Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 602 Youyou Tiedan: "My Mother, the Chairperson of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles," begins here...

On the morning of September 11, 2010, at the Media Center in Beiping.

This hotel, invested and operated by CCTV, has always been a preferred venue for major media releases and high-end forums due to its deep ties with the broadcasting system.

Its name "Media" is a transliteration of the English word "Media," which itself indicates its symbiotic relationship with the media industry.

Over the years, Wenjie has become the biggest financial backer of Media's press release business. This includes the "Taiping Shu" seminar, which should have been held at an official institution such as the Television Association or the Broadcasting Department, or even at the Wenjie Building.

However, the organizers still paid out of their own pockets to hold the event at the Media Center. On the one hand, they wanted to leverage its official background and excellent facilities to ensure that the scale of the meeting matched the influence of the series and to meet the environmental requirements of leaders from various ministries, academic luminaries and industry representatives.
On the other hand, this place is a natural news hub with domestic and foreign media stationed here year-round, making it extremely easy to generate and amplify public opinion.

Holding the seminar here is itself a strong signal that this work deserves to be seriously discussed in a place closest to public opinion.

An hour before the meeting was scheduled to begin, the area in front of the Media Center was already packed with people.

Reporters with their long lenses and microphones had already occupied all the best spots in the hotel lobby and along the driveway, while security personnel set up cordon lines and struggled to maintain order.

Reporters from CCTV, provincial satellite TV stations, print media, emerging portal websites, and video platforms mingled together, the air thick with anxious anticipation and the tension of competition.

Vehicles bearing black license plates from various embassies, official vehicles from major film and television companies, and numerous cars belonging to fans who rushed to the scene turned the originally spacious driveway into a slowly crawling parking lot.

The sounds of horns, urging voices, and brief squabbles among reporters vying for camera positions mingled together, creating the boisterous prelude unique to this industry extravaganza.

"It's here! It's here! The LL825 is here!"

A sharp-eyed reporter shouted, like a drop of cold water into a scalding oil pan, instantly igniting the entire scene.

All cameras and all eyes were focused on the black sedan that was slowly driving into the dedicated lane.

Thanks to the ever-present paparazzi and reporters, the license plates of the richest man's cars are no longer a secret, especially the Maybach with the symbolic license plate "825".

The well-trained hotel doorman quickly stepped forward, but the car door had already been pushed open from the inside.

Lu Kuan, still dressed in a suit, calmly got out of the car. He wasn't wearing a tie, and his shirt collar was slightly open, making him appear composed, capable, and unpretentious.

She then naturally reached out, and a slender hand wearing an elegant bracelet gently rested on her palm.

Liu Yifei got out of the car, unusually dressed in a black women's suit that complemented her husband's style, but it was an ivory white double-breasted suit skirt from Gucci's early autumn collection.

The top was exquisitely tailored, with a body-hugging design that accentuated her tall and elegant shoulders and neck, as well as her slender waist. The slightly wide peaked collar added a touch of strength.

The most striking detail is the iconic gold interlocking double G horsebit webbing adorning both sides of the waist. It not only cleverly connects the top and bottom but also subtly appears with each step, becoming a luxurious focal point within the overall minimalist design.

The celebrity who became a global ambassador for Gucci has finally stopped being a show-off. Now, whenever she goes out, she makes sure to "carefully dress up," at least in terms of clothing and accessories.

This is the self-cultivation of a female star.

Today's event was originally a seminar, but it was embellished for promotional purposes. Of course, celebrities such as Chen Daoming, Liu Yifei, Li Xuejian, and Jing Tian, ​​as well as directors such as Zhang Xiaolong and Zhang Li, were not given the opportunity to appear on the red carpet.

Everyone exchanged pleasantries and quickly entered the venue.

However, reporters from various regions, unable to contain their excitement, still managed to stop the absolute focus of the "Golden Horse and Beijing Film Academy competition."

"Director Lu, wait a minute! What is your response to the Golden Horse Awards Executive Committee's statement yesterday?"

As soon as the CCTV reporter finished speaking, questions from other media outlets came like bullets from different directions, each with a tricky angle, attempting to find a breakthrough.

A female reporter wearing black-rimmed glasses, speaking at breakneck speed, pushed her way forward relentlessly: "Director Lu! The Golden Horse Executive Committee clearly stated in its statement that the various rules set by the Beiping Film Festival are 'using market size and capital power to achieve cultural exclusion,' aiming to establish a single standard for cultural judgment. How do you respond to this accusation of cultural hegemony?"

Xiao Liu frowned as he looked at her, but Lu Kuan beside him kept walking. "Which unit are you from?"

