyVLkFB30mpOqoedh_mW0MvS3EYvYGZJHj6ec9JMmLRTtWMhCfSqbUBNFmco1Y98vEspLNX9b2mEuFyBOaOu8-gabv3r0vxgVJu-5300Kz7qoKYjIg=s2576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2576" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNBDczCp-c0NTjVVqDXQd_9Xr3rHPu4-MSlmbYp9ZgcBpi4zdnaCyZA2a8Y-WD7xO1WyVLkFB30mpOqoedh_mW0MvS3EYvYGZJHj6ec9JMmLRTtWMhCfSqbUBNFmco1Y98vEspLNX9b2mEuFyBOaOu8-gabv3r0vxgVJu-5300Kz7qoKYjIg=w200-h133" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>
</div>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-115863667261314392021-09-20T17:35:00.018+08:002022-06-22T13:15:14.908+08:00Documentary (极境所在) ~ behind-the-scenes of 属于我们的黑夜 The Night Belongs to Us#TongYao #童瑶 #BoHanxiong #薄汉雄 #TheNightBelongsToUs #属于我们的黑夜 #FIRST #TrainingCamp<br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42tjnVpoD_qAZlLQIj0MUYfn3djB9P-eIs3kOBCU_y75vzj9KmZ1qQN2wKQht4hpY2gtb1R7He4cIk6PxXs3BZFCaEVYhsAHM17xVm7onExacD-_ajOO92NDVL1bnRDA9hwp_/s920/TongYao+docu+05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="690" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42tjnVpoD_qAZlLQIj0MUYfn3djB9P-eIs3kOBCU_y75vzj9KmZ1qQN2wKQht4hpY2gtb1R7He4cIk6PxXs3BZFCaEVYhsAHM17xVm7onExacD-_ajOO92NDVL1bnRDA9hwp_/s320/TongYao+docu+05.jpg" width="240" /></a>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>(For capsule reviews and links to other reviews of Tong Yao's work, please </span><a href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html">CLICK ME</a><span>)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">NOTE: Edited 22nd June 2022 to reflect the name change of the official English title from <i>Night Night</i> to <i>The Night Belongs to Us</i>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">
At first, I thought that I would just do a short write-up of some bits but I
ended up translating most of the interview in this video. 😅 </div>
<div>
<br />I think the reason why the production company Bobosnap called this a
documentary rather than just a regular behind-the-scenes video is because they
proposed a “thesis question” so to speak and are attempting to answer it. They
are trying to answer this question by documenting Tong Yao as she participates
in the making of the short film <i>The Night Belongs to Us</i>.
<a name='more'></a>
<br /><br />I'll try and
explain the question they are trying to answer first. In the post
with a series of posters advertising the documentary, Bobosnap wrote: <br />
<br />极境,通常指人迹罕至的地区,也比喻学问或技能所能达到的至高境界。
但,演绎的极境是否存在? BOBOSNAP出品纪录片《极境所在》,记录下演员@童瑶
在短片《属于我们的黑夜》拍摄现场的种种,希望从中探寻这个问题的答案。 <br /><a href="https://weibo.com/5427604697/Kv6RcaXBL" target="_blank">Source</a><br /><br />“极境” (Utmost Boundary) usually refers to a place where there
are very few people, it can also be used to describe a certain point in a
field or a skill when once attained, one can be considered a master. However,
when it comes to interpretation, is there an utmost boundary? 极境所在 (The
Location of Utmost Boundary), a documentary produced by Bobosnap, hopes to
find the answer to the question as we document Tong Yao as she works on the
short film <i>The Night Belongs to Us</i>. <br /><br />In the post linking the 30s trailer for
the documentary, Bobosnap wrote: <br />
<br />七月底的西宁,@童瑶
在年轻导演的镜头下演绎着另一个女性的生活。感情投入,精力付出,形象颠覆——童瑶通往“演绎极境”的过程也足以成为另一个故事。
... 极境,或许是可以抵达的地方。<br /><a href="https://weibo.com/5427604697/Kvd2uyryK" target="_blank">Source</a> <br /><br />At the end of July, in Xining, under the direction of a
young director, Tong Yao participated in the interpretation of another woman’s
life. She invested all her emotion and energy into this role. She also changed her image for this role. Tong Yao’s journey towards the utmost boundaries of
interpretation is another story of its own. … Perhaps this extreme boundary is a place that can be attained. <br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BkNin8wgSX5sLQvQSbOdSgDDpCouwI-I7-flvxIFaScEUvheZfCTtONBnLo2iblMUCRNhFV2E6D7Rwl6t1YR_TUTxOt6FclS9eliBB2SEcHJTdje77fql7TTr_W-cQmVw0pr/s1818/screen+cap+tong+yao+docu+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1298" data-original-width="1818" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BkNin8wgSX5sLQvQSbOdSgDDpCouwI-I7-flvxIFaScEUvheZfCTtONBnLo2iblMUCRNhFV2E6D7Rwl6t1YR_TUTxOt6FclS9eliBB2SEcHJTdje77fql7TTr_W-cQmVw0pr/s320/screen+cap+tong+yao+docu+2.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://weibo.com/5427604697/KvdaC5LDy" target="_blank">source</a>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
It seems like there isn’t a way to embed a streaming video from Weibo on the
blog, unlike YouTube or Vimeo etc. I don’t want to upload it here too unless Bobosnap takes
it off themselves. So instead, I will provide the link to the post where you
can find the 12-minute video clip and you can view it there if you like. If
Bobosnap does one day take it down, then I may consider uploading it to the
blog or YouTube (or another streaming website) for other fans to view. For
now, if you wish to view the video, you may
<a href="https://weibo.com/5427604697/KvdaC5LDy" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a>. <br /><br />Actually, I’m of the opinion that the search for the
answer to this question is really just an excuse to give some kind of credence
to the suggestion that this is a documentary and not just a simple
behind-the-scenes video. But honestly, I don’t really care. I like
behind-the-scenes videos and I like interviews with artists, production and
post-production crew where they talk about their process or views of the
industry etc, so I never say no to more of this kind of material.
<br /><br />I’m not going to translate every single thing or try to be as
accurate as possible in anything that I translate because that will take too
much time and I don’t really have that kind of time. Also, my Mandarin isn’t
that strong. As in, I can understand and read Mandarin but my vocabulary isn’t
wide enough to get some of the nuances, hence why I don’t think I can be
accurate enough and I will probably get bogged down in the details if I tried
too hard to be 100% accurate. <br /><br />Okay, now that the disclaimer has
been written, let’s cut to the chase.
</div>
<div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>CHAPTER 1</u></b> <br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdTHtr29cyeHKmIp8CTj-6CcSp92wxVWtJ94XzygqsF1GRNma_RGMu1uL__3kU4mnd6AhVOhQAW6UCLb3jhyphenhyphencxBCyaJ-uSPX9wvXTB1X9uumh6e93cxL89qPa31nMLcQo_aMd/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_00.10.903.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdTHtr29cyeHKmIp8CTj-6CcSp92wxVWtJ94XzygqsF1GRNma_RGMu1uL__3kU4mnd6AhVOhQAW6UCLb3jhyphenhyphencxBCyaJ-uSPX9wvXTB1X9uumh6e93cxL89qPa31nMLcQo_aMd/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_00.10.903.jpg" width="320" /></a>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Tong Yao:</b> Actually, the Magnolia Award is awarded in recognition for
the previous year’s work. What I expressed then is my honest reaction
because it belongs to last year. I mean, actually, after work has been
completed on the series and I entered the next year, I felt that the page
has already turned. The award possibly summed up the achievements of the
previous year. I truly believe that winning an award may make me happy for a
night but what would make me happier for 3 to 4 months would be meeting a
good role or script. That kind of excitement is not the same.
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /><i>ASIDE:</i> Tong Yao has actually said this more than once. It seems
like she wants to emphasise that she’s happy to win but after winning, she
feels like she needs to start over again with each new project. <br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gmiVqLz3ZB8_TnTTsxO3L6m91UF-mOXlOxBdjr_CU0Dv-3BelTAgNMfP5x1F1MuG6y-r8VMqqeANdeUsdRIu5TNGQvGE6uiKVKA1Bn-lrnu9VFd-hYNjz-l1ufnabDRRvY7C/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_00.15.380.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gmiVqLz3ZB8_TnTTsxO3L6m91UF-mOXlOxBdjr_CU0Dv-3BelTAgNMfP5x1F1MuG6y-r8VMqqeANdeUsdRIu5TNGQvGE6uiKVKA1Bn-lrnu9VFd-hYNjz-l1ufnabDRRvY7C/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_00.15.380.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br /><b>On Location</b><br />- chatter about how timely it was that she has
pimples now because it suits the look of this character. <br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjpbdvXtCmS1cck8-K8XK6sF-Ood2dvNOc942TWH9EpqxwHQGrnWlSpUvgxdVRBpSHx4ijdhvfIsW09z6TsT8kUwAlIs9SNzKjBd_4RpaWoVnMKj9M_kkw8lbRuq5PShTS3Ea/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_01.18.415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjpbdvXtCmS1cck8-K8XK6sF-Ood2dvNOc942TWH9EpqxwHQGrnWlSpUvgxdVRBpSHx4ijdhvfIsW09z6TsT8kUwAlIs9SNzKjBd_4RpaWoVnMKj9M_kkw8lbRuq5PShTS3Ea/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_01.18.415.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Tong Yao:</b> After I received the script for <i>The Night Belongs to Us</i> in the first
half of the month, we all began to do our homework. We began to believe this
character, build this character and smoothen out the character lines. There
is this process. After arriving at the location and putting on the makeup,
visually it has a big impact on me and I can believe in it.
</div>
<br /><b>On Location</b><br />- There is some banter about how the makeup has
completely destroyed her image. And they talk about where the scratches should
be. <br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2razbRtm5YE5e2N1CdBx-zmw8qO11ywO1SCt32U6woAS2dQv648SVpDCyl423CKvndCRb8Kl3JVwpmNQkKD0c2wwbDVj2xaoOs03r0d9h0yYpypu1HtbAP6JftMfhg2eXS7IB/s1620/FIRST+Training+Camp+Night+Night+production+shot+Tong_Yao.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2razbRtm5YE5e2N1CdBx-zmw8qO11ywO1SCt32U6woAS2dQv648SVpDCyl423CKvndCRb8Kl3JVwpmNQkKD0c2wwbDVj2xaoOs03r0d9h0yYpypu1HtbAP6JftMfhg2eXS7IB/s320/FIRST+Training+Camp+Night+Night+production+shot+Tong_Yao.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>ASIDE </i>- My thoughts: I must say that what one of the production
crew said isn't wrong. There is nothing glamorous about this makeup at all.
Tong Yao herself even seemed quite pleased earlier in the video when she was
inspecting the makeup. She said that it was timely that she has some pimples at the time of the shoot.</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<td style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHj9JI1lerkXafWjXAaxRxREBfx6-KWHazJoV9jQteJK7WcfdNX0QzVNoE3E7DzQXVAVbWtAQKpbvG2suFCehVm6w5wbCekjsRKOrf10CUlBReBPcdEwpkHfsAEuGdBhCGUES/s1920/TongYao+Shanghai+Qizhi+interview+01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBHj9JI1lerkXafWjXAaxRxREBfx6-KWHazJoV9jQteJK7WcfdNX0QzVNoE3E7DzQXVAVbWtAQKpbvG2suFCehVm6w5wbCekjsRKOrf10CUlBReBPcdEwpkHfsAEuGdBhCGUES/s320/TongYao+Shanghai+Qizhi+interview+01.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://weibo.com/7583608951/Kxo0EAmUc" target="_blank">source</a>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Coincidentally, I just happened to watch a video recently where
上海气质-城市会客厅 conducted an interview with her. They asked Tong Yao if
she had an actor that she admired the most and she picked Charlize Theron. She said that she
was impressed with the lengths that Charlize Theron would go for a role. For example, when Theron was shooting <i>Monster</i>, she not only gained weight but she didn't brush her teeth for two weeks. When asked if she would be willing to do the same,
she said, without missing a beat, that she would be very willing to. It’s just
that she hasn’t yet met a role that required her to do it yet.</div>
<br />It’s worth noting that Tong Yao probably gave this interview after her shoot
for the FIRST Training Camp. So, it seems like she’s not kidding. She is
willing to overturn her image for a role. Provided that the role is worth
doing it for. <br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7zw7hATsG_vh1MjePauuEV-Wb7bTJfry-9sDf_ku9n5k6SaqyL7mTO6S1Bc1jfHb_ReGnxYlvksMBc8A0swaPen7cRQBpCwJWduCYXhTZrUSkAN62MNrU2QhEEqMpQYvAtme/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_01.52.429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7zw7hATsG_vh1MjePauuEV-Wb7bTJfry-9sDf_ku9n5k6SaqyL7mTO6S1Bc1jfHb_ReGnxYlvksMBc8A0swaPen7cRQBpCwJWduCYXhTZrUSkAN62MNrU2QhEEqMpQYvAtme/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_01.52.429.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Tong Yao</b>: Actually, this role isn’t particularly difficult for me but
I hope to be able to see how the young director will shoot this.
</div>
<br />
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_S_UX0mpd1ZdScCB0MVsH_Bn8QM-LiUUEercjBWpORK_So85ZmlVeCB5PTPdyahXwZ407HeGlwwq_mM9GJVo7ORT-gL3_emeVoBFLf6fcPKJnkbB07yOuycXTJ2nMfsUWRNw/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_02.06.275.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_S_UX0mpd1ZdScCB0MVsH_Bn8QM-LiUUEercjBWpORK_So85ZmlVeCB5PTPdyahXwZ407HeGlwwq_mM9GJVo7ORT-gL3_emeVoBFLf6fcPKJnkbB07yOuycXTJ2nMfsUWRNw/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_02.06.275.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>ASIDE</i>: The director of this film is Bo Hanxiong 薄汉雄 and I’ll
talk a little bit about him and his short films at the end of this
post.
</div>
<br /><b>Bo Hanxiong</b>: I was initially afraid that I would not be able to
handle it well when I first found out that there would be celebrity actors on
location. However, I found out later that Tong Yao was actively involved in
the entire creative process; I felt greatly encouraged and relieved because
I needed time for the team to get used to each other on the first day and, also
because all the scenes on the first day were big emotional scenes.
<br />
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fT3qL2way0wwXvmgerNROWc9cii7fKWiS5-p1H092py4WPXe-j-PCNlRcmy-PNf3-KZQiHnWJ5OkRCw4Boub4ziSuU6A0CuzNzMq9ZOozJkqBedsLDAsqyoZHtEmT4tLtoxw/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_02.14.118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fT3qL2way0wwXvmgerNROWc9cii7fKWiS5-p1H092py4WPXe-j-PCNlRcmy-PNf3-KZQiHnWJ5OkRCw4Boub4ziSuU6A0CuzNzMq9ZOozJkqBedsLDAsqyoZHtEmT4tLtoxw/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_02.14.118.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<b>Tong Yao</b>: There are some realistic portions and non-realistic
portions in the film and some of them are very romantic. I think the film
wants to give the audience room to imagine and make their own meaning. I
think that’s interesting but I will tell the director what my understanding
of the character is and my grasp of what I think is the basis of this
character.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Tong Yao</b>: I think that they are a group of young and energetic
people. I didn’t know what the director’s way of thinking was and how he
would shoot something. I didn’t know how all the actors will act and what
unexpected things might happen on set. A lot of things are not known.
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYoXH5lcqSwP9RzeyBXAHdoVdfoRCC8Asc2VKRrAe8Ccnrek9KKQ4iSxtlQMiZBKDzYQk5tOgWX-DymDDaq3WmtFYw6b3wWDhgmek2xbocGdz0r69mI13JdYRi7Du9SNwom2j/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_03.38.052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYoXH5lcqSwP9RzeyBXAHdoVdfoRCC8Asc2VKRrAe8Ccnrek9KKQ4iSxtlQMiZBKDzYQk5tOgWX-DymDDaq3WmtFYw6b3wWDhgmek2xbocGdz0r69mI13JdYRi7Du9SNwom2j/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_03.38.052.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br /><b>On Location</b><br />- There is a bit here where they find out that
they have run out of fuel for the generator and that they will have to drive
out for a few miles from the location to get fuel. <br /><br /><b>Tong Yao</b>: Maybe they don’t have too much work experience yet and problems often crop
up. It feels like how it was when I was a college student trying to complete
my assignments. It’s like everyone really wants to do a good job but sometimes
everyone gets flustered. And sometimes it’s not well done but you can see that
everyone is passionate and you’ll find it very moving. <br /><br /><br /><b><u>CHAPTER 2 </u></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSdvzLOT8W1lap-YuZh9oXoyZ-e3ABqwVlF3ARpGTCqr4djF6_4Xyp83kfRle5LcY0hGUJqiQgtqAUxXKeSR01wSdup9TMaEG1o_Pxn7K4p8rM9daOH5QykQCHZmR0kWxqZ30/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_04.46.676.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSdvzLOT8W1lap-YuZh9oXoyZ-e3ABqwVlF3ARpGTCqr4djF6_4Xyp83kfRle5LcY0hGUJqiQgtqAUxXKeSR01wSdup9TMaEG1o_Pxn7K4p8rM9daOH5QykQCHZmR0kWxqZ30/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_04.46.676.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Tong Yao</b>: Everyone gets tired; you can’t change that. I
often joke with the people I work with. Every day, when they do my makeup, I
will say that I don’t feel like shooting today, I feel like going out to play
because you give your life to the production every day. You don’t get a lot of "me time" each day. After I return home from the shoot, I’ll read the screenplay
and then sleep. Every day is the same. You don’t get a lot of time to live
life or to do stuff. Occasionally, when I am able to squeeze out two hours to
go to a Pilates class, I already feel that it’s an unexpected surprise. It’s
like a gift. I feel that I can’t continuously exhaust myself this way. After
completing one project, I will probably need some time to rest, learn
something and recharge. It is by doing this that I will be better able to
enter a new project. If I continuously take on project after project, I feel
that anyone who’s human will certainly become exhausted.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nXStDhPWfxgmhlLmMKUiI5JD9AtAGzySkNijbNkZMEScMSuvNrnxsdpNqyhB3q3ZobhJcyHUKA9RTTlU8Nlnu657I4lTO5I3dDdfjFsJ0jADDyzBTG4vYG09N4HyHvB45yfM/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_05.00.996.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nXStDhPWfxgmhlLmMKUiI5JD9AtAGzySkNijbNkZMEScMSuvNrnxsdpNqyhB3q3ZobhJcyHUKA9RTTlU8Nlnu657I4lTO5I3dDdfjFsJ0jADDyzBTG4vYG09N4HyHvB45yfM/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_05.00.996.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Tong Yao</b>: I
remember when I first started acting, everyone was like that. Everyone had a
fully completed screenplay before production began. Everyone was in that kind
of work environment. It was a very smooth/efficient working model. However, in
the last few years, perhaps because there is more investment money now, things
have become hastier and not many screenplays are complete before principal
photography begins. Everyone is in a rush and every day we are playing
catchup. I need to finish production in 2 to 3 months, I’m going to run out of
time, I need to do something. It has become a vicious cycle.</div><div><br /><i>ASIDE</i>: I’m honestly a little surprised by
her candour here. I didn’t think that Chinese actors will say anything
negative about the system. Even if it was a tiny bit negative. I’ll have to
say though, that this is not just a problem for the Chinese industry. It’s a
problem for the Hollywood film industry too. I’m not as familiar with other
industries but I do know from personal experience that turnaround times for
VFX work has gotten quite ridiculous partly because there is more demand for
VFX now mostly because there’s more money, hence, more productions and
studios can afford it.<br />
<br /><br /><b><u>CHAPTER 3</u></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdyZ_5DdsguAuqPXoDIEIGrNSPkKfw89dXQjQqsR9IFl1XZsWmL0YolebwVBhywCaMtRi9nyieQgrK-6Jmmok0UgSfKpvqCpq1SEIR93FS1FIZsrjbnEzuGOyH974gfNErmg7/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_06.20.000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdyZ_5DdsguAuqPXoDIEIGrNSPkKfw89dXQjQqsR9IFl1XZsWmL0YolebwVBhywCaMtRi9nyieQgrK-6Jmmok0UgSfKpvqCpq1SEIR93FS1FIZsrjbnEzuGOyH974gfNErmg7/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_06.20.000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Tong Yao</b>: When I do something, I
don’t think that I’m doing it because I’m doing it for the future. It’s just
that I feel that, at this moment, I feel that this is what I want to do, what
I want to try. I don’t really think too much about tomorrow or what would
happen in the future.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUpqTGLCjDcMra1VZOZIOlLM6eganer-Wqi0092N74WTGrQOzxuoAZhRnlCsrqSVFofvsk1lsheSi9BuGv1txhyptrTkY4g4ObJu4mzQzT2z0mvJ0WmTGDIAl_qAUnl1BsCl4/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_06.38.943.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUpqTGLCjDcMra1VZOZIOlLM6eganer-Wqi0092N74WTGrQOzxuoAZhRnlCsrqSVFofvsk1lsheSi9BuGv1txhyptrTkY4g4ObJu4mzQzT2z0mvJ0WmTGDIAl_qAUnl1BsCl4/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_06.38.943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>On Location</b></div><div>- Tong
Yao advises another actor on how to speak the Yunnan dialect. (Tong Yao is a
Yunnan native from Kunming) <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4GAeagW0rV7MRI_os-L3fQY6J41zpWRC0Lpqp6kIB8vCfbBr7WZq4qRd8ECV-5tPIffWrSL2u196aQ2E3Ieam3AImiGwDy5bo5i67Y3XR5IvY17-DvNvBNJMY3lNjaGlgioY/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_07.15.000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4GAeagW0rV7MRI_os-L3fQY6J41zpWRC0Lpqp6kIB8vCfbBr7WZq4qRd8ECV-5tPIffWrSL2u196aQ2E3Ieam3AImiGwDy5bo5i67Y3XR5IvY17-DvNvBNJMY3lNjaGlgioY/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_07.15.000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>Tong Yao</b>: I feel that of course there will be resistance. I feel
like in trying to escape reality, this cruel circumstance, this is a form of
resistance. She can do braver things. <br /><br /><b>Tong Yao</b>: Everyone is promoting women power or they are talking
about not objectifying and labelling women, I feel that’s a good thing. Women
and men are the same, they are equal. Women can have choices. She shouldn’t be
expected to get married or have children by a certain age or that she has to
do something. This path shouldn’t be a template. Women should have choices.
What she does and how she lives shouldn’t be pre-determined. I think it’s
unrestrained, everyone makes their own life choices and there will different
kinds of ways of living. Why does everyone have to live the same kind of life?
