Related News
Han Han walks fine line
April 24, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RACE car driver and high school drop out Han Han is far and away China's most popular and outspoken blogger, a best-selling writer of five novels and editor-in-chief of a one-issue closed alternative literary magazine that sold 1.5 million copies.
The Shanghai-born 28-year-old former "bad boy" was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people worldwide in 2010. Because of his wide following - more than 440 million hits on his website - Han is considered by many people to be the opinion leader of the so-called post-1980s generation.
But Han himself doesn't like to be called an "opinion leader," which, to him, is a derogatory and dangerous term in China today.
"I just want to be a wen ren, never a 'leader'," he said recently. "In China, we have had enough leaders but not enough intellectuals ... As a 'leader,' one is naturally requested to speak for the masses - but why? The masses are wrong most of the time."
To the surprise of some people, the famous rebel and heartthrob, who dropped out of high-school to race rally cars, was not arrogant, or resentful, when asked his opinions on various issues during a recent interview in Shanghai.
Instead, the bespectacled writer was modest, smiling and gentlemanly, allowing ladies to enter the elevator first - rare good manners for most young Chinese men. Married last year and now the father of a baby daughter, Han Han is mellow and knows just what he can and cannot say.
The occasion was the promotion for a one-of-a-kind "Han Han" wristwatch by Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot. It was recently auctioned on taobao, China's largest online shopping website, for 160,000 yuan (US$24,242). The watchmaker held a press conference in Shanghai during the Formula One races, and donated another 160,000 yuan to Hollywood star Jet Li's One Foundation.
At the press conference, Han added another 100,000 yuan from his own pocket to help HIV-affected children in China.
"I might have done a lot of bad things, and now it's time to do some good deeds to make up," he said. "I know a lot of celebrities are very much into charity nowadays. Some of them are just showing off. But I think showing off is positive - the more the better - because it will attract others to join, while setting a higher standard for showing off. As a result, more people in need will benefit."
The limited edition watch is inscribed with Han's signature and the words "for freedom," his life's motto.
Han is negotiating with The New York Times about writing a column. "I don't think I will contribute on a regular basis, otherwise it will feel like doing some kind of 'homework.' Staying up till late night to do homework was a nightmare."
The articles would be submitted in Chinese and translated into English. Han said he doesn't know what to write. "I may just give them some old stories on my blog," he said. "But it can be weird ... In China, you can criticize and comment on many things - but do they still make sense when translated into English? I'm not sure ... maybe I will just write some love stories."
Last month, Han went to bat against Baidu, China's largest search engine, about infringing Chinese writers' copyrights by offering free share files of their works in its online library, Baidu Wenku.
In an open letter to Baidu CEO Li Yanhong (listed by Forbes as China's richest man), Han gave a detailed account of the economic distress of Chinese authors.
"In 2004, when I was already a best-seller, I never stayed in a hotel room costing more than 300 yuan (US$45) per night when I was traveling to sign my books." He detailed long waits, cheap flights, cheap meals and early checkouts.
"Publishing and the Internet are somehow two related industries. However, while your fortunes are estimated in billions of assets, luxurious yachts and private jets, I almost never saw a publishing entrepreneur take first-class flights," he told Li.
"We are not envious of the riches, but we don't understand ... as rich as you are, why you still forcefully acquired the intellectual property rights from our industry without paying a cent."
Baidu backed down and removed the copyrighted material. It also apologized to the writers and publishers in the announcement, saying it was "sorry for hurting some writers' emotions in the previous operation of the Wenku system."
Han's first novel, "Triple Door," explored adolescent angst, lost souls and extreme pressure from family and schools. He spoke to his times, the book was a best-seller with two million copies in print.
Han's criticism is acerbic and sarcastic - about shallow culture, incompetent officials, lavish spending and more.
In an interview with CNNGo in May 2010, he was asked: Are you ever worried about offending the wrong people?
Han Han: "No. To me, it's the same if one person reads my blog or if one million people read my blog. I only write down what should be written, and after I've written it down, if the writing remains then it remains."
Han's efforts to launch an edgy literary magazine were thwarted early this year; he never got official magazine registration; one issue was printed as a "book" and more than a million copies were sold. It was variously called "Party," "Solo Band" and "Chorus of Solos."
It contained edgy essays and photographs and one Chinese news report said more than 70 percent had been censored.
Commenting about closure of the magazine, Han blogged in typical style that he made the decision not to waste paper or "go against the call of the state to reduce energy consumption and pollution, including that coming from the editorial team."