"Nan...Nan Fengchuang." This was the first time the female reporter had observed the richest man in mainland China up close. She was a little intimidated by his indifferent gaze, but then she mustered up her courage to look him in the eye.

"Oh, from Nanfang." Seeing that it was really hard to squeeze through, Boss Lu stood still and laughed, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you were a spokesperson for a Western country. Why are you talking about cultural hegemony?"

"When I have the power to stipulate what type of camera or film must be used to shoot movies someday, then it's not too late to ask me this question."

At this moment, Chen Daoming, Li Xuejian, Zheng Xiaolong, Zhang Li and others were chatting and exchanging pleasantries at the entrance of the conference hall. Upon hearing this, they all chuckled. This guy was never short of excitement.

In particular, Chen, Li, and Zheng are all vice presidents or chairmen of various industry associations, making them highly sensitive to such matters.

In their view, this clash between Boss Lu and Jinma will not have any serious consequences. It will just be a bit like the mutual accusations between countries in geopolitics, and will eventually fizzle out.

A reporter speaking with a Hong Kong accent asked for a refill: "Director Lu, you wield enormous capital in the industry and academic influence at the Asia Film Academy. By using the Beiping Film Festival and formulating clearly targeted rules, are you using your influence to resolve historical grievances between yourself and a certain award? How do you ensure the fairness of the Beiping Film Festival and prevent it from becoming a tool of personal will?"

Before he could answer, a slightly more moderate reporter from the Literary Gazette pressed on: "Director Lu, what is your opinion on the Golden Horse Executive Committee's call for a boycott of 'Ball Lightning' and 'The Book of Peace', which has already been joined by the island's film industry?"

"Alright." Boss Lu waved his hand to silence the noisy reporters. "I understand your desire and mood for interviews, but today is an officially organized seminar on the Book of Peace."

He raised his hand to indicate that the entrance to the seminar room was blocked by reporters, which was clearly inappropriate.

"Director Lu, why don't you give a brief overview?" a domestic media reporter wearing a baseball cap joked. "Otherwise, we're scratching our heads in frustration, just like chasing after updates of 'The Book of Peace,' it's so frustrating!"

Liu Yifei recognized him; he was one of the reporters for Ju Wenpei's "World Cinema Tour" program, which was affiliated with the movie channel.

Seeing the look on her husband's face, Xiao Liu smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Everyone, please do some promotion for 'The Book of Peace' later, so that Wenjie can make more money and Chinese culture can be promoted more. If Boss Lu is happy, he will chat with you for a while longer."

The intimacy and frankness in Xiao Liu's words softened the solemnity of the scene considerably.

She herself did not treat the so-called "Golden Horse Awards ban" as a major event that needed to be taken seriously, and her words conveyed a natural and unconcerned attitude that came from an absolutely dominant position.

This stance, coming from the wife of a billionaire and a Chinese actress whose international influence has recently increased significantly, carries particular weight.

Seven years ago, she was just a naive young girl who was used as a starting point for breakthroughs.

Mr. Lu glanced at his wife, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes, and then smoothly continued the conversation, saying with a touch of helplessness:

"The internet has blown this up too much. Actually, it was just me, as the vice chairman of the Beijing Film Festival, promoting and advertising this brand at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Film Academy."

"But you insisted on bringing up the Golden Horse Awards, and even added some embellishments and feuds, making it seem quite plausible."

Lu Kuan smiled nonchalantly: "First, regarding the rules of the Beiping Film Festival—"

“Every film festival, like a restaurant, needs its own signature dishes and positioning. To call it a complete misinterpretation is a misinterpretation; I prefer to understand it as ‘uniqueness.’ We hope to encourage Chinese-language filmmakers to reserve their best works and most important appearances for this stage that is being built right on their doorstep.”

"It's like having a happy occasion at home, where you first invite your own family and closest friends to celebrate. It's not about dominance, it's just a show of sincerity and anticipation as the host. As for whether others want to come, we welcome them; if they don't understand for now, we respect that. Time will tell whether this stage is worthwhile."

Compared to the outburst from the Golden Horse Awards, his tone was similar to his brief mention on Weibo yesterday, as if he were talking about a distant relative who didn't quite understand things.

When talking about so-called "personal grudges," Mr. Lu spoke with a mix of helplessness and magnanimity: "To attribute the birth of a work or a film festival to the personal emotions of one person is probably to oversimplify the complex development of the cultural industry."

