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Actor or ambassador? The star persona of Jackie Chan in social media

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Actor or ambassador? The star persona of Jackie Chan in social media

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case study of Jackie Chan on examining how star use social media to construct persona

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Actor or ambassador? The star persona of Jackie Chan in social media 

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Transforming celebrities through social media: the role of authenticity and emotional attachment

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Transforming celebrities through social media: the role of authenticity and emotional attachment

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examine how and why consumers use social media to engage with celebrities

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Transforming celebrities through social media- the role of authenticity and emotional attachment 

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‘’Being yourself’- the pursuit of authentic celebrity’

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‘’Being yourself’- the pursuit of authentic celebrity’

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examine the star's ordinary self and on-screen identity

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‘’Being yourself’- the pursuit of authentic celebrity’, Discourse Studies,

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5 Star Identities: From Image to Persona and Publicity to Gossip

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5 Star Identities: From Image to Persona and Publicity to Gossip

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talks about the construction of star image and persona and the relationship between publicity and gossip

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Martin Shingler 'Star Identities' (from Star Studies - A Critical Guide) COMM303(1)

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talks about celebrity culture including types, identity and aesthetics

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How people react to Shu Qi's 'non-standard' beauty

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How people react to Shu Qi's 'non-standard' beauty

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people in the comment generally hold a view that Shu Qi is attractive and has a unique, exotic kind of beauty. Some people share their own stories and thoughts in relevance.

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As one of China's highest paid actresses today, Shu Qi (舒淇) is known for her sultry looks and often graces fashion magazines. Although she started her entertainment career in the erotic film industry in 1996, the charming actress' potential was quickly recognized. In the same year of her debut, she successfully transitioned from Category 3 films to mainstream cinema. Her career has been on an upward trend ever since.

In a recent interview, Shu Qi surprisingly revealed that when she was younger, her mother often complained about Shu Qi's subpar looks. Her mother did not think she was pretty enough because of her extremely voluminous and coiled hair. Part of Shu Qi's charm is her unique beauty. However, her mother believed her features were strange and did not meet the customary beauty standards. "My mother would say that I am especially ugly. She couldn't fathom anyone as ugly as me."

Despite the harsh words, it was also because of her mother's constant criticisms that Shu Qi learned how to cope and deal with constant flow of negative comments with confidence. The 41-year-old actress often posts make-up free photos of herself, proudly displaying her freckles and graying hair.

Fans commented, "When [Shu Qi] was younger, she indeed did not stand out among other actresses. What made her noticeable was her disposition. Not everyone will have the aura that she exudes."

Source: Sina.com
This article is written by Huynh for JayneStars.com.

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Mother Complained Little Shu Qi Was Ugly

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As one of China's highest paid actresses today, Shu Qi (舒淇) is known for her sultry looks and often graces fashion magazines. Although she started her entertainment career in the erotic film industry in 1996, the charming actress' potential was quickly recognized.

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people in the comment are glad to know they keep everything simple and casual and it suits Shu Qi

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Peter Ho and Peggy Lin aren't the only newlywed couples of September.
Yesterday, Stephen Fung (馮德倫) and Shu Qi (舒淇) dropped a surprising announcement to the media that they have wed. The longtime couple, who have known each other for over twenty years, held a small wedding in Prague, where Stephen was directing his new movie, The Adventurers <俠盜聯盟>.

Stephen and Shu Qi's announcement read, "We've known each other for twenty years [and have been] together for four. I married her unreservedly. It's true. We've decided to

cling to each other forever. We are married. We are thankful to you who love us. We can be wrong about many things, but we cannot be wrong about loving him and her." They added, "We are not at the moment pregnant."

The couple dropped a few photos from their small wedding, which was only attended by twenty people. Even Stephen's costars in The Adventurers were unaware about their secret wedding.

In regards to their humble wedding, Shu Qi described, "The wedding dress is a gift from H&M two years ago. The veil was something I randomly chose at a bridal shop. His suit and my pink dress were purchased at a small shop in the streets two days before the photos were taken. Our photographer received his notice only one week before and willingly postponed other jobs to come to Prague for us! We specified we wanted natural light so there were no light reflectors used. Haha!"

Congratulations to Stephen and Shu Qi!

Source: IHKTV
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.

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Stephen Fung and Shu Qi Announce Marriage

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Peter Ho and Peggy Lin aren't the only newlywed couples of September. Yesterday, Stephen Fung (馮德倫) and Shu Qi (舒淇) dropped a surprising announcement to the media that they have wed. The longtime couple, who have known each other for over twenty years, held a small wedding in Prague, where Stephen was directing his new movie, The Adventurers .

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How people react to her past of filming erotic pictures and movies

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How people react to her past of filming erotic pictures and movies

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In the comments, people generally hold a neutral or positive attitude towards her past. They think past is past and she has proven herself is a real actress now.

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Shu Qi (舒淇) and Stephen Fung 's (馮德倫) 17-year romance was never a secret. The couple has reportedly moved in together and plans to get married at the end of the year. However, bothered by her own soft-porn past, Shu Qi is willing to spend millions of dollars to buy back the copyrights of her old nude photos and Category III movies before the wedding date.

The Taiwanese-born actress had a controversial start in the entertainment industry. Her nude photo pictorial caught the eye of director Wong Jing (王晶), who subsequently cast her in 1996 Category III movie, Sex & Zen II (玉蒲團二之玉女心經). Although Shu Qi's stardom rose and she made a name for herself in mainstream films, shealways regretted her nude exposure in her early career.

Shu Qi hopes to clean up her image from her younger days before marrying Stephen. An insider revealed Shu Qi is even willing to pay 10 million RMB to obtain the copyrights to her nude photos and Category III movies, hoping that they will no longer be available for sale. Unfortunately her wish may be met with obstacles because the photos and movies have been in circulation for a long time and it is difficult to determine who has the full ownership rights today. Due to advanced technology and the Internet, it will not be easy for Shu Qi to stop the content from further online circulation.

In the interim, Shu Qi is ready to enter a new milestone in her life. Although Shu Qi and Stephen dated other people over the last 17 years, they found each other to be the most compatible. To prepare for their future love nest, Stephen's house is currently under renovation. He has moved into Shu Qi's apartment in Hong Kong, allowing them to enjoy a taste of married life before they tie the knot later this year.

Source: ifeng.com
This article is written by Su for JayneStars.com.

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Shu Qi Wants to Buy Back Copyrights of Old Erotic Movies

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Shu Qi (舒淇) and Stephen Fung 's (馮德倫) 17-year romance was never a secret. The couple has reportedly moved in together and plans to get married at the end of the year. However, bothered by her own soft-porn past, Shu Qi is willing to spend millions of dollars to buy back the copyrights of her old nude photos and Category III movies before the wedding date.

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an action comedy, starring in a Korean film again intensifies Shu Qi's persona as an international actress

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Directed by Jin-gyu Cho. With Qi Shu, Beom-su Lee, Hyeon-yeong, Ji-Ho Oh. When Aryong, the daughter of a triad boss from Hong Kong is accused of killing the boss of a competing triad, she is goes into hiding in Korea.

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Shu Qi has often been on various fashion magazines' cover such as Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire and Bazaar

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Shu Qi's costume in award shows and red carpet events

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Shu Qi's costume in award shows and red carpet events

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The website conclude Shu Qi's appearance in award shows and red carpet events which are mostly related to high-end luxury brand,film festivals and fashion events.

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At the Louis Vuitton Spring 2019 show on Tuesday (October 2) during Paris Fashion Week, there were almost too many LV lovelies to count - and a few good men, too. Cate Blanchett: The hero piece of Cate's look was clearly the statement jacket that was a... Read more...

Shu Qi attended the 2015 Bazaar Star Charity Night at China World Summit Wing on Wednesday (September 23) in Beijing, China. Demonstrating flawless elegance and serving up minimalist glamour, her Valentino Resort 2016 red cape gown surely made for a dramatic... Read more... https://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Shu-Qi-In-Valentino-2015-Bazaar-Star-Charity-Night.jpg

Shu Qi attended 'The Assassin' photocall which was held during the opening ceremony of 2015 Summer International Film Festival on Tuesday (August 11) in Hong Kong, China. Usually one to opt for pretty, lady-like dresses, Shu opted to flip the script by wearing sultry... Read more... https://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Shu-Qi-In-Versace-The-Assassin-Hong-Kong-Photocall.jpg

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At the Louis Vuitton Spring 2019 show on Tuesday (October 2) during Paris Fashion Week, there were almost too many LV lovelies to count - and a few good men, too. Cate Blanchett: The hero piece of Cate's look was clearly the statement jacket that was a... Read more...

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stress Shu Qi's calm and cool living attitude

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The interview reveals that Shu Qi has now let go of the obsession to awards and wanted to make more comedies. The article stresses Shu Qi's calm and cool living attitude when facing honors and challenges.

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【獨家專訪】封面人物：舒淇 每天愛自己多一些 | Marie Claire 美麗佳人

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從離家出走的少女，到成為金馬獎影后，更成為影展的評審委員，舒淇一路走來，風光無限，獲得了很多，亦放下了不少，才有今天安恬自若、笑看人生的她。今天，對過往所希冀的，已覺得不重要，無欲無求的她最希望聆聽內心的需要，就是多拍一些喜劇，讓自己開開心心地工作。

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Mother Complained Little Shu Qi Was Ugly

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Mother Complained Little Shu Qi Was Ugly

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The article reveals the fact that Shu Qi's beauty is unique and different to traditions and she always opposes to beauty standards from telling her mother's thoughts.

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As one of China's highest paid actresses today, Shu Qi (舒淇) is known for her sultry looks and often graces fashion magazines. Although she started her entertainment career in the erotic film industry in 1996, the charming actress' potential was quickly recognized. In the same year of her debut, she successfully transitioned from Category 3 films to mainstream cinema. Her career has been on an upward trend ever since.

In a recent interview, Shu Qi surprisingly revealed that when she was younger, her mother often complained about Shu Qi's subpar looks. Her mother did not think she was pretty enough because of her extremely voluminous and coiled hair. Part of Shu Qi's charm is her unique beauty. However, her mother believed her features were strange and did not meet the customary beauty standards. "My mother would say that I am especially ugly. She couldn't fathom anyone as ugly as me."

Despite the harsh words, it was also because of her mother's constant criticisms that Shu Qi learned how to cope and deal with constant flow of negative comments with confidence. The 41-year-old actress often posts make-up free photos of herself, proudly displaying her freckles and graying hair.

Fans commented, "When [Shu Qi] was younger, she indeed did not stand out among other actresses. What made her noticeable was her disposition. Not everyone will have the aura that she exudes."

Source: Sina.com
This article is written by Huynh for JayneStars.com.

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Mother Complained Little Shu Qi Was Ugly

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As one of China's highest paid actresses today, Shu Qi (舒淇) is known for her sultry looks and often graces fashion magazines. Although she started her entertainment career in the erotic film industry in 1996, the charming actress' potential was quickly recognized.

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The star of Golden Horse Festival: Exclusive interview with Shu Qi

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The star of Golden Horse Festival: Exclusive interview with Shu Qi

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Shu Qi says she is willing to act until she is 90 years old. She acknowledges that she used to work so hard for gaining recognition from winning awards. After winning the best leading actress in 2005, she has let down much pressure and acting becomes an interesting and enjoyable thing for her.

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fans mainly posts her photos related to fashion magazines or film events emphasizing her looks and costumes

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SHU QI - WORLDWIDE FANS (@shuqi_worldwide) * Instagram photos and videos

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35.6k Followers, 15 Following, 1,429 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from SHU QI - WORLDWIDE FANS (@shuqi_worldwide)

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Shu Qi, Stephen Fung's sudden marriage a happy shock

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Shu Qi, Stephen Fung's sudden marriage a happy shock

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Shu Qi and her husband kept the whole wedding in low key without luxury wedding dress or large-scale wedding ceremony or massive press reports. Her wedding intensifies public image of her as a simple and pure person.

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Shu Qi is Fed Up with Fans Whitening Her Skin in Photos

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Shu Qi is Fed Up with Fans Whitening Her Skin in Photos

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Shu Qi straightly satirizes her fans who whiten her photos on social media platform. Her behavior reveals her straightforward personality and her attitude towards opposing beauty standard.

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Taiwanese-Hong Kong star Shu Qi did not mince words towards a fan who tried to "fix" her glamour shots by whitening her skin.
Shu expressed her disapproval when a fan posted four edited photos of her on Weibo.

The fan had made the 42-year-old star's skin noticeably paler than normal, "whitewashing" her image, Shanghaiist reports.

Upon discovering the post, Shu commented: "Why don't you go be a fan of a white person?"

Check out the original and edited images below:

Shu, who grew up in Taiwan and then moved to Hong Kong in the 1990s to become an actress, is known for her candor. Her response against the perpetuation of conventional beauty standards that value white skin in China has earned her praise on local social media.