<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHyclUIa1M1Xjse_1BUvEdxSN2dDkML9Vw4sv1jhbjq0GK7px5sAt6miuznKZSluza8Wc9qH2Hwt6vY8tNH_DEWJys-HYAuebRk3eSh26TdklDl7u40NwZlrD0recBkTujFMN/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_07.57.928.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHyclUIa1M1Xjse_1BUvEdxSN2dDkML9Vw4sv1jhbjq0GK7px5sAt6miuznKZSluza8Wc9qH2Hwt6vY8tNH_DEWJys-HYAuebRk3eSh26TdklDl7u40NwZlrD0recBkTujFMN/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_07.57.928.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Here’s the product placement bit which they have to do
because it’s sponsored by Estee Lauder. I won’t translate this section.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide9vTyldmji6iO7GGuq_3EVxLMSVEABVc2H_ekuqfdfjuOXQy2QvYZjRZGK9mOCMholD7WjKpj6E9a5b5VSWGngXu_RvSEnkJ0iKSWgURjp689TWfEgB7cHEuvtIrJ_ZNO9sp/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_08.20.178.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide9vTyldmji6iO7GGuq_3EVxLMSVEABVc2H_ekuqfdfjuOXQy2QvYZjRZGK9mOCMholD7WjKpj6E9a5b5VSWGngXu_RvSEnkJ0iKSWgURjp689TWfEgB7cHEuvtIrJ_ZNO9sp/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_08.20.178.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>Tong Yao</b>: The first time I saw wrinkles at the corner of my eyes, when I laugh there were wrinkles at the corner of my eyes, I felt, “Ah! I can
become old too!”. Now that I think back about it, it’s quite a funny way to
think. But I think these things are just changes in your body or your
appearance. Actually, I prefer the “me” that has past 30 years old. I feel
that this state of self-awareness is very good. You will know what you
strongly believe in, you’ll know which is the path that you want to walk on,
or at the very least, you will know which path you don’t want to take. You
will feel more steady, more confident. <br /><br /><br /><b><u>CHAPTER 4</u></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbJKZnDgnqmcZStGGG1jhRyKXpJMBodPsxKYQUkXcfY-PEZVrj9a33LO9OOOU4E2AsrcQ-Z9fYjGzblH2UcysaAH2GCuRHRi2E2A4YlwYsl53MRDgNqzAT9igsemlkB8KwfI-/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_09.09.590.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbJKZnDgnqmcZStGGG1jhRyKXpJMBodPsxKYQUkXcfY-PEZVrj9a33LO9OOOU4E2AsrcQ-Z9fYjGzblH2UcysaAH2GCuRHRi2E2A4YlwYsl53MRDgNqzAT9igsemlkB8KwfI-/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_09.09.590.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><b>Tong Yao</b>: The label of an actor is very
important to me. Being a good actor is my ultimate goal. As for the rest,
maybe today I’ll try working on a short film, tomorrow maybe I’ll try working
on a film, the day after that maybe I’ll try working on a web drama, but this
standard won’t change. The label of being an actor; that won’t change.
<br /><br /><b>On Location</b><br />- Discussion on
what dress her character should wear. And of the actual shoot.</div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4coE5x9pRPCyp7H3jojzO1CzPi0qzQa6Cl47FCbFS58rBXRYuR1jxRk2ijaHgC-mLnHMuM8XJmL5PsPyTYyKQ8V5kveWAUZz-NBLZ22DncHe0hni2LWidWzmcZnftmCKf2LDl/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_11.05.000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4coE5x9pRPCyp7H3jojzO1CzPi0qzQa6Cl47FCbFS58rBXRYuR1jxRk2ijaHgC-mLnHMuM8XJmL5PsPyTYyKQ8V5kveWAUZz-NBLZ22DncHe0hni2LWidWzmcZnftmCKf2LDl/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_11.05.000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>Super:</b> Tong Yao left the production on the 23rd to return to
the set for <i>心居 Life is a Long Quiet River</i>. Eight days later, she attended the
15th FIRST Training Camp Opening Night and watched the screening of <i>The Night Belongs to Us</i> together with the audience.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep0xU6hk6wWpWb9mrbf-T1uGB2oEQAe1UF5oBzg2BiPPMRkZDm0-1_UmY3QNPOSeg-5bY2qrvhpZBC8irM3CNUegXjI-zBGUv8-JjMLKC2UONsl05Ge7dr_DTgFsGPH3n9bsg/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_11.17.902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep0xU6hk6wWpWb9mrbf-T1uGB2oEQAe1UF5oBzg2BiPPMRkZDm0-1_UmY3QNPOSeg-5bY2qrvhpZBC8irM3CNUegXjI-zBGUv8-JjMLKC2UONsl05Ge7dr_DTgFsGPH3n9bsg/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_11.17.902.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Super:</b> Does the ultimate boundary for acting/interpretation exist?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwbl0AFkXZ_KlhaWP4nJwB_cQrlkokn91QqjBCaJffXFVK_2L4suCyBhgWJdKTG4fkRCvOd5ldUWRmFIO2kgHWWWVSOQuDZlhU4R1_-MeULBeB6V8va0_znzW2ynx_4TYwYql/s1920/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_11.40.184.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwbl0AFkXZ_KlhaWP4nJwB_cQrlkokn91QqjBCaJffXFVK_2L4suCyBhgWJdKTG4fkRCvOd5ldUWRmFIO2kgHWWWVSOQuDZlhU4R1_-MeULBeB6V8va0_znzW2ynx_4TYwYql/s320/BOBOSNAP%25E7%25BA%25AA%25E5%25BD%2595%25E7%2589%2587%25E3%2580%258A%25E6%259E%2581%25E5%25A2%2583%25E6%2589%2580%25E5%259C%25A8%25E3%2580%258B+2021_TongYao_%25E7%25AB%25A5%25E7%2591%25B6_snapshot_11.40.184.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Tong Yao</b>: With regards to my future, I don’t have a clear goal
that I feel that I need to attain or a path that I must take. I’ve never had a
clear target or given myself a predetermined goal, I just feel that I
definitely have to try, I have to work hard, I have to dare to take on
challenges. It is in so doing that you may be able to reach the pinnacle or
where you can attain mastery of acting/interpretation. There is a
possibility that it cannot be attained but you’ll still need to work hard because without that you will not even have the chance to attain it.</div><br />END CREDIT ROLL<br /><br /><br /><b>DIRECTOR Bo Hanxiong</b> (<a href="https://www.bohanxiong.com/" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a>) was born and raised in
Beijing but is now based in LA, USA. He’s found success with his two previous
short films, in particular <i>Drifting</i>. I’m actually quite interested in watching
both <i>Drifting</i> and <i>Haircut</i>. The topics and the treatments sound really
interesting. However, unfortunately, unless I manage to attend a short film
festival where both films have been selected for screening, it looks unlikely that I will be able to watch these. </div><div><br /></div><div>The reviews for both films, especially <i>Drifting</i>, are pretty good and the film has either been screened or has been selected for screening at quite a few film festivals. Sounds like Bo is quite creative in his use of narrative structure to tell his stories. This makes me quite interested in <i>The Night Belongs to Us</i>, not just because Tong Yao’s in
it but also because Bo seems like a director with a lot of promise
and I’m interested to see what the theme and treatment for this short film is
like. <br /><br /><u>Trailer for <i>Drifting</i></u><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/358725830?h=ebec23acf4" title="vimeo-player" width="640"></iframe>
<br /><br /><i>Drifting</i>'s information page. (<a href="https://www.bohanxiong.com/drifting" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a>)</div><div>A review of the film (<a href="https://viewofthearts.com/2020/05/03/hanxiong-bos-drifting-review/" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a>)<br /><br /><br /><u>Trailer for <i>Haircut</i></u></div><div> <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/260698768?h=4725f2b899" title="vimeo-player" width="640"></iframe>
<br /><br /><i>Haircut</i>'s information page. (<a href="https://www.bohanxiong.com/haircut" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a>)</div><div>An interview with Bo about the film. (<a href="https://www.bahamaslocal.com/newsitem/211994/The_Bahamas_International_Film_Festival_An_Interview_With_Hanxiong_Bo.html?fbclid=IwAR373DD0Xuuq1zCxVdCT-PXvbsfV_sqZnxwnjEHIBML59II6fb64hkAcM6A" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a>)</div><div><br />While the above short films aren’t available for viewing
online, his student short film is and it's actually quite impressive considering that this is student work with a limited budget. The camera work, the editing, the makeup, sound design, lighting, etc are all pretty good. The VFX isn't the best but it's good enough since this is a no-budget student work. I do recommend watching this especially since this has English subtitles which would mean non-Mandarin speaking viewers will be able to understand it.</div><div><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/gVaHY3QVa7I" width="480"></iframe>
</div><div><br /></div>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-70968274292346563652021-07-28T20:48:00.008+08:002022-03-03T23:01:05.719+08:00AULA K2 - one handed gaming keyboard<p style="text-align: left;">
#AULA #AULAK2 #GamingKeybooard #Unboxing #Review
</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZlhDlwo0nYj3jBjaMHicOagV7VSazc3ufzVFQjhSFPMhFmX2mOSr_hJ8o2bknGcvCLzzqMVAK2ar818itGCWrZl7Yk7VdOMrv1cOULRGwD9LhsM8MeN9hH_6Hb9VmrD8P9V_/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZlhDlwo0nYj3jBjaMHicOagV7VSazc3ufzVFQjhSFPMhFmX2mOSr_hJ8o2bknGcvCLzzqMVAK2ar818itGCWrZl7Yk7VdOMrv1cOULRGwD9LhsM8MeN9hH_6Hb9VmrD8P9V_/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+001.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</p>
<p></p>
<p>
Am taking a break from writing long reviews / comments about Asian dramas and
have decided to do a quick and short review of the AULA K2 gaming
keyboard. Although this is a gaming keyboard, I actually got this for a
different purpose since I don't PC game much at all. The only PC game I
own is Civilization VI which I got for free from a game giveaway but I don't
actually play it on the PC, I actually play that on my Nintendo Switch.
My two desktops and my Surface Pro 7 are all meant for work and I don't game
on them, not even Minesweeper. 😅
</p>
<p>
I own a Surface Pro 7 with the Surface Pen and sometimes I like to use it like
a cheap version of the Cintiq but when I lay it almost flat on the kickstand,
the Surface Pro Type Cover gets in the way. However, I can't really
remove it because I want to use keyboard hotkeys in Photoshop and other
programmes. So I started looking for cheap solutions. Some people
recommended using a programmable keyboard or a number keypad and software like
HID Macros and someone else recommended a programmable one handed gaming
keyboard in the video below.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K4FqtQFfcjQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="K4FqtQFfcjQ"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The 1byone single hand keyboard that I could not find. :(
</div>
<a name='more'></a>
<p>
I liked the one handed gaming keyboard solution and started looking for the
one that was recommended but I couldn't find the recommended brand,
1byone. So I started looking for something similar. In the end I
settled on the AULA K2 because it comes with it own software to customise the
keys, it has several dedicated Macro keys and I liked it that the spacebar is
on the side like the 1byone in the video above.
</p>
<p>
First, let me do a simple unboxing and then I'll get into some of the details
about the software that comes with the keyboard.
</p>
<p>
As you can see from the photo above, it comes in a hard carboard box which is
sturdy enough.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFv1fx_EWuHCqcW9xafsHLowI3obhK_pQsf88VsAX9PRlKwQta6ATkdoGJCbzO8Y0SkzZ3WWM3q2pZA3hTnZ-Wbn3Auf6Sw7XQOgw0yBHQD3Z5s-IpIkrpHvIbCyXI_tQw6f1Y/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFv1fx_EWuHCqcW9xafsHLowI3obhK_pQsf88VsAX9PRlKwQta6ATkdoGJCbzO8Y0SkzZ3WWM3q2pZA3hTnZ-Wbn3Auf6Sw7XQOgw0yBHQD3Z5s-IpIkrpHvIbCyXI_tQw6f1Y/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+002.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
The is foam packaging around the keyboard to keep it in place in the board and
it's sturdy enough to ensure that the keyboard should arrive in good
shape.
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAPiXS4Mv3zk88BkEXyXypv5y5i0In36uDw1dOY_GPM3EviWASCm9SHc9vJRznYECuZQHN4Sv7dLAWBpuBsB4yp8o26C1CHYCCpSkEy3aaLzxe3uGjQyMnagV7IfgvpXyJLxz/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnAPiXS4Mv3zk88BkEXyXypv5y5i0In36uDw1dOY_GPM3EviWASCm9SHc9vJRznYECuZQHN4Sv7dLAWBpuBsB4yp8o26C1CHYCCpSkEy3aaLzxe3uGjQyMnagV7IfgvpXyJLxz/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+004.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
Other than the essential packaging, it's pretty barebones. You get the
keyboard and a small booklet which is entirely in Chinese. I actually
didn't even read it. I just went to the webstore I got this from and got
the info I needed there. But more on that later.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsViyC2z5GBuHEPJjCt0EVq37MGjutcGXG0vz_meVkvICbto7so5cpTI6qQucIhCWhXAd3ga5cgjGEug18yB5oMukEL-sjTMYZE_JrZjnJCGGv_NFFphdHlApb3zbZNji2xOEK/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsViyC2z5GBuHEPJjCt0EVq37MGjutcGXG0vz_meVkvICbto7so5cpTI6qQucIhCWhXAd3ga5cgjGEug18yB5oMukEL-sjTMYZE_JrZjnJCGGv_NFFphdHlApb3zbZNji2xOEK/w150-h200/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+006.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m7WuSjtN2lcnnygaysBolOjfneGfKGcCZ0yfFvSurc6b6vL766U1siOBewO6YljoJcpDRUBwJm3cnu1a8iwT67NHjAaJxdsAS2cMhemGgFic2tzVAQYQp7S-zSp5zFHt1S8_/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_m7WuSjtN2lcnnygaysBolOjfneGfKGcCZ0yfFvSurc6b6vL766U1siOBewO6YljoJcpDRUBwJm3cnu1a8iwT67NHjAaJxdsAS2cMhemGgFic2tzVAQYQp7S-zSp5zFHt1S8_/w200-h150/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+007.jpg" width="200" /></a>
</div>
<br />This is a wired USB keyboard and the cable length is probably about 2m
long which I like. It comes with a velcro cable strap with is
nice. The USB is encased in hard plastic with a blue crest design which
I though was quite nice.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_0_iR6HoFBD0KBq0LqG7EEvekEG8VXrxQus2dTbAXxEiYgm2G9VD09PCNYIeQja343ECgu31KX8j67A2k_QlgneZ5zym0YaluLy0IrkPkQnD82rqQCE6TXtw5W1Oc5Hl48qx/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1537" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_0_iR6HoFBD0KBq0LqG7EEvekEG8VXrxQus2dTbAXxEiYgm2G9VD09PCNYIeQja343ECgu31KX8j67A2k_QlgneZ5zym0YaluLy0IrkPkQnD82rqQCE6TXtw5W1Oc5Hl48qx/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+009.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
The wrist rest is made from non-slip silicon material according to the spec
sheet on the store webpage. It's not bad, quite comfortable.
Although the downside is that you can't remove it.
</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgiav2AlHHepCpBJ8Sqakm4CKKIs7dvwYv6twypJQh8vrgfGR52YW-mpoytpQMEelr2tEkZNUu6Oj4ysfZ-mRkOmvfPVcL_ev7qYXy92O5FD1B87Cb7-OlfAjlX8BUmD7FSTy/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgiav2AlHHepCpBJ8Sqakm4CKKIs7dvwYv6twypJQh8vrgfGR52YW-mpoytpQMEelr2tEkZNUu6Oj4ysfZ-mRkOmvfPVcL_ev7qYXy92O5FD1B87Cb7-OlfAjlX8BUmD7FSTy/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+008.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />I have small hands but although the keyboard may seem a little big for
my hands, it wasn't too much of a stretch to get to buttons that I needed.<br /><br />This
is a plug and play keyboard, so you don't actually need to get the driver /
software from the manufacturer's website to use the keyboard. Also,
there are some built in keyboard shortcuts should you need them. The
most useful one for me is Tab+F2 because this is what I use to switch between
the different custom configurations M1 to M5 but we'll get to that
later.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIC2Qer_0UQtBBtv2C6perbcYYWvUJyIyufE0AD7ielyJIY2kCoA4ylW5xsZLtaDe4lLnrNNEMVRRwrTpayrkam9FIhw03KYVpmjvMsZ9zQ52q16K7KjQb4biHwmPJJsbnzJLe/s2048/Aula+K2+shortcuts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1352" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIC2Qer_0UQtBBtv2C6perbcYYWvUJyIyufE0AD7ielyJIY2kCoA4ylW5xsZLtaDe4lLnrNNEMVRRwrTpayrkam9FIhw03KYVpmjvMsZ9zQ52q16K7KjQb4biHwmPJJsbnzJLe/w264-h400/Aula+K2+shortcuts.jpg" width="264" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div><br /></div>
<div>Tab + Esc: restore to factory mode </div>
<div>Tab + F1: Light mode</div>
<div>Tab + F2: Custom configuration switch</div>
<div>Tab + F3: Volume + </div>
<div>Tab + F4: Volume -</div>
<div>Tab + F5: Lock colour (breath, bright)</div>
<div>
<br />If you wish to re-map the keys and setup the Macros, you will need the
driver / software. The box doesn't include a CD but you can go to AULA's
website to download the software. The url is here:
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://en.aulacn.com/service/download/keyboard/?page=2">http://en.aulacn.com/service/download/keyboard/?page=2</a><br /><br />EDIT 3/3/2002:</div><div>Seems like the driver / software is no longer available on their webpage. So I'll provide a link here for those who are looking for it. <a href="https://t.co/VWeCxKIcle" target="_blank">CLICK ME</a></div><div><br /></div><div>You will need a software like Winrar for e.g. to unrar because
they compressed it as a rar file. After you unrar it, just
install. It's that simple. By the way, I'm using the keyboard with
the Windows 10 OS. I don't own any Apple Mac products so I can't tell
you how it works on a Mac.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The major downside to getting this keyboard is that the software is all in
Chinese. I didn't know it too till I downloaded it after I got the
keyboard and installed it. I can read Chinese so I could get it to do
what I needed it to relatively easily. It comes with five dedicated
Macro keys on the side which are really easy to setup using the
software. Re-mapping the other keys was also pretty easy. But
because it's all in Chinese, I will do a little translation later in this post
for those who come across my post and may need some help.
<strike>I'm not going to translate everything since I'm also quite unfamiliar with
some of the options.</strike>
(Edit: I ended up translating all the options in the end 😅 ) I
suspect they are options that gamers would find useful because the basic
options are already good enough for me right now.
<p>
That said, I really wish the software was in English though, so that I can
figure out some of the other options a little bit better since I'm not too
familiar with creating Macros and I think there's a function where you can
name and record your own Macros or something which I think could be quite
useful. I don't quite understand how it works yet, I'll probably need
to go google it or something because the accompanying literature isn't very
helpful.
</p>
<p>
Also, because I'm using a Surface Pro 7 and the software wasn't scaling
properly, I had to hunt for a solution. Thank you Google.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs-w4oG3MUzUZSQMfp7jC0bzc37fZmwBJIy4gtvHtFjYFxMxixuayG7FMasi0CMtU5SZH8qsi9kJuMjNjB7CUWM7PJMhjw-qBGSC9fEZm4xnsuCYH4gPTNvIPSrX6qrWxz1Tk/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs-w4oG3MUzUZSQMfp7jC0bzc37fZmwBJIy4gtvHtFjYFxMxixuayG7FMasi0CMtU5SZH8qsi9kJuMjNjB7CUWM7PJMhjw-qBGSC9fEZm4xnsuCYH4gPTNvIPSrX6qrWxz1Tk/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+011.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv0158fjYQqEn23PhgQIT5xeHbbs43e2V-Eej05Q-jebQgOa3TO8EsbrrdSQ4maDMnT6xJ10dJibtHn5v60ji8fzaQ3SXSNSbn5ilJMWOpuVjEAew4cjWEZ4fCFL-9sYj6z2l/s898/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv0158fjYQqEn23PhgQIT5xeHbbs43e2V-Eej05Q-jebQgOa3TO8EsbrrdSQ4maDMnT6xJ10dJibtHn5v60ji8fzaQ3SXSNSbn5ilJMWOpuVjEAew4cjWEZ4fCFL-9sYj6z2l/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+013.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As you can see, if you don't fix the scaling problem, there will be
issues. Firstly, you'll have to squint to see the options in the
programme. Secondly, in the Record Macros dialog box, all the text
will be crunched up and you can't see properly.
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmr_QrJA1e0CozOsQdI6nVBkY7CZsoGPJfmt9rfDYngChyphenhyphenSzZMHyEjUGfolxDAoCgZZMXcFoncFu9X7IS7QBX7HkkOTKO9OxQr0jfusb5tMPMboadRowXXns-82pXBslYyCmXn/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmr_QrJA1e0CozOsQdI6nVBkY7CZsoGPJfmt9rfDYngChyphenhyphenSzZMHyEjUGfolxDAoCgZZMXcFoncFu9X7IS7QBX7HkkOTKO9OxQr0jfusb5tMPMboadRowXXns-82pXBslYyCmXn/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+010.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCF5u-s7GPPDN9Q3kbj8Y16p29VWh5TR0b2CVAV4pwgegXgX6clrtTHJdL2R9fP67Am6HebSURYWEpqDdl_d5mpHm7yLlMZNiBBVkhH9RX9HFsRnjNrHIc4hr_w3h3HUVdynnf/s1790/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1790" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCF5u-s7GPPDN9Q3kbj8Y16p29VWh5TR0b2CVAV4pwgegXgX6clrtTHJdL2R9fP67Am6HebSURYWEpqDdl_d5mpHm7yLlMZNiBBVkhH9RX9HFsRnjNrHIc4hr_w3h3HUVdynnf/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+014.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<p>
After you fix it, it should look like the above two images. I'll
explain what needs to be done here for those who may find themselves in
a similar predicament. I had to go to the C:\Program Files
(x86)\AULA\K2\ folder and change the properties on two .exe files to make it
scale large enough so that I won't need to squint to be able to read the
menu options etc properly on the software.
</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WDaH75kR_J0PugzywekF1BOuj5kaUL4nR3kWNi4F4SVe1m22HB10IxMHcAWzEUYx_1YuAwPrXY9Mam6-gBugZMf928GKej7Uu3lvLuOkECpSBlmdso3zfhE0UsNRtZxGfQZI/s1012/SharedScreenshot5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="718" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WDaH75kR_J0PugzywekF1BOuj5kaUL4nR3kWNi4F4SVe1m22HB10IxMHcAWzEUYx_1YuAwPrXY9Mam6-gBugZMf928GKej7Uu3lvLuOkECpSBlmdso3zfhE0UsNRtZxGfQZI/s320/SharedScreenshot5.jpg" /></a>
</p>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjVMiDn_RTrppGzqGCyp7iAVf33jzHxQVDEuAhLPVbBQ1IA3WQ91wGDGslH2p7AHCevHQtf0fZRcZP-cOwvG4qhhK3d7n9qHofckP1c2NDN8611l2gMq_ijBDmS28SsaIZLgb/s1000/SharedScreenshot6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="754" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjVMiDn_RTrppGzqGCyp7iAVf33jzHxQVDEuAhLPVbBQ1IA3WQ91wGDGslH2p7AHCevHQtf0fZRcZP-cOwvG4qhhK3d7n9qHofckP1c2NDN8611l2gMq_ijBDmS28SsaIZLgb/s320/SharedScreenshot6.jpg" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<p>
You'll need to do this for the Knode.exe file and the config.exe file in the
C:\Program Files (x86)\AULA\K2\ folder. Right click on your mouse and
select Properties. Then select the Compatibility tab. Then
select "Change High DPI settings". Under "High DPI scaling override",
check that checkbox. Then make sure you pick "System" in the pull down
menu under "Override high DPI Scaling behaviour. Scaling performed
by:" I tried the other two options and it didn't do anything.