"Anything that Wenjie and Asia Films do through the Beijing International Film Festival has always had only one core goal: to cultivate talent, expand channels, and accumulate experience for Chinese films while ensuring their own survival and profitability, and to enhance the cultural influence of the capital in the world. My personal feelings are insignificant in the face of this grand goal."

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the reporters who had just asked questions, his tone becoming more serious:
"As for the so-called boycott by the Golden Horse Awards, which targets films like 'Ball Lightning' which is nearing the end of its run and 'The Book of Peace' on Netflix, I am here today for the first and last time to respond to that—"

"The original intention of the Beijing International Film Festival was to create a project that could promote the development of Chinese-language films from a purely artistic and commercial perspective, without considering other factors."

"However, we have also noticed that some executive committee members, directors and actors who are closely associated with the Golden Horse Awards have fabricated and distorted the facts, and even threatened and called on local authorities to take legal measures to ban films and television works that have crossed the line, including but not limited to pulling 'Ball Flash' from theaters and blocking all marketing information about 'The Book of Peace'."

The scene was in an uproar!
This included Li Xuejian, Chen Daoming, Zheng Xiaolong, and others who had been watching the commotion with smiles not far away. It turned out that the situation had developed to such a serious point.

Even after receiving this information from Hou Xiaoxian and other colleagues on the island, Boss Lu remained steadfast in his stance:

"I cannot speak on behalf of the Beijing International Film Festival on this matter. We unconditionally obey the decisions of the municipal government and the organizing committee regarding the regulations and arrangements of the Beijing International Film Festival."

He then changed the subject: "However, I can speak on behalf of Wenjie and all friendly companies in the industry—"

"We cannot understand, will not comment on, and will not promise to give up equivalent countermeasures against these radical practices and remarks. We urge those in the arts and culture circles with ulterior motives to realize their mistakes as soon as possible, and not say we did not warn them."

……

Mr. Lu consistently kept the conflicts and controversies within the realm of film and culture, but even so, his tough stance was enough for journalists to write several lengthy articles.

The news spread like wildfire, instantly reaching the entire Chinese internet world via reporters' mobile phones, Weibo, and text messages, and quickly extending overseas.

The hashtags #LuKuanRespondsToGoldenHorseBoycott# and #Don'tSayingWeDidn'tPresend# quickly rose to the top of the trending lists on major social media platforms.

Industry forums, media commentators, film critics, and ordinary netizens instantly erupted into heated debate.

Supporters believe that Lu Kuan's arguments were reasonable, well-founded, and neither arrogant nor humble, demonstrating the confidence and integrity of the film industry at Southeast University.

Opponents or skeptics criticized his remarks as "too forceful," "potentially exacerbating conflicts," and "disregarding the overall situation."

Inside the Media Center, the upcoming seminar on "The Book of Peace" seemed to have become a gathering for the mainland film and television industry to demonstrate its internal unity, strength, and composure in the face of external pressure.

Inside the venue, Chen Daoming, Li Xuejian, and other leaders from relevant departments conversed in hushed tones, their expressions serious and thoughtful, while the seminar host strolled leisurely toward the podium.

A professional discussion on the artistic achievements and industrial impact of the Taiping Book officially began amidst an atmosphere of impending storm.

Zheng Xiaolong and Lu Kuan politely declined each other's invitations, and with the latter's applause, they stepped onto the stage.

As the chief director, he put a lot of effort into the production of "The Book of Peace". He is an industry veteran who can produce high-quality dramas like "Empresses in the Palace". With the help of Wenjie's professional production and marketing team, it is not surprising that the quality of the work is as good as it is now.

This opportunity to proudly showcase his achievements rightfully belongs to him; the benefits should go to the community, and the glory to everyone.

"Before we formally begin the art discussion, please allow me to share some preliminary data and preliminary achievements of 'The Book of Peace' since its premiere, up to the end of the third episode. This is just to offer a starting point for discussion."

Zheng Xiaolong's words were calm, but they immediately attracted the attention of everyone present, especially the media reporters who had just experienced the commotion outside the door. They all pricked up their ears, picked up their pens, or turned on their recording devices.

“自8月25日首播以来，《太平书》在智界视频平台的首播数据持续攀升。首集24小时正片有效播放量突破9800万次，创下平台历史最高纪录；前三集总播放量已累积突破2.8亿次。付费会员增长幅度，在剧集播出期间环比增长达到550%。”

A gasp of surprise rippled through the audience. This figure was astronomical in the online audiovisual industry in 2010. It's unclear how LeTV Culture, which is about to go public and whose main business is video websites, views this number.

And how high will the market value projects like "The Book of Peace" after they become phenomenal?