In an interview with Mingpao last year, Shu revealed how when she was younger, her mother would often complain about her looks, saying that she was not pretty enough due to her features that "didn't meet the normal standards of beauty."

"My mother would say that I am ugly. She said, 'How is it possible for someone to look as ugly as you?'," Shu was quoted as saying.

She further lamented that other people also would have a similar opinion about her looks when she started working as a model, with some commenting about her "peculiar features."

Shu, who is known for her films such as "So Close," "My Wife Is a Gangster 3," The "Journey to the West" films, "The Transporter" and the "Adventurers," among many others, is now among the highest paid actresses in China.

Featured image via Weibo

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Shu Qi is Fed Up with Fans Whitening Her Skin in Photos

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Taiwanese-Hong Kong star Shu Qi did not mince words towards a fan who tried to "fix" her glamour shots by whitening her skin. Shu expressed her disapproval when a fan posted four edited photos of her on Weibo. The fan had made the 42-year-old star's skin noticeably paler than normal, "whitewashing" her image, Shanghaiist reports.

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Promotional article from Vogue---The Seriously Stylish Shu Qi Is a Thoroughly Modern Movie Star

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Promotional article from Vogue---The Seriously Stylish Shu Qi Is a Thoroughly Modern Movie Star

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The article says Shu Qi's fashion style is as varied as her role. She can handle both whimsical and even the simplest looks.

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The Seriously Stylish Shu Qi Is a Thoroughly Modern Movie Star

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Movie stars may be in short supply lately, but don't tell that to Taiwanese actress Shu Qi. Currently out and about promoting her latest film, My Best Friend's Wedding -a Chinese remake of the Julia Roberts 1997 megahit-Shu Qi has been heading to premieres in the kinds of arresting fashions that hark back to the days of Old Hollywood.

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To a large degree, the content of her posts are about selfie, food, pets, fashion,endorsement and concerns for social issues.

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SQ (@sqwhat) * Instagram photos and videos

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2.3m Followers, 268 Following, 3,711 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from SQ (@sqwhat)

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The reporter thinks Shu Qi is the most elegant, demure and sexual woman on China's silver screen

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Shu Qi is the spokesman of the food brand, KiKiFineGoods

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Screenshot of Kenzo Parfum's art director's comment on Shu Qi

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Screenshot of Kenzo Parfum's art director's comment on Shu Qi

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He praises Shu Qi as a 'real woman', which reveals Qi's straightforward and truthful personality

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Screenshot of description of how Shu Qi pairs with the brand

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Screenshot of description of how Shu Qi pairs with the brand

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Bulgari has been endorsed by strong and iconic women. The brand appreciates Qi's traits, perseverance and independence.

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Promotional article of Shu Qi's cooperation with Kenzo 

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Promotional article of Shu Qi's cooperation with Kenzo 

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Shu Qi was the face of Kenzo's flagship Flower by Kenzo fragrance in 2013

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Ready-to-wear brand Kenzo announced on Tuesday, December 11, that Asian superstar Shu Qi will be the face of its flagship Flower by Kenzo fragrance in 2013.

The Taiwanese actress climbed the ranks of the industry all the way to the Jury of the Cannes festival in 2009, rising to international fame along the way, thanks to roles in international productions such as So Close, The Transporter, and Three Times.

After appearing in Flower by Kenzo advertising from 2007-2009, she is once again on board for a 2013 international campaign.

"Shu Qi is a woman blessed with subdued sensuality, whose beauty is so fascinating it has the power to hypnotize. Is she a dream woman? Yes, she is, but it goes beyond that. Because she's a real woman, and a very talented one at that. She's the Asian fairy of my upcoming film for Flowerbykenzo," said Patrick Guedj, Kenzo Parfum's art director.

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Actress Shu Qi is face of Flower by Kenzo for 2013

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Ready-to-wear brand Kenzo announced on Tuesday, December 11, that Asian superstar Shu Qi will be the face of its flagship Flower by Kenzo fragrance in 2013. The Taiwanese actress climbed the ranks of the industry all the way to the Jury of the Cannes festival in 2009, rising to international fame along the way, thanks to roles in international productions such as So Close, The Transporter, and Three Times.

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Promotional article of Shu Qi's cooperation with Emporio Armani

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Promotional article of Shu Qi's cooperation with Emporio Armani

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Shu Qi was appointed the face of Emporio Armani in China, Singapore and Malaysia for Fall/Winter 2010

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Chinese actress Shu Qi has been appointed the face of Emporio Armani in Greater China, Singapore and Malaysia for Fall/Winter 2010. The first advertising campaign â€" shot in New York City by Mario Sorrenti â€" will be rolled out starting September 2010 in fashion and lifestyle magazines.

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Shu Qi - the new face for Emporio Armani

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Chinese actress Shu Qi has been appointed the face of Emporio Armani in Greater China, Singapore and Malaysia for Fall/Winter 2010. The first advertising campaign â€" shot in New York City by Mario Sorrenti â€" will be rolled out starting September 2010 in fashion and lifestyle magazines.

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Promotional article of Shu Qi's operation with Bulgari

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Promotional article of Shu Qi's operation with Bulgari

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Shu Qi has been the brand ambassador of Bulgari since 2014

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Bulgari celebrates 130 years with a new brand ambassador and a brilliant new collection.
Italian luxury brand Bulgari recently unveiled two of its newest stars - Chinese actress Shu Qi and the new Lucea collection. The brand celebrated this collaboration at a swanky event in Beijing, attended by over 300 guests including the who's who of China's entertainment industry, socialites, watch enthusiasts and industry leaders.

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Bulgari partners up with Shu Qi for Lucea campaign - Fashion | The Star Online

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Bulgari celebrates 130 years with a new brand ambassador and a brilliant new collection. Italian luxury brand Bulgari recently unveiled two of its newest stars - Chinese actress Shu Qi and the new Lucea collection. The brand celebrated this collaboration at a swanky event in Beijing, attended by over 300 guests including the who's who of China's entertainment industry, socialites, watch enthusiasts and industry leaders.

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Shu Qi attends Bulgari's activity

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She calls for protection for animals

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She calls for public attention to children vaccine and oppose to children sexual assault

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She likes showing her cat, which intensifies public impression of her as a pet-lover

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Her posture in such photos including both her and the food tends to be like holding the food and feels hunger for it

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She says she is always reducing fat

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Shu Qi often posts photos about her eating food especially pastries, which intensifies her image as an actress who loves food and often eats pastries

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A close-up selfie of her face without makeup

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A selfie about her allergic skin

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Most of her selfie records her offscreen personal life without wearing makeup, which creates a sense of authenticity

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The page of The Assassin in the official website of Cannes

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The page of The Assassin in the official website of Cannes

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Shu Qi returned to Cannes in Competition with The Assassin by Hou Hsiao Hsien (2015). This film further promotes her international visibility and recognition.

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9th century China. 10-year-old general's daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her ...

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The official page of 54th Golden Horse Awards

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The official page of 54th Golden Horse Awards

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Shu Qi was nominated for best leading actress

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台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

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杭州奇遇影業有限公司,北京完美影視有限責任公司,喀什嘉映文化傳媒有限公司,杭州普華傳陞文化投資合夥企業,上海墨依文化傳播有限公司

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Screenshot of the review of Qi’s performance

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Screenshot of the review of Qi’s performance

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The awareness and development of Autumn’s feminism and power recall people of Shu Qi’s career development and reinforce her current powerful and clever feminist image. Qi’s own experiences also help make the character convincing.

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FILM REVIEW: ‘THE VILLAGE OF NO RETURN’ (TAIWAN, 2017)

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FILM REVIEW: ‘THE VILLAGE OF NO RETURN’ (TAIWAN, 2017)

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the review concludes film plots and praises Qi’s performance

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After a week of horror, gore, drama, romance, action and adventure, East Winds Film Festival 2017 ended on a bright note with a delightful comedy all the way from Taiwan. 'The Village Of No Return', the latest film signed by "The Master of Comedies" Chen Yu-Hsun, has a unique charm that will make even the cynics laugh.

Set just after the fall of the Qing dynasty in the isolated "Desire Village", the film is a rural satire, a Bruegel painting with oriental landscapes and Asian figures. Opening with an eerie, even surrealist image of two human body-shaped kites floating undisturbed over the blue sky, the film has a way of combining fantasy, irony, and a hint of dark humour.

On the dreamy and idyllic background of the village, the figures of the villagers are caricaturically sketched bearing some of the most common human flaws. They only seem to care for themselves, throwing the blame from one's garden to another's; one of the inhabitants is even ready to shamelessly betray "Desire Village", and the only thing that stops him is his own death. The death of Big Pie, who leaves behind a wife both feeling guilty and released, tangles Shi Baopi's ( Eric Tsang) and the Cloud Clan's plans of taking over the village, but not for long.

The whole narrative stands under the premise that the least intelligent ones are the easiest to be manipulated, announced from the first minutes of the film. Following the saying "Ignorance is bliss", the villagers have an unusual encounter with a mysterious man named Fortune Tien ( Wang Qianyuan) and his "Worry Rider", the strange device which can release the villagers from their daily worries by erasing their memories.

With the promise of complete happiness and for an insignificant monetary reward, everyone, except Autumn ( Shu Qi), Big Pies' widow, queue to have their memories wiped out, without realising that their memories were exactly what made them who they were.

With no memories at all, they could be anything or anyone, but they become marionettes in Fortune Tien's hands, who takes control of the village, and marries Autumn, after making her forget her husband's death and her love for Dean ( Tony Yang). The villagers blissfully follow all the commands of their new master, without questioning, while Autumn discovers the secrets and "souls" hidden in the "Worry Rider".

The village is eventually attacked by the Cloud Clan, of which Dean has been a part for the last 3 years, while his childhood lover was struggling to survive in a forced and unhappy marriage. The villagers almost fail to protect their homes, but are saved in the last minute by "the Magic Knuckle King".

Autumn restores their memory, is finally reunited with Dean and becomes the new leader. Shu Qi is charming in Autumn's role, endowing the character with the exact wit, ingenuity and cunning, to make the character both funny and convincing.

The vivid colours, the mesmerising cinematography, the buffoonish characters and the witty hum all contour an entrancing story about the value of one's memories which are more than just past experiences, but small pieces of one's soul.
Review by Maria Mantaluta

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Film Review: 'The Village Of No Return' (Taiwan, 2017) | East Winds Film Festival

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After a week of horror, gore, drama, romance, action and adventure, East Winds Film Festival 2017 ended on a bright note with a delightful comedy all the way from Taiwan. 'The Village Of No Return' , the latest film signed by "The Master of Comedies" Chen Yu-Hsun, has a unique charm that will make even the cynics laugh.

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Screenshot of the description of Shu Qi’s role, Autumn

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Screenshot of the description of Shu Qi’s role, Autumn

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Autumn is an intellectual and the most beautiful woman in the village. Though born in poor background, she keeps working hard and finally becomes the leader of the village. The role’s growing trace is similar to Qi’s.

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The page of The Village of No Return in Baidu Encyclopedia

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The page of The Village of No Return in Baidu Encyclopedia

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健忘村 健忘村剧情简介 健忘村演职员表 健忘村角色介绍 健忘村音乐原声 健忘村获奖记录 健忘村幕后制作 健忘村制作发行 健忘村影片评价 这也许是近十年来最特别的国产奇幻喜剧

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《健忘村》是由北京影行天下文化传播有限公司出品的爱情喜剧片，由陈玉勋执导，舒淇、王千源、张孝全领衔主演。影片于2017年1月27日晚20:00在中国大陆上映。该片讲述了在一片世外桃源般的村落里，因为一名不速之客的到访和一个神秘宝物的出现，而引发了一系列神奇的喜剧故事。...

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IMDb page of The Village of No Return (2017)

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IMDb page of The Village of No Return (2017)

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a fantasy comedy

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Directed by Yu-Hsun Chen. With Qi Shu, Qianyuan Wang, Hsiao-chuan Chang, Mei-Hsiu Lin. It is an unusual day for the remote and isolated Desire Village. A mysterious Taoist priest brings a magical equipment that can erase one's memory.

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Shu Qi's first Category III soft porn

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Directed by Man Kei Chin. With Loletta Lee, Qi Shu, Elvis Tsui, Ben Ng. In order to let his daughter Ximen Rou (Loretta Lee) to avoid the rapist, rich Ximen Jian (Elvis Tsui) command to go to school dressed it for the man.

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‘The Assassin’ Director Hou Hsiao-Hsien Talks About His Feminist Martial Arts Film

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‘The Assassin’ Director Hou Hsiao-Hsien Talks About His Feminist Martial Arts Film

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Hou Hsiao-Hsien praises Shu Qi of her strong personality and great aura. He appreciates Shu Qi's potential in acting and her attitude of being not afraid of him at all even though she knows he is a big-shot director.