After that when you start the application, it should scale large enough that
you should have no issues reading anything.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn_v6F1kOGImjY22lZ7y5W35tux8PnmHIztifbw6w5QCRDYnXuPmxqOvXYV9Q72GwTrd1HRdx-9TbBWs4vi1cCAKVxPEC63llIzfOg2Xjv8dkpGx8AczbCugqpTwM0s-WjcVv/s1769/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1769" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn_v6F1kOGImjY22lZ7y5W35tux8PnmHIztifbw6w5QCRDYnXuPmxqOvXYV9Q72GwTrd1HRdx-9TbBWs4vi1cCAKVxPEC63llIzfOg2Xjv8dkpGx8AczbCugqpTwM0s-WjcVv/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+015.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />Not all the keys are programmable. Only these 29 keys are programmable
when using the K2 software. The keys circled in red are
programable.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
First select either <b><span style="font-size: medium;">M1</span></b> to
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">M5</span></b> to pick which one of the
configurations you wish to set up. This is particularly nice because you
can set one up for gaming, if you game. One for Photoshop, another one
for Premiere etc. You have 5 that you can setup and you can use Tab + F2
to switch between the five different configurations.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHcOgkH3ZZaZwBFRocIVWWyzk8JRLYHZ31DLAOT_WKVmvW-llj8wnDCR8YJCvsy0scXqa56KsR5xxEuj0FaT-xX7vodCUdckws6OxSUGAxbH35A7CKAQcD85XGGmJ-Vg-a8R3/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHcOgkH3ZZaZwBFRocIVWWyzk8JRLYHZ31DLAOT_WKVmvW-llj8wnDCR8YJCvsy0scXqa56KsR5xxEuj0FaT-xX7vodCUdckws6OxSUGAxbH35A7CKAQcD85XGGmJ-Vg-a8R3/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+016.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">G1</span></b> to
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">G5</span></b> are dedicated Macro
keys. First use your mouse to click on any one of the G1 to G5 keys that
you wish to programme and the dialog box like the one in the image above will
pop up.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div>
单键设定 - if you want to map to just a single key, if you're using the G1
to G5 keys, this is a bit of a waste because these are the only keys where
you can set Macros, that is, a combination of keys.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
宏选择 - this is where you can select Macros that you've created using the
Macro Manager
</div>
<div>
宏管理器 - Macro Manager. You can find this on the bottom left, just
under G1 to 5. This is where you can record Macros. I'll get to
that later.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwMjw26KFkSsBBSqrkMHm27HD3FA9IRETfrPOmTSCfX1XEBxmqidJzQMjNhe4UZkgGqEC_PapNpCHkLDQCC8qmc1q3t1oJ0MtWATRwarg4liHWvdW8b_bpa9u-cszMh180Co8/s979/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="979" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwMjw26KFkSsBBSqrkMHm27HD3FA9IRETfrPOmTSCfX1XEBxmqidJzQMjNhe4UZkgGqEC_PapNpCHkLDQCC8qmc1q3t1oJ0MtWATRwarg4liHWvdW8b_bpa9u-cszMh180Co8/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+017.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
多媒体 - these are preconfigured settings to control various tools like
volume, calculator etc
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>媒体播放器
- Media Player
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>播放/暂停
- Play / Pause
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>停止播放 -
Stop
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>上一曲 -
Next Track
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>下一曲 -
Previous Track
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>音量减 -
Volume Up
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>音量加 -
Volume Down
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>静音 - Mute
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>主页 - Home
Page
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>刷新 -
Refresh
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>停止 - Stop
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>后退 - Back
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>前进 -
Forward
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>收藏夹 -
Favourites
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>搜索 -
Search
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>我的电脑 -
My Computer
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>计算器 -
Calculator
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>邮件 - Mail
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
组合键设置 - Combination Key Settings. This is where you can type it
various keys to get you Macro. Eg. Ctrl + Shift + N
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSOQe3UcbFG7hCKNfUn9AbmPchobOalw27D9511N_HicLlxfbj0AWIGlOHe2tvP8cghaQtZ4jNB9fyYo3uQz3yUUls816EWZ0sS5IT6bE_7Yl91br5FR0vp0l-ISAZpP0dLS_/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSOQe3UcbFG7hCKNfUn9AbmPchobOalw27D9511N_HicLlxfbj0AWIGlOHe2tvP8cghaQtZ4jNB9fyYo3uQz3yUUls816EWZ0sS5IT6bE_7Yl91br5FR0vp0l-ISAZpP0dLS_/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+018.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
选择鼠标按键 - Select mouse button. When you hit this button, you should get
a pull down menu that looks like the above. I didn't set any of
the buttons to use these mouse functions so I don't know how well they work.
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>左键 - Left
Click
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>右键 -
Right Click
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>中键 -
Middle Mouse Click
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>前进 -
Forward
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>后退 - Back
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>上滚 -
Scroll Up
</div>
<div>
<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>下滚 -
Scroll Down
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The following are pretty standard software command so it should be pretty
easy to understand.
</div>
<div>确定 - Confirm</div>
<div>取消 - Cancel</div>
<div>默认 - Default</div>
<div>清除 - Clear</div>
<div>应用 - Apply</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgRLAqAPqcaVHLjBXUhyOEkqJ4_-nPj76SzwvUlf0Z64VcqfYaidmzOyxCxKVmZG16qvMDLVFkz_01_i3nae-ynePAWhnsFojUGNKdgOMZj_lhtI7lcYElUbbQYC7bEgmxTKG/s2048/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1513" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgRLAqAPqcaVHLjBXUhyOEkqJ4_-nPj76SzwvUlf0Z64VcqfYaidmzOyxCxKVmZG16qvMDLVFkz_01_i3nae-ynePAWhnsFojUGNKdgOMZj_lhtI7lcYElUbbQYC7bEgmxTKG/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+019.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<p>
If you're re-mapping Alphabet keys or the space bar or the tilde key, then
the dialog box that you will get will look like the one in the image above
and you'll only get two customisation options.<br /><br />单键设定 - to map
to just a single key<br />多媒体 - these are preconfigured settings to
control various tools like volume, calculator etc
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0jbOCqZqC0L_idH50b3Wqwalz53j7ZIiyeymghiE75m54zV-DmUhyphenhyphenmFI8_qm1D9nR6Lp831-I4s5N_O6XwvXx7aNs_OnruGrreUYy7Q1kWCqzmAePSGGb5nZoDCe9EwUZihw/s1788/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1788" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0jbOCqZqC0L_idH50b3Wqwalz53j7ZIiyeymghiE75m54zV-DmUhyphenhyphenmFI8_qm1D9nR6Lp831-I4s5N_O6XwvXx7aNs_OnruGrreUYy7Q1kWCqzmAePSGGb5nZoDCe9EwUZihw/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+020.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Now I'll explain the 宏管理器 - Macro Manager which I only messed around
with but didn't really use yet. You can record Macros using this Macro
Manager. When you hit the 宏管理器 button, you'll get the dialog box.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
You will need to hit the "+" button to add a Macro. The software will
automatically name it 宏1 in the
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
宏名称 box but you can click in the box and rename it. After you hit
"+", it will activate the other buttons and you can start recording the
Macro.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCF5u-s7GPPDN9Q3kbj8Y16p29VWh5TR0b2CVAV4pwgegXgX6clrtTHJdL2R9fP67Am6HebSURYWEpqDdl_d5mpHm7yLlMZNiBBVkhH9RX9HFsRnjNrHIc4hr_w3h3HUVdynnf/s1790/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1790" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCF5u-s7GPPDN9Q3kbj8Y16p29VWh5TR0b2CVAV4pwgegXgX6clrtTHJdL2R9fP67Am6HebSURYWEpqDdl_d5mpHm7yLlMZNiBBVkhH9RX9HFsRnjNrHIc4hr_w3h3HUVdynnf/s320/AULA+K2+one+hand+gaming+keyboard+014.jpg" width="320" /></a>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
To record the Macro, hit 录制 type whatever combination of keys that
you want and then hit 录制 again to stop recording. It will add a list
of commands that you have typed it and it will look something like the
above. You can select any of the lines e.g. highlighted in blue and
shift the lines up and down with the buttons on the left.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">上移到顶 - Move to the top</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">上移 - Move up</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">下移 - Move down</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">下移到底 - Move to the bottom</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
On the right side of the dialog box, you have the following options.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div>删除 - delete, if you wish to delete one of the lines</div>
<div>清空 - clear, to clear out all the lines</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
If you wish to delete the entire Macro, then hit the "-" button.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>When you're done you can hit 确定 to Confirm or 取消 to Cancel.</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The above method that I have just described will allocate the same amount
of time for each key press. If you want the Macro Recorder to record
the actual timing of each key press that you pressed while you typed in
the Macro then check the box that says 记录按键延时 (Record key
delay) before you type in your Macro. I have no idea what the box
next to it is for. When you start the recording, it'll automatically
input "1" but you can change the numbers.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
I think recording Macro this way is probably something gamers will find
useful. For those of us who are trying to use this as a cheap
hotkeys keyboard for graphics, video editing work etc, then it's probably
not very important.
</div>
</div>
<p>
I picked up this Keyboard from AULA's Flagship Store on Lazada but I'm not
sure if Lazada will ship to your country if you're not living in
Singapore. Anyway, AULA is a Mainland Chinese company so you can
probably find it from other third party shippers if you wish to get it too.
</p>
<p>
p.s. In the end, this didn't turn out as quick or as short as I thought it
would be. 😅😅😅
</p>
</div>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-28973049256575498872021-07-27T12:00:00.007+08:002022-01-03T00:57:41.828+08:00Additional Comments 1 ~ The Rebel (叛逆者) 2021<p>#TheRebel #叛逆者 #ZhuYilong #朱一龙 #TongYao #童瑶 </p>
<p>
<u><b>USE OF </b></u
><b><u>MISE-EN-SCENE AND </u></b
><u
><b>NARRATIVE ELEMENTS TO CREATE MEANING - Lin Nansheng + Zhu Yizhen</b></u
>
</p>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj_N2O5SXOlZOwy2cywO4KEaCeOm5snvZ2VcP023cuLw_iPnMXhCi6LOYKUnMYR601Zz_5FGVtnVRbcrROaKB6egkrWNyVwHQHlLUEdS-zOh4PY92rrJJxGBf2NIJH2ZmkpuI/s2610/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+Poster+spies+ver.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1205"
data-original-width="2610"
height="185"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj_N2O5SXOlZOwy2cywO4KEaCeOm5snvZ2VcP023cuLw_iPnMXhCi6LOYKUnMYR601Zz_5FGVtnVRbcrROaKB6egkrWNyVwHQHlLUEdS-zOh4PY92rrJJxGBf2NIJH2ZmkpuI/w400-h185/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+Poster+spies+ver.jpg"
width="400"
/></a>
</div>
<br />[<b>Version 2 18th August 2021</b>
</div>
<div>
-- added a section on the use of Walt Whitman's <i>One's-Self I Sing</i>
in the section on Whitman. I can't believe I forgot about this key
scene. 😅 Also, other minor grammar, spelling & formatting errors]<br /><br /><b
>Preface:</b
>
</div>
<div>
I have already written a review on this series if you would like to read it,
please
<a
href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/24062251/2897304925657549887?hl=en-GB"
>CLICK ME</a
>. That review is spoiler-free. Unlike the review, this post will have
<b>SPOILERS</b>, please read at your own risk. Also, this post assumes
that you have already watched the entire series because there won't be a
synopsis and references to scenes won't be in chronological order.<br /><br />I
had originally written these additional comments as part of the review but it
kept expanding, so I decided to finish the review and publish it first, if not
it might go the way of the many posts that I have started and never
finished. 😁 <br /><br />
</div>
<div>
I have also decided to write at least one more post on
<i>The Rebel</i> because I have enough material already written to start it
but I will need time to finish it and that will probably take a while which is
part of the reason why I'm splitting up the post again. When that post
is done, I will edit this post and post that link too. If time permits
and I still retain an interest in writing more about the series, I might still
write one more. When either one of those posts gets completed, I will
rewrite this paragraph and post the links here.
</div>
<div>
<i
><span style="font-size: x-small;"
>(Timecodes may vary slightly depending on which version of the series you
are watching. Some episodes of the version I used had some
advertisements & trailers. If time permits in the future, I
might go back and fix the TC using a version without advertisements. If I
do so, I will note it here.)</span
></i
>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"
>(For capsule reviews and links to other reviews of Tong Yao's work,
please <a
href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html"
>CLICK ME</a
>)</span
><br />
<div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
------------------------------------------------------------------------
</div>
<a name='more'></a>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgawTtw_1AcK7Lbuwmm6KFB4qUSUdEJ5he6PpdUmjRSB1JbCGGbrCAxNJWk3llF9AlD27eOIicXrGTyK2QE0HKJvLYl8rm55C84wLBwEgZWe1BVhFouifzvEiPL7N0TVKWhr0/s2048/The+Rebel+ZYZ+LNS+live+on.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1124"
data-original-width="2048"
height="220"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgawTtw_1AcK7Lbuwmm6KFB4qUSUdEJ5he6PpdUmjRSB1JbCGGbrCAxNJWk3llF9AlD27eOIicXrGTyK2QE0HKJvLYl8rm55C84wLBwEgZWe1BVhFouifzvEiPL7N0TVKWhr0/w400-h220/The+Rebel+ZYZ+LNS+live+on.jpg"
width="400"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
One of the things I found interesting about this series is that the romance
between Lin Nansheng (Zhu Yilong 朱一龙) and Zhu Yizhen (Tong Yao 童瑶) is a
relatively unusual one. In most TV series, even if the romance is a
turbulent one and the couple may spend a lot of time apart; still a romantic
relationship where a couple spends 13 years apart except for brief awkward
meetings where they try their best not to act on their feelings is not a
common storyline. Even when they were pretending to be a married
couple during World War II in Shanghai, they were hardly your usual romantic
couple. They were very respectful of each other's mission and chosen
sides. On the surface, they mostly maintained a professional
relationship but in their hearts, they were trying their best not to act
upon their growing affection. What makes this even more unusual is
that this relationship began as a fraudulent one. When Lin Nansheng
approached Zhu Yizhen, he had an agenda. He had been sent there to try
and enter the upper levels of the Communist underground via the young
university undergraduate.
</div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXldJ-vh08s4zpgC6ZLESl2zRhSlHCq2KYDzm0nI3q_59ptZ4YdXwU2mtplVf8VXJA5qnmf3f7NaZgTAnA3R3QqsfKgI2idISzjQ-qDcjTVisgvou-MLdAtSfLC65ZbTNBEZyV/s1920/The+Rebel+ZYZ+LNS+dance.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1080"
data-original-width="1920"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXldJ-vh08s4zpgC6ZLESl2zRhSlHCq2KYDzm0nI3q_59ptZ4YdXwU2mtplVf8VXJA5qnmf3f7NaZgTAnA3R3QqsfKgI2idISzjQ-qDcjTVisgvou-MLdAtSfLC65ZbTNBEZyV/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+LNS+dance.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
While they were a really radiant couple in the beginning, the relationship
between Lin Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen at the beginning of <i>The Rebel</i> was
always built on sand. That's partially because the duration of their
relationship in the beginning wasn't very long and partially because Lin
Nansheng had an agenda. They didn't take too long to topple this
sandcastle because <i>The Rebel</i> isn't about romantic love.
However, this also meant that the series had to figure out a way to suggest
that this couple, whose relationship began in the worst possible way, would
somehow still be linked emotionally and spiritually through the many years
that they remained apart. <br /><br />The series makers didn't go with the
love at first sight plot device because that's not a very good foundation
for a love that's supposed to span 13 years, of which a large part of it was
spent either apart physically or emotionally. Physically, simply
because they were often not in the same city or even if they were, they
deliberately did not come into contact. Emotionally because Zhu
Yizhen, in particular, had built up walls in her heart after she discovered
Lin Nansheng’s true motive in getting close to her. In the last arc of
the story, Lin Nansheng himself also deliberately dug an emotional chasm
between the two of them to keep her safe.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
To make it work, they had to build a stronger foundation and they didn't
have a lot of time for it too. So what the script did instead, was to
suggest that theirs was a meeting of the minds and souls, that is, they were
soulmates. This was a smart thing to do because this is the only
reasonable way to explain why even after all that they had been through,
they would both remain emotionally tied to each other. This was why
the scene at the dance hall was so important. Previous to this, Zhu
Yizhen had no interest in the men around her and it was only after the
conversation in the dance hall that she began to feel a connection.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-JBhQ3ASIYXkieR4hgiN_MqNE5_mVnqhvNEGEtZNEwxOXNQT66shLmIz2i8WS0lI4cijLBz4VlZvuALf2dHtOTIUTxzvagQ88O04eiXNgDRjNElr9Z49uJbY8rx-v31P_Stu/s2048/The+Rebel+ZYZ+LNS+dance+hall+seated.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1365"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-JBhQ3ASIYXkieR4hgiN_MqNE5_mVnqhvNEGEtZNEwxOXNQT66shLmIz2i8WS0lI4cijLBz4VlZvuALf2dHtOTIUTxzvagQ88O04eiXNgDRjNElr9Z49uJbY8rx-v31P_Stu/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+LNS+dance+hall+seated.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
What <i>The Rebel</i> did to suggest that the two were soulmates throughout
the years after their first encounter was to use several narrative elements
and music, both diegetic and non-diegetic, to remind viewers that the couple
has always been linked emotionally and spiritually to each other no matter
where they are. This suggestion started from as early as the
basketball scene with the use of music. A lot of thought and effort
was put into this because they kept building and layering with several
different elements throughout the series till the very end.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_qdqnrX0ZM7szCjBsM1TbbEsGxqPgG37T9R6deIn-8hRFxoKqeTdrhz5SrYcMDZ8s6vlbUgd8PkRaXPVXjrnw46rP_DTQtQZsDRhdNQXf02f0hFmnt-kkMXKmWQs51vkqtXI/s2048/The+Rebel+Tong_Yao+Zhu_Yilong+love+each+other.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1124"
data-original-width="2048"
height="176"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm_qdqnrX0ZM7szCjBsM1TbbEsGxqPgG37T9R6deIn-8hRFxoKqeTdrhz5SrYcMDZ8s6vlbUgd8PkRaXPVXjrnw46rP_DTQtQZsDRhdNQXf02f0hFmnt-kkMXKmWQs51vkqtXI/s320/The+Rebel+Tong_Yao+Zhu_Yilong+love+each+other.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<b>Music</b><br /><br />Two pieces stand out whenever one thinks of the two
of them and no other character in the series seems to have any particular
piece of music of significance attached to them. While using thematic
music is not uncommon in films, it's not used as often in dramas because it
is much harder to maintain consistency. The decision to use theme
music for the couple was not only a bold one but also one that really paid
off because it really enhanced the feeling that they were spiritually tied
together from the beginning to the end of the series.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ptuHcqy0FNv-MLJPt7ZH5g741th1URQWplyfJ9g7-7O5pnH2vVJq0KrhZH0yq4Puw0sAWChHUl5uMzGLYiypQfg5_iXKR0YR-1USLmQky2_Bz6fUqBNce1ZH6xiu8GlDutfY/s1920/Tong+Yao+The+Rebel+02.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1080"
data-original-width="1920"
height="180"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ptuHcqy0FNv-MLJPt7ZH5g741th1URQWplyfJ9g7-7O5pnH2vVJq0KrhZH0yq4Puw0sAWChHUl5uMzGLYiypQfg5_iXKR0YR-1USLmQky2_Bz6fUqBNce1ZH6xiu8GlDutfY/w320-h180/Tong+Yao+The+Rebel+02.jpg"
title="Tong Yao 童瑶 as Zhu Yizhen"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
The first piece of music is the one we first hear when Lin Nansheng observes
her at the basketball court. The second piece is actually used as the
instrumental theme song for the series but is also used diegetically when
they play Tchaikovsky <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i> together on the
piano. <i>The Rebel</i> actually hired world renown pianist Lang Lang
to play <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i> and they also hired
experienced composer <a
href="https://www.baike.com/wikiid/8696577613258380439?from=wiki_content&prd=innerlink&view_id=1iywreyzvq0w00"
target="_blank"
>Zhang Yilin</a
> (张镒麟) to be overall in charge of the OST of the series
which indicates how seriously they took their music in the series.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
[Episode 07 TC 17:20] I particularly like the piece that they use when Lin
Nansheng first sees Zhu Yizhen on the basketball court. This is the
first time we hear this piece. This piece is by Zhang Yiling and the
composer called it <i>篮球场的心动</i> lánqiú chǎng de xīndòng
(literal translation: <i>The Heartbeat of the Basketball Court</i>) in a
Weibo post published by his studio.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwm4GD03M54tVlSmEUCdJertNMF1RHCsuvimwZVbshtUkJ0Yo5CWH5QeB-M5xpnv6F35mh74Nnat8I' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
For some reason, it kept reminding me of Michael Nyman's
<i>The Heart Asks Pleasure First</i> from <i>The Piano</i>. Not that
the pieces are the same or that similar. It's that same feeling I
first felt when I heard Nyman's piece in <i>The Piano</i>. In this
scene, as the music swells to the visuals in slow-mo, Lin Nansheng's heart
feels the exhilarating thrill of the discovery of something ethereal,
something transcendent, something divine. This scene is particularly
important for him because he will go on to love no other than her.
This evocative piece of music seems to represent Zhu Yizhen and their
subsequent relationship in the most idealised form in his heart.
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolqhsJhACp3rgVy7pc2wjm-jz4HU4B0TPORpUNY1WOaCwuc2Rb2B24amvl_TseJCnOAnrcnnNTF8fmqEkKutjR9D02U5I8JiS-aOq2w43zoq27Z1oUJKJgUPFZtT1hNwe2b2I/s1620/The+Rebel+Tong+Yao+Zhu+Yilong+in+the+garden.jpg"
><img
border="0"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolqhsJhACp3rgVy7pc2wjm-jz4HU4B0TPORpUNY1WOaCwuc2Rb2B24amvl_TseJCnOAnrcnnNTF8fmqEkKutjR9D02U5I8JiS-aOq2w43zoq27Z1oUJKJgUPFZtT1hNwe2b2I/s320/The+Rebel+Tong+Yao+Zhu+Yilong+in+the+garden.jpg"
/></a>
</div>
<br />The second time we hear this piece of music in the background is after
Zhu Yizhen has brought Lin Nansheng back to her house to nurse him back to
health. [Episode 09 TC 17:43] It is used in the background under a series of
shots cut together in a montage to represent the passing of time.