Zheng Xiaolong paused briefly before continuing, "On traditional television, although we adopted a 'simultaneous broadcast on TV and the internet' strategy, according to CSM national network data, the viewership rating of Travel Channel's follow-up broadcast still reached 1.85%, with a market share exceeding 7.2%, ranking first in the same time slot nationwide. This shows that the appeal of high-quality dramas can effectively transcend the boundaries of media platforms."

"In terms of international dissemination," Zheng Xiaolong said with a hint of pride, "through Netflix, 'The Book of Peace' has achieved results far exceeding our expectations. During its premiere week, the show successfully entered the top five of Netflix's global English-language viewership charts and topped the daily popularity charts in 12 countries, including the UK, Australia, and Canada."

"To date, Netflix has more than 1500 million unique viewers worldwide. Of particular note is that Netflix's 'completion rate,' which is the percentage of viewers who watch an entire episode, is as high as 89%, and the user rating is stable at 4.7 stars. This fully demonstrates its acceptance in cross-cultural communication and the stickiness of the series itself."

These specific and impactful figures, read aloud by Zheng Xiaolong in a plain tone, are even more convincing, clearly outlining the enormous influence of "The Book of Peace" as a phenomenal TV series both domestically and internationally.

"Of course, as creators, we care more about the audience's feedback on the content itself." Zheng Xiaolong changed the subject, his expression becoming more serious. "The recently aired third episode is undoubtedly the one that has sparked the most intense discussion and had the strongest emotional impact since the show started. Internally, we also regard this episode, especially the last scene between Teacher Li Xuejian and Ms. Liu Yifei, as the most important highlight and climax of the first phase of the entire series."

All eyes involuntarily turned to Li Xuejian and Xiao Liu, who were sitting in the front row. Both of them nodded slightly and looked calm.

Zheng Xiaolong's voice was full of respect and admiration: "According to our real-time monitoring of the background data, during the broadcast of the third episode, 'The Death of Bai Qi,' especially in the last twenty minutes, the number of real-time online viewers and the amount of bullet screen interaction on the Zhijie Video platform exploded, with the peak number of bullet screens being more than three times that of usual."

"Keywords such as 'Bai Qi,' 'Gu Nan,' 'heartache,' and 'masterful acting' flooded social media with extremely high frequency. Within an hour of the episode's airing, social media discussions surrounding the series surged by 300%, and topics such as #BaiQi'sDeath#, #LiuYifei'sActingSkills#, and #LiXuejian'sTextbookPerformance# quickly topped the trending lists on major platforms."

"The audience was almost unanimously moved by Li Xuejian's portrayal of Bai Qi, and by his complex emotions and tragic choice at the last moment."

"He portrayed the sorrow, helplessness, relief, and final expectations and care for his disciples of a 'war god' who was so powerful that he threatened the emperor, knew he was going to die, cared for the common people but had to submit to royal power and political reality. His performance was so vivid and profound that it was a masterpiece of acting. The power to move people's hearts with just his eyes, micro-expressions and rhythm control, without shouting or yelling, is something that all of us in the production team deeply admire."

Zheng Xiaolong looked in Li Xuejian's direction and led the applause with a light clap. The whole audience immediately responded with warm and sustained applause, which was the highest tribute to the veteran artist's outstanding acting skills.

Zheng Xiaolong also talked about his co-star actress: "The excellent young actress Liu Yifei completely broke free from the constraints of her past roles and accurately captured the huge shock, collapse, grief and indignation and ultimate despair of Gu Nan, the 'time traveler', after witnessing her mentor being unintentionally pushed into a deeper abyss."

"From the impulse to rebel, to the astonishment of being sternly stopped by the master, to the trembling and numbness when personally delivering the 'judgment,' and finally the utter loneliness and coldness of standing in the courtroom with his head in his arms..."

"Her performance was rich in layers, and her emotional transitions were extremely explosive and infectious, especially her eye acting, which vividly portrayed the character's inner turmoil. In my opinion, this is a significant leap and a sign of maturity in her performing arts."

The audience erupted in applause once again. Zheng Xiaolong concluded, "The achievements and impact of the first three episodes of 'The Book of Peace' fully demonstrate that our approach of creating this work with film-level production standards, rigorous historical research, profound character portrayals, and universal humanistic concern is correct."

"It's not just a historical drama, but a mirror reflecting the past and present, sparking widespread reflection on history, humanity, power, and responsibility. This has given us greater motivation and higher expectations for our future work. Thank you!"