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All images courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
This article originally appeared on VICE US
I'd just come out of my interview with the acclaimed film director Hou Hsiao-hsien when I found myself in the elevator chatting with Genevieve, the film's publicist. She had a quick, unassuming intelligence, an upper-lip piercing, great bangs, and Dr. Martens boots.

"Did you already meet the director?" she asked. "I haven't yet, but I have to! I'm obsessed with The Assassin."

Her zeal was palpable. I said that I'd also come out of the press screening in a great mood, as had the other female critic I'd overheard, who'd announced that it was her fifth viewing of Hou's film, which premiered earlier this year at Cannes, earning Hou the award for best director.

I wanted to hear what Genevieve loved about it. She talked about Hou's ability to tell an emotionally complex story using only images. She mentioned the gorgeousness of the composition. I wondered, though, if our love for the film didn't have to do with this bare-faced, black-clad heroine, this female assassin who not only didn't need rescuing but also won every fight. Who could kill men, or not kill them. Who never lost her agency. And barely had to show any skin.

Credited for inaugurating the Taiwan New Wave of Cinema along with Edward Yang and Tsai Ming-liang, Hou Hsiao-hsien is not widely recognized as a feminist filmmaker-or at least not yet. He is, rather, best known for his trademark neorealist style: static long shots, slow pacing, and a penchant for couching momentous historical conflicts within quiet domestic scenes. His films feel diaristic, crammed with the trappings of quotidian living, and the lost moments that fill up the day-to-day.

The Assassin is both stylistically and thematically consistent with the films that he has made in the past decade. Set during the Tang Dynasty, the assassin Nie Yinniang (Shu Qi) has been ordered to kill her beloved ex-fiancé. A perfect mix of the fantastical and the mundane, The Assassin shadows this well-trod (martial arts) genre while remaining faithful to the basic precepts of realism. The fighting scenes are brief, unadorned, and confined within the realm of gravity. In fact, the fighting feels almost obligatory, depicted simply because fighting is an expected part of an assassin's life.

Beginning with Millennium Mambo (2001), all of Hou's films have centered on a solitary female protagonist and her quest for love. Café Lumière (2003), Hou's contemporary take on Ozu's 1953 Tokyo Story, is about a young researcher who discovers that she is pregnant and decides to have the child alone. His next film, Three Times (2005), is set during three different time periods: the first, a story about a pool-hall girl, is set during Taiwan's martial law period; the second, about a courtesan trying to negotiate her way to freedom, is set during Taiwan's occupation by Japan. Both parts are composed almost exclusively of static interior shots framing bright, open doorways where men saunter in and out, bringing news, money, and their fleeting affections.

If not spurred by a conscious decision, this trend of strong leading women in Hou's output seemed worth investigating. I sat down last week with the director and asked him about why he has, wittingly or not, become a feminist filmmaker.

VICE: Why did you decide to make a film about a female assassin?
Hou Hsiao-hsien: Well, I first read this story when I was in college. At the time, they'd just published a collection of short stories from the Tang Dynasty. They were all about 1,000 words long. I really liked this story about Nie Yinniang, especially the opening.

Did you find the story exceptional because this assassin was a woman?
Actually, there were a lot of female assassins back then, but this one seemed really special to me. The story is about this general's daughter who gets taken away by a Daoist nun, and she leaves for many years to train to become an assassin. By the end, her training is so advanced that she has the power to turn herself into a bug and burrow into someone's stomach. I thought that was a little too outrageous. So I just used the first part of the story.

Shu Qi hardly says anything in the whole film, but you can really see the inner conflict in her expressions and her bearing. What's the cause of her suffering?
There's a scene in the film when Nie Yinniang has to listen to her mother recount the story of her past. Before she was taken away, she was supposed to marry Tian Ji'an [Chang Chen], the man she has been ordered to kill. Tian Ji'an had been her first love. When they were younger, they were always together. But, unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. Another girl his age had to marry him because a nearby province had gathered 10,000 men and were ready to attack. Women back then had arranged marriages, and they were married off for political reasons. The princess Jiaxin herself had been married off as a kind of truce. She went off alone to a foreign land, and she was the only one of her kind. She had a duty to perform. It was very lonely for her.

"When Shu Qi finally came to meet me at the office, she had this attitude. She knew I was a big-shot director and she was just like, 'So what? Bring it on!'"

Is the story about the lonely blue phoenix about the women of that time period?
That story about the phoenix isn't inherently about women, but it just happens that these things were suffered by women. The blue phoenix story comes from an even earlier time than the Tang period. Really early. The qin luan [blue phoenix] was already synonymous with mirrors by then. The story is about this blue bird that was brought to the palace, but for three years it wouldn't make a sound. The empress advised the emperor that this kind of bird has to see its own kind. Why not put a mirror in front of it? So when they put the mirror in front of this bird, it saw its own image and began dancing and dancing. It was so excited that it danced all night. It danced until it died. When I heard this story, I thought, There's so much significance here .

Is there a reason why Shu Qi's character barely speaks? I was thinking how sad it was that after she goes away to receive her training and she gains all this power and ability, she can no longer truly communicate with those around her.
I didn't think that much about the symbolism of it, honestly. I just knew I didn't want her to talk too much. Her accent wouldn't have fit anyway, for a Tang-era film. Shu Qi was thrilled not to have words. She didn't have to memorize any script. She only says about 16 lines in the whole movie. She tells the blue phoenix story.

Why did you make the switch after Millennium Mambo to make movies with only female protagonists? Was it a conscious decision?
It's just because of Shu Qi! Before I filmed Millennium Mambo, I was doing TV work. I saw her in one of these commercial films. She was just so beautiful. She had this great aura. I found out she was from Taiwan but had gone to Hong Kong to work. I contacted the director and producer Wen Jun. I asked if I could contact her to be in the film. When she was there in Hong Kong, she had been doing weird films... like soft porn, whatever. They didn't really train her properly or see her potential. But she has such a strong personality. When she finally came to meet me at the office, she had this attitude. She knew I was a big-shot director and she was just like, "So what? Bring it on!" Not afraid of me at all.

During Millennium Mambo, we didn't really talk, we just kept the camera rolling. The movie happened really quickly. My method is... well, my takes are really long. We block the scene, but we don't rehearse. I just shoot. Like that scene where she's with her boyfriend Hao Hao, and he's doing that thing when she comes home at night: inspecting her, smelling her, touching her, stuff like that. We kept filming. Slowly you could see her getting angry. She forgot that the cameras were on, and she just grabbed a chair to hit him. We had to yell, "Cut," or she really would have hurt him!

So, up until that film, when it was finally screened at Cannes, she had never really seen herself acting before. Not like this. She knew how she acted in films with short scenes. It was all patched together. If you needed to cry, the director would film you, then cut, then here come the artificial tears, then they would do it again. But when she saw herself in Millennium Mambo, she was so shocked. After she watched it, she went back to her hotel room and just cried in front of the mirror. She was so overwhelmed. From then on, it totally changed her idea of acting and filmmaking. Her whole philosophy. So for these films, I just took her aura, her energy. She has no fear.

So that's how you became a feminist filmmaker?
[ Laughing] Frankly, it's also because there aren't many good male actors. Men are a little more stupid. Sure, in City of Sadness, I had Tony Leung [Chiu-wai], who was really great. But in that film I also got the actress Xin Shufen, who had never acted before. And she was even better than him, you know? I feel that it's about instinct. Intuition. It's the major difference between the sexes. Women are more intuitive. And when they perform, they can really focus.

You start with the actors first.
Yes. Because I think it's hard to find good actors in Taiwan. They have a limit. So I often have to start with amateur actors. Xin Shufen, the actress from City of Sadness-I found her in front of a theater. She was just a student. When I saw her I was like, "Wow." She had a great presence. I was too shy to approach her, so I ended up following her all around Taipei. Finally I took out my ID card and gave it to her. "I'm Hou Hsiao-hsien. Please can you give me your phone number?" She knew my name. After that, we filmed a lot together- Dust in the Wind and a small part in A Time to Live and a Time to Die. Then she went to America to get married to her elementary-school schoolmate! I had to implore her to come back to film City of Sadness.

Does Shu Qi collaborate with you on the script? Since you're essentially creating the movie around her?
No, she doesn't. I give her some novels to read when we're filming something. For The Assassin, it was all the Tang stories and the Japanese samurai novels. I didn't talk to her about it too much. I just gave her Tsunetomo Yamamoto's books, which I think are really incredible. I gave them to Chang Chen, too. Just so they would have an idea, a feeling, about what it was to be a warrior. But I didn't tell them to act any specific way. It was just for them to enter that world.

I know you often collaborate on scripts with the novelist Chu T'ien-wen. How did you start working with her? What's the collaboration process like?
I've been working with her for a really long time. The first time was when I read one of her essays that she had written for the newspaper. I contacted her. We made The Story of Bi with that essay. Mostly we have conversations. We start with a novel, we discuss, we organize. I collect what I can use and work from that. Because it's impossible to ask literary people to write a script. I have to write the script by myself.

You write all the voiceovers and all the dialogue?
Yes. In fact, I'm an excellent scriptwriter! [ Laughs] I mean, when it comes down to it, I have to control the movie. Only I know how it all fits together, scene by scene. Writers use words to construct a scene. But I'm using images. The mind makes the image. Then I have to turn the image into words for the script.

Follow Anelise on Twitter.

The Assassin opens in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, October 16, with an expanded theatrical release to follow.

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'The Assassin' Director Hou Hsiao-Hsien Talks About His Feminist Martial Arts Film

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All images courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment This article originally appeared on VICE US I'd just come out of my interview with the acclaimed film director Hou Hsiao-hsien when I found myself in the elevator chatting with Genevieve, the film's publicist. She had a quick, unassuming intelligence, an upper-lip piercing, great bangs, and Dr. Martens boots.

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Nie Yinniang is simultaneously a abducted princess and an evil fairy who is in command of her own identity and fate

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Nie Yinniang is a feminist figure who is calm, strong and decisive

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Qi's role, Nie Yinniang, is a cool and empathetic killer with a poor growth background

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Shu Qi won the best actress in The Asian Film Awards: Actually, I am not eager to take this award.

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Shu Qi won the best actress in The Asian Film Awards: Actually, I am not eager to take this award.

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Shu Qi won the best actress of the 10th The Asian Film Awards. She said she has invested a hundred percent energy in the movie and learned a lot for it and she doesn’t need an award to prove it.

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舒淇获亚洲电影大奖影后：其实我并不渴望拿这个奖

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在失意于戛纳、金马之后，舒淇终于凭借《刺客聂隐娘》斩获最佳女主角殊荣，被她击败的对手还有林嘉欣。此前，舒淇在第52届金马奖上就是输给了林嘉欣。不过，舒淇在后台表示："我并不是很渴望拿到这个奖，我不需要向《刺客聂隐娘》交代，因为我在电影里百分之百地投入了自己，为它学习了很多东西。"

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The review gives a detailed explanation of film plots and interpretation of Qi's role

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In the seven years since Hou Hsiao-hsien began working on a ninth-century wuxia epic, his admirers have been madly curious about how the Taiwanese auteur known for such refined historical panoramas as "Flowers of Shanghai" and minor-key urban portraits like "Cafe Lumiere" would handle his rite of passage into one of China's most storied and vigorous popular genres. We have the answer at long last in "The Assassin," a mesmerizing slow burn of a martial-arts movie that boldly merges stasis and kinesis, turns momentum into abstraction, and achieves breathtaking new heights of compositional elegance: Shot for shot, it's perhaps the most ravishingly beautiful film Hou has ever made, and certainly one of his most deeply transporting. Centered around a quietly riveting performance from Shu Qi, the film is destined for a limited audience to which gore-seekers with short attention spans need not apply. Still, with a Stateside release already secured and passionate critical response assured, it should emerge as one of Hou's more commercially successful and internationally well-traveled efforts.

Freely reimagined from a story written by the Tang Dynasty scribe Pei Xing, titled "Nie Yinniang" after its formidable female protagonist, " The Assassin " employs the sort of rigorously off-center storytelling devices that will prove immediately recognizable to Hou's worldwide fanbase: a dense historical narrative laid out with unobtrusive intricacy, a masterfully distanced sense of camera placement, and an attentiveness to mise-en-scene that is almost Kubrickian in its perfectionism, as if a single absent detail or period inaccuracy would cause the whole thing to collapse. At the same time, the director and his d.p. Mark Lee Ping Bing (shooting on 35mm film) have delivered a picture that looks markedly different not only from any of its myriad genre forebears, but also from any of their nine previous collaborations.

The differences are made clear in the film's prologue - lensed in crisp, high-contrast black-and-white and framed in the Academy aspect ratio - which situates us amid the volatile power plays and political instabilities that marked the decline of the Tang Dynasty. It's here that we first meet Nie Yinniang (Shu), who was abducted from her family at the age of 10 by a nun, Jiaxin (Sheu Fang-yi), who trained her to become an exceptionally lethal assassin tasked with killing corrupt officials. A lithe but imposing vision clad entirely in black, Yinniang gives us a taste of her prowess when she coolly executes a man on horseback - an act pulled off with swift, unerring skill in front of and behind the camera, making use of a whiplash edit that briefly disrupts Hou's usual aesthetic of long takes and slow pans. But Yinniang's ruthlessness fails her when she confronts another target and, moved by the presence of his young son, chooses to spare his life, spurring Jiaxin to send her protegee on a mission that will both punish her and rid her of all pity.

At this point, the monochrome bleeds into color and the location shifts to Weibo, the largest and strongest of the many mainland provinces, which maintain an increasingly uneasy balance of power with the Imperial Court. This is where Yinniang was born, and now, after an absence of untold years, she has quietly returned with orders to murder the governor of Weibo, Lord Tian Ji'an (the charismatic Chang Chen, previously paired with Shu in Hou's "Three Times"), who also happens to be her cousin. Yinniang makes her presence known through a series of furtive ambushes, though as with her last assignment, she never quite goes in for the kill. Her hesitancy is rooted, we learn later, in the fact that she and Lord Tian were once betrothed, with the intention that their marriage would help maintain peace between Weibo and the Court.

That peace looks in danger of crumbling imminently, as Lord Tian discusses with the other men of his court - a session that will have potentially deadly consequences for his unwisely outspoken aide-de-camp, Xia Jing (Juan Ching-tian), whom the governor angrily banishes from Weibo. The fallout from that decision precipitates the most robust action sequences in "The Assassin," providing an occasional burst of visceral punctuation in a film where most of the battles are waged verbally. Hou and his chief collaborators (including d.p. Lee and editor Huang Chih-chia) rarely shoot these sequences the same way twice, and they understand that effective action is often a matter of both revelation and concealment. In their hands, an attack can be presented as a breath-catching blur of super-quick closeups, or shown from a discreet distance behind a row of birch trees, or captured in a straightforward medium shot, the camera never blinking as Yinniang's foes are felled by swords and arrows (every blow and thwack registering in Tu Duu-chih's immaculate sound design).

Pointedly, the expertly choreographed armed combat is never treated as an end in itself, and while the film presents it as an object of contemplation and sometimes excitement, the violence itself never becomes a source of pleasure. This is action forged by necessity and purged of all excess and spectacle, in the process achieving a clarity of vision that is not just aesthetic but implicitly moral. For the same reason, Hou and Shu wisely resist the anachronistic impulse to turn Yinniang into some sort of kickass proto-feminist avenger (Imperator Furiosa she's not): When this assassin kills, she goes about it with matter-of-fact precision and practiced efficiency, never lingering or wasting a breath or move.

Still, there's no denying that Shu's sleek, stealthily commanding, intriguingly opaque performance - her third lead turn for Hou, after "Millennium Mambo" and "Three Times" - possesses a mythic allure that occasionally lends the film the dramatic coloration of a fantasy or folk tale. One way to think of "The Assassin" is as a very early version of "Sleeping Beauty," in which Shu is playing the abducted princess and the evil fairy simultaneously - an association suggested by the heart-stopping image of her looming in wait behind a curtain, uncertain if she is going to prove murderous or merciful. We're made to understand that Yinniang's indecision, far from branding her as weak, is ultimately a mark of power: In a world where individual lives can be so cruelly limited by social circumstances and the unpredictable fluctuations of history (a thematic constant in so many of Hou's period films), Yinniang emerges as the rare figure in command of her own destiny.

There are moments when the film's relatively straightforward plotting can nonetheless seem a confusing tangle, simply because the court intrigue is allowed to unfold as it plausibly would in real life, with occasional digressions and repetitions - one key detail involving Lord Tian's concubine (Hsieh Hsin-ying) is recounted at least three times - that reveal the complex channels of communication at work. As ever, Hou (who wrote the script with three other scribes) prizes verisimilitude over expedience. Dialogue plays the crucial role of not only advancing the drama but fleshing out context: Eschewing flashbacks and other narrative shortcuts, Hou understands the most piercing way for us to feel the past bearing down on the present is to have a character simply tell their story, as when Lord Tian sadly explains the significance of the two matching jade pieces that he and Yinniang were given as children.

The physical reconstruction of ninth-century Weibo is nothing short of astonishing, opening up a painterly world of brilliant green forests, silvery mist-wreathed lakes and the occasional gorgeous sunset (the exteriors were lensed in Inner Mongolia and China's Hubei province). The Taiwan-set interiors are no less vivid, thanks to Hwarng Wern-ying's exquisitely bejeweled costumes and obsessively detailed production design, all flickering candlelight and gorgeous brocades. Lee's camera finds a marvelously subtle balance of colors and textures in every shot, and his eye for composition is as superb as ever; building a world frame by frame, he captures the interaction of Hou's characters within the space and with each other. Particularly evocative is the way he films a private exchange between Lord Tian and his concubine through a gently billowing curtain, conjuring a mood of intimate languor while also lending the proceedings a clandestine, conspiratorial air. Lim Giong's score, making use of menacing drumbeats and delicate zither strumming, is deployed with particular subtlety.

The sheer depth of its formal artistry places "The Assassin" in a rather more rarefied realm than not only the classic action epics of King Hu and their ilk, but also popular hits like Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), Zhang Yimou's "Hero" (2002) and "House of Flying Daggers" (2004), and Wong Kar-wai's "The Grandmaster" (2013), to name the most prominent recent examples of revered Asian auteurs making rare and overdue forays into martial-arts cinema. As one would expect, Hou implicitly grasps the expressive power of stillness and reserve, the ways in which silence can build tension and heighten interest. Above all, he never loses sight of the fact that the bodies he moves so fluidly and intuitively through space are human, and remain so even in death. As Jiaxin rightly tells Yinniang at one point: "Your skill is matchless, but your mind is hostage to human sentiments." In that respect, Hou Hsiao-hsien proves himself to be not just the creator of this assassin but an unmistakably kindred spirit.

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In the seven years since Hou Hsiao-hsien began working on a ninth-century wuxia epic, his admirers have been madly curious about how the Taiwanese auteur known for such refined historical panoramas as "Flowers of Shanghai" and minor-key urban portraits like "Cafe Lumiere" would handle his rite of passage into one of China's most storied and vigorous popular genres.

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The official page of The 31st Hong Kong Film Awards

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The official page of The 31st Hong Kong Film Awards

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Shu Qi was nominated for best actress

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第31屆香港電影金像獎頒獎典禮

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Official page of the 48th Golden Horse Awards

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Official page of the 48th Golden Horse Awards

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Shu Qi was nominated for best leading actress

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台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

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英皇電影（國際）有限公司,北京不亦樂乎電影文化發展有限公司,中國電影集團公司,幸福藍海影視文化集團股份有限公司,峨眉電影集團有限公司,文化中國傳播集團有限公司

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In this interview, B represents The Bund magazine and S represents Shu Qi. B thinks Peiru's characteristics are similar to Qi's. However, Qi states that the only thing she and Peiru are alike is that they both set adrift in this world. She thinks this is her living style and she quite enjoys the freedom of being alone.

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The review provides a detailed explanation of the film's plots. Shu Qi's role, Li Peiru, is a real-estate agent who migrants from Hong Kong to Beijing and struggles working. The role's working background is similiar to Qi's working struggle.

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Famous for cunningly wrought crime stories - his Infernal Affairs series begat Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning The Departed - the Hong Kong director Andrew Lau scouts new territory, both emotional and geographical, in the Beijing-set melodrama A Beautiful Life. He successfully balances satire and sentimentality in the first half, but loses his bearings in the sappier second part.

Infernal Affairs was a swift-moving tale of corrupt cops and Hong Kong triads; Lau's Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, made in 2010 but just released in the U.S. last month, combined kung fu brawls with military battles on both the Western and Eastern fronts. The director slows down for A Beautiful Life, with longer takes and less frantic editing. On the plus side, this gives Taiwanese beauty Shu Qi the space to develop her sweet-and-sour character, a buoyant but volatile Hong Kong hustler who has moved to Beijing to get rich in real estate. But the calmer pace also allows too much time for the story's sudsier developments.

In the opening sequence, Peiru (Qi) and Zhendong ( Postman in the Mountains star Liu Ye) meet not-so-cute: Roaring drunk at an upscale karaoke joint, she staggers into the men's room and vomits on him. He ends up carrying her home.

Zhendong is an exemplary policeman who just can't refuse to help the public, even when that means a grasping, self-centered woman who asks him to make dumplings for her (married) boyfriend - and then introduces Zhendong as the plumber when the lover arrives early.

Long divorced after a short marriage, Zhendong is experienced at taking care of people: His autistic younger brother, who wears a lion suit to work as a street pitchman, needs regular supervision. When the brother decides to marry his mute girlfriend, the cop promises to look after both of them.

Peiru, however, pushes Zhendong to his limits. Her rages and breakdowns, only sometimes stoked by alcohol, are exhausting. Eventually, she retreats to Hong Kong, skipping out on a major loan from Zhendong. Realizing that she actually loves the man she has been exploiting, she returns to Beijing only to find that Zhendong is not as capable as before, and the two swap their previous roles.

That's not such a bad idea, but the movie's second half is buried under a heap of tear-jerking, heartwarming or simply redundant events. No movie needs, for example, multiple brain injuries to the same character.

The film does work as a showcase for Qi, in another of her force-of-nature roles. (See also Millennium Mambo or Three Times.) Her Peiru is exasperating yet charming, as tender as she is manipulative. Qi also plays drunk quite convincingly.

A Beautiful Life is hardly the only Chinese-language film to play off the culture clash between Hong Kong and the mainland. But the movie is among the first to suggest that the balance of power has shifted north. Economic migrants now travel from Hong Kong to Beijing to make their fortunes, and are regarded with suspicion by their new neighbors.

Thus Peiru's greed and narcissism are depicted as typical of people from the former British colony. After she becomes more giving, Zhendong's blind-musician pal (ubiquitous HK character actor Anthony Wong) delivers this toast: "I didn't expect a girl from Hong Kong to be so loyal."

The fact that Lau now has a Beijing office, and is pursuing opportunities on the mainland, is probably just a coincidence.

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In Booming Beijing, A Bad Girl Meets A Good Cop

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Action director Andrew Lau slows his usual pace in A Beautiful Life, a tale of unlikely love between a Hong Kong hustler and a Beijing-born policeman. A second-act slump into sentimentalism undercuts smart, sweet cultural commentary, but the film is a fine showcase for star Shu Qi.

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Journey to the West (2013) becomes the highest-grossing Chinese film globally

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Journey to the West (2013) becomes the highest-grossing Chinese film globally

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By 21st March 2013, the global box office of the film has reached 215 million US dollars, refreshing the previous world record of 213 million US dollars of Chinese film set by Director Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 2000. Since the release on February 10, "Journey to the West" has broken the record of a number of Chinese film box office and ranked the second highest-grossing Chinese-languag film in China. As the leading actress of the film, the film's box-office success also proves Qi's commercial success in mainstream films.

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《西游》成全球最卖座华语片

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《西游》成全球最卖座华语片

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Exclusive interview with Shu Qi: We should protect art-house film, I can even accept acting the role of a peasant woman for that 

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Exclusive interview with Shu Qi: We should protect art-house film, I can even accept acting the role of a peasant woman for that 

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Shu Qi talks about her continuing enthusiasm for film. She is willing to help niche art-house films and directors who do not have enough finance or powerful box office appeal even though the role is reversal to her usual image.

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专访舒淇：应该保护文艺片，演农妇都能接受-搜狐娱乐

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舒淇说雪莉杨其实是一个很简单的角色（点击观看组图）搜狐娱乐讯（哈麦/文玄反影/图李新/视频）今年戛纳电影节，舒淇是大赢家。既有大师侯孝贤的文艺气质武侠片《聂隐娘

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Interview with Shu Qi: A History of Struggle for a Taiwanese Aboriginal Girl

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Interview with Shu Qi: A History of Struggle for a Taiwanese Aboriginal Girl

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Shu says she is now able to perform 30 different characters at the same time and still holds great enthusiasm towards making films. She would devote a hundred percent energy into performing and would not muddle through her work even though she may not like certain films.

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专访舒淇：一位台湾原住民女孩的奋斗史- Mtime时光网

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专访舒淇：一位台湾原住民女孩的奋斗史 - Mtime

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Shu Qi is one of the jury members of the 8th Beijing International Film Festival in 2018

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Shu Qi is one of the jury members of the 8th Beijing International Film Festival in 2018

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第八届北京国际电影节评委全曝光 舒淇段奕宏被确认_娱乐新闻_正北方网

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今天下午，第八届北京国际电影节组委会办公室、北京市人民政府新闻办公室联合举办第二次新闻发布会。"天坛奖"国际评委会7名成员全部曝光，首批500部电影展映片单也悉数和网友见面。

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Stephen Chow Praises Shu Qi’s Incredible Talent in “Journey to the West”

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Stephen Chow Praises Shu Qi’s Incredible Talent in “Journey to the West”

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The director praised Shu Qi's daring and dramatic performance of acting a comedic and crude exorcist which is largely different to her usual beautiful image. It reflects Qi's professional attitude.

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Stephen Chow's new film, Journey to the West <西遊降魔篇> will be released in February of 2013. Stephen and the cast attended a press conference at Beijing yesterday to promote the movie. A making of the movie video was shown and the casts revealed the humorous stories while working with each other.

Although Stephen is not in the movie, he was busier than most of the stars. In one of the behind-the-scenes clips shown yesterday, Stephen was coaching Shu Qi (舒淇), who portrays a comedic and crude exorcist, how to perform an exorcism, and shouted at her, "Decapitate him! Tear his hands off! His legs too!" Shu Qi performed the scene to perfection by yanking the hands, the legs, and the head of the extra, while howling with laughter at the same time.

Shu Qi told the media that was the first time she has done a scene with such dramatization, and admitted feeling high when she performed the exorcism. Another clip revealed Shu Qi going after the main character Tang Sanzang (Wen Zhang 文章), in which she savagely smacked Wen on his head and viciously kicked him. At the same time she shouted, "You useless, impotent, moron! Eat crap!" This was a departure from the classic beauty that most people associate her with. Stephen praised her acting as incredible, a guru on par with himself.

When Stephen offered Shu Qi the role, he did not contact her agency or manager. Stephen called her out of the blue and asked if she had time to have a date with him. Stephen said, "I was surprised she didn't find it exciting having dinner with me; she seemed to be more interested in acting." Shu Qi enjoyed the filming process immensely, getting a good laugh by asking Stephen to demonstrate the comedic scenes first.

Stephen Chow's Journey to the West is a nutty version of one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. In the movie, Wen Zhang plays a comedic version of a filthy Tang Sanzang. Stephen found Wen to be so funny that he felt it was time to retire from acting.

Another leading man, Huang Bo (黃渤), who plays the Monkey King, felt left out when Wen got to do all the intimate scenes with Shu Qi. "I am extremely bitter!" joked Huang.

Source: Apple Daily
This article is written by Lance for JayneStars.com.

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Stephen Chow Praises Shu Qi's Incredible Talent in "Journey to the West"

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Stephen Chow's new film, Journey to the West will be released in February of 2013. Stephen and the cast attended a press conference at Beijing yesterday to promote the movie. A making of the movie video was shown and the casts revealed the humorous stories while working with each other.

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Screenshot of description of Shu Qi's role, Miss Duan

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Screenshot of description of Shu Qi's role, Miss Duan

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Miss Duan is an innocent and lovely kung fu master. She falls in love with Xuanzang and repeatedly and openly expresse her love for Xuanzang while gets refused each time. She keeps secretly protecting Xuanzang and eventually dies for him.

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The page of Journey to the West in Baidu Encyclopedia

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The page of Journey to the West in Baidu Encyclopedia

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西游·降魔篇 大话西游之三藏伏魔 西游记之除魔传奇 西游 降魔西游篇 西游降魔篇 西游之除魔篇 除魔传奇 西游伏魔篇 新西游降魔篇 西游.降魔 西游·降魔篇剧情简介 西游·降魔篇演职员表 西游·降魔篇角色介绍 西游·降魔篇音乐原声 西游·降魔篇幕后花絮 西游·降魔篇获奖记录 西游·降魔篇幕后制作 西游·降魔篇制作发行 西游·降魔篇影片评价 《西游之降魔篇》：通往佛国的艰难涅槃之路

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西游·降魔篇（2013年周星驰导演的电影）_百度百科

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《西游·降魔篇》是由周星驰监制、编剧、导演，文章、舒淇、黄渤等主演的古装神话电影。影片故事围绕年少时期的唐僧与段小姐的相识经过及冒险历程，其中更会交代周星驰经典对白"爱你一万年"的源起， 故事中涉及一段爱恨交缠的感情。...

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a romantic drama

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Directed by Wai-Keung Lau. With Qi Shu, Ye Liu, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Liang Tian. A beautiful real-estate agent (Peiru) gets drunk at a karaoke bar and throws up on a principled, lonely cop (Zhendong). Zhendong quickly falls for the flirtatious Peiru despite the fact that she's having a tortuous affair with a married man.

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The official page of 50th Golden Horse Awards

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The official page of 50th Golden Horse Awards

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Shu Qi was nominated for best leading actress

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台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

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Beijing Hairun Pictures Co., Ltd.,Huaxia Film Distribution Co., Ltd.,China Movie Channel

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a romantic action and fantasy comedy

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Tang Sanzang, an aspiring Buddhist hero tries to protect a village from three demons. He develops complex feelings for Miss Duan, the demon hunter who repeatedly helps him, and finally quests to meet the legendary Monkey King.

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Directed by Stephen Chow, Chi-kin Kwok. With Zhang Wen, Qi Shu, Bo Huang, Show Lo. Tang Sanzang, an aspiring Buddhist hero tries to protect a village from three demons. He develops complex feelings for Miss Duan, the demon hunter who repeatedly helps him, and finally quests to meet the legendary Monkey King.

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a wuxia drama

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Directed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou. With Qi Shu, Chen Chang, Yun Zhou, Satoshi Tsumabuki. A female assassin receives a dangerous mission to kill a political leader in eighth-century China.

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Official page of Shu Qi in Cannes website

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Official page of Shu Qi in Cannes website

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Shu Qi was one of jury members for feature films of Cannes Film Festival in 2009

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Shu Qi won the acclaim of the cinema-going public and international critics thanks to her role in Hou Hsiao Hsien's Millenium Mambo, which was presented in competition in Cannes (2001). Her film career began in Hong Kong when she met Andy Lau who gave her the leading role in 5 of his films, including Storm Riders in 1998.

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Official page of juries of Berlin International Film Festival in 2008 

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Official page of juries of Berlin International Film Festival in 2008 

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Shu Qi was one of juries of Berlin International Film Festival in 2008

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Berlin International Film Festival - official website

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the page of Three Times in the official website of Cannes

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the page of Three Times in the official website of Cannes

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Shu Qi returned to Cannes in Competition with Three Times by Hou Hsiao Hsien (2005). This film may also help promote her international visibility and recognition.

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What is the best of time ? It is a bliss of not having it again. We remember it not because it was wonderful moment, on contrary, because we lost it forever, we can only recall it with our memory, that is why it is wonderful. Three different times,1911,1966,2005, three stories, the same...

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an action and thrill film, cooperation with Jason Statham and Luc Besson further increases Q's international recognition and commercial value

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Directed by Louis Leterrier, Corey Yuen. With Jason Statham, Qi Shu, Matt Schulze, François Berléand. Frank is hired to "transport" packages for unknown clients and has made a very good living doing so. But when asked to move a package that begins moving, complications arise.

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Shu Qi works as the jury member in film festivals

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Official page of the 42nd Golden Horse Awards

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Official page of the 42nd Golden Horse Awards

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Shu Qi won the best leading actress

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台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

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寰亞電影有限公司,華誼兄弟太合影視投資有限公司,北京太合影視投資有限公司,映藝娛樂有限公司,北京紫禁城影業有限責任公司

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a romantic drama

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Directed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou. With Qi Shu, Chen Chang, Fang Mei, Shu-Chen Liao. Three stories set in three times, 1911, 1966 and 2005. Two actors play the two main characters in each story.

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Shu Qi's representative commercial films will be listed chronologically with pink base

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Shu Qi's representative art-house films will be listed chronologically with yellow base

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a romance film

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Directed by Mabel Cheung. With Leon Lai, Qi Shu, Nicola Cheung, Daniel Wu. While attending their respective parent's funeral in London, two strangers discover their parent's secret love affair spanning across three decades and two continents. (Chinese with English subtitles).

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Shu Qi's personal page in the official website of Cannes

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Shu Qi's personal page in the official website of Cannes

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It is claimed that Millennium Mambo's award in Cannes earns Shu Qi acclaim of the cinema-going public and international critics. In some way, the film helps Shu Qi to be recognizable in the international stage.

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Shu Qi won the acclaim of the cinema-going public and international critics thanks to her role in Hou Hsiao Hsien's Millenium Mambo, which was presented in competition in Cannes (2001). Her film career began in Hong Kong when she met Andy Lau who gave her the leading role in 5 of his films, including Storm Riders in 1998.

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A relatively detailed report reviewing Shu Qi's career including the mis-steps and developments she has made. It mainly describes how she has broken out of the Category III soft porn roles and made her way to genuine mainstream headliner.

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Actors, Features, Hong Kong, Profile, Taiwan
BUY FROM AMAZON UK
UK DVD

With the home release of The Assassin, we look at the career of its star, Shu Qi...

The career path of Taiwan's Lin Li-hui (林立慧) is one that would be unlikely for a western actress, but is pretty much unique for an Asian one. Escaping a troubled and poor childhood in Taipei, she headed for Hong Kong as a 17 year old. Blessed with long limbs, a slender body, bee-stung lips, a killer smile and near-Eurasian features, she took on a new name, Shu Qi (舒淇) and started life as a model.

However, this wasn't of the necessarily of the catwalk variety, with much of her work being what we tend to term in the West as somewhat euphemistically as "Glamour". One magazine cover shot gained the attention of Producer Manfred Wong, who cast her in the 1996 erotic comedy sequel Sex and Zen 2. This led to a starring role in Derek Yee's rather meta Viva Erotica, a Cat III movie about making a Cat III movie. Shu Qi made an impression, even when up against luminaries such as Leslie Cheung and Karen Mok, earning a couple of acting awards.

This opened the doors to get her into the mainstream - now she no longer had to take off her clothes, but whilst the roles were plentiful but they were fairly uninspiring. Her acting style was also criticised for being somewhat "manic" during these period, but this was probably down to a number of factors - her lack of training, the need for her to use Cantonese and mostly down to the gonzo nature of Hong Kong filmmaking. It is hard to over-stress the unusual way she broke away from the nature of her early appearances. I can't think of too many other Hong Kong-based Actresses that were able to break out of the Cat III soft porn roles to genuine mainstream headliner. Even popular names like Chingmy Yau managed to eek out a successfully career, but it certainly did not result in a truly international and wide ranging collection of roles.

In 1999 there was a clear shift in her marketability. The Jackie Chan vehicle Gorgeous actually started out with Chan only having a role as a Producer. Such was the desire to get Shu Qi in the role that an acting part for him was hastily written and inserted into the script.

These early years had seen a strong forward momentum in her career, but 2000 saw one of the few mis-steps. Ang Lee cast Shu Qi in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but after 8 weeks her now-Manager Manfred Wong decided her time would be better spent filming a Coca-Cola commercial in the USA. She was replaced Zhang Ziyi, and the Oscar winning results are all too well known.

Fortunately for her, as one opportunity was somewhat foolishly (with hindsight) thrown away, 2001 saw her start to work in more rarefied circles. Whilst Ann Hui's Visible Secret might not be one of the highly regarded director's most vaunted movies, Shu Qi was now working at a different level. This year also saw her first collaboration with her fellow Taiwanese Hou Hsiao-Hsien. Millennium Mambo showcased a collaboration that would be repeated several times, culminating in 2015's The Assassin.

Now Shu Qi was mixing art-house with pan-asian and true international opportunities. Corey Yeun's 2002 action film would team her up once again with Karen Mok and genuine Mainland A-lister Vicki Zhao in a fun glossy romp. No doubt the connection with Yuen got her into Jason Statham's car boot in her only appearance so far in a western film - Louis Letterier's The Transporter.

Whilst it didn't turn her into a Hollywood hot property, it certainly did raise her profile even higher. She was now a face that could breathe life into franchises, whether it was in the Pang Brothers , or replacing Shin Eun-kyung in the popular Korean comedy/action three-quel My Wife is a Gangster 3 (her Weibo account is the most followed of a Chinese star by Koreans).

She would continue to appear in Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwanese productions, both in lead and supporting roles, a continuing presence on the silver screen. She was the lead in Stephen Chow and Derek Kwok's box office smash Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons in 2013, and gained more international acclaim in Hou Hsiao-Hsien's The Assassin a couple of years later.

Shu Qi has managed to not travel the usual route of actresses raised in the Hong Kong system. She effortlessly moved out of Cat III into both commercial and art-house markets. She hasn't felt the need to marry another star or a rich businessman (though she has had fairly well publicised long term relationships with Cantopop god Leon Lai and actor/director Stephen Fung). Yes, there have been miss-steps along the way, but even now as she approaches 40, she is working as much as ever - even whilst The Assassin is garnering awards, she was in another 3 more commercially-attuned hit films.

The Assassin is released on UK Blu-ray, DVD and Digital formats on 23rd May 2016.