Under her care, Lin Nansheng makes steady progress, he begins to walk with
the aid of a walking stick and they also spent time reading books together
in the garden. The time they spent together during this period was
probably some of the most idyllic moments of their lives, barring the pesky
bugs of course. Zhu Yizheng slapping at the bugs bugging her is an
interesting detail. Perhaps it was indicative that these sunny,
blissful perfect days can't last and that there was already trouble buzzing
at the edges, ready to strike and crack open these perfect days reveal the
biggest defect in their relationship then.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnkGGtO09rK9bWeXkSHwEcku4HsfCr9ze0uassMiPU0iGjiYpapOLpL0OZfQZiRJt9wqC07ARg18zdOV0efc3zumEsyrcB7yfk1QF_kYEWzwwI1s7gcCR-6ZlcJejKyXZRtZp/w200-h113/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_005.jpg"
width="200" /></a
><a
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width="200"
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</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
We hear <i>篮球场的心动</i> again when Lin Nansheng thinks of her just
after Zhu Yizhen helps to set up Chen Moqun. [Episode 15 TC 4:09] It’s
snowing and as he thinks of her and the music plays, her voiceover also
plays above that. As Lin Nansheng remembers reading together with Zhu
Yizhen, he remembers her speaking passionately about her ideals and he
remembers that first dance together. As he recalls all this, he burns
documents from the case file of their investigation on her; most
significantly the sheet of paper stating his fake identity in the
school. Symbolically, it seems like Lin Nansheng wants to burn away
his regret; this deed that has come between them. All the shots of his
memories of her are in black and white too because, at this point in time,
he knows that those moments and the purity of her love for him are now lost
to him. <br /><br />
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<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnpvHorNU8Ek2J9H1Ez52xy2fXboFNFndULRZK4LLod5xNgaA5nbtnQ3XTHEsfkyydrE5vz14W8Cw_eLwXSbENbn_NcM-L1C1kN6cQlqgF3a9fsN-n5CKNGJUkxZX1IgZX7ZI/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_030.jpg"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnpvHorNU8Ek2J9H1Ez52xy2fXboFNFndULRZK4LLod5xNgaA5nbtnQ3XTHEsfkyydrE5vz14W8Cw_eLwXSbENbn_NcM-L1C1kN6cQlqgF3a9fsN-n5CKNGJUkxZX1IgZX7ZI/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_030.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
As <i>篮球场的心动</i> continues to play, we transition to
a scene of Zhu Yizhen in her home. She looks around calmly and
exhales an inaudible sigh as her father and the servants descend the
steps. She joins her father, smiles a very slight half-smile and as
they take one more look around, she looks sad because she knows that this
would be their final time in this home. As she gazes wistfully at
her father again, she is only able to manage a reassuring smile after he
tells her to leave with him. As they leave the house in their car,
it’s snowing outside just as it is snowing where Lin Nansheng is. In
this context, the snow seems to symbolize that the relationship between
Lin Nansheng & Zhu Yizhen has cooled. It’s only after the car
exits the frame that the music plays its final note. The finality of
that last note signals that all their lives have been irrevocably changed.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
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><a
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchmIdwMbyW4_QHGfUeE4Cq0Qy22yUKVFzrVsrFy7YZz3qRp4-3UYMM5j6bGTh9jrBDGvv_qwC1ErDbXUUAsT5CK0-xMYfjrj56BzzNaT-mjiGjgeNgZXJkE6C4Xz1V4kfwLLq/w200-h113/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_032.jpg"
width="200"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
The fourth time we hear <i>篮球场的心动</i> is in the last
arc of the series in Episode 35 [TC 41:35]. This is pretty significant
since we have not heard this piece of music since Episode 15. Lin
Nansheng meets his contact in Shanghai and it’s Lao Ji aka Fisherman.
After he gives Lao Ji information about a captive Communist underground
member, he hesitantly asks about Zhu Yizhen. Lao Ji tells him that
she’s doing well and misses him too but to keep them both safe, he can’t
tell either of them more. Lin Nansheng is just happy to hear that
she’s doing well. The music begins to play and we cut to Zhu Yizhen
busy transmitting a message via Morse Code. The message she’s relaying
is about the captive Lin Nansheng was telling Fisherman about.
Although both of them don’t know it yet, they are once again linked together
spiritually. This time, they are finally on the same side and they are
even working on a mission together, linked symbolically by this piece of
music.
<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyPUmKpo-Ulbm4lv2VMlhIV-Aka3iAwPCXZcH-zuSZrbp3msr5v0616Wwcph03xVNH_9mlP3l-FXMQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The final time we hear <i>篮球场的心动 </i>is when Zhu Yizhen
goes and retrieve the brooch that Lin Nansheng had given her. The
brooch was damaged in an earlier incident and she had finally managed to
get it fixed in this shop in Shanghai. Once the box containing the
brooch reached her hands, the first strains of this piece of music can be
heard. [Episode 39 TC 10:12] As she inspects the brooch carefully,
the camera zooms in and she breaks into a slight smile as her eyes take on
an emotional shine.
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXIrDi6i4W3AXzb47iHbK_myYuzMknybJ3FjoUszaNsh7sV_qO2Ipe6v3ULK6Yvdals-CEdb3dbLz-Wgo55MEu6q7iGOa8ZlkEcYPjAHgvXGQwJ79kT3kDlGlqG4tTu2QhWKw/s2048/The+Rebel+ZYZ+exits+shop.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
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data-original-height="1365"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzXIrDi6i4W3AXzb47iHbK_myYuzMknybJ3FjoUszaNsh7sV_qO2Ipe6v3ULK6Yvdals-CEdb3dbLz-Wgo55MEu6q7iGOa8ZlkEcYPjAHgvXGQwJ79kT3kDlGlqG4tTu2QhWKw/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+exits+shop.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
As she walks out of the jewellery shop, we realise that Lin Nansheng is
actually watching her from a café across the road. As the music plays,
he follows her and sees her with Meng Annan. The other people around
her call her Mrs Shen and it is obvious that they regard Meng Annan as her
husband, the music continues to play under the visuals till she enters her
own shop and he leaves.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VGS2MZ8DvR-s-Qm12nWTbJ3NnDzA_r8LcDDF693zpiPbs53ELEWI5310tytIyONWonLGLXhdHeNFa5wz_8o24fFJMqEYNKlfLHbI8h6_uMU3ceS6H4y9TV9pNMCLxwQhnFJD/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_038.jpg"
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><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-VGS2MZ8DvR-s-Qm12nWTbJ3NnDzA_r8LcDDF693zpiPbs53ELEWI5310tytIyONWonLGLXhdHeNFa5wz_8o24fFJMqEYNKlfLHbI8h6_uMU3ceS6H4y9TV9pNMCLxwQhnFJD/w200-h112/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_038.jpg"
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><a
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><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7hkmOJWljXvabpYDTKHo8vG6Ke2CMwDaKn7Lf-eDWdkjk26DRapxA_UF8McUitXPFjqSjfIXL7YPI2-pRj5qZOpsj5NS3Y7G-DG0Kgak2NeJoHVuFZ-ZI139GwAOw0MxhAT5/w200-h112/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_039.jpg"
width="200"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Interestingly, the music didn't change to another more ominous piece even
after Lin Nansheng sees her with Meng Annan. This sequence happens
immediately after two previous scenes. The first one is when Lan
Jiexin proposes a fake marriage to Lin Nansheng and the second scene is when
Lao Ji says that that the organization has approved it and that he knows
that Lin Nansheng still loves Zhu Yizhen. The use of this piece here
is significant because Lin Nansheng is about to enter a fake marriage and
Zhu Yizhen is already pretending to be married, yet both of them are still
emotionally linked to each other and this piece of music makes it abundantly
clear.
</div>
<div>
<br />While <i>篮球场的心动</i> is only used
non-diegetically, the second piece of music that links the two is used both
diegetically and non-diegetically.<br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#"
><img
border="0"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWySPsL01cVUkJLgVWC1oJ2oueBpRAvOJUOT1Imgu0fGWRRJYKeTp4JfUT9Jn1gpuzFikbuNWsXQ1KFpLE0zam9zS0rxAYClSriXHWPu0DCLai5VbduI6zgHqdenEOI9h6vSm/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_018.jpg"
/></a>
</div>
<br />This second piece of music is Tchaikovsky's
<i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i>. The previous piece of music is
only used to evoke emotion and create symbolic meaning, this second piece
serves two functions. Like the first piece, it is sometimes used in
the background to remind the viewer of the intangible link between the two
but it's also often used in the series as a very specific memory of a moment
in time. It's a reminder of a simpler time in their lives when they
were in love and nothing else mattered. Even though Lin Nansheng was
there on a mission but by that time, he had already been smitten by her.
[Episode 9 TC 28:19] Interestingly, initially he was standing behind
her as she plays the piece, at that point, he was possibly thinking of using
her memory of her mother and father to make an emotional connection with
her. But soon after, he takes it a step further and joins her at the
piano, it's something Zhu Yizhen's father had not done. From the
moment they played that duet together, their hearts were forever
intertwined.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBiB8zxnOIOJZNZmuiQHB8juVVR2S-joIHHzrzdQf1OLL1QVNddco7MwL6auRuX8OxfjdZCFy5eQV7Viu3Hd04ewc21NNnZsss-EI_TBC-j69cLeGhX9-zk1DD87OhiCP2_uD/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+dress+LNS+wound.jpg"
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/></a>
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<div>
There is a particularly poignant scene in the series when Zhu Yizhen is
hiding out in Lin Nansheng's place during World War II in Shanghai.
[Episode 28 TC 31:43] Lin Nansheng was feeling particularly
despondent. Zhu Yizhen had just helped him to change the dressing for
his wound. She silently watches him for a moment, hesitates like she
wants to say something but he looks away. With concern in her eyes,
she tells him to take his medication properly and to eat properly, then his
wounds would heal quickly. After his short reply, the smile fades from
Zhu Yizhen's face and she looks serious, worried and hesitates as she takes
a deep silent breath, her mouth moves slightly like she wants to say more
but hesitates again, begins to get emotional and blinks frequently to hold
it back before deciding to turn away and go towards the window
instead.
</div>
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><img
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data-original-height="2048"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAjJDStlNxW11vyPFveReMasbyLWjrIN50Lub74VwoKfX6GCOL-s69nrPYTWZcQZTVofoMsETuV66szIpId23-xPV4kDXqyPWc66qDnjKGe538V3fuh53hVZVi7aHEtyoAjcn/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+looks+out+the+window.jpg"
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</div>
<br />
<div>
She draws his attention initially by talking about the snow outside.
Finally, after a long moment of hesitation, she decides to comfort him with
some words that he had used to comfort her after they thought that Lao Ji
had been killed. Zhu Yizhen tells him that she doesn't know what had
happened to him but she wants to remind him that he once told her that they
have to survive because to live on is to have hope. However, he
doesn't respond and instead turns away, his head bowed. On seeing that
what she had said had not made a difference, her eyes reveal her concern and
uncertainty as she exhales quietly but deeply. She then turns away
from him as she takes another quiet but deep breath, looks out the window
and begins to hum <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i>. Lin
Nansheng reacts slightly even though his head remains bowed. She
continues to hum the tune as she plays it out with her fingers on the
window.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lCAzybYxWAZ_XljM7TmmPvcbbqwIVxlSlTU8KxT9Hb3wMXZ1rWPSM_eaTvvSiy-Ki1JLjFbuBSE8hpCtbKvN7RSFse93Sl13MIZdHRFot2fVzs1ExI3gH07sMeb9j4UEjc9g/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_071.jpg"
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<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
Throughout the whole scene, there has only been ambient sound and then her
humming. As she continues to hum the tune, Lin Nansheng begins to get
emotional. As the strains of a piano begin, Lin Nansheng exhales
audibly and smiles. Hearing him react, she starts to tear, her face is
taut with tension as she tries to control her emotions but she can't hold
back a quick slight smile; as though she's quietly glad that he's no longer
silently disheartened. Lin Nansheng is also trying to contain his
emotions and he remembers her playing at the piano in her old home in
Shanghai.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gJemHMJaygCxyxZy1PiO2SkimPFTDJGtTbTa5kgajLXTaT6vx885vZfAsGJ3_30_e6mQLroM2xxAmjbrfiYCUbSnJnT0N846Uz6V1pWkzlpn1T8rd4o7om3qMcyopVQ9w-Va/s1079/Tong+Yao_Zhu+Yilong+The+Rebel+hug+.jpg"
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width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
By this time, the non-diegetic music has taken over and we can no longer
hear Zhu Yizhen humming the tune but we know she's still humming it because
two shots later we can still see her in the background sadly playing out the
notes on the window pane. As she continues to hum and play the notes,
he recalls in a flashback how he had gone to her side at the piano and sat
with her. We then cut back to the present time as he finally decides
not to hold back anymore. He moves swiftly towards her and impulsively
hugs her from behind.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a
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<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
Once he hugs her and presses his face into hers, the piano is joined by a
crescendo of strings as though a tsunami of emotions hit both of them and
even Zhu Yizhen who's been so good at suppressing her emotions cannot help
but give in. Instead of pushing him away, she moves her arm from the
window and draws him nearer. This is the first time since their
reunion in Shanghai that they have so openly showed affection for one
another. As they share this rare intimate physical and spiritual
moment in their lives, both of them seem to now be recalling that one
afternoon where things were so much simpler. Just two people in love
playing the piano together. A close-up of their two hands playing is
followed by a close-up of their arms where Zhu Yizhen pulls him ever more
urgently towards her. This match cut is lovely because it emphasises
even more that they now share this flashback of that day. Zhu Yizhen
doesn't get many flashback sequences which makes this even more
significant. What's more, this is a shared flashback with Lin
Nansheng. As they continue to hug by the window, the music slowly
reaches a melancholic end and crossfades with the cold sound of the snow
falling outside.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
This whole scene is nicely bookended by shots of snow
falling. Both shots just before and just after this scene is of
snow falling furiously outside. The audio in both snow falling shots
is also simply the sound of the snowstorm and there is no music, except that
the second shot of snow is a cross-fade from the music to the sound of the
snowstorm. When the sequence cuts from the snow shot to the shot of
Zhu Yizhen changing the dressing for Lin Nansheng, the audio change is quite
apparent. The sound of the snow falling is actually much louder
compared to the calm and quiet of the room the couple is in. You can't
even hear the snowstorm from inside the room, it's as though the calm in
this room belies the storm that surrounds them. Perhaps this calm even
hides the storm that is in their hearts. Regardless, this calm seems
to suggest that they are currently secluded from the outside world; this is
their shared world. It's also this quietness that helps to accentuate
Zhu Yizhen's humming and the music score that takes over simply because what
preceded it was so quiet. When we can still hear the diegetic sounds
in the scene, their shared world was that physical space, when the music
takes over and when even the diegetic sounds fade out, their shared world is
in their souls. And while there is a snowstorm raging outside, we
don't see it through the windows and we don't hear it at all. At that
moment in time, nothing else mattered to them.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
This is a particularly nice scene. The pair had been spending much of
their time awkwardly not talking about their feelings about each
other. Zhu Yizhen, in particular, had been very taciturn. He's
been wanting to say more and she's been trying not to let her feelings show
by too much more. Both of them just trying to show via their actions
rather than their words that they both care. So when the moment
finally happens, even though they don't make any verbal declarations of
love, the moment when they finally express their love for each other, that
emotional impact is so much greater. The use of music, sound design
and editing really added to this scene. Both Tong Yao and Zhu Yilong's
performances were also so beautiful here; so little said but so much more
implied.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div>
[Episode 30 TC 34:03] There is another scene in Hong Kong when Lin Nansheng
was recovering in an apartment that Zhuo Qiuming had placed him in. He
was feeling particularly despondent again and as he is staring at his
medication, he begins to play the notes of the
<i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i> on the table, just as Zhu Yizhen had on
the windowpane in Shanghai. As he does so, he has another flashback of
that afternoon when both Zhu Yizhen and he played the piano together.
There is a fade down and then fade up to Zhu Yizhen standing alone and lost
in thought in Jiaxing* where she had been brought to after she was
shot. The music continues to play as an audio transition. As is
often the case in the series, we don't know what Zhu Yizhen is thinking of,
she's holding a leaf in her hand but her mind is in another world.
It's likely that she too is thinking of those moments with Lin Nansheng when
he was still Xu Liwen because <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i> plays
on for quite a lot longer.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
As she ponders, holding on to that leaf in her hand, she is also surrounded
by greenery. This little interesting detail is of some
significance. Firstly, the couple is linked ideologically by Walt
Whitman's <i>Leaves of Grass</i>. While this isn't exactly a leaf from
grass, it's still a leaf nonetheless.
<i>(See the section on Whitman below)</i> Also, the leaf that Zhu
Yizhen is holding in her hand is dark green which is the colour of the more
mature leaves of Summer. While the couple is not linked significantly
by Nature, they are linked by Tchaikovsky's
<i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i> and June is a Summer month. Hence,
this, in addition to the background music, implies that she too is thinking
of Lin Nansheng and, like him, she is also thinking of the days that they
spent together.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Green leaves also often imply hope, revival and renewal. At this point
in the story, they both don't yet know if the other had survived but Lin
Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen still hold on to those memories and still hold on to
hope. Also, interestingly, soon after the music fades out, Zhu
Yizhen's contact in Jiaxing brings the news of her new assignment and
probably the best news she has heard for some time. Lao Ji is alive
which means hope, revival and renewal for Zhu Yizhen.
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"
>*{Aside: Jiaxing is a very significant place in the history of the
Communist Party of China. The official history of the CPC states
that the founding of the party was announced on a small red boat on Nanhu
Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang.
<a
href="https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202105/20/WS60a5b44da31024ad0bac0283.html"
target="_blank"
>CLICK ME</a
>}</span
>
</div>
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<div><br /></div>
<div>
[Episode 43 TC 38:10] Perhaps one of the most important recollections of Zhu
Yizhen playing <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i> on the piano occurs in
the final episode of the series. By this point in the series, both the
viewers and Lin Nansheng don't know if Zhu Yizhen is still alive.
After she had been shot in the final episode and had fallen into the river,
both Lin Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen were separated. He has been trying to
find her for some time but to no avail. He had just received news that
they were still unable to locate Zhu Yizhen and that his new posting meant
that he had to leave the area the next morning. This also meant that
he could no longer wait near Shanghai for news of her. He imagined her
playing the piano and he cried as he recalled all the people he had cared
about who have now been lost to him. Zhu Yizhen was part of that
montage sequence. Lin Nansheng has slowly come to accept that Zhu
Yizhen may no longer be alive.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><b>LP - vinyl record</b></div>
<div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqBsQNz_9gYrk_B0dRcAgUFRERFDmrBUixcBLMSKTSe_5DfafBS8gnbY8DgYMrJqfQSd2lnxZZNdkGGVjuTUz3o1BGoU7fVb0B8a5c4i9rH333rAlIY7L1PyZJWURq1HJ38vZ/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_029.jpg"
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border="0"
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/></a>
</div>
<br />Aside from that intangible memory of that afternoon when they played
the piano together, there is also a physical manifestation of that memory
and that's in the form of the vinyl record that Lin Nansheng had
purchased as a gift for Zhu Yizhen. Just before his scam to deceive
Zhu Yizhen was revealed, Lin Nansheng walked past a bakery. What drew
him into the bakery wasn't the bakes but the music. [Episode 11 TC 04:09] He
entered the bakery and convinced the baker to sell him the vinyl record with
the intention of giving it to Zhu Yizhen. This LP contained a
recording of Tchaikovsky's <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i>.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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><img
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<br />
<div>
This LP makes a few significant appearances in the script after Lin Nansheng
bought the LP from the baker. The first time was after Zhu Yizhen had
impulsively gone to Lin Nansheng's dorm room to try and convince him to
switch sides. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts and the
subsequent struggle that she did not even see the LP and the accompanying
note on the table. More importantly, after Chen Moqun had taken the
knife from Lin Nansheng, he flung it on the desk on top of the note that Lin
Nansheng had written. Lin Nansheng had written "送给怡貞希望你喜欢“
which translates to something like "For Yizhen hope you like it". What
is significant is that after Chen Moqun threw the knife on the note, it fell
on top of the word "希望" (hope). Symbolically, Chen Moqun had "cut"
the hope from both Chen Moqun and Zhu Yizhen's lives in that instance.
</div>
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<br />
<div>
[Episode 25 TC 19:55] After the explosion that "killed" Lao Ji, Lin Nansheng
brings Zhu Yizhen back to his home to hide there temporarily. To keep
her mind off things, she decided to clean his home and in doing so, she
found the LP, the note and the wrapping paper that she had used to wrap the
volume of Walt Whitman's <i>Leaves of Grass</i> that she had gifted
him. It's the first time she had seen the note. Soon after, Lin
Nansheng returns with a suitcase of clothing and other items that he had
bought for her. She has had barely any time to digest this information
and didn't even have time to hide the note. The ensuing scene has the
two of them awkwardly trying to pretend that the note meant nothing to them.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
While he stumbled over his words, she spent the entire time since she opened
the door for him avoiding his gaze. Her eyes kept looking away as
though she was afraid that if she looked for too long into his eyes, it
might betray her long-hidden feelings for him. She finally abruptly
tries to offer him a drink to distract themselves from the awkwardness of
the situation but instead, he chose a fast retreat, found an excuse and left
the house. This is nice and nuanced work from both actors. This
scene also included one of Zhu Yizhen's few flashback memories, the LP
(implying that piece of music and that moment when they played the piano
together), the wrapping paper (implying Walk Whitman's poems) and also the
chocolate that he had bought for her in the suitcase he left her. With
so many things to trigger Zhu Yizhen's feelings, her defences had begun to
weaken considerably at this point in time.
<div><br /></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The LP makes another significant appearance in [Episode 39 TC 12:38] when
Lin Nansheng had followed Zhu Yizhen back to her shop and home in Shanghai
in the last arc of the series. While there, he sees Meng Annan and
learns from the conversation they have with a neighbour that Zhu Yizhen
and Meng Annan are "married". This was soon after he had also
decided to enter into a fake marriage with Lan Xinjie. While Lin
Nansheng didn't show any expression while seeing Zhu Yizhen and Meng Annan
together, he returns home in the very next scene and plays the LP of the
recording of Tchaikovsky's <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle. </i>As
he lies down on his couch, he plays out the notes of the piece of
music on his arm and he is transported to another time in his mind.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
The LP even makes it into the flashback montage that Lin Nansheng has when
he imagines Zhu Yizhen playing the piano in [Episode 43 TC 38:10].
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><b>Walt Whitman</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Walt Whitman's book of poems <i>Leaves of Gras</i>s is another important
item that is used to link Lin Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen. Whitman is
said to be a supporter of democracy but because of his egalitarian and
humanist views, he was also well regarded by the socialists.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSInsto0QP_L-TNuhqmPI-Gp_YZAb3Cjo2WTqn1wkHszWkgFkelCW-xCDaE7-vfhddP6d2y-qu7cgy3ohQBMYWDVoPEF-NiYlROKhawdV6pe5rvMJ14QwO4pLyB84C8mMXT8Ee/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_063.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
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width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
[Episode 7 TC 19:20] When Zhu Yizhen is reciting the poem
<i>To the Man-of-War-Bird</i>, the poem on the board is yet another
Whitman poem. That poem is titled <i>Quicksand Years</i>, although
what the lecturer has written on the board isn't complete.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<i
>Quicksand years that whirl me I know not whither,<br />Your schemes,
politics, fail-lines give way-substances mock and elude me;<br />Only the
theme I sing, the great and strong-possess'd soul, eludes not,<br />One's-self
must never give way - that is the final substance - that out of all is<br />sure,<br />Out
of politics, triumphs, battles, life, what at last finally remains?<br />When
shows break up, what but One's-Self is sure?<br
/></i>
<div></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The key takeaway from this poem is that even during the years where
quicksand seems to want to suck a person down, "<i
>One's-self must never give way - that is the final substance - that out
of all is</i
> <i>sure,</i>" Even in the most difficult of times, one must not
lose one's soul. That's a particularly appropriate poem for Lin
Nansheng who only had his soul to hold on to when all that he believed in
had crumbled away.