When the chief director Zheng Xiaolong used data and professional evaluation to outline the grand data landscape of "The Book of Peace", on the other side of the network world, the exclusive live broadcast channel of Zhijie Video had already turned into a boiling ocean.

This is the absolute home ground for fans of the "Fairy Sisters" (a popular Chinese actress), with all sorts of comments flying around.

Following this was the official address session, where leaders from relevant ministries and industry associations took turns speaking, highly praising the artistic achievements and industrial impact of the "Taiping Shu".

In their speeches, relevant leaders from the broadcasting department fully affirmed that the drama "achieved an organic unity of ideology, artistry, and entertainment," and that it is "a masterpiece that deeply explores the excellent traditional Chinese culture and successfully carries out creative transformation and innovative development." They also awarded "The Book of Peace" an honorary plaque for "Recommended Key Film and Television Project of the Year."

The China Television Artists Association announced that it would list the drama as a "benchmark case of Chinese TV drama art creation" for industry promotion.

The head of the arts and literature department of *Renbao* newspaper announced a special commentary praising the work for "reshaping the aesthetic paradigm of historical dramas with its epic quality, setting a new benchmark for the creation of major historical themes." The director of the Film and Drama Research Center at Yenching University stated that *Taiping Shu* has been included in the core course case study database for drama and film studies majors for teaching and research.

This series of authoritative recognitions and high honors from official sources, academia, and mainstream media have established the Taiping Book's industry status and historical value as a "phenomenal benchmark work" from different dimensions, paving the way for its subsequent award applications and path to becoming a classic.

Next up is the live Q&A segment that drives the audience wild. The host will select questions from the most-rated comments on ZhiJie Video and invite the celebrities and actors in the audience to participate in the interaction.

This was a marketing segment added to a traditional seminar, and it was also the significance of Wenjie's self-funded participation in the Media Center event. It was like "opening champagne halfway through," but the outcome was already predetermined.

The host read aloud to the screen: "The first question is for Professor Li. This audience member asks: This is your first TV series after recovering from your illness. What are your thoughts and feelings during the filming and broadcasting process?"

Li Xuejian reluctantly raised the microphone, "They died a bit too early, it wasn't enough!"

"Hahaha!"

The veteran actor joked for a moment, then laughed and said, "This is a very dedicated and pure production team. We have professional producer Lu Kuan, director Xiao Long, and excellent actors like Dao Ming and Yi Fei. It's been a very pleasant experience working with everyone."

The host continued, "Let's ask Ms. Xuejian to answer the second question. It should be a question from Yifei's fan, about your evaluation of her current acting skills."

Xiao Liu smiled as she looked at Li Xuejian, who was also one of her mentors, and felt a little hopeful.

"Actually, I'm not very willing to answer this kind of question." Li Xuejian's voice was still a little hoarse. "It's not that we actors are qualified to evaluate young actors just because we are older and more experienced. Times are changing, and we can hardly understand many of the current acting teaching methods and theories. Without a system, there is no way to evaluate them."

"During this period, I had many scenes with Xiao Liu and we communicated a lot. What people don't know is that she has a very good theoretical understanding of acting. She is at the forefront of domestic actresses, which is very rare."

Li Xuejian was referring to Liu Yifei's research on Melsin's manuscripts, concerning the theory and practice of Stanislavski's three stages. (Chapter 411)
Seeing that he was too modest and wanted to stop after saying only a few words, Boss Lu picked up the microphone and joked, "Teacher Xuejian, you can't be too low-key today. This film is counting on marketing to continue making big money. You have to cooperate!"

A few light laughs rippled through the room.

"Shall I say a few more words?" Li Xuejian asked with a hint of helplessness, then chuckled and picked up the microphone again.

“Young actors need guidance and mentorship from experienced actors like you and Daoming. Please discuss both their strengths and weaknesses, as this will help them improve.”

Li Xuejian hesitated for a few seconds before no longer declining:
"To be honest, I've always had a very good impression of Yi Fei. Among so many actresses in China, she has impressed me since 03 with her role in 'A Home Away'. She is a very hardworking, dedicated, and resilient person."

Li Xuejian was referring to Liu Yifei's performance as a stunt double in "A Foreign Land" and her work on explosion and wire work scenes. Not only among actresses of the same age, but also among all actresses, her professionalism was among the best. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gained the recognition of so many senior drama actors as soon as she joined the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

He turned slightly to look at Liu Yifei, as if recalling the details of the filming, with the gentleness of a senior and elder.

"Specifically speaking, the thing I admire most about her performance is her conscious pursuit and reflection on the theory of acting. For example, with this 'male soul in female body' setting, she can rationally analyze and dissect the inner sense of tearing apart and the external presentation, which is very rare."