The writer-turned-pop-star married his high school romance and became a father to a baby girl last year. But he didn't want to talk much about his private life. "I have not changed at all (since fatherhood)," he said.
The Shanghai-born 28-year-old former "bad boy" was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people worldwide in 2010. Because of his wide following - more than 440 million hits on his website - Han is considered by many people to be the opinion leader of the so-called post-1980s generation.
But Han himself doesn't like to be called an "opinion leader," which, to him, is a derogatory and dangerous term in China today.
"I just want to be a wen ren, never a 'leader'," he said recently. "In China, we have had enough leaders but not enough intellectuals ... As a 'leader,' one is naturally requested to speak for the masses - but why? The masses are wrong most of the time."
To the surprise of some people, the famous rebel and heartthrob, who dropped out of high-school to race rally cars, was not arrogant, or resentful, when asked his opinions on various issues during a recent interview in Shanghai.
Instead, the bespectacled writer was modest, smiling and gentlemanly, allowing ladies to enter the elevator first - rare good manners for most young Chinese men. Married last year and now the father of a baby daughter, Han Han is mellow and knows just what he can and cannot say.
The occasion was the promotion for a one-of-a-kind "Han Han" wristwatch by Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot. It was recently auctioned on taobao, China's largest online shopping website, for 160,000 yuan (US$24,242). The watchmaker held a press conference in Shanghai during the Formula One races, and donated another 160,000 yuan to Hollywood star Jet Li's One Foundation.
At the press conference, Han added another 100,000 yuan from his own pocket to help HIV-affected children in China.
"I might have done a lot of bad things, and now it's time to do some good deeds to make up," he said. "I know a lot of celebrities are very much into charity nowadays. Some of them are just showing off. But I think showing off is positive - the more the better - because it will attract others to join, while setting a higher standard for showing off. As a result, more people in need will benefit."
The limited edition watch is inscribed with Han's signature and the words "for freedom," his life's motto.
Han is negotiating with The New York Times about writing a column. "I don't think I will contribute on a regular basis, otherwise it will feel like doing some kind of 'homework.' Staying up till late night to do homework was a nightmare."
The articles would be submitted in Chinese and translated into English. Han said he doesn't know what to write. "I may just give them some old stories on my blog," he said. "But it can be weird ... In China, you can criticize and comment on many things - but do they still make sense when translated into English? I'm not sure ... maybe I will just write some love stories."
Last month, Han went to bat against Baidu, China's largest search engine, about infringing Chinese writers' copyrights by offering free share files of their works in its online library, Baidu Wenku.
In an open letter to Baidu CEO Li Yanhong (listed by Forbes as China's richest man), Han gave a detailed account of the economic distress of Chinese authors.
"In 2004, when I was already a best-seller, I never stayed in a hotel room costing more than 300 yuan (US$45) per night when I was traveling to sign my books." He detailed long waits, cheap flights, cheap meals and early checkouts.
"Publishing and the Internet are somehow two related industries. However, while your fortunes are estimated in billions of assets, luxurious yachts and private jets, I almost never saw a publishing entrepreneur take first-class flights," he told Li.
"We are not envious of the riches, but we don't understand ... as rich as you are, why you still forcefully acquired the intellectual property rights from our industry without paying a cent."
Baidu backed down and removed the copyrighted material. It also apologized to the writers and publishers in the announcement, saying it was "sorry for hurting some writers' emotions in the previous operation of the Wenku system."
Han's first novel, "Triple Door," explored adolescent angst, lost souls and extreme pressure from family and schools. He spoke to his times, the book was a best-seller with two million copies in print.
Han's criticism is acerbic and sarcastic - about shallow culture, incompetent officials, lavish spending and more.
In an interview with CNNGo in May 2010, he was asked: Are you ever worried about offending the wrong people?
Han Han: "No. To me, it's the same if one person reads my blog or if one million people read my blog. I only write down what should be written, and after I've written it down, if the writing remains then it remains."
Han's efforts to launch an edgy literary magazine were thwarted early this year; he never got official magazine registration; one issue was printed as a "book" and more than a million copies were sold. It was variously called "Party," "Solo Band" and "Chorus of Solos."
It contained edgy essays and photographs and one Chinese news report said more than 70 percent had been censored.
Commenting about closure of the magazine, Han blogged in typical style that he made the decision not to waste paper or "go against the call of the state to reduce energy consumption and pollution, including that coming from the editorial team."
The writer-turned-pop-star married his high school romance and became a father to a baby girl last year. But he didn't want to talk much about his private life. "I have not changed at all (since fatherhood)," he said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