</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8jNEA1652Bf35W-CA0BPAzOKIHigaGuzFiSC5kRIrzhsQh_nOzZJV5Syo4NhatK6zendZ2Csm_hodCTJhbVfnic-IPif5DGZUIt41Y3uly8iOzqWygbchw97L2gAwf7auLoc/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_003.jpg"
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width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
The poem that Zhu Yizhen recites is the final stanza in Whitman's
<i>To the Man-of-War-Bird</i>.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<i
>Thou born to match the gale, (thou art all wings,)<br />To cope with heaven
and earth and sea and hurricane,<br />Thou ship of air that never furl'st
thy sails,<br />Days, even weeks untired and onward, through spaces, realms
gyrating,<br />At dusk that lookist on Senegal, at morn America,<br />That
sport'st amid the lightning-flash and thunder-cloud,<br />In them, in thy
experiences, had'st thou my soul,<br />What joys! what joys were thine!</i
>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
<i
>(for the full poem <a
href="https://www.infoplease.com/primary-sources/poetry/walt-whitman/walt-whitman-man-war-bird"
target="_blank"
>CLICK ME</a
>)<br
/></i>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Whitman penned this poem after having weathered a very stormy night out on
the sea in a sailing ship. Relived and weary after surviving the
night, Whitman observed a magnificent Man-of-War-Bird flying in the
skies. Even though he felt insignificant when compared to the soaring
bird, he still admired the bird and appreciated its ability to survive and
fly tirelessly for days and weeks. Whitman felt that if the bird had
his soul, what joys he could experience. Perhaps there is even a hint
of enviousness on Whitman's part.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Perhaps here, the choice of this poem indicates Zhu Yizhen's state of mind
at that point in time or perhaps, even the ultimate goal she had set for
herself in life. She's full of ideals and aspires to do more.
Then, she was only a university undergraduate and just "a speck, a point on
the world's floating vast." But she wants to be part of something
magnificent. She envies the majestic bird and wants to be as capable
as the Man-of-War Bird, able to weather all storms, tirelessly and
effortlessly. One thing is certain, Zhu Yizhen sets very high
standards for herself. She was only able to recite this poem with ease
because she had already memorised it three days earlier. Later in the
series, every time we see her at "work", her movements are practised and
precise. Even under duress, she never loses focus. And Zhu
Yizhen always takes responsibility even when the fault isn't hers or not
entirely hers.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHCnvpHvxueAom6Lkce9qY9aPEfq3SL0ExbKITD-VoCnPpUckayqAMLewujtRTT7ttRk9zQO7CuK_iuVC6NiTWo6dQ1_jdiWLcMhi6t5tHDG3ImGQgNMofypJe5tyDmmvbMBF/s500/The+Rebel+ZYZ+Tong+Yao+cheeky+wink.gif"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHCnvpHvxueAom6Lkce9qY9aPEfq3SL0ExbKITD-VoCnPpUckayqAMLewujtRTT7ttRk9zQO7CuK_iuVC6NiTWo6dQ1_jdiWLcMhi6t5tHDG3ImGQgNMofypJe5tyDmmvbMBF/w200-h200/The+Rebel+ZYZ+Tong+Yao+cheeky+wink.gif"
width="200"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
I must say that I found this scene quite delightful. While Tong Yao's
accent was overly American, she recited the poem with great aplomb and that
cheeky wink was the cherry on the cake. That self-confidence, that
youthful brashness and fearlessness are all nicely captured by Tong Yao
here. It's not hard to see why Lin Nansheng would find Zhu Yizhen so
captivating; she was unlike any girl he had met previously. This was
right after the basketball scene too when Zhu Yizhen had taken charge after
the umpire became injured and where Lin Nansheng had been so enthralled with
her.
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQjUXYqCqR7W2KW52l2oInsFYxHGEB88PM-BD7bZ37xC1HA3LrEaCHJ0Aww-YyiM0DPrNqSxM-MNOTva2v9BB8XU0FdZk_hb19td0kmhdQn3Sl65f_vIesdqZsCUEQaHP_ZkuW/s2048/The+Rebel+ZYZ+LNS+equality.jpg"
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</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><span style="font-size: x-small;">[added in Ver. 2]</span></div>
</div>
<div>
The scene in the lecture hall is only the beginning of a series of times
that Whitman’s <i>Leaves of Grass</i> is used. One of the most
significant moments that Whitman’s poems are used is at the school dance
when Zhu Yizhen and Lin Nansheng finally have their first proper
conversation [Episode 8]. Previous to this, Lin Nansheng had
been trying to engage Zhu Yizhen in conversation but she had deliberately
placed him at arm's length. She was cordial but distant and he even
though he tried to use Whitman to draw her out after he returned her notes
to her in Episode 7, she didn’t fall for it. Instead, it aroused her
suspicions and she had gone to his department to do a simple check on him to
see if he was really who he claims to be.
</div>
<br />This scene is a key scene in understanding the relationship between Zhu
Yizhen and Lin Nansheng. Zhu Yizhen was clearly distancing herself from
the events in the hall by sitting in the back row in the hopes that no one
would ask her to dance. She had also gone there in her school uniform
rather than a nice dress, implying that she didn’t want to be part of the
practice where a girl dresses up to compete for a man’s attention at a
dance. It is in this context when Lin Nansheng asks if he can join her
and begins to chat with her. <br /><br />After Lin Nansheng asks Zhu Yizhen
why she doesn’t join in the dance, she explains that she doesn’t particularly
like dancing because women are placed in a passive role. Her eyes light
up when Lin Nansheng not only says with conviction that he understands but he
also successfully explains why and earnestly adds that he felt that it was
unfair. Lin Nansheng had unwittingly found a way to connect with Zhu
Yizhen and she begins to tell him passionately about her opinions about the
social conventions that have been placed on women and on herself. She
then continues to proclaim that she felt that she had the capability to serve
the country just like men do and perhaps, not just do more but also do more
meaningful things. When she realised that she had been somewhat carried
away and had revealed too much, she breaks off and looks away, slightly
embarrassed. This is when Lin Nansheng brings up Whitman.
<br /><br />The Whitman poem that Lin Nansheng uses is
<i>One’s-Self I Sing</i>. <br /><br /><i
>One’s-Self I sing, a simple separate person, <br />Yet utter the word
Democratic, the word En-Masse. <br />Of physiology from top to toe I sing,
<br />Not physiognomy alone nor brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say
the Form complete is worthier far, <br />The Female equally with the Male I
sing. </i
><br /><br /><i
>(for the full poem <a
href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48857/ones-self-i-sing"
>CLICK ME)</a
></i
><br /><br />This isn’t the full poem; they stop at the line that talks about
equality between men and women. They added a nice little touch
when after Lin Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen takes turns reciting the poem, they
both say the last line about equality together, united in their beliefs.
Then the music crescendos, the young couple laugh freely and happily. At
that one moment, she’s not a Communist agent and he’s not someone trying to
infiltrate the organisation she belongs to. They are two people who
understood each other perfectly.
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[end of Ver. 2] </span> <br />
<div><br /></div>
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN5hl1YYYbK5j6Dr22QH4_5P_ShHq5_5xB_Q4n_NRM-KY11jDaWivWUi4Paz8vl4Zi78TxrrSupwSHdY4bMdiSF-LxdXJr6v5ZedooOtxIHZoshkHoI_Z9_-DGOtLbvJiOxca/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_045.jpg"
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</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
In [Episode 11 TC 9:41] Zhu Yizhen also gives Lin Nansheng a copy of the
original edition of the English version of the book. This is right
before Lao Ji tells her that Lin Nansheng isn't Xu Liwen but someone who had
been sent by the Juntong to get close to her. After she hands him the
book wrapped in paper, she grew impatient when he took his time to open it
and she eventually took over and unwrapped it before handing it over to him
again. It's a tiny but nice detail. At this point in time, she
still has the impulsiveness of youth. This isn't something you'll see
in her later in the series. The Zhu Yizhen later in the series is more
careful, patient and deliberate.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a
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><a
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</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Also after Lin Nansheng changes allegiance and begins work with the
Communist underground, the book he was instructed to use to decode coded
messages is the Chinese version of <i>Leaves of Grass</i>. This is
also the book that Zhu Yizhen uses to decode messages sent to
her.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Whitman is used to tie both Zhu Yizhen and Lin Nansheng together from the
beginning of their relationship to the end of the series. This
narrative element is not merely something that exists in their memories and
it's not just a few volumes of the physical item that pops up in their
lives. This is unlike the pen that Zhuo Qiuming gives to Lin Nansheng
twice in the series and pops up each time Lin Nansheng thinks of Zhuo
Qiuming. There seems to be no real significant meaning attached to the
pen except that it reminds Lin Nansheng of this deep and lifelong
friendship. In Lin Nansheng's and Zhu Yizhen's case, however, Whitman
isn't just a tangible item that exists in their lives, it also has
intangible meaning. It's something that symbolises the meeting of
their minds because Whitman's poems mean something more to them, it
represents their common ideals and beliefs. Whitman's poems were also
used to describe their nature or their situation or to indicate what laid in
their future. Even when they were apart, even when they were on
opposite sides, their ideals and their passion for the people and their
country keep them connected throughout all those years.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><b>Brooch</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPYtlsVZQ8fYcOssZ_HPBQgSOOiVkt5IeYr8Fe3WjKXRACC7I-TmPjDCGzzbzKR3-HGLs09u17Rmt6PhqOwvpx8grhlRhwEPnx7gY3DyyGVAyXIcJurUtsr55wkDv9XsQzqT4/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_046.jpg"
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width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
To underline the importance of the Zhu Yizhen and Lin Nansheng relationship,
there is yet another narrative element that connects the two and that is the
brooch that Lin Nansheng gave to Zhu Yizhen when he was hiding her from the
Japanese in Shanghai. He buys her an exquisite French-made brooch in
Episode 27 of a series. The design of the brooch is edged with gold
and is a reddish-white butterfly with a pearl attached to it.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgit3fFLntQnpn9dHgdSUnKS2rFKvXRj3vsiYIXkW6UpB0kJC2fizDiLpPLBAu3mKRYfGo8khyphenhypheng9Yd0HqqxHcfeyIrag70Vj-GQG3JepGCc1-VfsX0c6FZUMe7whZvN1sdbghG9/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_047.jpg"
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width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div>
The choice of a butterfly is interesting. Butterflies are not only
beautiful but are often associated with metamorphosis, transformation,
rebirth and resurrection. The butterfly starts out as an egg before
it transforms into a caterpillar before it becomes a cocoon, and then the
caterpillar "dies" before it breaks forth into a beautiful
butterfly. Perhaps this foreshadows Zhu Yizhen's fate. At the
end of this series, Zhu Yizhen was gravely injured and Lin Nansheng pushes
her and falls into the river with her in a bid to save her. However,
he loses her and for a period of time, we do not know if she
survived. At one point, when Lin Nansheng imagines her at the piano
playing <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i>, he also recalls in a
flashback montage all the people that he had come to care for but have
already die, Zhu Yizhen was one of them.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
There seemed to be a suggestion then that Lin Nansheng had come to accept
that he might never see her again. However, a few shots before the
credit roll, we hear a voice call out to Lin Nansheng. It's Zhu
Yizhen and for a while, we aren't sure if he was imagining it till we see
a "reborn" Zhu Yizhen. Like a butterfly, Zhu Yizhen has been
transformed. She's laughing, carefree and happy as she sings with
some children and playfully poses, presumably, for photos with Lin
Nansheng. Interestingly, she has her two plaits again. This
harkens back to the time when she was still a university undergraduate and
when she was at her most exuberant; where she was at her happiest and
freest.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
While there is certainly room for an interpretation that Zhu Yizhen only
survived spiritually and only reunited with Lin Nansheng in his mind and
memories, it's worth noting that the official <i>The Rebel</i
> Weibo account, as well as Tong Yao's and Zhu Yilong's accounts,
indicate otherwise. They all posted on Weibo on the night of the
release of the final episode and they all indicate that she does indeed
survive for real and reunites with Lin Nansheng physically.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Butterflies in Chinese culture also have other symbolic meanings. It
is often used to symbolise love and the undying bond between two lovers
which is an appropriate way to describe Lin Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen's
relationship. This idea mostly stems from <a
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_Lovers"
target="_blank"
><i>The Butterfly Lovers</i></a
> story. This is quite representative of their love. Both
Lin Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen loved no other in the series. Even
though they were on opposite sides for much of the series, they still care
deeply for each other and found enough common ground to help each other in
times of need.
</div>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz04tb-EWzyqKRa0iQW5s4PKhXKkoxBuA4Nfn4Wkq5MtmYrCz4GCOZV8hICLKmrmQQKoU3CzPfgit28J5zfppzjQ4s_lw962bJV_8UWuVxrI60rFPyhkJDZLP2rZ6iXDpVgCU/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+at+window.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
The scene when Lin Nansheng actually gives Zhu Yizhen the brooch was after
he had decided that he would undertake a dangerous mission to kill Chen
Moqun. Then, he did not know if he would make it back alive, hence, he
decided to buy Zhu Yizhen a gift. Since he never gave her the LP of
the recording of Tchaikovsky's <i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle, </i>this
became the first memento that he had managed to give her. After he had
returned to the house with groceries for Zhu Yizhen, he tells her that he
still has things to do and asks if she would retreat to her room while he
works. She waits in the room in silence till she hears him leave and
the door close behind him. She swiftly gets up from her chair and
enters the living room but he had already left. [Episode 27 TC 39:44]
After considering for a moment, she goes to the window to watch his
retreating back with worry and concern. After she turns away from the
window, she sees a box on the table.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZ5EmJDQuTsWLBjlEo1p7uPxxC-Pzpc8iob3rHn52b8XX1LGVPFcaV471X0N_Aia7aAAudys-7473rIOSkNG30B2Ya_tCkznzlF8yyMFVwUcJrsrvH_yicwBFXnV3KoOx4B8b/s1888/The+Rebel+ZYZ+smiles+at+brooch.jpg"
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><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZ5EmJDQuTsWLBjlEo1p7uPxxC-Pzpc8iob3rHn52b8XX1LGVPFcaV471X0N_Aia7aAAudys-7473rIOSkNG30B2Ya_tCkznzlF8yyMFVwUcJrsrvH_yicwBFXnV3KoOx4B8b/w200-h117/The+Rebel+ZYZ+smiles+at+brooch.jpg"
width="200" /></a
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtld8J0TcF4tLp5zALoQTmbnSC9HukPGSEAxZnQtRYetaWJ1UlubBl_PXLo3Lbh0pR79TqIr-Lll6_rplKN2tHSoSD4BODLoSuC0KTPZlSZo9JpLFFWBBHK2qgGY9Yx2rgruT6/s1888/Teh+REbel+ZYZ+brooch+sadness.jpg"
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><img
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height="117"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtld8J0TcF4tLp5zALoQTmbnSC9HukPGSEAxZnQtRYetaWJ1UlubBl_PXLo3Lbh0pR79TqIr-Lll6_rplKN2tHSoSD4BODLoSuC0KTPZlSZo9JpLFFWBBHK2qgGY9Yx2rgruT6/w200-h117/Teh+REbel+ZYZ+brooch+sadness.jpg"
width="200"
/></a>
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<br />
<div>
Lin Nansheng had placed a small box containing the brooch on her embroidery
and placed it on the table. Zhu Yizhen picks it up in curiosity and
opens it. She's deeply moved and a beautiful smile slowly spreads over
her face as she caresses the pearl with her thumb. However, a sense of
sadness soon creeps into her smile as though she knows that there is a
deeper reason for this unexpected gift. She continues to touch the
brooch before she sinks slowly and wearily into the chair. He had
silently given her an expression of his love for her and she understood that
but also feared for his safety.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5I68pu5pvQ74RuiQ2RPv4kJWDXQlHlgazxkqitY-GIsP-MZiw6Et8gKyvJ7hPkBXhwzClVQp5Ychh1TRZk0aIYOdAMH7YodWTRIY_x4R3sn3rcpNsv4Gd7mnftvcxjVCzvTd6/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_048.jpg"
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width="320"
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<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
The next time we see the brooch after Lin Nansheng had given it to Zhu
Yizhen is when she eagerly put it on in [Episode 29 1:54]. She had
just made dinner and was about to have a meal with Lin Nansheng before she
anticipated that they would be separated for a long time again. It was
obvious from her anxious expression when she was trying to decide where to
pin it and when she preened herself in the mirror that this meeting with him
was very important to her. Previously, after he had given her a token
of his love for her, she had not yet had the opportunity to show her
acceptance of it. But, alas, this dinner was not to be.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0go2-wonE-6u63Z1OKEqekyeLs1fr3_ixQdea1YEVcUK5V_mwqywzGFfomPN395hgymR7n68xwXm-kYD8ebKP2qkJrWam8j1FC-tgGzNWizIV1NMhLXA9sJLbwswZ3ARKaA2/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_064.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY0go2-wonE-6u63Z1OKEqekyeLs1fr3_ixQdea1YEVcUK5V_mwqywzGFfomPN395hgymR7n68xwXm-kYD8ebKP2qkJrWam8j1FC-tgGzNWizIV1NMhLXA9sJLbwswZ3ARKaA2/w200-h111/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_064.jpg"
width="200" /></a
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSCscVHcsEAzixWP5h0TqZ1DYt00tfzymbt_SSusj23d0Ezn6Ec7feaJV6b7TozCB0lsC7ho7QkPeeVb6Hj1y1f0DRDt3pBcIplYU9oa-MMGE9bM-1DQ76ZJshUT_BfpqOgi9/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_065.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
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height="112"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSCscVHcsEAzixWP5h0TqZ1DYt00tfzymbt_SSusj23d0Ezn6Ec7feaJV6b7TozCB0lsC7ho7QkPeeVb6Hj1y1f0DRDt3pBcIplYU9oa-MMGE9bM-1DQ76ZJshUT_BfpqOgi9/w200-h112/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_065.jpg"
width="200"
/></a>
</div>
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<div>
Soon after putting on the brooch, Zhu Yizhen sees a large group of policemen
gathered downstairs, outside her apartment. She knows that they are
there for her so she escapes by climbing out of the neighbour's
window. As she's trying to escape, she meets Lin Nansheng who's
looking for her too. She asks him to escape without her because she
feels that they both can't die there together. He looks at her,
glances at her brooch intently, grabs her hand and moves off.
Although, this isn't the best of circumstances for him to see that she had
worn the brooch he had given her, still the fact he took an extra look at it
before they fled that street corner together meant that it meant something
to him that she wore it.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1IZo5ip1zSw2gC90AAsZurNNwdV4UkEwtCEUj7O6b7JsIcfIn1vD3nSPMFSEDhIj48xm8K1qxFrQiHzEmtM1WZ68xsdYXNkPrwSWrxqCneHF77jC4Oi_qrZVO58cVFRkNOfb/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_049.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1IZo5ip1zSw2gC90AAsZurNNwdV4UkEwtCEUj7O6b7JsIcfIn1vD3nSPMFSEDhIj48xm8K1qxFrQiHzEmtM1WZ68xsdYXNkPrwSWrxqCneHF77jC4Oi_qrZVO58cVFRkNOfb/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_049.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
We see the brooch again just as Zhu Yizhen was recovering from her gunshot
wound. [Episode 30 TC 22:37] She grasps the brooch too tightly in
her hand and then ventures out of the hospital even though she has yet to
recover fully. She has difficultly walking too much and too far but
she still struggles to find a jeweller to try to get the brooch
fixed. At this point in time, Zhu Yizhen doesn't know Lin Nansheng's
condition and whether he is still alive. Her own doctor had told her
that it isn't easy to recover from a gunshot wound to the lungs and that
she should try and believe in miracles, i.e. hope. Hence, the brooch
has become even more important to her as it is her one and only physical
memento of Lin Nansheng now.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwmMObFBJgY2eSCZ5QeGCQYBVa5HQSfGuNndiGNpM1LJDzxtYBRWRZDy3EvVrgHzNrG8lHTypBrubt4_83w_fsim9Wpg6zf6ssyQwFKcH8pWyAwg7BY7ed-Rne-DU_RDuxaH1/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_050.jpg"
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><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwmMObFBJgY2eSCZ5QeGCQYBVa5HQSfGuNndiGNpM1LJDzxtYBRWRZDy3EvVrgHzNrG8lHTypBrubt4_83w_fsim9Wpg6zf6ssyQwFKcH8pWyAwg7BY7ed-Rne-DU_RDuxaH1/w200-h113/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_050.jpg"
width="200" /></a
><a
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2HlTUskFEgY0aSNkJi3nUW2v1IEuu-XJzxClqWkA3W0gxDV8oql6Jr9cJjn7ScbV-fNeoLl12tzoefXq8riuOndgkAy_aSM8GTEug7azPHEUVnLGmceWI21Or-hsJhu_5XYC/w200-h113/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_051.jpg"
width="200"
/></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Perhaps the most poignant scene with the brooch is [Episode 32 TC
31:53]. Just as Zhu Yizhen is about to escape from Hong Kong with
her father and the other businessmen, she excuses herself from her
father's side and hurries toward the ship's deck. She fastens the brooch
as she enters the deck and hangs back amongst the crowd while looking out
for Lin Nansheng. As always, Zhu Yizhen is careful.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLdp6BQIU-8B4gUOr9sT7OCdScEYbuOeQIO-HhJQ9orvEDPeHbS7KeHuyteHf87J2R_2TXM5n9kle74gn-FqaOoKF_WfdpZunvzE8ZVxi2IIgFv8Vm8Fzvrpj5TjCFTCh6xf6/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_061.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLdp6BQIU-8B4gUOr9sT7OCdScEYbuOeQIO-HhJQ9orvEDPeHbS7KeHuyteHf87J2R_2TXM5n9kle74gn-FqaOoKF_WfdpZunvzE8ZVxi2IIgFv8Vm8Fzvrpj5TjCFTCh6xf6/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_061.jpg"
width="320"
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</div>
<br />
<div>
When she finally sees him, she moves to the railing and smiles an
emotion-filled but radiant smile. We've not seen Zhu Yizhen so open
with her feelings since her undergraduate days. Even as she left her
father's side to come to the deck, she had maintained an impenetrable
expression, though her taut body language and her shallow breathing
betrays her. After she spots him and approaches the railing, she is
still trying to contain her excitement but she fails and finally smiles a
teary smile. It's the first time they have seen each other since
they were wounded and separated in Shanghai, hence, this is also the first
time that they have seen each other since they both found out that they
had both survived. This is a momentous but also a bittersweet moment
for them because they can only view each other from a distance.