"Secondly, there's Yi Fei, who has a strong sense of sensitivity and empathy. You could say that she has a deep love and reflection on life, which she brings to her performances as a character."

"For example, in the scene where Gu Nan is caught stealing pancakes, the script may only require 'panic and stubbornness,' but she can instantly evoke the hunger of a person struggling to survive at the bottom, the shame and resentment of being caught red-handed, and the fear of facing unknown authority, which is very rich in layers."

"And in the final scene of 'Bai Qi's death,' I could clearly feel the trembling in her hands. That huge shock and collapse from her fingertips to her heart showed that she truly gave herself to the role and shared the character's joy and sorrow."

He then changed the subject, saying, "Of course, there are also shortcomings."

This person is also someone who believes in the power of sincerity; when he speaks, he is sincere and objective, without hiding anything.

It is said that one should not speak too deeply with someone one has not known well, but he knew this couple well and knew what kind of people they were, so he was willing to speak his mind.

"My first point is that there is still a greater possibility of achieving a more perfect fusion between an extremely rational methodology and an instantaneous instinctive reaction. Xiao Liu, you have a strong ability to construct a character now, and your logic is clear, but the most brilliant part of your performance is sometimes that kind of 'unexpected,' subconscious reaction. You can try to relax a bit more on the basis of thorough preparation, trust your intuition more, and let some sparks ignite naturally. That would be a higher level."

Liu Yifei nodded: "Thank you, Teacher Xuejian, I'll remember that."

"What's another point? It's about grasping the 'momentum' of the character's life journey more macroscopically. Gu Nan's character spans a long period of time and experiences tremendous changes. How can we reflect the passage of time and the ups and downs of fate at different stages through more subtle, even seemingly unintentional, changes in physical form, eyes, and tone of voice, rather than just relying on plots with strong dramatic conflicts to drive the story? This is something that can be further explored."

"It's like painting; you need not only brilliant details, but also a cohesive overall style."

"These are all necessary growth experiences, and many of them are insights that only come to old men like us at our age. It's not something you can force," Li Xuejian concluded with a smile, giving his highest praise.
"I believe Xiao Liu has all the personality traits to become a world-class actress, and I look forward to seeing her shine on the world stage. Thank you."

This is an incredibly high compliment, especially considering she is recognized as one of the most outstanding and dedicated veteran actors in China. This makes the fans watching Zhijie Video feel very proud.

To some extent, laundry detergent fans see washing machines as a substitute; don't fans of celestial beings have any kind of idealistic fantasies about their idols?

They have witnessed a 14-year-old girl grow from her innocent beginnings to where she is today, gaining more and more honors and recognition, from China to Asia and the world. At this moment, Li Xuejian's certification is another dimension of affirmation.

The current barrage frenzy is a collective catharsis of long-term emotional investment yielding supernormal returns, and also a recognition of identity as a high-quality idol fan group.

Aside from Chen Daoming, who doesn't have many appearances in the drama, almost all the questions below are for Liu Yifei. She is a "traffic star" who can "carry the show," but she also has the attributes of a powerful actress.

She was also asked a similar question: "I am even less qualified to answer the question about the evaluations of other actors and teachers in the production team."

Xiao Liu laughed and said, "But from my own experience, this was definitely a pleasant work experience that gave me a deeper understanding of the performing arts industry that I love."

"In the crew of 'Ask the World,' working with so many teachers, the only thing I need to think about is how to make the film well. We don't need to consider any other factors, which is a very happy thing for an actor."

"Just like high school students in China, their parents take good care of their lives, and the only thing they need to worry about is studying."

This statement resonates with many. Countless working professionals, looking back on their high school and college years, realize that studying, which they disliked the most, was actually the simplest thing compared to the complex social environment.

Seeing a rather funny question, the host decided to throw it out to lighten the mood: "Yi Fei, in the scene where you interact with the painting fairy in the last episode, how did you manage to present a man's expression on a woman's appearance so vividly?"

Xiao Liu's answer lived up to expectations, adopting the most popular approach: "This is all thanks to Teacher Lu. I learned everything from him. I won't go into the specific details, but you can all understand. Please don't spread it around."

A few light laughs rippled through the audience. The host, ever the entertainer, turned to Jing Tian and asked, "So how did you, as the Fairy of Painting, manage to portray the adoring gaze of the male-spirited, female-bodied Gu Nan so convincingly?"

Da Tiantian, of course, couldn't reveal the secret that Xiao Liu had told her back then. With a radiant smile, she said, "This is all thanks to Teacher Liu. I learned it from her. You all just understand the implication..."

