16 | Thursday, January 14, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY LIFE
Wishful thinking
Jackie Chan’s voice graces a film with an Aladdinlike plot set in bustling Shanghai, Xu Fan reports.
Stills from SinoUS animated film Wish Dragon, which will open across the Chinese mainland on Friday. Its presale box office was about 12 million yuan ($1.9 million) as of Wednesday. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
hroughout a film career span to Beijing and Shanghai to interview ning five decades, action leg numerous Chinese people as part of end Jackie Chan has amazed his research for the film. and astounded his legions of One of the turning points for the Tfans with deathdefying stunts. So, for director was when he interviewed most of his admirers, it might be a sur three boys as they were walking home prise to see the kung fu king appear as from school. Appelhans asked them a cute and fuzzy creature in his latest the same question: “If you had three outing. wishes — and you could have anything In the upcoming SinoUS animated — what would you wish for?” film, Wish Dragon, Chan lends his The first boy didn’t hesitate, saying voice to the titular character, a divine that he wished to have a BMW and the dragon covered with pink fur from second wished for world peace, but the head to toe. There is an almost uncan last one thought very hard about the ny resemblance to a plush toy that question. most young girls will have an incredi “I could see him really turning it ble urge to hug. over in his mind,” Appelhans recalled The film will open across the Chi at the Shanghai festival. “I almost nese mainland on Friday, with its pre wanted to tell him that I couldn’t actu sale box office nearing 12 million yuan Jackie Chan (middle) and actor Niu Junfeng (left) and actress Wei Wei gather recently at a cinema in Beijing to ally grant his wish; it was just a hypo ($1.9 million) as of Wednesday. promote the upcoming animated film, Wish Dragon, in which Chan lends his voice to the titular creature, while thetical question, before he finally “When I saw the draft for the first Niu and Wei bring to life the protagonist and his romantic interest. said: ‘I wish that my parents were time, I fell for the character right away,” younger so that I could spend more of says Chan, who appeared at a down my life with them.’ That is such an town cinema in Beijing for an to help the animators design the drag in ancient China. As celestial punish time lending their voices to an animat incredibly sweet, deep and thoughtful advanced screening. on’s lip movement and facial expres ment, he is transformed into a dragon ed film. thing to wish for.” In a sign of the times, the 66yearold sions. After the animation work, which and imprisoned in a green teapot. Only Speaking to China Daily, Niu says: Appelhans adds that the Chinese boy actor reveals that he underwent two took the most time to finish — years, in after he helps 10 people to respectively “I’m not a professional voiceover actor. inspired him. And by picturing that boy COVID19 nucleic acid tests and quar fact — he returned to voice the entire fulfill their three wishes can the drag I have tried hard to replicate Ding’s ges growing up, facing challenges and pur antined for 14 days before attending script. on return to human form and get into tures and movements in different suing his dreams over the next 10 years the promotional event. “I have a lot of lines to memorize,” heaven. scenes by acting the same as the charac in rapidly developing China, he created For Chan, doing the voiceover for an says Chan. “As a person growing up The plot sees the dragon stumble ter in the recording room. Sometimes, the film’s protagonist, Ding Siqi. animation is familiar territory. Over speaking Cantonese, it was a bit chal upon Ding Siqi, a young man residing I’m afraid, I probably looked a bit weird Chan says the new year is a time for the years, the versatile star — credited lenging to speak such a large amount in Shanghai, who will become the and crazy.” optimism and maybe even when some in more than 200 films and on dozens of dialogue in standard Mandarin.” dragon’s last “master”. While the drag The movie is not merely a romantic wishes come true. “The last year was of albums — has voiced multiple ani He recalls that the most difficult part on has the power to make any wish story. From Shanghai’s distinctive alley quite unusual,” he says. “Our wish is mated blockbusters, ranging from was using an exaggerated, yet sincere, come true, the youngster refuses great lifestyle to nosy neighbors and mouth that this optimistic and kindhearted Captain Li Shang in Disney’s Mulan manner to perform the dragon eating a wealth or supreme power, but simply watering snacks, this Aladdinesque sto character gives audiences some (1998) to Po’s father in DreamWorks’ packet of shrimp strips, the first time wants to reunite with his