Although they cannot be together, they are both overjoyed that the other
person still lives because as Lin Nansheng said in a previous scene, being
alive is hope. There is no dialogue in this scene because they are
really too far to even say anything to each other but words are not needed
because their eyes and their expressions do all the talking for them.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBwOKoueVowChMRGNMv76tE5rGyuB59i-bhYizQvUHQYBzPUbf1ELyic3i8rldPA3asf3DP6fIQs9cL7vJkMbTLI4DfPUaw8xBIWn-pgg27e-Us3a698_0Qwqm-kOBW9UmdJd/s2048/The+Rebel+ZYZ+confesses+to+LaoJi.jpg"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBwOKoueVowChMRGNMv76tE5rGyuB59i-bhYizQvUHQYBzPUbf1ELyic3i8rldPA3asf3DP6fIQs9cL7vJkMbTLI4DfPUaw8xBIWn-pgg27e-Us3a698_0Qwqm-kOBW9UmdJd/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+confesses+to+LaoJi.jpg"
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/></a>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Later, after her return to Shanghai, while out on a mission, Zhu Yizhen
sees that Lin Nansheng has returned [Episode 35 TC 9:30] and she is
visibly troubled about it. When she meets Lao Ji to give him the
results of the mission [Episode 35 TC 14:41] she feels compelled to
confess to Lao Ji that she still cares for Lin Nansheng and she implies
that she's anxious about it because they are supposed to be enemies.
Lao Ji listens to her heart-breaking confession with compassion but is
unable to give her real comfort.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcxGZk_tPwrd1kX_ppRaXlC0fKPD13ZXlWOFPL7WcNfmYSHIGykQ0B9RkvM45iq2UHSnBguYGAAc19C8gOmZPHTh-duDSgsFhna14S9eORL2p0ebpmi71JneCnO0bK20cPEM_/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_066.jpg"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcxGZk_tPwrd1kX_ppRaXlC0fKPD13ZXlWOFPL7WcNfmYSHIGykQ0B9RkvM45iq2UHSnBguYGAAc19C8gOmZPHTh-duDSgsFhna14S9eORL2p0ebpmi71JneCnO0bK20cPEM_/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_066.jpg"
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/></a>
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<div>
[Episode 35 TC 20:11] After she returns home, she takes out the brooch,
looks at it pensively and is lost in thought. When Meng Annan knocks
to ask to enter the room, she swiftly hides it under a handkerchief.
After Meng Annan leaves the room, she takes the brooch out and looks sadly
at it before carefully wrapping it up in her handkerchief and placing it
in a drawer, as though she's putting her "heart" and her feelings hidden
away in the drawer.
</div>
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><img
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><a
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<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div>
The brooch shows up again in [Episode 37 TC 13:47]. Lin Nansheng is
following Chen Moqun because he is trying to get evidence to prove that
Chen Moqun and Wang Shian have a connection. Unfortunately, he is
thwarted by Meng Annan which turned out to be a blessing in disguise
because he ends up walking past a jeweller shop where he sees the restored
brooch sitting in the store window. There is a nice reflection of
the brooch on his suit, perhaps indicating that he too has a metaphorical
"brooch" in him. This discovery is significant for Lin Nansheng for
another reason. He will eventually use this brooch to find out where
Zhu Yizhen lives.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJi_Yx0Ak5t8uBz3qH1TNi5zNLAIHMhbZrFD2dNfdH_ZGGdrHmIpdzrq1bY06Psa7W2OhXb6Gzk2lqWbgEDWEEdTfC6jytdKGVAgPBCgVo4PJ2BLmkbSwTIEzxq6nr6h5NT-i/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_055.jpg"
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><img
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<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
The final time we see the brooch is in [Episode 39 TC 10:12]. As
described in greater detail in the music section, Zhu Yizhen had come to
pick it up at the jeweller's and she's pleased to see it whole
again. She has had the opportunity to get this brooch fixed in
Shanghai since she's moved back again for some time. However, she
had chosen to keep it hidden in the drawer till she saw Lin Nansheng
again. She had previously confessed that she was unable to
completely rid her heart of him to Lao Ji but in the end, she still chose
to make this broken brooch whole again. Although she feels that she
has to be wary of him and perhaps even try and change her feelings for
him, by this scene, it seems like she has decided to embrace that
contradiction for now.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
What I really wished they did with the ending in the last episode was to
continue with the use of the brooch. I felt that it would have been
perfect if she had worn that brooch when she called out to him and when he
turned around, he would have been able to take his time to admire it
resting on her chest without them both being divided by time and
distance. She would then be able to fully express her love for him
by proudly displaying it and he would have been able to fully receive that
love. Instead, they never cut back to her and the camera only
remained on Lin Nansheng which deprived Zhu Yizhen of what would have been
a well deserved full-on cathartic release. It also deprived viewers
of experiencing that moment with her. Poor Zhu Yizhen, unlike Lin
Nansheng, has been suppressing her emotions for about 2/3s of the series
and in the end, we still only get a weeping Lin Nansheng. What a
wasted opportunity for what could have been a powerful moment and what a
waste of how much they had done with the brooch till now.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><b>Chocolate</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The final prop of significance linking Lin Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen is
chocolate. Chocolate is often used as an expression of love, passion,
affection and concern which is why it is often used as a gift. In
<i>The Rebel</i>, Lin Nansheng also uses it to express his love, concern and
to lift her spirits. After he observed that Zhu Yizhen likes
chocolate, he started buying it for her later in the series.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvMzsjxNKXuFpk5n9IU6QqUH1zfa-tvanmX-fesi7r-lBQgoNAZhlSvoaX-OeNFqsFRINBcMkQWkWTCwZxRW7TtwdyCdCurCyAJhAr2tRJbiEOF19nMz9vGEI1oSJQfNDYeHx/s2048/The+Rebel+ZYZ+chocolate+001.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1152"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvMzsjxNKXuFpk5n9IU6QqUH1zfa-tvanmX-fesi7r-lBQgoNAZhlSvoaX-OeNFqsFRINBcMkQWkWTCwZxRW7TtwdyCdCurCyAJhAr2tRJbiEOF19nMz9vGEI1oSJQfNDYeHx/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+chocolate+001.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
In <i>The Rebel</i>, the first time we see chocolate in the series is
when Zhu Yizhen pulls it out of her bag and gives one piece to her friend
while she nibbles on a piece of her own. [Episode 7 TC 17:59]
Zhu Yizhen had just sneaked in from the basketball game. She is busy
chatting with her friend and sneaking a little snack to go with it instead
of paying attention to her lecturer. Lin Nansheng is sitting at the
back of the hall and while he is seen paying attention to the lecturer, he
must have observed that Zhu Yizhen likes chocolate.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2F1IlJEDou32ysn5pgBx-orrwbUSVXJQLUfgDxhD3d8J_4qLy1l41-mcYrfgQu2A7aXE4Sg2VZi7Tqeqhqnevn0SL8b9WS0-3fWyYwQpiBJvy5Srf_6tqbyol9wqBYofyteSI/s2048/The+Rebel+ZYZ+chocolate+002.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1148"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2F1IlJEDou32ysn5pgBx-orrwbUSVXJQLUfgDxhD3d8J_4qLy1l41-mcYrfgQu2A7aXE4Sg2VZi7Tqeqhqnevn0SL8b9WS0-3fWyYwQpiBJvy5Srf_6tqbyol9wqBYofyteSI/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+chocolate+002.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
[Episode 25 TC 22:48] After the couple saw the explosion that "killed" Lao
Ji, Lin Nansheng is frantic when Zhu Yizhen breaks down and later in a rare
moment of candour, she revealed the pain and guilt it was causing her.
He comforted her with some words of wisdom and a bowl of noodles then.
Still, when he bought her some necessities like several changes of clothing,
he took care to buy her chocolate to cheer her up too. It was a
gesture that Zhu Yizhen really took to heart because, in a later scene,
these pieces of chocolate will come to mean something more to her and also
bring her comfort.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx4W0RILWn1F6aInLZ7w7hrCP2YVXH4qTkXT8AOgrR3Mtrd4e81JT0Z65QvATc0UMiEBLygt5HZc7M' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
[Episode 26 TC 34:35] In an earlier scene, after reading the newspapers that
state that Lin Nansheng had "died" and where she had subsequently covered
her tear-filled eyes in despair, Zhu Yizhen now sits in silence, lost in
thought. Soon after that, she remembers that Lin Nansheng had given
her a name card and told her that she could use that to contact him in an
emergency. She searches desperately through her purse and in her haste
she pulls out the name card but did not notice that she had also pulled out
a piece of chocolate that she had dropped onto the table. She turns to
leave the room, pauses, hesitates and thought the better of it. She
turns back again and as she places the name card on the table, she bends
over and holds onto the table for support as her body sags a little.
As she breathes heavily, she remains undecided before she regains her
composure after some effort and then sinks wearily into the chair
again. Her eyes shift restlessly, betraying the turmoil beneath her
tautly held face before she abruptly realises that her hand had fallen on
something on the table. As she picks it up, she realises that it was a
piece of chocolate that Lin Nansheng had given her and as she struggles hard
to prevent herself from shedding tears, she grasps onto the piece of
chocolate as tightly as she grasps on to hope.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The sound design and music are very nice in this scene. In the
beginning, there is no music, just the silence of the room Zhu Yizhen is
in. It is so quiet, you can't seem to even hear ambient sound.
It feels cold, lonely, empty and in another space. It's like how Zhu
Yizhen must be feeling, isolated and detached. Then suddenly after she
snaps out of her trance, we hear the sound of her rummaging through her
purse, the chaos of that sound emphasising the franticness in her
heart. Then just as she pulled out the name card and the chocolate
from her bag, we hear the first strains of the music. First starting
with the melancholic sound of the violins before the melody builds and more
instruments join in. It's only after she sits down and has regained
some control of her emotions that the music ends and we cut to the next
scene.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
There is no dialogue in this scene only sound, music, mise-en-scene and
performance. Most of the meaning had to come from the actress
herself. Nice work from Tong Yao here, subtle and nuanced. It's
exactly how Zhu Yizhen should be.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41muKgPHw76dk0pyOvcgxxFDQigQrWiI8kKXVcoLpkCzjlGCBU8n6-dyL3rYUX2cROpP8aDYMxtzifhnKF_WtJA9nQNFwzinH8h3BIc1nsxfkI1Y6-P5cg_Lo0HWwNhqsgIte/s320/The+Rebel+ZYZ+chocolate+004.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The final time we see chocolate is in [Episode 27 TC 37:49]. It's the
same sequence like the one where he gives her the brooch but this happens
just before that. He's about to go on a dangerous mission and he had
bought her some supplies. Aside from some groceries, he had bought her
chocolate too. Interestingly, the series makers make a particular
point about this. As he is unpacking the groceries, his back is to her
and he tells her where to place the keys when she leaves in the next few
days. She hesitates briefly and with a hint of concern, she asks him,
if this means that he wasn't going to be returning for a long time.
After she asks him this question, he freezes. The camera shot is a
Mid-shot and tilts down, following his hands and stops as his hands with the
boxes of chocolate stop moving, in the middle of the frame emphasising the
abruptness of the moment and the importance of the boxes of chocolate.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
The packets of chocolate hang mid-air in his hands for some time before we
finally cut to a two-shot with Lin Nansheng in the foreground and Zhu Yizhen
in the background. As Lin Nansheng tries to decide what to say, she
continues to look intently at his back. She can't read his meaning so
she waits patiently. He finally turns after some time, looks directly
at her and says that he will definitely be back as soon as possible.
She senses that something is wrong, raises her eyes slightly to try and meet
his but quickly avoids his gaze, nods, her eyes still lowered as though she
doesn't wish to let him see her concern and disbelief before she
finally makes a sound of acknowledgement. He asks her to return
to her room for a while because he has something he needs to do. She
finally does look at him but her breathy okay and her hesitancy before she
leaves and her change of expression right before she walks away betrays the
worries she has internally.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Uh0b8ZrVkmzEUhNMp2lL_5js_GqGI7k7iSLZIXbMal84u04o-5Dhf_litUBnCf8MKQNzsyKsV3kZlizHtyHYVXw1cyV3970vMxSs9u31KMF9s4_cykFk8kTRNNakRDQ9Cerr/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_057.jpg"
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width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div>
Just as she walks away and approaches the door to her room, Lin Nansheng
turns towards her and at almost the same time she turns back towards him
quickly and somewhat impetuously, this juxtaposes with her previously
measured way of walking away which suggests that she's lost a little control
of her emotions. This movement reminds me so much of the kind of move
you see in musicals, as though they want to come towards each other
passionately. However, they both hold back.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVa5dlSI9cd5sQ1reDFy54G38l3QHtz2Us5zyAdSTeV-9haliRHYiZ8W58XAr3lRMSs2w4JiTGmKbROLcFnkAhneRa9sRaIpiUS4TwJUQdzD5dadv7GTNjOgoIdQmLoGKXqI2o/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_058.jpg"
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><img
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width="200" /></a
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIRocJuW5xhgnUGcNakRRrGo6v3du5DbYho34UXjOHBS-lTkISlCbqfKqa8c7SOrGZkMx6vDhoFTr-R9mB2jp73qE4GyOYX95YTuGlC6BX-61rYPmUap2-X3EvYM5qKMPksEP/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_056a.jpg"
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width="200"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
As a slight smile begins to build at the edge of Zhu Yizhen's lips, Lin
Nansheng looks intently at her. The shot cuts back to her and she
smiles a small but reassuring smile even as her eyes carry a touch of
sadness. On seeing her smile, he returns a sad half-smile.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibR5EeWzBDDiDPJYoE7TwQ6bJEOvwDpk15gtPJFBlgWwDNdTEgG9fMtozJISRtIqavH0jnthWmfAT1TeBfLOGQEHdkjHFyTqaMwcaAH2SykPLYvHDrAsmPqO2nvDcDJ6D_ajwB/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_059.jpg"
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><img
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width="200" /></a
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0FnktwRpDT0OGaViCDKHbTJGXhd3R9t62z05QzAiHUgk-XmPgWOOzQegVmyiRjBfT2p01Mw1cMS16DQzlfLjKfqT5D13A8fQarTlnQ1ad5C0zg6lBqTowMwxfwfuW5sSE0qS/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_056b.jpg"
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width="200"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<div>
After she sees his smile, she blinks her emotionally laden eyes and breaks
eye contact. There is a slight tremble in her lower lip before she
closes it into a determined straight line, turns quickly and walks briskly
into the room before closing the door.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
This is a lovely scene powered again mostly by mise-en-scene and
performance. There is a lot that is left unsaid. Their concern
for each other is presented in actions and even in inaction. It's
obvious they want to say more and do more but they both refrain.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
As has been typical of many of the Lin Nansheng x Zhu Yizhen scenes after
her return to Shanghai, Lin Nansheng does most of the talking in this
scene. In this scene, even though he talks more than her, he keeps it
pretty neutral and doesn't touch on anything emotional. Instead, how
he tries to express his feelings for her is by buying her stuff. He
buys her groceries so she doesn't have to leave the house too much. He
buys her chocolate because he knows she likes it and he buys her something
pretty, ie. the brooch. Zhu Yizhen, on the other hand, barely says
anything at all. She says a total of three short sentences, one word
and used exclamative particles twice in this scene. As she'd been
doing a lot of, she prefers to study him and likes to watch him
wordlessly. And when she wants to express her concern for him, she
mostly uses actions. She wants to know if he's eaten, when he says he
has, she pours him water to drink. When he puts the groceries away,
she looks at him and suddenly she thinks of another thing she can do for him
and goes to make his bed. When he says he needs her to go back to her
room so that he can get some work done, she complies after she gives him a
comforting smile.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhclhNbX7INNGNHnt5IvZ84QcXzzorv0gDDfPjnYecpYsaM4GhNhiSNg6u_kLGFu1XmHAFh1MIiBYeGsKiQcgL3lARyqOXxc_PKO-Of8LYoap0TLU5VGIt91P0UC1QxQyGE9nEK/s1681/The+Rebel+ZYZ+sits+after+looking+at+brooch.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
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data-original-height="1102"
data-original-width="1681"
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</div>
<br />
<div>
The music in this scene is nice too. They use a version of Tchaikovsky
<i>The Seasons June: Barcarolle</i> which is one of the pieces of music that
link the couple. At first, we just have a quiet piano playing.
Then just after Zhu Yizhen asks him if he will be gone for a long time, the
deep sounds of the cello kick in seemingly representative of Lin Nansheng's
internal voice. At the same time, they introduce some higher notes,
possibly from a harp, and this seems to represent Zhu Yizhen waiting
expectantly for an answer. After he says that he will definitely try
and be back as soon as possible, more instruments join in and the music
builds and dips at the moment when they both turn to face each other.
Then it increases in volume and intensity and builds even more near the end
of this sequence till after she sits down after opening the box that
contains the brooch.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
This is the last time we see chocolate in the series because after this Lin
Nansheng and Zhu Yizhen will be separated for some time. When they
meet again, he won't have the opportunity to give her any more gifts.
While they were able to work together in some capacity in the middle of the
series because they had a common enemy, i.e. the Japanese, by the last
section of the series they were well and truly on opposite sides. By
then, the Japanese had already lost the war and the fight was now between
the Kuomintang and the Communists. Although Lin Nansheng had already
defected to the Communists, Zhu Yizhen will not know that till the final
episode and Lin Nansheng was not able to tell her that till then too.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
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</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div><b>CONCLUSION</b></div>
<div><br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
I must really commend the series makers for putting so much thought into
building this relationship. This was not the easiest of relationships
to build given how many constraints the script and the series makers placed
on themselves. Both Tong Yao and Zhu Yilong did an excellent job too
with expressing the contradictions and the internal conflict that their
characters had to deal with when it came to their relationship. The
two actors had a lot of chemistry too which helped make this relationship
where so much is left unsaid work.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
I do wish that they had given Zhu Yizhen a more momentous and emotional
moment at the end of the series. I really wished they had cut back to
her and finally allowed this character to let out all the emotion she had
suppressed for 2/3s of the series. Seriously, Zhu Yizhen deserves at
least that. But alas, they still chose to just focus as much as
possible on Lin Nansheng which is something that I felt was a flaw in
<i>The Rebel </i>and something I also expressed in the review on the
series. I felt that that was a mistake because it just felt like such
an injustice for Zhu Yizhen not to finally get her moment. Also,
because I can imagine just how much more impactful that would have been, it
just felt like such a wasted opportunity.
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Tong Yao had a difficult job because her character was the most guarded,
reserved, restrained and taciturn in the series which meant that many scenes
had to be played very subtly and very nuanced. I thought she did a
very good job but I know that some people on Weibo wanted her to go bigger
and was critical of her for not going bigger. I, however,
disagree. I think this interpretation of Zhu Yizhen is the correct one
and I agree with director Zhou You for directing Tong Yao to play it this
way. I wish to address this by writing about this character and why I
liked this character in my planned third post on this series. (Hopefully, I
will be able to finish that sooner rather than later. 😅 )
</div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>
Finally, if you made it this far. Thank you for reading. I know
the review and this post were pretty long. I hope you enjoyed reading
it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you would like to discuss the
series, I would be happy to but please do keep it civil, thanks.
</div>
</div>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-74697286441821911142021-07-01T08:24:00.011+08:002022-01-03T00:59:56.498+08:00Review / Comments ~ The Rebel (叛逆者) 2021<p>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>#review #TheRebel #叛逆者 #ZhuYilong #朱一龙 #TongYao #童瑶 #WangYang
#WangZhiwen # ZhuZhu #LiQiang</span
>
</p>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"
>(For capsule reviews and links to other reviews of Tong Yao's work,
please <a
href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/p/tong-yao-film-tv-guide-for-fans.html"
>CLICK ME</a
>)</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><span
>(For Additional Comments 1 ~ USE OF MISE-EN-SCENE AND NARRATIVE
ELEMENTS TO CREATE MEANING - Lin Nansheng + Zhu Yizhen</span
></span
><span style="font-family: arial;">,</span
><span style="font-family: arial;"> please </span
><a
href="https://kiasukid.blogspot.com/2021/07/The-Rebel-Chinese-Drama-Comments-1-ZhuYilong-TongYao.html"
style="font-family: arial;"
>CLICK ME</a
><span style="font-family: arial;">) </span></span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><span
>(For Additional Comments 2 on The Rebel, please CLICK
ME </span
></span
><span style="font-family: arial;"
>-- currently WIP, will update this post when the link is ready)</span
></span
>
</div>
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width="400" /></a
></span>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><i>The Rebel</i> is an espionage series set in China during the
Republican Era. The story centres on a young cadet, Lin Nansheng
林楠笙 (actor: Zhu Yilong 朱一龙) who was plucked out of military
school even before graduating by the head of the Shanghai Branch of the
Fuxing Society to help flush out the Communists spies in the city.
Chen Moqun 陈默群 (actor: Wang Yang 王阳) is mostly concerned
about trying to capture a mole within the Shanghai Branch. He
decided to recruit a new face into his team because he knew that there was
a mole in his branch and had begun to suspect everyone there. He
chose Lin Nansheng because he noticed the young man's intelligence and
powers of observation.</span
>
<a name='more'></a>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"
><a
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title="Zhu Yilong 朱一龙 as Lin Nansheng"
width="320" /></a
></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>When their only lead to the Postman is assassinated, they discovered
that university undergraduate Zhu Yizhen 朱怡贞 (actor: Tong Yao
童瑶) may have had some contact with the Postman. Hence, Chen
Moqun instructed Lin Nansheng to get close to her and in the process try
to find a way to enter the Communist underground. In spite of his
misgivings, Lin Nansheng complied. Chen Moqun's attempt to capture this
undercover agent code named Postman made up the bulk of the first arc of
the series.</span
>
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title="Tong Yao 童瑶 as Zhu Yizhen"
width="320" /></a
></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Our main protaganist is Lin Nansheng and the story traces his growing
disillusionment with the Kuomingtang and him eventually turning into an
undercover agent for the Communists. This isn't even a spoiler
because it's in all the synopsis and promo material for this
series.</span
>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>There are a few things that non-Mainland Chinese viewers need to have
if they are to attempt to enjoy this series. The most important
one is to have an open mind. This series isn't made for us, it's
made for Mainland Chinese viewers and in their worldview, the Communists
are the good guys. If you can't get past that, then don't bother
attempting this. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>The other issue one may have is that the politics of that era maybe a
bit confusing. It certainly was for me. I certainly don't
know what the different factions in the Kuomintang were nor who some of
the historical figures they mention are. I was also not sure what
the rivalry was about in the last part of the series after Shanghai was
liberated from the Japanese. That said, this shouldn't deter you
from attempting this series. Just think in broad strokes and don't
get bogged down in the details because it's not really that
important. All you really need to know is that there's the
Kuomingtang vs the Communist and both of them vs the Japanese.
Sometimes different groups in the Kuomintang fight each other. If
you arm yourself with this knowledge, then you should not have big
issues figuring things out. However, if you wish to gain more
knowledge about the politics of this era, this page (<a
href="https://inf.news/en/entertainment/a3917466c2dce740d0b8085926ad3b30.html"
target="_blank"
>CLICK ME</a
>) is a good read and I do recommend reading it even if it's after
viewing the series. </span
>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Although, the main plot isn't exactly a mystery, the series is still way
above average. Production values are generally relatively
high. Lighting is quite nice for the most part. The tense and
opening sequence already signalled clearly what they hoped to achieve
stylistically in the series and for the most part, they did achieve
it. The nice atmospheric lighting and an exhilarating chase scene
set a good tone for the first main arc as they played a cat & mouse
game with the Communists undercover agents. </span
>
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></span>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Sets are also generally quite nice. Interiors set designs are well
designed and decorated appropriately. Many were quite beautifully
lit too. I'm not sure if they are all historically accurate but from
an untrained eye, they managed to recreated that era quite
believably. Background music is also good and well used; not
intrusive and helps to accentuate the mood and tone of scenes and
sequences. There were several pieces with a regular pulsating beat
that really helped to create tension, expectation or suspense which I
quite liked. Pacing is also generally quite good and the events
kept rolling along which helps to hold interest even though it's 43
episodes long. There were a few scenes and sequences that I felt
they could have dropped in Hong Kong, particularly the sequence where Lin
Nansheng goes buy medication. I'm not sure it they were absolutely
necessary or if they really added anything to the series but since the
pacing of the series was still okay, it's just a minor quibble.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Also they seemed to have also broken the Chekov's Gun principle with
regards to a pen </span
><span style="font-family: arial;"
>Zhuo Qiuming 左秋明 (actor: Dai Xu 代旭) gives Lin Nansheng
twice in the series. It didn't seem to have served any real
purpose.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Technically, the series wasn't bad for the most part. Action scenes in
the beginning were mostly well choreographed and shot, although I do
have an issue with the last shoot-out in the final episode where I felt
that they could have afforded to spend more time on. That final
shoot-out by the river was a little underwhelming.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>From one of the behind-the-scenes video that I watched, they used
practical effects for a number of the bigger explosions which is
nice. Camerawork is nice and fluid when needed. They
also used squibs for bullet hits and blanks for the guns in the wider
shots, as far as I can tell. That's nice, because not all
productions do this these days, some productions, even in the West, will
replace some of it with VFX.</span
>
</div>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>VFX is generally not too bad with no horribly noticeable issues with
the exception of some of the comp on the roof top scenes & one
really bad one by the sea in HK. There seems to be some issues
with the key on Lin Nansheng's hair. The background's horizon
line seems off too and that horrendous shot composition which I
suspect was the result of them not being able to fix some issues in
VFX. That two shot of Lin Nansheng and Zhuo Qiuming has Zhuo
Qiuming nearly completely cut-off. The screen capture below
isn't a pan shot, they held that shot in this composition before they
cut to the next shot. Some of the camera moves seemed a little
odd too. I'm usually quite good at tuning out technical
imperfections when I watch films and dramas but this particular one
was too obviously problematic that even I could not tune it out.</span
>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>A lot of the series is quite event driven and these events are quite well
written and logical. They had a clever and believable way to drive
the espionage portions of this series with regards to the
Communists. The Communists had organized themselves very well with
the more important agents having at most only two contacts that they meet
face-to-face, one upstream and one downstream. Some, like the
Postman, mostly only contacts one agent. This keeps the top agents
safe because if, for example, when a low level agent like Zhu Yizhen is
captured, she won't be able to give up the Postman because her upstream
agent is Lao Ji. So there can be several layers of protection for
the most important agents. This makes it believable that the
Kuomintang would have such a difficult time trying to destroy their
underground network.</span
>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"
><a
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></span>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>However, there are some disadvantages to the system that the Communists
use. If for example, the upstream agent is lost for whatever
reason. It can be difficult or there can be a delay for the
downstream agent to get in contact with their superiors. Also if
they need to ascertain an agent's identity, it can be time consuming
too. This was actually effectively used in the series several times
to either explain why events had to be delayed or to add tension and
suspense.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>One other major reason why this series is so watchable is because the
cast was extremely good. Aside from Zhu Yilong who plays the
protagonist, all the support actors and even those that play minor
characters played their parts very well. There is essentially only
one protagonist and everyone supports him. As this is also a very
male-centric series, even the first female lead (Zhu Yizhen) is very much
a support character and probably has even less screen time than some of
the male support characters. Still everyone played their parts well
from Zhu Yilong to Xia Minghao 夏铭浩 who plays Sun Fuan
孙福安.</span
>
</div>
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></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>The main players aside from Lin Nansheng are Chen Moqun, Gu
Zhenyan 顾慎言 aka Lao Gu (actor: Wang Zhiwen 王志文) who's the
Postman and Ji Zhongyuan 纪中原 aka Lao Ji aka Fisherman (actor: Li
Qiang 李强). It was a lot of fun watching them make moves and counter
moves. </span
>
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></span>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Wang Yang was particularly charismatic as Chen Moqun and it was easy to
understand why his team was loyal to him in the
beginning. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"
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></span>
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Wang Zhiwen's Gu Zhenyan was also really fun to watch here. On
the surface he was someone who seemed unambitious and subservient but
when he needed to ferret out information and counter Chen Moqun's moves,
his eyes take on a purpose in an instance.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXd8KAAKCIkNsKzHyw61zg1pXKrw1kLZrDCPlt6Lpnh6-OqzCKPE1ymsFqmuOqh7D95jT-wUHlLfgJGvdAUvzAEP7wqhTRq80kZ3N7jlXuHqyhuAmhAbkTpHPH-q4eRvHXYq2/s2048/Li+Qiang+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1365"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXd8KAAKCIkNsKzHyw61zg1pXKrw1kLZrDCPlt6Lpnh6-OqzCKPE1ymsFqmuOqh7D95jT-wUHlLfgJGvdAUvzAEP7wqhTRq80kZ3N7jlXuHqyhuAmhAbkTpHPH-q4eRvHXYq2/s320/Li+Qiang+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
width="320" /></a
></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Li Qiang's Ji Zhongyuan may not be too eye catching in the beginning
but he will grow in significance and statue over time. I really
like Lao Ji. He's calm, collected and decisive. He's like a
mentor to Zhu Yizhen and perhaps the only one she really opens up
to.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg48ygA1VitWwytKZ5YVYscf_87WnIEpkd6LPjBrwThw74M9K6RrS1R0K1fvXhzjfO_4a5kh2Nz8AtZoBcc5USkXYjBdbRD6baOhRaqrrdT0WP804gdrTZGw3UNAaIs7dv3ke/s2048/Zhang+Zixian+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1365"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg48ygA1VitWwytKZ5YVYscf_87WnIEpkd6LPjBrwThw74M9K6RrS1R0K1fvXhzjfO_4a5kh2Nz8AtZoBcc5USkXYjBdbRD6baOhRaqrrdT0WP804gdrTZGw3UNAaIs7dv3ke/s320/Zhang+Zixian+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
width="320" /></a
></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>And finally, Wang Shian 王世安 (actor: Zhang Zixian 张子贤 )
turned out to be my favourite antagonist in the series. By the
middle of the series, I liked Wang Shian more than Chen
Moqun. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>This cast is a very experienced cast and are very well directed
too. It's clear what kind of tone the director wanted which is why
except for Lin Nansheng who's allowed to emote a lot more, all the other
actors kept their performances understated with varying levels of
subtlety and nuance, depending on their characters' design. There
is very little melodrama in this series, even when some very traumatic
things happened to the female characters in the series, we don't get the
melodrama that is often assigned to them in the script. The
chemistry between cast members was also very good. Even scenes
when little is said, for example, the Lin Nansheng x Zhu Yizhen
scenes after her return to Shanghai in the middle of the series, the two
actors managed to communicate meaning with their performances. I
was also liked Zhu Yizhen and her father very much.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7pRu1TJvgt1S_e77_yOiVkosC8-c98FIVQ6abe1h-u0m3ultZ_kSJZ1N-M8ccPS2vkWzLEo32_DLoyg7MiYjoadDwDvss0H94LdQg9Od3vaBLbyWLDdHeyX1FQNETiWN5guE/s1715/Tong+Yao+The+Rebel+002.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1102"
data-original-width="1715"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7pRu1TJvgt1S_e77_yOiVkosC8-c98FIVQ6abe1h-u0m3ultZ_kSJZ1N-M8ccPS2vkWzLEo32_DLoyg7MiYjoadDwDvss0H94LdQg9Od3vaBLbyWLDdHeyX1FQNETiWN5guE/s320/Tong+Yao+The+Rebel+002.jpg"
width="320" /></a
></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>I am particularly fond of the two main female leads in the series
because even though they get less screen time and aren't always
integrated into the main action well; they are very memorable. The
lead female role Zhu Yizhen, played by Tong Yao, goes through a few arcs
and is arguable one of the more difficult characters to play in the
series because after we see her as a young, lively girl with a sparkle
in her eyes, subsequent events will cause that bright clearness in her
eyes to dim considerably. Henceforth, Zhu Yizhen, who isn't an
overly demonstrative person to begin with, becomes very guarded,
reserved and cautious. To express the essence of this character,
Tong Yao had to make sure that she had to be very subtle and nuanced
especially since she spends a large part of the series hiding her inner
most thoughts and feelings from almost everyone. Yet, because her
character's relationship with Lin Nansheng changes over time, she had to
make sure to vary that nuance as well. I'm of the opinion that she
did a lovely job given that Zhu Yizhen in the latter half of the series
is the most guarded and wary of all the characters in the series;
arguably even more so than Lao Ji.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9mLpclLTiYzFY-uAw7OMuoNRFtvA9MwIpvyJCQxKHkz1fqGLPw09JXicuEfhRBVkyHNt6Uw2qmGF2YKlu-oee6-0Xb00LsnsijGDpTMsxuWnQq3pyAdXK2G13aHqG8ly2m_d/s2048/Zhu+Zhu+The+Rebel+002.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1365"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9mLpclLTiYzFY-uAw7OMuoNRFtvA9MwIpvyJCQxKHkz1fqGLPw09JXicuEfhRBVkyHNt6Uw2qmGF2YKlu-oee6-0Xb00LsnsijGDpTMsxuWnQq3pyAdXK2G13aHqG8ly2m_d/s320/Zhu+Zhu+The+Rebel+002.jpg"
width="320" /></a
></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>The second female lead is Zhu Zhu 朱珠 who plays dance hostess Lan
Xinjie 蓝心洁. Zhu Zhu is suitably sensuous without going
overboard. She plays a tragic figure and has a pretty moving
character arc. She plays several roles in the series because she's
not just a dance hostess, she's also a mother, victim, friend and
ally. And she handled all of them well. Resilient and brave;
Lan Xinjie is a very likeable character and is arguably the character
that viewers will find the easiest to form an emotional bond with, next
to perhaps Lin Nansheng, because her character arc is probably the
second most emotional one next to Lin Nansheng's.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiXVX-Em2qoe0jGneuxEHIRwFEfrtZ-FFZsB6gWacBeyeTnS0MQjmHL-Y7gSRXl6_bqy4DOp6zNx9F4DnP-tBY14LPp1RxFu1JsCi4JuP1mEucJSQq_JIrzcBGsc75vAIczvR/s1920/Zhu+Yilong+The+Rebel+03.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1080"
data-original-width="1920"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiXVX-Em2qoe0jGneuxEHIRwFEfrtZ-FFZsB6gWacBeyeTnS0MQjmHL-Y7gSRXl6_bqy4DOp6zNx9F4DnP-tBY14LPp1RxFu1JsCi4JuP1mEucJSQq_JIrzcBGsc75vAIczvR/s320/Zhu+Yilong+The+Rebel+03.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Even though there is much to like about <i>The Rebel</i>, it does
have one major flaw. It's main imperfection is that it's focus is
too narrow. The story is literally just about Lin Nansheng and
everyone else supports that. While that on it's own isn't always a
bad thing but the problem with <i>The Rebel</i> is that some
of that time could have gone into building up the other characters and
their relationships with each other, as well as with Lin
Nansheng. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>With the exception of the opening section, Lin Nansheng will take over
as the main focus of the action soon after we meet him and literally
almost everything revolves around him. While his fans will love it
and may quite possibly think that this series is a masterpiece just
because of this point alone; I'm of the opinion that it did a disservice
to its host of fine support characters and actors. They could have
done with more more screen time to flesh them out better, give them a
little background, more detailed emotional development and for them to
build more powerful emotional connections with the viewers as
well. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn5715c5zY9CG5ey7mK_sUmNAqTu5NuMq1QdjC_H4YivNt3MxGnVq4OO66Alb8LZ2ZO2_ihSCSA_R_K_x_Bit-ly1l5pXjbsSzhVdomFNvxj0_nZo5g3mAmh_TXnH7Vkamy6K/s2048/Zhu+Yilong+The+Rebel+04.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1365"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn5715c5zY9CG5ey7mK_sUmNAqTu5NuMq1QdjC_H4YivNt3MxGnVq4OO66Alb8LZ2ZO2_ihSCSA_R_K_x_Bit-ly1l5pXjbsSzhVdomFNvxj0_nZo5g3mAmh_TXnH7Vkamy6K/s320/Zhu+Yilong+The+Rebel+04.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><br />Zhu Yilong did a good job as Lin Nansheng. We see him cry, suffer,
grief and hurt and he did a fine job with each scene because he really had
to express many different ways that Lin Nansheng suffers. But
after awhile, I started to get a little desensitized because it seemed
like he was just being emotional all the time and by the time he finds
himself in Hong Kong, the emotional impact was a little dampen.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>While the other characters do get scenes and snippets to show that they
too suffer, grief and bleed emotionally too, the number of scenes of Lin
Nansheng's suffering was so overwhelming that it almost felt like he was
the only one who suffers, the only one that grieves and the only one that
bleeds emotionally. After a while I kind of felt it was a little
unbalanced and that the other characters deserved a bit more love
too.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3ZZbzx5jLN0W164qLS75z3fHHAujIp4R4R-eHVnEmSRIW_A8duKOXCzs87k7rbaA2CpVMplpkinQFHJyPSMDifyqPXkH5qON8cyqolrK4Sm9v5PDr7dIDurUJDcGBLhppHDy/s1920/Wang+Zhiwen+Li+Qiang+The+Rebel.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1080"
data-original-width="1920"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3ZZbzx5jLN0W164qLS75z3fHHAujIp4R4R-eHVnEmSRIW_A8duKOXCzs87k7rbaA2CpVMplpkinQFHJyPSMDifyqPXkH5qON8cyqolrK4Sm9v5PDr7dIDurUJDcGBLhppHDy/s320/Wang+Zhiwen+Li+Qiang+The+Rebel.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Most of the main support characters are painted in broad strokes.
Chen Moqun has it better than the others because his character has a
story arc that goes though much more change. Still, what do we
know about Chen Moqun, Gu Zhenyan, Ji Zhongyuan and Wang Shian?
Virtually nothing. We only know that Chen Moqun and Gu Zhenyan
were comrades in arms. Why did the two men choose such vastly
different paths? No idea. Why is Chen Moqun so obsessed with
crushing the communists? No idea. I remember only one line
of significance when he was talking to Lin Nansheng. He mentions
something like the Communist would show them no mercy too.
However, we never find out what happened to him that would make Chen
Moqun so unbending in his attitude. We never find out why his
methods in the beginning were so merciless. Most memorable
villains have a good backstory because viewers can understand, maybe
even relate & empathise with them even if they don't agree but the
antagonists here are not that complex.</span
>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><div style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: center;'>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
><a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQlh1L9cvnO7de1jdxY3F7xJfqXNpCN2sIrBmuQXkP-0zlKSY-6nGezE3XnXpUMdvbE20_H946Y5-stZ0JIrVwOvhvsx25XaDSdT7j-ET6CS618fVRIwdEuU01Rcn-6tgnKh2/s2048/ZhuZhu+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1365"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQlh1L9cvnO7de1jdxY3F7xJfqXNpCN2sIrBmuQXkP-0zlKSY-6nGezE3XnXpUMdvbE20_H946Y5-stZ0JIrVwOvhvsx25XaDSdT7j-ET6CS618fVRIwdEuU01Rcn-6tgnKh2/s320/ZhuZhu+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
width="320" /></a
></span>
</div>
<div style='font-family: "Times New Roman";'>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style='font-family: "Times New Roman";'>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Interestingly enough, even though the only two female characters of
note have less screen time them most of the male characters mentioned
above, they turned out to be the most well developed of the
characters. Both have familial relationships and have relatable
desires and goals. Zhu Yizhen actually has a backstory that does
have some influence on why she would find Lin Nansheng
attractive. They also have the most growth in the series; that
is, they change and they change significantly and logically.
Except for Chen Moqun who changes a little and Wang Shian to a lesser
extent, characters like Lao Ji and Gu Zhenyan don't change too much at
all.</span
>
</div></span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>That's not to say that some of the more significant support characters
didn't have scenes to show some of their own struggle or a little insight
to their characters. I remember there was one scene when Lao Ji
gives advice to Gu Zhenyan as they shared some kind of hotpot. That
was a pretty good scene and one of the few times, maybe even only time,
they have a good chat that isn't just strictly about operational
stuff. Zhu Yizhen has a few good ones later in the series with Lao
Ji. It's just that they were few and far between and they often get
lost in all the events and Lin Nansheng's suffering that viewers may
forget that these little scenes that give us that precious little insight
to these characters existed.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBNVtcldlAlKHXcsNjj9kkgZ2MzUpMfyP82VZ9ne-HA5Pv3UpM1mWKeEhqQw-zVXQFHxPgPX3rJRNJOsLIe0aWikLtfG7iIqddNN350v0osZUkdOdZTlmwRI5oPncxALTn4xV/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_022.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1150"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBNVtcldlAlKHXcsNjj9kkgZ2MzUpMfyP82VZ9ne-HA5Pv3UpM1mWKeEhqQw-zVXQFHxPgPX3rJRNJOsLIe0aWikLtfG7iIqddNN350v0osZUkdOdZTlmwRI5oPncxALTn4xV/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_022.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Also, because they concentrated so much on Lin Nansheng's journey
towards Communism, they neglected to give him a very strong
backstory. Although he does talk about his childhood briefly when
he was pretending to be the university teacher, it was bereft of
details. He told Zhu Yizhen that he lived in a beautiful quiet
village with his mother and older brother. He also told her that
he came to Shanghai because he wanted to fight against the growing
threat of the Japanese. He said that he had spoken to students who
had experienced the <a
href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukden_Incident"
target="_blank"
>Mukden Incident</a
> and he realised that he was all talk and no action. So he
had come to Shanghai to be at the frontlines of the battle since the
Japanese army was stationed in Shanghai. This should be mostly
true since when Lin Nansheng was "romancing" Zhu Yizhen in the
beginning, he was able to move and convince her because he was showing
her his true and most sincere self most of the time.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9PBgNMCJk9r3IDjY_WtxHaNPfeRRXNMQ91JmpmHL9ZRGlINPmoEmnMS4tKZpX3PUHEZQzoAhffA2EbFVsIRkr7ZNFdXCxWOXxkiw2vTg-pvj1is1QCyaIsrDcOcQJIX7Kwrj/s1920/Zhu+Yilong+Wang+Yang+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1080"
data-original-width="1920"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9PBgNMCJk9r3IDjY_WtxHaNPfeRRXNMQ91JmpmHL9ZRGlINPmoEmnMS4tKZpX3PUHEZQzoAhffA2EbFVsIRkr7ZNFdXCxWOXxkiw2vTg-pvj1is1QCyaIsrDcOcQJIX7Kwrj/s320/Zhu+Yilong+Wang+Yang+The+Rebel+01.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>While this is a good beginning for a backstory for Lin Nansheng and it
does show that he is passionately patriotic, however, that's kind of a
basic thing you would expect any young patriot to believe in. This
doesn't quite explain why he chose to join the Juntong and remained
loyal to it for a good part of the series even though it was
increasingly clear to him that the organization he was part of was
corrupt. I also could not figure out why he still had faith in
Chen Moqun even after observing his methods in the beginning. Lin
Nansheng was clearly uncomfortable with having to deceive Zhu
Yizhen. He was clearly uncomfortable with Chen Moqun torturing
people and killing them even though he didn't have a shred of
proof. Yet, Lin Nansheng seemed to retain an unwavering belief in
Chen Moqun to the point that when Chen Moqun makes a life altering
decision in the middle of the series, Lin Nansheng was devastated.</span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixv8GJiG8WJqhTAAxVGoPSNWhHsa_tZbEPAwYekuS3GM8-y8aopRdm0sCrJmqpctlBNOs2V3xO9_TAONRCommqoF5ZGizIovTvGhXEMFYqYuS6ZhWNly_SPc6cVZNUh3pqKY-e/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_021.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1148"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixv8GJiG8WJqhTAAxVGoPSNWhHsa_tZbEPAwYekuS3GM8-y8aopRdm0sCrJmqpctlBNOs2V3xO9_TAONRCommqoF5ZGizIovTvGhXEMFYqYuS6ZhWNly_SPc6cVZNUh3pqKY-e/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_021.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>It's also hard to understand why he was so convinced that the way
he had initially chosen was the correct one. The script didn't
seem to have address this sufficiently. Perhaps they should have
shown more clearly that he was slowly moving towards the brink of
looking for a better way to fight the causes he believed so deeply
in. I know the script wanted him to reach his lowest point in Hong
Kong and that's when he accidentally listens to the broadcast of Mao
Zedong's writings which is the most direct reason for his decision to
change sides. But they could still have given him baby steps and
not just have him simply feel disillusioned and depressed for a long
time. I kind of wanted to see some exploration of options, is what
I'm trying to say. I do agree that it's interesting to have a
character make this change not because someone he considers a lover or a
mentor influenced him. Still, I think to just show him
disappointed with the Juntong but still so doggedly loyal kind of makes
his decision to flip in Hong Kong feel a little passive.</span
>
</div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPSSj09Fw2Yu2cV04oucSRIoWQMrnFcsxa4yCE_49cBBKUe_Fp__hs2ityz6Co8GLa-XlVfhSGE7vL1MVhOGYhVu7hXzjr29KN2d3nfuI59Mcc8FsS5rTYidRfSVF1xUcm21n/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_023.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1142"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPSSj09Fw2Yu2cV04oucSRIoWQMrnFcsxa4yCE_49cBBKUe_Fp__hs2ityz6Co8GLa-XlVfhSGE7vL1MVhOGYhVu7hXzjr29KN2d3nfuI59Mcc8FsS5rTYidRfSVF1xUcm21n/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_023.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Sometimes, while watching <i>The Rebel</i>, it felt like at it's
core it was simply a story about Lin Nansheng and his arduous journey of
change. It lacks just that little bit of depth that could have
elevated this to a classic. If they gave their support characters'
sacrifices more emphasis and made it not just about one man's journey
but many people's journey, it might have added a little more
depth. It doesn't have to be a lot, Lin Nansheng can still be the
main protagonist but sometimes by simply lengthening a sequence or
adding a scene or two to give these support characters that little bit
more of an emotional intensity and that impact and connection with
audiences can be achieved. </span
>
</div>
<div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Or maybe if this series was a character study of a man with all his
glorious flaws, it might have greater impact. It's a pity that the
script tended to gloss over Lin Nanshengs "imperfections". For
example after he cheated Zhu Yizhen and pretty much made it difficult
for her to fully trust almost anyone again, the script seems to want to
make it all okay because he risked his life to save her. What Lin
Nansheng did to Zhu Yizhen is quite a contemptible thing to do but
Lin Nansheng doesn't spend a lot of time regretting the hurt he cost
her. His later suffering over this act seemed mostly about him
regretting that it resulted in their separation and not about the pain
or the permanent emotional damage he caused her. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMnIvKr6u9e-32ZKBEFWz5NulV9-BcYGiZJTASBa6_hpBdvCg2mZi_HcK47f0axOsTpIywNw8852zDE8ndFHomUnboaZk8R425JsW-JVb1Cnt3bUiHnSXA5yXOrd5mLxB6R4F/s2048/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_026.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><span style="font-family: arial;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1152"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMnIvKr6u9e-32ZKBEFWz5NulV9-BcYGiZJTASBa6_hpBdvCg2mZi_HcK47f0axOsTpIywNw8852zDE8ndFHomUnboaZk8R425JsW-JVb1Cnt3bUiHnSXA5yXOrd5mLxB6R4F/s320/The+Rebel+Chinese+Drama+SC_026.jpg"
width="320" /></span
></a>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Furthermore, even when Lin Nansheng does anything rash, the script will
provide him a sound reason for doing it. So he never really needs
to suffer and agonise over how his actions may have permanently affected
anyone adversely. It's like he is never truly haunted by any of
the choices he has had to make. Instead, all of his suffering is
because of the clash of his noble beliefs versus the reality he lived
in. Lin Nansheng wants to serve his people and his nation but his
situation prevents him from doing so and so he suffers and suffers and
suffers but he never suffers because he's wronged
anyone. </span
>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>But I suppose if they did try and do a character study, this could have
been a very different story and might have turned out darker than they
wanted it to. It's a bit of a pity because a little more depth
would have been nice. There were opportunities to introduce some
greyness it the script but they wanted to maintain his "goodness".