The serious seminar was completely turned into a laughing session, providing plenty of material for the end of the meeting and for online hype.

……

After the meeting concluded, the official honors and astonishing data achievements of the Taiping Book were quickly publicized by the major media outlets present, sparking a lasting wave of heated discussions in the Chinese internet world.

The series of prestigious accolades—including being named a "key recommended project" by the State Administration of Radio and Television, a "benchmark case" by the China Television Artists Association, special praise from authoritative media outlets, and inclusion in the curriculum of top universities—have established the show's lofty status as a "phenomenal benchmark" at the highest level.

At the same time, Li Xuejian's evaluation of Liu Yifei's acting skills as having "all the personality elements to become a world-class actor" quickly spread across the internet, becoming the focus of fan celebration and industry discussion.

This is not only the highest praise from a senior to a junior, but also a kind of "official certification," which greatly enhances Liu Yifei's reputation and prestige in the professional field.

It was amidst this clamor that "Ball Lightning" demonstrated remarkable resilience at the box office, with its daily box office decline curve being extremely gentle. After breaking the 16 billion mark, it maintained a stable market output.

Everyone in the industry clearly realizes that surpassing Avatar's 17.79 billion yuan box office record in mainland China seems to be only a matter of time. This double wave of enthusiasm sparked by the film "Quest for the World" has created a powerful public opinion momentum.

However, the strength of the mainland cannot affect the decline of the outside world, which is also the root cause of the overall gap between "Ball Flash" and "Avatar".

For example, the Taiwan region.

At almost the same time, more substantial news of suppression began to emerge sporadically through various channels, revealing that the Golden Horse Awards were not merely "talking the talk."

How did a cultural project unit in Jinma manage to achieve all of this?
The comments from influential figures on Weibo are quite informative about this reason:

After decades of development, the Golden Horse Awards have become more than just an award; they have formed a vast network of relationships centered around the awards, deeply penetrating all aspects of local film production, distribution, screening, criticism, and education.

Many theater managers, media executives, and academic authorities are themselves participants in or beneficiaries of this system, with intricate connections of interest and personal relationships.

Many ways of exerting influence are not through rigid administrative orders, but through tacit understandings within the industry, subtle hints based on personal relationships, and preferential allocation of resources—these are all unspoken rules.

For example, if a cinema insists on showing "Ball Lightning," it may encounter "unexpected difficulties" when applying for local film subsidies or seeking cooperation with Golden Horse-related projects in the future.

The Golden Horse Awards are clearly not afraid of the competition, and the Beijing International Film Festival is inevitable. For the Golden Horse Awards, which has dominated Chinese film festivals for twenty years, this can be said to be a life-or-death moment.

Boss Lu also clearly warned that if the other party really causes trouble, Wenjie will definitely retaliate from a business perspective. But how will he retaliate?

After all, you are just a film company owner. There will be more films from the movie industry to be shown here in the future. Even if you are rich and powerful and look down on this market with a size of less than 30 billion RMB.
But what about Jiejiahe?

Since the time of Raymond Chow, Golden Harvest has been the major shareholder of Warner Village Cinemas, the largest cinema chain in the Bay Area, with 9 cinemas and more than 80 theaters in the area.

Actually, the Golden Horse Awards were rather aggrieved. After the unpleasant incident, Hou Hsiao-hsien apologized immediately and later even flew to the United States to extend an invitation and try to smooth things over, but ultimately to no avail.

For a time, the entire industry was watching and waiting to see what would happen, but the person involved remained calm and continued to advance the cultural projects at hand in an orderly manner.

On October 20, 2010, the eighth episode of "The Book of Peace: Vastness" concluded, and the series had firmly established its popularity throughout Asia and its initial appeal in Europe and America.

Wenjie has also spared no effort in promoting the landmark cultural project, "The Book of Peace".

On October 21, Professor Iris Chang, an American of Chinese descent who has been well-loved by the Chinese public since the airing of "The Sky of History," organized a university seminar after the series aired. She is the head of the East Asian War and Peace Studies Project at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies.

The institute also released an academic observation report entitled "The Book of Peace: A Modern Expression of Historical Trauma and the Boundaries of 'Empathy'".

The report was quickly summarized and reported by major international media outlets such as The New York Times and The Guardian, generating a huge response.

It is worth mentioning that the Gunners Foundation under North American Inquiry is one of the sponsors of the Fairbank Institute.

You can farm remotely, but I can't?

I also have patriotic female scholars like Iris Chang, who use humanities research projects as a substitute for breeding.

The report by Iris Chang and the Fairbank Institute did not stop at simple praise, but rather provided a profound analysis from the academic perspective of her long-term research on war, atrocities, and historical memory.

She highly praised the character of "Gu Nan" as a time traveler and observer, believing that this cleverly resolved the contradiction between "omniscient perspective" and "individual limitations" in historical narratives.

Iris Chang points out: "Gu Nan's 'prophet' status brings not the exhilarating feeling of reversing history, but a profound sense of powerlessness and moral dilemma. This is precisely the most ethically valuable narrative stance that modern historiography can find after reflecting on 'historical determinism'—"

“We look back at history not to change it, but to understand the root causes of tragedy and to serve as a warning for the present.”

It also reiterated the undeniable historical consensus of the Nanjing Massacre, which has gained wider recognition in North America today.

With the release of Zhang Yimou's "The Flowers of War" this year, this atmosphere will likely become even stronger, and the fog of history will be harder to obscure everyone's vision.

Just as fans of the show continued to enjoy the halo and glory brought by "The Book of Peace," this top-tier cultural project, which had long been on the radar of the upper echelons, also brought tangible "gains" to the lead actor, Xiao Liu.

As one of the key figures in the drama, Liu Yifei has received more significant industry recognition and responsibility in her career.

The Beiping People's Art Theatre took the lead in making important personnel arrangements.

This art institution, known as the "temple of Chinese drama," has officially appointed Liu Yifei as the deputy captain of the People's Art Theatre's acting troupe, while Feng Yuanzheng remains the captain.

This appointment is of profound significance. The actors' troupe of Beijing People's Art Theatre is the core cornerstone of its artistic creation. Serving as the deputy captain is not only a high affirmation of Liu Yifei's professional ability as an actress, but also means that she is beginning to transform from a simple performer into an artistic backbone who participates in the artistic production management of the theatre and assists in the training of young actors.

The comments section on the Beijing People's Art Theatre's Weibo account was flooded with "Captain Liu! Captain Liu!" In fact, Bingbing became the deputy captain of the Xi'an Film Studio's acting team three years ago, which was also orchestrated by Boss Lu, and it's the same as the real world timeline.

Although Xi'an Film Studio lags behind Beijing People's Art Theatre in terms of performance professionalism, this is not the most explosive news.

But the major announcement that followed from the Beiping Federation of Literary and Art Circles was quite astonishing.
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Documents from the Beiping Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles

Pingwen Joint Document No. 28 [2010]

Notification Regarding the Appointment of Comrade Liu Yifei

To all group member units, departments and directly affiliated units of the Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles:

In order to thoroughly implement the spirit of promoting the prosperity and development of literature and art, and to further strengthen the unity, guidance, training and support for young literary and artistic talents in our city, and in accordance with work needs, the Third Meeting of the Ninth Presidium of the Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles has decided to appoint Comrade Liu Yifei as the Director of the Youth Literature and Art Work Committee.

Its main responsibilities are: to preside over the overall work of the committee, to be responsible for formulating and organizing the implementation of the annual work plan, and to unite and lead young literary and art workers in the city to carry out activities such as theoretical study, professional discussion, creative practice, and volunteer service.

The reasons for the appointment are as follows:

As a national second-level actress, Comrade Liu Yifei's artistic achievements and professional qualities are evident to all. In particular, in the recent phenomenal work "The Book of Peace", she profoundly portrayed the complex character "Gu Nan" with her superb acting skills, demonstrating a deep humanistic concern, solid acting skills and a profound understanding of historical narrative. She has won high praise from industry experts and the general public, and has a wide social impact.

This comrade is in his prime, full of innovative energy, and has a significant appeal and positive influence among young people.
His long-term dedication to artistic practice, upright conduct, and professional ethics have demonstrated the excellent spirit of literary and artistic workers in the new era.

At the same time, this comrade possesses certain organizational and coordination abilities and a strong sense of social responsibility. She is enthusiastic about cultural and artistic public welfare undertakings and pays attention to the growth of young people. Her appointment to this important task will help enhance the representativeness, cohesion, and effectiveness of the committee.

We hope that Comrade Liu Yifei will earnestly fulfill her duties, unite and lead all members of the committee, forge ahead, work diligently, and make positive contributions to discovering, cultivating, and uniting outstanding young literary and artistic talents in the capital, and promoting the prosperity and development of literary and artistic undertakings in Beiping.

Hereby notified.

Beiping Municipal Federation of Literary and Art Circles

October 22, 2010
Oh no, now I'm really going to become Director Liu!
(End of this chapter)