childhood ry set in contemporary China recreates warmth and positive energy to help Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016). the ancient character tastes the mod friend, a young girl who lives a differ the captivating buzz of Shanghai. accompany them into the new year But Wish Dragon has taken him the ern snack. ent life from his. Last year, director Chris Appelhans with hope.” longest to voice. “I have spent five years Something of a Chinese version of Actor Niu Junfeng voices the young addressed the 23rd Shanghai Interna on the project,” recalls Chan. the genie in Aladdin’s lamp, the dragon man and actress Wei Wei brings to life tional Film Festival via a remote link. Contact the writer at Originally, Chan recorded a test clip is depicted as once being an emperor his romantic interest. It’s the pair’s first The director revealed that he traveled [email protected] Exhibition in Shenzhen spotlights passion for Chinese zodiac
By LIN QI fascinated by the power, simplicity [email protected] and vigor of their forms, and he employs different parts of their A bull is a creature that works structures when drawing, sculpting hard, toils, and does a lot of heavy and designing. lifting. Han Meilin, one of the most He also reaches out to folk art, productive artists in China, often drawing inspiration from its diverse says: “I’m destined to work as hard color schemes. Beginning in 1977, as a bull throughout my life.’’ Han led a series of what he referred “The bull symbolizes diligence to as “art caravans”, whereby he, and and wealth. I paint bulls, and I try to staff members at the Han Meilin Art be as persistent, energetic and hum Foundation, would tour rural areas ble like a bull,” he adds. all across China. Han painted for Han, a sprightly 85yearold, farmers and the team delivered edu paints, designs, writes and exhibits cation materials to children along with an energy that would do justice the way. to someone half his age. Over the years, Han was able to Han’s latest pieces are sculptures Han Meilin displays his latest artworks, such as bronze bulls (right), together with his other former collect handicrafts from the places of four bronze bulls, which were works, including a bronze goat sculpture (left), in his ongoing solo exhibition about Chinese zodiac art he visited and was amazed by the unveiled in Shenzhen, Guangdong at the Nanshan Museum in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY creativity of the people. He integrat province, on Dec 21. The quartet ed the visual elements into his crea were forged to celebrate the arrival of tions, evoking among the audience a the first day, on Feb 12, of the Chinese Animals, especially the 12 Chinese niture, clay teapots and postage tures in Han’s work arises from his feeling of nostalgia and warmth. Lunar New Year, which, according to zodiac signs, appear regularly in stamps, which are themed around study of archaic Chinese characters, Zhao, the curator, says: “The eye the Chinese zodiac, is the Year of the Han’s creations, whatever medium the animals of the zodiac. which he has collected for decades. catching imagery in Han’s body of Ox. he works with. For example, he Zhao Li, the exhibition curator and His extensive collection includes work pertaining to the signs of the The bulls were put up for auction, designed special stamps that were a professor of the Central Academy those inscribed on oracle bones, zodiac is popular because it embod with the proceeds going to a charity issued by China Post to celebrate the of Fine Arts in Beijing, says that stones and bronze. They were the ies a spirit of simplicity, purity and that raises funds for an art education Year of the Pig in 1983, the Year of Han’s work reflects that he has been predecessors of modern Chinese kindness that deeply touches the program for rural children. The event the Rooster in 2017, the Year of the nurtured by the rich soil of Chinese characters, as well as pictorial sym viewer. Veteran artist Han Meilin, 85, coincided with the opening of his Pig in 2019 and the Year of the Rat in cultural traditions and folk arts, bols in caves. The meanings of many “In Han’s visual vocabulary, these paints, designs, writes and solo exhibition, Han Meilin Chinese 2020. The exhibition at the Nanshan while also integrating modern ele of them are still unknown. animals reflect his belief that ‘all life exhibits with an energy that Zodiac Art Exhibition, which will Museum shows paintings, calli ments to give his creations a global Han describes these primitive, is equal and has spirituality’. He con would do justice to someone run through Feb 28 at the Nanshan graphic scrolls, sculptures and ized outlook. sometimes mysterious, characters veys the necessity to respect the half his age. Museum in Shenzhen. ceramics, as well as designs for fur The vibrant beauty of the struc as the “writings of heaven”. He is rules of nature.”