I wonder if it might partly be because this series finished screening
just before the 100th Anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party on
the 1st July 2021. Maybe they wanted to celebrate the heroes of
that generation and Lin Nansheng was that representative, hence they
wanted him to be blameless but this is just speculation on my
part. </span
>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: arial;">CONCLUSION</span></b>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial;"
>Still, even though <i>The Rebel</i> has it's flaws, it's
still a good and enjoyable series. I won't hesitate recommending
it to a Chinese drama fan who's looking for something to watch.
The pacing, the intricacy of the espionage elements, the performances
from the entire cast, the production values, the good use of music,
the attention to details etc far outweigh it's
flaws. </span
>
</div>
<div><br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-40263094140156918032020-10-04T19:09:00.008+08:002022-01-03T01:00:48.926+08:00Olympus OM-2s - Another new camera. :D <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4AqAjdiUJCiXCzxBxcKIVipZDNPUHQSfrapc_WgAzqi17jyRwO2sxeimtF1R24prxYFxq-suQpJDyeluPRPPQlrPPyrm0ecZsfMleYfNypKlXSdAgEnU6E4SV74UeYtnq70W/s2048/Olympus+OM-2s+w+Illford+HP5.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1536"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4AqAjdiUJCiXCzxBxcKIVipZDNPUHQSfrapc_WgAzqi17jyRwO2sxeimtF1R24prxYFxq-suQpJDyeluPRPPQlrPPyrm0ecZsfMleYfNypKlXSdAgEnU6E4SV74UeYtnq70W/s320/Olympus+OM-2s+w+Illford+HP5.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<p>
I'm well and truly obsessed with photography again. I picked up yet
another camera last week and have been trying to learn how to use it.
While I'm not new to 35mm cameras, I've never used a camera that only has
manual focus. I didn't learn photography on one of the classic cameras
like the Pentax K1000 or the Canon AE-1 etc. I learnt my photography
mostly on a Minolta Dynax 500si. I'm not counting the cameras I used for
snap shots before I started learning it in school. :)
</p>
<p>
I loved my Minolta and I shot hundreds of shots on it. If I remember
correctly, you could turn off auto focus on it but I mostly relied on the
autofocus. I did, however, shoot mostly on manual because that was
encouraged in class and I was a serious student. :P
</p>
<a name='more'></a>
<p>
I was also introduced to the wonderful world of plastic and toy cameras in
school and I still love them till today. I have quite a few plastic
cameras and Holgas and I still have interest in buying more different kinds of
Holgas. I was actually trying to buy one on a 2nd hand site this past
week but the seller didn't reply when I asked if the camera was in working
condition so I don't think I'll be buying that Holga in the end.
:(
</p>
<p>
I got a little unlucky recently and one of the cameras I bought 2nd hand
didn't work after a few snaps, so I was kinda bummed and wasn't in the mood to
take a chance on that Holga. That and the fact that my Minolta Dynax
500si no longer worked made me start a hunt for a nice 35mm camera that was
mostly, if not fully, mechanical. I didn't really wanna deal with too
much electronic circuitry that might just die on you.
</p>
<p>
I was actually looking mostly for the Pentax MX or the Olympus OM-1 because I
didn't want anything too heavy since I hoped to carry it around even on days I
didn't intend to shoot. But the Pentax MX isn't very common in these
parts and the one that I saw was sold just two days before I contacted the
seller. I couldn't find the Olympus OM-1 then too but the seller had a
gorgeous, like-new Olympus OM-2s Program and in the end I couldn't
resist. It was above my budget but the seller did give me a good
discount on it so I fell for it.
</p>
<p>
I've just shot a test roll of random stuff on it as I learn how to use the
camera. I've switched to digital and mobile photography for a very long
time and am no longer used to checking my metre and settings on full manual,
so I keep making mistakes. *sweat I shot some of it on Program and Auto
modes and some of it on Manual. I didn't keep notes. I'm terrible
at that. I just want to shoot that's all. Haha! Also, learning how
to focus took a little getting used to. I'm too used to autofocus and
limited to no focus on my plastic cameras. Anyway, let's see how the
test roll turns out. I can only bring the rolls of film to the lab
tomorrow after work. I wanted to do it today but the lab isn't open on
Sunday. :(
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-SGuMA7xRV0WQ7qNDAdAfFLPyrHBBEOFj_M0CWAH1LXdyxVqDp57JD6-tafW54nlu3mIczcwT5zc9d2sCGRaEEvS88Ol86x9_xVKIZXf0R836t6_9B0h3GBjv783hvKq_fzgv/s2048/rolls+of+film.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1442"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-SGuMA7xRV0WQ7qNDAdAfFLPyrHBBEOFj_M0CWAH1LXdyxVqDp57JD6-tafW54nlu3mIczcwT5zc9d2sCGRaEEvS88Ol86x9_xVKIZXf0R836t6_9B0h3GBjv783hvKq_fzgv/s320/rolls+of+film.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<p>
I also shot a test roll on the used Lomo LC-A I got off a 2nd hand site and
shot a test roll on the Holga WPC Pinhole. I think I ruined a lot of
shots on the pinhole. I'm not too good at keeping time just yet.
Will be interesting to see if I get anything nice from the pinhole. Will
definitely need to keep practicing. I also started using the new film
that I got. I used a roll of Shanghai GP3 120 on the Holga 120s but
after I opened the back to take out the film, it felt a little loose on the
take-up roll, so I'm a bit worried about that now and hope that the shots are
still good. I have a roll of Fomapan 100 in my 35mm plastic camera but
I'm only halfway through it so I don't know if I will have it ready for
processing tomorrow.
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiz8FVdtwSobMtzBWIftsnOa_5D1qX3KlIkLCYgF7HGTJ5z-5IIkyCzAhcar4KruK7QN3JOLGuh-LKuN6_mrBskGap2hoax43UvrtYiGwTeOmw71ChyphenhyphenPDSV3LO9OEoCW-0NPy/s2048/holga+120+WPC+pinhole.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1544"
data-original-width="2048"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiz8FVdtwSobMtzBWIftsnOa_5D1qX3KlIkLCYgF7HGTJ5z-5IIkyCzAhcar4KruK7QN3JOLGuh-LKuN6_mrBskGap2hoax43UvrtYiGwTeOmw71ChyphenhyphenPDSV3LO9OEoCW-0NPy/s320/holga+120+WPC+pinhole.jpg"
width="320"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<p>
Am excited to see if I get anything good from the rolls I intend to send in
for processing tomorrow. That's the fun part of film / analogue
photography. It's not the no knowing; it's the anticipation and it's the
unpredictability of it all. :)
</p>
<p>
Anyway, apparently this is Holga Week so I'm off to try and get a few Holga
photos ready for submission. Sadly, I found out too late and I don't do
my own film developing anymore so I don't think anything I shot on the Holga
120s or the Holga pinhole recently will be ready by the 7th Oct so I'll
probably go through the test roll that I shot on the Holga 135bc and submit a
few on Instagram just so that I can participate too. :)
</p>
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>A post shared by kp Photos (@shoot_all_the_time)</a
>
on
<time
datetime="2020-09-23T04:20:35+00:00"
style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"
>Sep 22, 2020 at 9:20pm PDT</time
>
</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>
This was shot on my Holga 120s with very expired film that I forgot I loaded
and didn't shoot for years and years. I think it's a happy accident.
Hahaha!! It's quite evocative to me. :P Alrighty, time to go. :)
</p>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-54274873860155154932020-08-27T21:00:00.004+08:002022-01-03T01:01:46.851+08:00So I went a little crazy. Haha! #camera #film<p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMb1UixhyphenhyphenwjkdfNaK1qT1phJk7LhcvdPulBhg2OrdrFze91_8q9woqhiXmUyqV7IhmpvCn2ZcYO4F31JWxbNptffF4xCejBK_A3N2CX3_1uardcGgVU2kIfTZt99FjWJI5bFp/s2048/two+Loco+LC-A.jpg"
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><img
border="0"
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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMb1UixhyphenhyphenwjkdfNaK1qT1phJk7LhcvdPulBhg2OrdrFze91_8q9woqhiXmUyqV7IhmpvCn2ZcYO4F31JWxbNptffF4xCejBK_A3N2CX3_1uardcGgVU2kIfTZt99FjWJI5bFp/w262-h197/two+Loco+LC-A.jpg"
width="262"
/></a>
</div>
<br />Lately, I've gone on a bit of a camera buying spree. 😅 I bought
five cameras in total. 😅
<p></p>
<p>
Lucky, none of them were particularly expensive because I got most of them at
really good prices off Carousell. I might end up selling one of them in the
future but we'll see.
</p>
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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6fl9rH5fG-mvEVoAAfLShVCNtZIasZx17uli82eaJxO8OPOzsUVkmA5eSJi5AGyT3SrAr2Wrzj31EZmzuvjUskrxq1omrC9M7LwVmU-r1Qs7nbGUkGGNR8vNQbywbd55e85o/s2048/many+cameras.jpg"
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width="262"
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</div>
<p>
Lately, I've fallen back in love with film photography, in particular plastic
cameras and Lomo. So I wanted to get a Holga that shoots 35mm film
because I already have one that shoots 120mm. I actually made a deal for
a Holga 135 but realised that actually I got a little confused and made the
deal for the wrong Holga. I actually wanted the Holga 135bc because it
has more vignetting which is part of the reason why those who shoot on Holgas
shoot on Holgas anyway. But I didn't want to break a deal because of my
own mistake so I bought both cameras in the end.
</p>
<a name='more'></a>
<p>
I actually don't know if the Holga 135 works because I haven't ran a roll
through yet. Unfortunately, it didn't come with a lens cap so I'm also a
little hesitant to just throw it in my bag. So after I finish the first
roll in the Holga 135bc I'll swap the lens cap and run a roll through the 135
just to see if it works fine.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I also got the Holga WPC
Panoramic Pinhole because I've been wanting to get into long exposure
photography and pinhole photography is one form of it. Some day, next
time I hope to explore long exposure photography using neutral density
filters. But for now, I'm more interested in pinhole photography.
I need to get some 120mm film first though. But I may run some expired
120mm film through it first just because I have it. Only think is this
film is probably more than 10 years over due and was not stored in the
fridge. So I'm a little worried it may not work great. The good
thing about it is that it's black and white film which would fare better than
colour film.
</p>
<p>I picked up the Lomo LC-A because I broke mine. 😢</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7XaWCZgDbgEjURhTC9yWdVH0sG8tpZww4mA7i0MPmEWU75xFLIDOQFthl1vf7OZt6SisK5vYCWTzIth8KnH6oQrQBrH4LPJJr4asa2wGVhN2JEB7WfLVGZXwT6JKZjTi_Gab/s2048/Lomo+film+rewind+broken.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1536"
data-original-width="2048"
height="197"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7XaWCZgDbgEjURhTC9yWdVH0sG8tpZww4mA7i0MPmEWU75xFLIDOQFthl1vf7OZt6SisK5vYCWTzIth8KnH6oQrQBrH4LPJJr4asa2wGVhN2JEB7WfLVGZXwT6JKZjTi_Gab/w262-h197/Lomo+film+rewind+broken.jpg"
width="262"
/></a>
</div>
<p>
I was a little too rough with it and broke the film rewind crank. This
made me soooooooooo sad. I've had this Lomo for years. I picked it
up when I was still living in the US and bought it off ebay. I used it
numerous times and it was my primary camera to use for cross processing.
My Lomo LC-A was one of those that was made in Russia too not like the newer
LC-A's which were made in China. I didn't know if this can be fixed but
it made me so sad that when I saw that someone wanted to sell their LC-A real
quick, I made a somewhat impulsive decision to buy it.
</p>
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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTgs0KqzPmvmbLUBOcrwXzdhoMtBztbngpatJQ26JGzv69mE5i-as2TxCfGeci7cVZ3Jm5eVztN0wGCD25Szy48FdSMXNVyD7g3ZCpetHBlhmd4kkagUwpYcOUSdURAhHHzR4/s2048/two+Loco+LC-A+2.jpg"
style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"
><img
border="0"
data-original-height="1536"
data-original-width="2048"
height="197"
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTgs0KqzPmvmbLUBOcrwXzdhoMtBztbngpatJQ26JGzv69mE5i-as2TxCfGeci7cVZ3Jm5eVztN0wGCD25Szy48FdSMXNVyD7g3ZCpetHBlhmd4kkagUwpYcOUSdURAhHHzR4/w262-h197/two+Loco+LC-A+2.jpg"
width="262"
/></a>
</div>
<br />
<p>
Although, this camera wasn't in perfect condition and it's not one of those
that were made in Russia, I was still happy to pick it up because it filled
the empty hole in my heart that was left by the "lost" of my beloved
LC-A. If I find a way to fix it, then maybe I will sell this LC-A that I
just picked up. I still have to run one roll through the one I just
picked up just to make sure it works fine. But it was really very cheap
for a used Lomo LC-A so it was hard to resist. Let's hope I didn't get
conned. 😅
</p>
<p>
The last camera that I picked up was a Olympus XA2 which is supposed to be a
pretty good compact film camera which is particularly good for street
photography. I like street photography and it was a good price so I
succumbed. 😅 There are some possible problems with it, as in the lens
isn't particularly clean which is part of the reason why it was priced cheaper
than it usually is on second hand sites. I bought batteries today and
loaded an expired roll of Ilford HP5 in it. I'll just be randomly
shooting stuff for the next week or so so before I take everything to the lab
to be developed. I'll only be able to see then if the particles in the
lens is a big problem for me or not. The good thing about it is that the
seller was very honest and priced it with those imperfections in mind.
So I'm okay with taking a chance on it.
</p>
<p>
Well, I'm going to have to stop buying cameras for now, no matter how cheap
they are. I'll need to reserve the monthly budget on the purchase and
development cost of 35mm and 120mm film rolls. Okay, I'm off to scan
more negatives and work on a photo or two more tonight. 😀
</p>
<p>Meanwhile, check out my latest photo on IG. 😀</p>
<p><br /></p>
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View this post on Instagram
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
<a
href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEYjIsDHSi7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading"
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target="_blank"
>California coast, Highway 1, circa 1999-2000, Kodak film, Plastic
Camera . Here's another photo from the roll of film I forgot about
and only just got developed. 😅 The colors have gone all funky but the
black and white version does look kinda cool. 😁 . #shoot_all_the_time
#bnw #35mmfilm #bnw_zone #film #Kodak #plasticcamera #expiredfilm
#sgphotographer #streetphotography #bnw_captures #bnw_addicted
#bnw_of_our_world #bnw_drama #blacknwhite_perfection #explore_bnw
@addicted_to_bnw #analogphotography #filmphotography #bnw_awards
#bnw_raw #insta_bnw #big_shotz_bw #bnw_epic #photowall_bw #filmisnotdead
#we_believe_in_black #SPiCollective #analoguephotography #bw_addiction
#noir_vision</a
>
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A post shared by
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kp Photos</a
>
(@shoot_all_the_time) on
<time
style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;"
datetime="2020-08-27T06:59:50+00:00"
>Aug 26, 2020 at 11:59pm PDT</time
>
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just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-30795882406805654382020-08-24T20:57:00.003+08:002020-08-24T22:19:06.203+08:00Expired Film Can Be Cool Too #photography<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIH0_tboiNGnHMc2kIIvV1UmND3vOdKBIql65JbaNm1F1KotBfN4Qpf5zfT1SyhnDZu5onTgkfdBEhod3_-vhpdMvAP8iH9g1W_kP5VejfybJbUVYMLGLw1zYAliAuurdXb9Lz/s2400/Expired+Film+IMG_0003+-+edit+v03+COLOR_resize.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="2400" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIH0_tboiNGnHMc2kIIvV1UmND3vOdKBIql65JbaNm1F1KotBfN4Qpf5zfT1SyhnDZu5onTgkfdBEhod3_-vhpdMvAP8iH9g1W_kP5VejfybJbUVYMLGLw1zYAliAuurdXb9Lz/w410-h162/Expired+Film+IMG_0003+-+edit+v03+COLOR_resize.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><p></p><p>So..... a few weeks ago, I found a roll of exposed film that I had forgotten about. Thing is this film was shot something like 20 to 21 years ago. Haha! 😅 So by the time I got it processed, the colour dyes have already faded and I got some really funky colours.</p><p>I did some cleanup and "developed" it in Photoshop. After which I made a Black and White version which I feel actually looks quite cool. There's a lot of grain which is not always desirable but it this case, the grain actually helps to make it look quite romantic and mysterious. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxGYpzFdOGWvd-XvaQ7p4eNbtfyagFvLjX6PEgPrZ8pqUD4rpmkPhzokmjhs62J5Dn9sndELPbZLjlqrZBrlF_EuA2cMw5bERH8T1FnEs0iaXtpSr1rEUpguCNEkmWneV6Gtw/s2400/Expired+Film+IMG_0003+-+edit+v03+BNW_resize.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="2400" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxGYpzFdOGWvd-XvaQ7p4eNbtfyagFvLjX6PEgPrZ8pqUD4rpmkPhzokmjhs62J5Dn9sndELPbZLjlqrZBrlF_EuA2cMw5bERH8T1FnEs0iaXtpSr1rEUpguCNEkmWneV6Gtw/w410-h162/Expired+Film+IMG_0003+-+edit+v03+BNW_resize.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><p>I'm honestly not sure what film I used. I'm guessing it's a Kodak film of some sort. After I got the roll of film back from the lab, the edge code was no longer even visible. I'm also not sure where this roll of film was shot. I'm guessing that it's on the road trip I made along the California coastline on Highway 1.</p><p>There is another shot on the roll which looks like the Bixby Bridge. I'll work on that shot on another day.</p><p>If you wanna check out my other shots on Instagam, you are welcome to. And I welcome comments and critiques either in the comments section or on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shoot_all_the_time/">IG</a>. 🙂</p>just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24062251.post-43203538808062950622020-08-23T15:00:00.001+08:002022-01-03T01:02:52.708+08:00Statue of Liberty - cleanup #bnw #photography<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p>
I've come to realise the importance of storing negatives properly. I
failed to do so in the past because I just assumed that I would not be needing
them anymore because I didn't have access to a dark room and still
don't. I once bought a flatbed scanner that can scan negatives but I
never got around to using it to its full potential because I was really very
busy.
</p>
<p>
This is when Covid19 helped me. Although, I think it would have been
better if this virus didn't come into the world. Still, it did give me
more time to do things and one of the things I did was finally go through all
my old photos, negatives and learnt how to use my Canoscan 8800f. I also
subscribed to Adobe's Photography Plan and finally started to learn how to use
Lightroom and Photoshop properly after so many years of wanting to. I
really never needed to use either properly because my work didn't require it
and it remained one of the things I have always wanted to do.
</p>
<a name='more'></a>
<p>
One of the downsides about living in Singapore is that the weather is really
not very conducive for storing things that need a drier, cooler
atmosphere. And I was an idiot too. Over the years, I forgot about
my negatives and just shoved them all over the place and some files also had a
bunch of heavy books stacked on it. So in the end, the negatives aren't
in the best of conditions which mean that I need to do a lot of cleanup work
on them.
</p>
<p>
In the end, I have to say that I am grateful that computers and software have
become good enough and inexpensive enough that fixing these photos are easily
possible. I'm not even sure if I am capable of of if it's even possible
to fix all the dust and the degradation on these negative if I had to do it
the traditional way in the dark room.
</p>
<p>
This took a bit of effort to fix. The sky was actually not too
difficult, just needed a certain amount of patience. The base of the
Statue of Liberty was a bit of a pain because of the varied shades of grey in
the texture. One thing that was helpful was my time spent dust busting
and cleanup on hi-res scans of large format films in my previous job.
Having fixed far dirtier negatives, this was actually not too bad because its
a still and even at 3200dpi, it's not crazy big.
</p>
<p>
Here's the image after I finished the cleanup and "printed" it. I was
quite happy with the outcome. :)
</p>
<p></p>
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>New York City, circa 1996-97, Ilford HP5 Plus, Minolta Dynax 500Si .
You can see the Twin Towers in the distance. 😢 . #shoot_all_the_time
#bnw #35mmfilm #bnw_zone #film #minoltadynax500si #minolta
#IlfordHP5Plus #sgphotographer #streetphotography #bnw_captures
#bnw_addicted #bnw_of_our_world #bnw_drama #blacknwhite_perfection
#explore_bnw @addicted_to_bnw #analogphotography #filmphotography
#bnw_awards #bnw_raw #insta_bnw #big_shotz_bw #bnw_epic #photowall_bw
#filmisnotdead #we_believe_in_black #SPiCollective #analoguephotography
#bw_addiction #noir_vision</a
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A post shared by
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kp Photos</a
>
(@shoot_all_the_time) on
<time
datetime="2020-08-22T06:34:47+00:00"
style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;"
>Aug 21, 2020 at 11:34pm PDT</time
>
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<p>
Healing Brush and Content-Aware Fill is really impressive. The Patch
Tool was also particularly useful. I'm curious about GIMP. It
seems like they have similarly powerful features too. But I think I'll
first learn how to use Photoshop like a pro too before I try GIMP.
</p>
just mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09535168209171064519noreply@blogger.com0