Stephen Palmer
Millionaire Playboy by day, Masked Avenger for Justice by Night, Stephen battles...... Oh ok, I am an English Film Geek who also publishes his own ramblings on http://gweiloramblings.wordpress.com/ More "

Coming soon*

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journey to the west: conquering the demons

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Shu Qi : From Cat III to Cannes | easternkicks.com

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With the home release of The Assassin, we look at the career of its star, Shu Qi... The career path of Taiwan's Lin Li-hui (林立慧) is one that would be unlikely for a western actress, but is pretty much unique for an Asian one.

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Official page of the 38th Golden Horse Awards

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Official page of the 38th Golden Horse Awards

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Shu Qi was nominated fot best leading actress

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台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival

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© Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee

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a romantic drama

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Directed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou. With Qi Shu, Jack Kao, Chun-hao Tuan, Jun Takeuchi. The ethereally beautiful Vicky recalls her romances with Hao Hao and Jack in the neon-lit clubs of Taipei.

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The page of Gorgeous in Baidu Encyclopedia

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The page of Gorgeous in Baidu Encyclopedia

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玻璃樽 玻璃樽剧情简介 玻璃樽演职员表 玻璃樽角色介绍 玻璃樽音乐原声 玻璃樽幕后花絮 玻璃樽获奖记录 玻璃樽幕后制作 玻璃樽发行信息 玻璃樽影片评价 玻璃樽影片争议

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《玻璃樽》是由嘉禾电影有限公司、GH Pictures公司制作的一部动作爱情喜剧片。由谷德昭执导，成龙、舒淇、任贤齐等主演。影片主要讲述了台湾渔村少女在海边捡到一个漂流瓶，凭樽内一张纸条来到香港寻找一段奇缘的故事。...

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Screenshot of description of Shu Qi's role, Bu

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Screenshot of description of Shu Qi's role, Bu

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Bu is a countryside girl who has hopes and longings for love. She found a bottle message, then she decided to travel to HK and eventually fell in love with C.N. Chan (Jackie Chan). Bu's characteristic of bravely chasing her love reinforces Qi's image of daring to love.

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Leon Lai talks about his gossip with Shu Qi

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Leon Lai talks about his gossip with Shu Qi

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Leon is unable to tell the public the reasons that he split up with Shu Qi. The media speculated on the cause of society pressure especially highlighting Leon's fans' disapproval of Shu Qi due to her soft-porn filming experiences.

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Singer and actor Leon Lai is known to be a private person, but the star opened up recently about the romantic setbacks in his life on a popular Chinese television show.

Regarded as one of the four Heavenly Kings in Hong Kong pop culture, Lai fessed up on Dragon TV's The Jinxing Show last week that he was heartbroken after ending a seven-year relationship with actress Shu Qi in 2004.

"Everyone experiences pain. If there isn't pain, we won't be able to come together," he told show host Jin Xing, who felt that the pair make an ideal couple.

When the host asked him if their split was due to pressure from society, Lai, who is 50 today, said he could not talk about the reason and suggested that it was pointless to do so since Shu Qi, 40, had already married.

The media had speculated on the causes then, highlighting fans' disapproval of her because she was once a soft-porn actress and Lai's reluctance to admit he was in a relationship with her.

Leon Lai told talk show host Jin Xing he still believes in love despite his romantic setbacks.Photo: Screengrab of The Jinxing Show

Shu Qi, who tied the knot with longtime friend, actor-director Stephen Fung, 42, last year, was also depressed after breaking up with Lai, she told Elle magazine in 2010.

She was first linked to Fung when they acted together in Bishonen in 1997 but went on to have a serious relationship with Lai after both co-starred in City Of Glass in 1998.

Leon Lai and Shu Qi in City of Glass in 1998.Photo: Golden Harvest

Lai, who divorced model Gaile Lok in 2012 after four years of marriage, said he still believes in love, adding that he would give his best shot in a new romance, despite his romantic failures.

"If I don't believe in it anymore, I might as well become a monk. You definitely have to make sacrifices when it comes to love. That is what love is about. If you don't make sacrifices for it, then other person won't do it either. I still believe in fate, and I will cherish it when it comes," said Lai, who had admitted in 2012 that he had been selfish in the marriage.

The still-dashing debonair star, also revealed that he first fell in love at 18 or 19 with a classmate. In recent years, the media have reported him seeing a model half his age.

On The Jinxing talk show, Leon Lai said singer Faye Wong is a woman of integrity.Photo: Screengrab from The Jinxing Show

When questioned about the type of woman he desires, he said: "One day, we will all get fat. We can't just focus on looks alone."

He was also asked about the strong points of several female celebrities named by the host. He said singer Faye Wong epitomises integrity, while he would safely share a secret with actress Maggie Cheung.

As for the woman he admires most, it is none other than Shu Qi.

chenj@sph.com.sg

On a TV show, Leon Lai said he admires Shu Qi the most and that he would share a secret safely with Maggie Cheung.Photo: Screengrab from The Jinxing Show

Photo Gallery

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Leon Lai heartbroken after Shu Qi split, speaks up on romantic failures

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Singer and actor Leon Lai is known to be a private person, but the star opened up recently about the romantic setbacks in his life on a popular Chinese television show.

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Shu Qi expresses her positive attitude towards breaking up with Leon that she believes it's fate's arrangement and she's not a woman who falls into the abyss of love.

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Life should not be lived for another person, but for herself, says Shu Qi.

Breaking the silence about her break up with Leon Lai, the Taiwanese actress said: "We have to look on the bright side. I am not a woman who falls into the abyss of love. Although it isn't easy to recover from a breakup, I choose to be positive."

The 33-year-old told Apple Daily that her relationship with the Hong Kong Heavenly King had been a happy and close one.

The pair first met on the set of the movie, "City of Glass" - when Shu Qi was 22 - and started dating not long after.

However, their relationship sparked furore from Leon's fans as they felt that Shu Qi, an ex-pornography actress, was not good enough for him.

Apart from his fans' backlash, Shu Qi also had to endure rumours of Leon's scandals with other actresses.

The pair finally broke up in 2004, when Shu Qi turned 29.

Not long after, Leon started going out with model Gaile Lok.

When asked if she hated Leon for robbing her of her prime, she said: "Why must there be hate? I won't hate him because it was fate that brought us together, and also fate that separated us. Maybe a break up was better for the both of us."

Although the star still believes in love, marrige is still far from her mind.

She said: "I haven't thought about marriage yet. Anyway, I've deleted Leon's memories from my mind."

Nonetheless, Shu Qi enjoys the feeling of being in a relationship.

"In a relationship, I feel that I tend to love the other party more because I simply can't be together with someone whom I don't love a lot," she says.

Of the characteristics she's looking for in her ideal partner, she says: "Partners should move forward together - one shouldn't be walking ahead while the other is left behind.

"What I'm looking for is someone that I can connect with."

Source: Diva Asia

she looks stunning in that dress. i believe its from marchesa?

i love shu qi- she may have been a porn actress but she's developed and is one of the nicest people in the industry.

oh wow .. i didn't know she was once a porn actress .. yeah .. azn ppl have a thing about it what not .. including myself .. sry. hope she'll find someone who love her for who she is eventually .. not gonna be easy.

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Life should not be lived for another person, but for herself, says Shu Qi. Breaking the silence about her break up with Leon Lai, the Taiwanese actress said: "We have to look on the bright side. I am not a woman who falls into the abyss of love.

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Screenshot of the description of Shu Qi's role, Vivian

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Screenshot of the description of Shu Qi's role, Vivian

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Vivian and Raphael (Lean Lai) was once lovers that everyone admired. They drifted apart and reunited years later while they had married other people. Vivian and Raphael's love story actually continues in reality between two actors outside the screen.

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The official page of the 18th Hong Kong Film Awards

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The official page of the 18th Hong Kong Film Awards

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Shu Qi was nominated for best actress

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Screenshot of reviews about Shu Qi's performance

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Screenshot of reviews about Shu Qi's performance

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Shu Qi's role is an ex-prostitute which may be a reflection of her own identity indicated that she's no longer a soft-porn star. The reporter praises her powerful performance in the film.

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The Young and Dangerous Series and the people behind it: Portland Street Blues - 1998

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The Young and Dangerous Series and the people behind it: Portland Street Blues - 1998

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A detailed report about synopsis and reviews about the film as well as acting and producing staffs

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Unlike previous spin off Once Upon a Time in Triad Society (1996), Portland Street Blues (1998) is an official part of the franchise, involving a number of series stalwarts such as writer/producer Manfred Wong and executive producer Wong Jing. It also features cameos from the likes of Francs Ng, Ekin Cheng and Jerry Lamb portraying the roles they made famous in the main Young and Dangerous series.

What sets Portland Street Blues apart from the main series is not only that it is one of the superior entries of the series, but that the main focus is on a female character in a usually male dominated genre.

Portland Street Blues main focus is on the life of bisexual Triad member Sister 13 (Sandra Ng), who fans were introduced to in Young and Dangerous 4 (1997). In that film her screen time was limited but she still managed to make an impression, which led her to re-appear in part 5 before getting her own spin off.

Portland Street Blues flashes back before the events of Young and Dangerous 4, showing the audience how Sister 13 became the Triad leader she is. The film starts with Sister 13 getting drunk and beginning to tell her story to fellow Triad Ben (Vincent Wan).

It turns out that at one time Sister 13 was a young street kid who would commit petty crimes with her friends. Her father (Ng Man Tat) is a low lever Hung Hing member who is overall a good guy that would rather just gamble than get involved in any Triad activity.

Through her petty scams, Thirteen ends up running afoul of scummy Triad type SOB (John Ching), who ends up putting her on the path to becoming a branch leader herself. This path involves a number of life changing incidents, mostly harrowing events such as the murder of her father.

Sister 13's story also intersects with Tung Sing Triad Coke (Alex Fong), who she falls in love with and that of Kei (Shu Qi), an ex prostitute and now drug addict. She is also assisted on her path by on off again lesbian lover Yun (Kristy Yeung).

In place of usual series director Andrew Lau is Raymond Yip, who comes from the Wong Jing stable of directors. Not as stylish a director as Lau, with Yip shooting the film in a less frenetic style than any of Lau's entries. Yip focuses more on the actors, with the film being full of award worthy performances.

Yip, assisted with one of the series best scripts, also handles the fact Sister 13 is gay with surprising tenderness and sensitivity, unlike other Hong Kong films of the period, which would have used a lesbian relationship as a chance to titillate the audience, not unlike other Wong Jing productions such as Raped by an Angel 2: The Uniform Fan (1998).

Yip isn't as prolific a director as Lau, but like him, his filmography is extremely inconsistent, with him directing something as well done as Portland Street Blues, then going on to direct films like the abysmal For Bad Boys Only (2000).

His follow up was still a comedy of the low-brow variety, yet again produced by Wong Jing. I'm Your Birthday Cake (1995) an extremely sleazy romantic comedy, which has some troubling views on homosexuality, which is the more surprising considering how he handled the same subject a few years later in Portland Street Blues. The film is saved by a surprisingly decent lead role from Wong Jing regular Chingamy Yau.

Yip's third film as director was the anthology horror comedy Till Death Do Us Laugh (1996), a slightly better made film than his previous two, with him directing the third and final story that forms the film. The first two stories are directed by Joe Ma and Chin Man Kei. Yip's section of the film is probably the best and also had him directing Shu Qi for the first time.

After these he would then go on to direct Portland Street Blues, which is still to date his best feature, although he has made other quality features since that are at least on par with his work here.

His next film as director would keep him associated with the Young and Dangerous series, with another spin off to the franchise. Those Were the Days (2000) is another well made drama akin to Portland Street Blues, this time focusing on possibly the series most popular character, Chicken, as played by Jordan Chan.

Ekin Cheng had made cameo appearances in Yip's previous two movies, before he would take centre stage in the afore mentioned For Bad Boys Only (2000). Considering that it involved a number of the people that was involved in his last two successes such as writer/producer Manfred Wong, Cinematographer Liu Yiu-Fai and actors Ekin Cheng and Shu Qi, For Bad Boys Only is an unmitigated disaster.

Yip shows none of the skill that made his last two films so memorable, with an abundance of terrible CGI, poorly shot action and wooden performances from the leads.

The critical failure of For Bad Boys Only didn't stop Raymond Yip from continuing to work with writer/producer Manfred Wong. Luckily their follow up would be City of Desire (2001), which had him working with Portland Street Blues leading lady Sandra Ng. The film also features performances from other Portland Street Blues actors like Alex Fong and to a lesser extent Kristy Yeung.

Not completely successful, with the film feeling more like an educational film about Macau instead of the Triad drama that it portends to be. Still it is a major improvement on Yip and Manfred Wong's previous endeavor.

The following year would find Yip returning to the comedy genre, making the entertaining but underwhelming Beauty and the Breast (2002). The enjoyment factor is upped by a couple of funny turns from leading men Francis Ng and Daniel Wu, with the added bonus of getting to see what they would look like with a set of breasts.

