Transposed to 1990s Hong Kong, with the handover from British to Chinese sovereignty on the horizon, this story of a Chinese rebel fighting oppressive colonialist powers had extra resonance.
Jackie Chan played him in Drunken Master, and a long-running Wong Fei-hung film series during the 1950s and 60s gave roles to the fathers of Bruce Lee and Yuen Wo-ping, among many others. Like Sherlock Holmes or Robin Hood, he’d been portrayed many times before. Its subject was already well known to local audiences: Wong Fei-hung was a real person: a turn-of-the-century martial arts master and healer who’s become something of a folk hero. The film that kick-started Hong Kong cinema’s kung-fu renaissance and launched Jet Li towards a future of substandard western action movies. No Book Cover Usage Mandatory Credit: Photo by Courtesy Everett Collection/REX (2067892a) ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA, (aka WONG FEI HUNG), from left: Jet LI as WONG Fei-hung, Rosamund KWAN, 1991 Photograph: Courtesy Everett Collection/REX 10. The government's actions have resulted in a strong response from the younger generation in the form of various movements, such as "lying flat.No Merchandising.
Chinese authorities, in conjunction with businesses, imposed limits on how minors spend their free time through a ban on video gaming during weekdays. One of the reasons provided for the recent pressure on the industry is celebrity culture and the tendency to, as state media puts it, make celebrities out of "unworthy individuals." It is worth noting that 2021 has seen the celebration of the Chinese Communist Party's centennial, which prompted the party to reinforce its image both at home and abroad, going so far as to demand that cinemas screen at least two films celebrating the CCP every week.įurthermore, the NRTA recently dictated that "effeminate styles" will be removed from television and that it will enforce a "correct beauty standard." In addition, all media will shift to promote "traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture and socialist culture."įilm and television are not the only media forms affected. RELATED: Chinese Teens Push Back Against Restrictive Gaming Regulations The CCP's promises don't take 100 years, they are fulfilled in decades. Speaking at a symposium, the actor recently voiced his desire to become a member of the CCP, stating, "I'm jealous that you are CCP members. Incidentally, Jackie Chan has consistently expressed support for the Chinese Communist Party and has frequently acted to defend it. Since China does not recognize dual citizenship, these foreign citizenships are often perceived as a form of abandonment of China and Chinese culture.
This includes Gong Li and Jet Li, who both hold Singaporean passports Liu Yifei, who holds an American passport and others. For decades, celebrities gaining citizenship abroad have been the subjects of scandal. While it was reported that she had traveled to France, a now-deleted Instagram video suggested that this was in fact untrue. Chinese actor Zhao Wei, who has frequently been mentioned in tabloids over the years, was recently scrubbed from Chinese websites and media without reason. These actions are not completely unwarranted.
It is thought Tse's actions may prompt other celebrities to renounce foreign citizenship. Other names reported to be on the list include Liu Yifei, who starred in Disney's live-action Mulan. These celebrities include Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse, who holds a Canadian passport. RELATED: Nicole Kidman's Expats Backlash Is About More than Evading Hong Kong's QuarantineĪdditionally, several Chinese celebrities across the globe have acted in response to the crackdown after finding their names on a rumored "reorganization list" from the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA).