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Top films and TV series make a name for themselves and promote Jiading locations
By Sang Ni and Wang Jie |
May 31, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
"FLIRTING Scholar," a 1993 blockbuster comedy starring household names like Stephen Chow and Gong Li, tells a widespread folktale about Tang Bohu, a literary legend in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
Even today, the film is still a popular topic among film makers and viewers.
Many fans have also been fascinated by its filming locations in Jiading, such as the Confucius Temple and the Qiuxia Garden.
Following the success of the film, this ancient town has served as the backdrop for several films and TV dramas.
Since Eastern Shanghai International Culture, Film & Television Group moved into Nanxiang Zhidi Park of Enterprise Headquarters, the town has enjoyed increasingly close ties with the screen culture.
In 2002, Nanxiang witnessed the start of the filming of "Cape Jasmine and White Orchid," a TV drama profuse with the charms of old Shanghai.
The drama tells a bittersweet love story set in Shanghai and neighboring towns in the 1930s about the conflicts between two influential families: the owner of Nanxiang Small Steamed Bun Restaurant and that of Tulip Restaurant known as the "Top One Restaurant in Jiangnan (south of the lower reach of the Yangtze River)."
The joint investors in this drama - Shanghai Yilan Film and TV Art Group, Publicity Department of Jiading District and Nanxiang Town Government - clarified the aim of the work: spare no efforts to outline the charms of Jiangnan and exhibit the local attractions of Jiading.
Thanks to this clear focus as well as the locally themed story that underscores the distinct cultural roots and folk customs of Jiading, local resorts like the Qiuxia Garden, the Guyi Garden, the Yunxiang Temple and the Tian'en Bridge were selected as filming locations.
Meanwhile, the producer also tried to "localize" the cast, which triggered many behind-the-scene tidbits. Gu Yali, a local girl from Nanxiang, played a role as a waitress.
"When I was about to serve a dish, the director suddenly told me to remove my socks. I obeyed without knowing why. It was after the filming session that I was told my socks were too short to match my cheongsam and it might spoil the beauty of the image," Gu recalled with a shy smile.
Among minor roles in the film, the most important one was played by Zhang Wenqin, a chef at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, who performed a highlight scene about making small steamed buns. When talking about that scene, she was quite happy about her performance.
"The director was quite attentive. He told me not to get nervous and just make some buns like I usually did," she said. "He only asked me to pick up the speed, and kept saying 'faster' when the scene was close to the end. So I made buns faster and faster. That scene was finished with only two or three takes."
When the TV drama was aired, its audience was entertained by the strong flavor of Jiading that permeated each scene. Luo Haiqiong, the leading actress, has also learned how to make small steamed buns - an unexpected reward for this woman who always enjoys such delicacies.
In 2007, Nanxiang witnessed the start of the filming of "Urban Life," a 25-episode TV drama sponsored by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC to celebrate the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China.
This work about the daily life of ordinary people was adapted from a namesake novel written by Li Zhaozheng, a Jiading-based writer.
Cao Bingkun, the actor who played the role of Xie Ruolin in the popular TV drama "Undercover Agents," vividly reproduced the different aspects of an ordinary person's life by acting as a hooligan living in a lane of old Shanghai.
This TV drama was funded and produced by Eastern Shanghai International Culture, Film & Television Group.
The company cherishes a long-standing friendship with Nanxiang: it has planned the first and the second Nanxiang Cultural Festival of Small Steamed Buns to fully exhibit the town's unique cultural cream through a wide range of events from fascinating folk custom performances to a grand banquet that serves thousands of guests with small steamed buns.
Having moved its post-production and design departments into Jiading, the company now offers services in fields as event planning, filming of promotional videos and designing of art projects.
As the company's managing director Zhang Jianhua noted: "On the platform Jiading has provided us for exhibiting all kinds of arts and cultures, we are able to make best use of our resources on hand."
With 12 performing troupes, the company can entertain residents with various cultural shows at any time.
Even today, the film is still a popular topic among film makers and viewers.
Many fans have also been fascinated by its filming locations in Jiading, such as the Confucius Temple and the Qiuxia Garden.
Following the success of the film, this ancient town has served as the backdrop for several films and TV dramas.
Since Eastern Shanghai International Culture, Film & Television Group moved into Nanxiang Zhidi Park of Enterprise Headquarters, the town has enjoyed increasingly close ties with the screen culture.
In 2002, Nanxiang witnessed the start of the filming of "Cape Jasmine and White Orchid," a TV drama profuse with the charms of old Shanghai.
The drama tells a bittersweet love story set in Shanghai and neighboring towns in the 1930s about the conflicts between two influential families: the owner of Nanxiang Small Steamed Bun Restaurant and that of Tulip Restaurant known as the "Top One Restaurant in Jiangnan (south of the lower reach of the Yangtze River)."
The joint investors in this drama - Shanghai Yilan Film and TV Art Group, Publicity Department of Jiading District and Nanxiang Town Government - clarified the aim of the work: spare no efforts to outline the charms of Jiangnan and exhibit the local attractions of Jiading.
Thanks to this clear focus as well as the locally themed story that underscores the distinct cultural roots and folk customs of Jiading, local resorts like the Qiuxia Garden, the Guyi Garden, the Yunxiang Temple and the Tian'en Bridge were selected as filming locations.
Meanwhile, the producer also tried to "localize" the cast, which triggered many behind-the-scene tidbits. Gu Yali, a local girl from Nanxiang, played a role as a waitress.
"When I was about to serve a dish, the director suddenly told me to remove my socks. I obeyed without knowing why. It was after the filming session that I was told my socks were too short to match my cheongsam and it might spoil the beauty of the image," Gu recalled with a shy smile.
Among minor roles in the film, the most important one was played by Zhang Wenqin, a chef at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, who performed a highlight scene about making small steamed buns. When talking about that scene, she was quite happy about her performance.
"The director was quite attentive. He told me not to get nervous and just make some buns like I usually did," she said. "He only asked me to pick up the speed, and kept saying 'faster' when the scene was close to the end. So I made buns faster and faster. That scene was finished with only two or three takes."
When the TV drama was aired, its audience was entertained by the strong flavor of Jiading that permeated each scene. Luo Haiqiong, the leading actress, has also learned how to make small steamed buns - an unexpected reward for this woman who always enjoys such delicacies.
In 2007, Nanxiang witnessed the start of the filming of "Urban Life," a 25-episode TV drama sponsored by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC to celebrate the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China.
This work about the daily life of ordinary people was adapted from a namesake novel written by Li Zhaozheng, a Jiading-based writer.
Cao Bingkun, the actor who played the role of Xie Ruolin in the popular TV drama "Undercover Agents," vividly reproduced the different aspects of an ordinary person's life by acting as a hooligan living in a lane of old Shanghai.
This TV drama was funded and produced by Eastern Shanghai International Culture, Film & Television Group.
The company cherishes a long-standing friendship with Nanxiang: it has planned the first and the second Nanxiang Cultural Festival of Small Steamed Buns to fully exhibit the town's unique cultural cream through a wide range of events from fascinating folk custom performances to a grand banquet that serves thousands of guests with small steamed buns.
Having moved its post-production and design departments into Jiading, the company now offers services in fields as event planning, filming of promotional videos and designing of art projects.
As the company's managing director Zhang Jianhua noted: "On the platform Jiading has provided us for exhibiting all kinds of arts and cultures, we are able to make best use of our resources on hand."
With 12 performing troupes, the company can entertain residents with various cultural shows at any time.
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