Within the same year, Yip would direct another comedy feature, this time co-directing alongside Andrew Lau with Manfred Wong yet again involved in the script. Unfortunately, Women From Mars (2002) would prove to be another failure for the director. Even the star studded cast which includes the likes of Ekin Cheng, Michael Wong, Shu Qi and Louis Koo can't save it, although Francis Ng does have fun in one of the smaller roles.

Women From Mars was made as a benefit film for producer Ng Chi Hung, who was in a considerable amount of debt at the time, so it is understandable that the film feels rushed and cheaply produced compared to both of the directors other features. This doesn't cover the poor script and the fact that both directors seem to be going through the motions.

2002 was quite a busy year for Raymond Yip, with him going on to direct his third feature of the year. Romantic drama Loving Him (2002) is a well acted time waster that may not be Yip's finest work but is an improvement on Women From Mars. Once again the film was scripted by usual cohort Manfred Wong.

The following year unfortunately didn't fare better for the director, with him turning out the woefully unfunny romantic comedy My Dream Girl (2003) then on to the slightly better Anna in Kungfu-Land (2003), which at least has the bonus of some decent fight scenes courtesy of choreographer Tung Wai. Both films starred Ekin Cheng, moving him further away from his Chan Ho Nam persona.

Yip would take some time off after Anna in Kung Fu Land, eventually returning to movies with director Peter Chan's The Warlords (2007), which he is credited as executive director. The Warlords is a violent remake of Chang Cheh's masterpiece Blood Brothers (1973). An excellent period drama, with terrific battle scenes, high production values and great leading roles for Jet Li, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Andy Lau. This is a major improvement on Yip's previous work although it is unclear how much of the finished film could be accredited to him.

Before he worked on Warlords, Yip directed the film Fate (2008), which he apparently shot in 2006. There isn't much information to be found online regarding the film, as it is unclear if it was even released, so I can't comment on the quality other than it had Yip working once again with director Andrew Lau, who produced the film.

He would continue to take a back seat, with him showing up as either an executive director on an Empress and the Warriors (2008) or as a second unit director on family movie Trail of the Panda (2009).

His return to the director's chair in 2010 probably went unnoticed by most, although his two films in the year are solid, with his first of the year Lost on Journey (2010) being a fun lighthearted road movie. His follow up film was the underrated Bruce Lee, My Brother (2010), a biopic focusing on the early years of the martial arts superstar.

Co-directing with Manfred Wong, the film goes in some way for making up for some their poorer collaborations in the past, with the film being excellently shot, featuring great performances and some well staged fight scenes, although it must be noted that it is not an action film. The film certainly doesn't deserve some of the bad press that it has received.

Raymond Yip and Manfred Wong would stay loyal, teaming up yet again, this time on the supernatural thriller Blood Stained Shoes (2012).

The majority of Yip's recent directorial endeavors have involved Manfred Wong in some capacity, with the Phantom of the Theatre (2016) and Cooking up a Storm (2017) being two of their better collaborations

The major selling point of Portland Street Blues is the excellent lead performance from Sandra Ng. The character of Sister 13 had proven popular in the previous 2 installments, but her screen time was limited. With Portland Street Blues she is front and centre, giving the character further depth and Ng a true chance to shine.

I have written in detail previously about the great work that Ng has done throughout her film career. Equally adept at comedy or drama, Portland Street Blues film went on to garner Ng a best actress award at both the Hong Kong film awards and the Golden Horse Awards.

Co-star Shu Qi, one of the more famous faces from the series, is equally impressive in her role as an ex prostitute come drug addict. This would be the second character she portrayed in the Young and Dangerous series, as in the same year she had already appeared in Young and Dangerous 5. She would play yet another different character in the next entry, Young and Dangerous: The Prequel (1998).

Shu Qi was rewarded for her performance by winning the best supporting actress award at the Hong Kong film awards.

Although nominated for best supporting actress, Kristy Yeung was overlooked when it came time to giving out awards, although she is one of the stronger elements of the film. Like co-star Shu Qi, the quality of her performances betrays her model roots with her sharing great chemistry with leading lady Ng and conveying a great deal of emotions sometimes without even saying a word.

Yeung had previously lost out on the award for best newcomer at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance in Peter Chan's Comrades, Almost a Love Story (1996). Before this she had taken part in the Miss Asia Pageant beauty contest which was organised by broadcasting company ATV.

Yeung was crowned Miss Asia 1995, and through her association with ATV began to appear in a number of their television programmes such as King of Gamblers (1996), before moving into film work.

Further high profile film work would come during the remainder of the decade, with co-starring roles in Andrew Lau's fantasy epics The Storm Riders (1998) and A Man Called Hero (1999). She would again reprise her role of Yung from Portland Street Blues in both Young and Dangerous: The Prequel and Those Were the Days, albeit in cameo appearances.

Like Co-star's Shu Qi and Ekin Cheng, Yeung would have the misfortune of working on the inferior For Bad Boys Only as well as the enjoyable swords play comedy The Duel (2000), which saw her working again with three of the architects of the Young and Dangerous franchise, Andrew Lau, Manfred Wong and Wong Jing.

Even after the failure off For Bad Boys Only, Yeung wouldn't be put off from working with director Raymond Yip again, making a small appearance in City of Desire alongside Portland Street Blues co-stars Sandra Ng and Alex Fong.

Considering her stellar work in Portland Street Blues, the actress still ended up acting in a good deal of inferior films, such as Fall for You (2001), The Avenging Fist (2001), Fate Fighter (2003) and PTU File - Death Trap (2005).

Yeung would appear less in movies at this point in her career, with small cameo appearances in the art house martial arts drama thriller Ming Ming (2007) and Bruce Lee, My Brother, which had her working under Portland Street Blues director Raymond Yip yet again.

At least she would get a substantial role in the comedy Where Are You From? (2011), even if the overall quality of the film was sadly lacking. The same can be said for the romantic drama Be Together (2015), which is only marginally better.

Portland Street Blues may take a more female orientated view of the Triad world, but there are still a couple of notable male performers included. As well as cameos from series stalwarts Ekin Cheng and Francis Ng, there are main roles for the always dependable Alex Fong and the terrific Ng Man Tat, who is his usual terrific self.

Fong plays Triad member Coke, the unrequited love of Sister 13. Coke is a member of the Tung Sing Triad, whom sister 13 meets before setting of on her own Triad way of life. Coke isn't exactly one of the actor's best roles, with him being clearly overshadowed by his female co-stars. Saying that, it is still better than his role in Raped by an Angel 3: Sexual Fantasy of the Chief Executive (1998), made the same year.

During his career, Fong has racked up more than 100 film appearances, some admittedly better than others. The actor has been working steadily since the second half of the 1980's, and can be seen in popular films like Angel (1987) and its sequels as well as the early Chow Sing Chi comedy Sleazy Dizzy (1990).

In the same year he would get a chance at more of a leading role in veteran director Chor Yuen's stab at the Heroic Bloodshed genre, Bloodstained Tradewinds (1990).

Some of these films would turn out better than others, such as Guns of Dragon (1993), which has him in a main co-starring role. Not the greatest example of Hong Kong film making, there is still the requisite action scenes and decent production values that should keep fans happy.

Consistently giving decent performances in inferior films, it would be a few years before Fong's film roles would get better. In 1996 he co-starred in Johnnie To's A Moment of Romance 3 (1996), the final part of the trilogy. Not a great role, but at least he was acting in something more worthy of his talents.

Further work with Johnnie To was to come, with him acting alongside Lau Ching Wan in the directors Lifeline (1997), a sold disaster thriller, finally giving the actor a worthy character to play. Moving further into big budget filmmaking (in Hong Kong movie standards at least) was his smaller role in Teddy Chan's Hollywood style thriller Downtown Torpedoes (1997).

1998 would prove to be a considerably busy year for the actor with him acting in 8 films, of varying quality. As well Portland Street Blues and the previously mentioned Raped by an Angel 3: Sexual Fantasy of the Chief Executive, he would feature in worthwhile movies like Till Death do us Part (1998) and Your Place or Mine (1998) in main roles in addition to a small part in The Storm Riders.

Luckily directors like Herman Yau and Derek Yee would still see the qualities of the actor and cast him in more worthwhile fare such as Yau's psychological thriller Astonishing (2004) or Yee's One Night in Mongkok (2004).

Fitting around these were two of his lesser films, with the straight to video Cop Unbowed (2004) and the enjoyable Explosive City (2004) which features a decent cast for a film of its type, including Simon Yam and Japanese superstar Sonny Chiba.

After these co-starring roles he would headline the horror comedy Don't Open Your Eyes (2006), reteaming him with Cheap Killers director Clarence Fok. Sadly the film doesn't live up to the fun of their previous collaboration.

Heavenly Mission (2006) would bring the actor back into the Triad genre, co-starring alongside Ekin Cheng, with Fong giving the best performance of the film.

One of his Overheard directors, Felix Chong, would employ his services the following year for Triad satire Once a Gangster (2010), which would reteam Young & Dangerous co-stars Jordan Chan and Ekin Cheng. Disappointingly Cheng is little more than an extended cameo although Fong goes in some way for making up for this giving a hilarious performance throughout.

Triple Tap (2010) should have been a surefire hit. A sequel to the previous hit Double Tap, but with the added bonus of master director Derek Yee taking over the reigns. Add in some star power from the likes of Louis Koo and Daniel Wu and Triple Tap really should have easily surpassed the original.

Unfortunately the film never fails to be a disappointment, with a total lack of pace or action and also relegates original star Alex Fong to a small supporting part, playing his character from the previous Double Tap. Fong is one of the saving graces of the film and it would have been better suited focusing on him than the more popular Louis Koo or Daniel Wu

Directors Felix Chong and Alan Mak are clearly fans of the actor with them casting him in two of their films in the same year, with the first being The Lost Bladesman (2011). Appearing in a small role he is sadly overshadowed by the excellent Jiang Wen and the star power of Donnie Yen.

In addition Fong would have a very small role in Overhead 2 (2011), the director's sequel to their previous success. A thematic sequel with all the returning actors playing different characters, Fong's screen time amounts to no more than a cameo.

The same is true of his turn in Derek Yee's The Great Magician (2012), which proved to be another lacklustre effort from the usually dependable Yee. At least he would have a more leading role in the same years Be a Mother (2012).

Due to the success of the previous two Overhead films, a third was inevitable. Overhead 3 (2014) would prove to be the weakest entry of the series, although the excellent performances from the leads are a plus.

Further work with Derek Yee would continue in the same year, with a supporting turn in psychological thriller Insanity (2014) which Yee produced before making a cameo appearance in Yee's own directorial offering I Am Somebody (2015), another step in the wrong direction for the previously stellar director.

Sadly it has been a while since Fong has had a leading role with even his most recent output, the romantic comedy Paris Holiday (2015) and romantic drama Perfect Imperfection (2016), relegating the actor to supporting roles that he could do in his sleep.

In addition to Alex Fong, the legendary Ng Man Tat stars as Sister 13's father, a low level triad. Although Man Tat is primarily known as a comedy star he has proven time and time again how versatile an actor he can be. His performance in Portland Street Blues is no different with his Triad character essentially being a good guy if somewhat weak.

Man Tat has been working within the Hong Kong television and film industry for decades and deserves an article of his own, which I am currently working on.

Manfred Wong wasn't the sole writer on Portland Street Blues, sharing a writing credit with Patrick Kong.

Kong is a writer and director in his own right, probably most famous for directing Marriage with a Fool (2006) and its recent sequel Anniversary (2015), which stars the other Alex Fong, Fong Lik-Sun.

Before co-writing Portland Street Blues, Kong had already worked as a writer on Love Amoeba Style (1997) and First Love: Litter on the Breeze (1997), both of which starred Eric Kot. Of the two, First Love is the most worthwhile, being just strange enough to be enjoyable and being visually similar to the films of its producer Wong Kar Wai.

After Portland Street Blues, Kong would continue to ply his trade as a screen writer, working once again with Manfred Wong on the forgettable romantic drama Un Baiser Vole (2000).

The majority of Kong's work as either writer or director has focused on his characters love lives and how love stinks. His next two writing credits feature this at the forefront with the dogme like Leaving in Sorrow (2001) and Loving Him (2002) from Portland Street Blues director Raymond Yip. Like that film, Loving Him was again co-written between himself and Manfred Wong.

More lighthearted was My Lucky Star (2003), a Lunar New Year romantic comedy which he co-wrote with the film's director Vincent Kok. Even with the star pairing of Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Miriam Yeung, the film is nothing more than a disappointment, being one of the un-funniest Lunar New Year comedies to come out at this time. Only a scene stealing turn from Ronald Cheng goes anyway in making My Lucky Star a worthwhile experience.

Not learning his lesson, Kong would reteam with director Vincent Kok in the same year, this time on the more enjoyable Dragon Loaded 2003 (2003). This time Ronald Cheng is moved up to lead performance, with him pretty much carrying the film on his shoulders.

Not the best example of a Hong Kong comedy but fun enough and a major improvement on Kong and Kok's previous. The success of the film led to Vincent Kok directing a sequel two years later, Dragon Reloaded (2005).

Staying within the comedy genre, Kong contributed to the script for adult comedy Men Suddenly in Black (2003), a more successful Hong Kong comedy than some of his previous efforts.

2004 would mark a turning point in Kok's career with him making his directing debut with My Sweetie (2004), which he also wrote. Unfortunately it would prove to be one of his poorest efforts, with some abysmal acting and an equally poor script.

Luckily he had the successful Super Model (2004) to fall back on, which he co-wrote. Directed again by Vincent Kok and starring Ronald Cheng, the film is essentially a Hong Kong reworking of Ben Stiller's Zoolander (2001), stealing scenes wholesale. Thankfully star Ronal Cheng is able to pull the film through, making Super Model an enjoyable Hong Kong comedy.

Kong would wait a couple of years before trying his hand at directing again. The result was the better realised but still not wholly successful Marriage with a Fool (2006), which I wrote about earlier.

His next film as director would yet again cast the lesser Alex Fong, Alex Fong Lik-Sun, this time in Love is Not All Around (2007), another romantic drama which was a step back for the writer/director.

Kong would continue to have a cynical view of romantic relationships with L for Love, L for Lies (2008). Starring his usual leading man Alex Fong Lik-Sun, the film is a major improvement on their previous two collaborations.

Unfortunately the director would follow this up with supernatural drama Forgive and Forget (2008). At first the film seems a step out of the directors comfort zone, being a supposedly supernatural thriller, however the director reverts back to his usual themes of doomed relationships and how much love sucks.

2008 was a busy year for the director with the release of his third film, Nobody's Perfect (2008). Surprisingly Kong eschews his usual themes of doomed relationships and opts for a breezy comedy, although one that is tinged with some downright unpleasant scenes of racism.

He would return to his usual romantic themes with Love Connected (2009), which further proved that Kong is clearly better at writing material for other directors than he is directing his own material, with Love Connected being one of his poorest examples of filmmaking to date.

72 Tenants of Prosperity (2010) was a step in the right direction, being an extremely fun Lunar New Year Comedy with winning performances from Eric Tsang and Jacky Cheung. However this could potentially be down to the fact that Kong co-directed the film with Chung Shu-Kai and Eric Tsang himself.

Getting 2010 of f to a good start with 72 Tenants of Prosperity, Kong would quickly fall back to his usual film making ways with Marriage with a Liar (2010), which has all the hallmarks of a typical Patrick Kong film. This is in no way a recommendation.

Kong would take a step away from Hong Kong at this point, making his first film for Mainland China. Mr and Mrs Single (2011) was a change for the better for the actor, with the film having good production values and two sold actors in the leads, Eason Chan and Rene Liu. It was notable also as the first film Kong directed that wasn't based on his own script, although he apparently done some un-credited writing work on the screenplay.

His follow up film was the final part in his "marriage" trilogy which included his previous two films Marriage with a Liar and Mr and Mrs Single (2011). The third part, Love is the Only Answer (2011) is clearly the most successful of the three, with a funny script and a winning performance from Alex Fong Lik-Sun, proving that he has been gradually getting better as an actor since he made his debut in the film 2002 (2001).

Kong's third film of 2011 shook things up a little, with him dipping his toe in the horror genre once again with Hong Kong Ghost Stories (2011), a horror comedy co-directed by Wong Jing. This consists of two separate ghost stories, with Wong Jing directing the first part of the film.

The film is quite uneven due to the differences of the two filmmakers, although the film is satisfying on a pure enjoyment level, with Kong's section of the film being superior to the first half, with him managing to still fit in some of his usual themes of doomed love and his typical pop culture references.

He would come back from this failure by directing the high concept comedy Delete My Love (2014), which stepped back from the usual love sucks scenario's of his output for something slightly more fantastical. The film is given plus points for starring veteran comedy star Michael Hui in a supporting role.

At the same time he would make his own similar fare with Return of the Cuckoo (2015), a sequel to the television series of the same name and Anniversary (2015), a ten years later sequel to his earlier success Marriage with a Fool.

Kong's most recent work, like the previous year's Anniversary, saw the director making a sequel to one of his earlier successes. L for Love, L for Lies Too (2016) is an in name only sequel that offers pretty much more of the same to whatever fans Kong may have. It also had him working with regular leading lady Stephy Tang yet again.

Portland Street Blues could never be mistaken as an action movie, but like the majority of the Young & Dangerous series, there are the usual beatings, slashing and stabbings included, although less than some entries. Like previous entries the limited action is handled well but not exactly the best work the choreographers have done.

The action choreography is handled by a lesser known name in the Hong Kong film industry, Adam Chan Chung-Tai, who has worked steadily as a stuntman and action choreographer since the early 1990's,

During this time, he worked on the memorable Remains of a Woman (1993), a Category 3 true crime drama. Chung-Tai clearly worked on the film just for safety sakes, as the film could never be considered an action movie, although it can be exciting due to the nature of the story.

It would appear that director Clarence Fok liked working with Chung-Tai, as he would go on to choreograph the action on Cheap Killers, Her Name is Cat (1998), The HK Triad (1999), Century of the Dragon (1999), Don't Look Back...Or You'll Be Sorry (2000), Martial Angels (2001), Stowaway (2001), and The New Option (2002), all of which Fok directed.

His work with Fok varies in quality, partly due to differing budgets, but there are standouts, with the action in both Cheap Killers and Her Name is Cat having especially memorable action scenes.

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The Young and Dangerous Series and the people behind it: Portland Street Blues - 1998

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Unlike previous spin off Once Upon a Time in Triad Society (1996), Portland Street Blues (1998) is an official part of the franchise, involving a number of series stalwarts such as writer/producer Manfred Wong and executive producer Wong Jing. It...

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The official page of The 18th Hong Kong Film Awards

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The official page of The 18th Hong Kong Film Awards

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Shu Qi earned awards for best supporting actress

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The page of City of Glass in Baidu Encyclopedia

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The page of City of Glass in Baidu Encyclopedia

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玻璃之城 city of glass 玻璃之城cityofglass(1998) 玻璃之城剧情简介 玻璃之城演职员表 玻璃之城角色介绍 玻璃之城音乐原声 玻璃之城获奖记录 玻璃之城幕后制作 玻璃之城影片评价

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玻璃之城（1998年香港电影）_百度百科

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《玻璃之城》是由张婉婷执导，黎明、舒淇主演的爱情电影。影片讲述了一对被迫分手的恋人，在各自婚嫁后意外重逢，在往事与旧情挥之不去下重续前缘的凄美爱情故事。该片于1998年10月28日在香港上映。影片获第35届台湾电影金马奖最佳剧情片和第18届香港电影金像奖最佳电影提名。...

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IMDb page of Portland Street Blues (1998)

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IMDb page of Portland Street Blues (1998)

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a gangster action and crime drama

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Directed by Wai Man Yip. With Sandra Kwan Yue Ng, Kristy Yeung, Alex Fong, Yeung-Ming Wan. Following Sister Thirteen, from her teenage years, her bisexual love life, to her eventual rise to power as a Triad kingpin within the Hung Hing Society, in this spin-off to the Young & Dangerous series.

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an action and romantic comedy, cooperation with Jackie Chan helps promote Qi's way to forge ahead to commercial mainstream

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Directed by Vincent Kok. With Jackie Chan, Qi Shu, Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Emil Chau. A romantic girl travels to Hong Kong in search of certain love but instead meets a kind-hearted professional fighter for whom she begins to fall instead.

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Screenshot of the description of Shu Qi's role, Mango

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Screenshot of the description of Shu Qi's role, Mango

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In order to make a living, Mango has to be a mistress of a film company's manager and also a porn star acting in Sing's porn films. However, she is still pure in heart.
To a large extent, the role's experiences correspond to Qi's personal stories which may have helped improve her performance and also an indication of star authenticity.

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The page of Viva Erotica in Baidu Encyclopedia

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The page of Viva Erotica in Baidu Encyclopedia

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The page includes the character description of Shu Qi's role, synopsis and press' reviews.
Ps. Baidu Encyclopedia is like a Chinese version Wikipedia

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色情男女 色情男女seqingnannu(1996) 色情男女剧情简介 色情男女演职员表 色情男女角色介绍 色情男女音乐原声 色情男女幕后花絮 色情男女获奖记录 色情男女幕后制作 色情男女影片评价

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色情男女（1996年张国荣主演香港电影）_百度百科

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《色情男女》是由尔冬升、罗志良联合执导，张国荣、莫文蔚、舒淇主演的剧情片，于1996年11月28日在中国香港上映。该片讲述了新晋导演阿星失业良久，在前路渺茫走投无路之时，他开始尝试拍摄一部低俗三级片的故事。该片入围第47届柏林国际电影节主竞赛单元，并获得第16届香港电影金像奖最佳电影等7项提名。...

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The official page of The 16th Hong Kong Film Awards

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The official page of The 16th Hong Kong Film Awards

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Qi earned awards for best supporting actress and best new artists in 1997

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Shu Qi talks about her willingness to work with different directors and mentions her months-long non-stop working. She also states the reason why she is not knee on making foreign movie is because the language barrier and cultural gap as well as the repetitious and boring roles offered.

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Chinese actress Shu Qi: A silver screen seductress

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Chinese actress Shu Qi: A silver screen seductress

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The article briefly concludes her career

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Shu Qi started her acting career in adult movies. Since then she has made her way to the mainstream and become a silver screen success with artistic and big budget movies.
Humble beginnings

Shu was born on April 16th, 1976 to an impoverished family. In order to support her family Shu dropped out of high school and became an amateur model. This period in her life forged an independent, brave spirit in Shu - characteristics which haven't diminished through the years.

During her youth, neighbors often saw Shu's mother holding a stick and chasing her daughter from street to street. The culture gap between Shu and her parents was significant and as a result Shu frequently ran away from home. At the age of 16 Shu lived on her own for six months and it has been said that during this period Shu saw that her parents loved her deeply. Later she returned to live with them.

From seductress to actress

In 1996 Shu moved to Hong Kong from Taiwan for opportunities to further her career. Her talent was discovered by Wang Jing, a director in Hong Kong - a moment which marked the beginning of her acting career.

Shu is considered by many to be the most elegant, demure and sexually provocative women to grace China's silver screen.

Shu's beginning was far from traditional however - landing a series of roles in adult films such as Red-light District and Sex and Zen. After that, she starred in the movie Viva Erotica directed by Derek Yee, a director in Hong Kong which earned her an award for best supporting actress and best new artist at the Hong Kong film awards. Shu's transition from adult to mainstream films was significant as her success at the Hong Kong film awards marked the first successful shift of its kind for an adult star.

Although Shu didn't finish high school she has proven herself to be a savvy business woman by selectively choosing artistic films and passing on low-quality commercial movies in Hong Kong. Though this reduced the number of roles Shu has been awarded the quality of her performances has been consistently good. A few years ago Shu starred in "FY" and "Glass Bottles" and more recently she has appeared in the films "So Close" and "Foliage," shedding her shady background to become a mainstay in Chinese cinema.

Shu Qi´s newest movie is Odyssey which hit the cinemas in February 2013. In the 100 million RMB (15 million USD) movie Shu plays a swordswoman called the White Bone Demon. Some say Shu is one of the reasons why the movie was met with such enthusiasm.

Additional accolades

In 2001 Shu graced the cover of Time magazine and in 2008 US entertainment channel E! announced that the Chinese actress was considered to have the world's sexiest lips.

Additionally, Shu served on the main competition jury during the 58th session of the Berlin International Film Festival and the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival.

(Source: wikipedia.org)

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Chinese actress Shu Qi: A silver screen seductress

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Shu Qi started her acting career in adult movies. Since then she has made her way to the mainstream and become a silver screen success with artistic and big budget movies. Shu was born on April 16th, 1976 to an impoverished family.

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an erotic comedy drama

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Directed by Tung-Shing Yee. With Leslie Cheung, Karen Mok, Qi Shu, Ching Wan Lau. A struggling director is offered the opportunity to direct a Cat-III film to revive his career. Torn between artistic integrity and financial troubles, he also has to deal with his jealous girlfriend and a demanding actress, all while keeping his gangster financiers happy.

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'It's Good to Have Competition'Taiwanese star Shu Qi on life, the paparazzi and her idol, actor Chow Yun-fat

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'It's Good to Have Competition'Taiwanese star Shu Qi on life, the paparazzi and her idol, actor Chow Yun-fat

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Shu Qi talks about her positive attitude towards competitions between different types of actresses and her personal preference to act in artistic films and cult films. She also mentions how much she hates Hong Kong tabloid for making up negative rumours about her.

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ASIANOW - TIME Asia | 'It's Good to Have Competition' | 5/31/2000

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Taiwanese star Shu Qi is one of the most overworked celebrities in the Asian entertainment world. The 24-year-old actress and model took time off recently to speak with TIME Asia's Stephen Short about life, the paparazzi and her idol, actor Chow Yun-fat.